# Rust in Steam Wand



## Ret0lein (Dec 12, 2017)

Hey there!

I bought a Rancilio Silvia like a month ago and since then I am trying every weekend to get proper coffee (but this is discussed in a separate thread







).

However, last weekend I tried making foamed milk with the steam wand.

The first step I always carry out when I turn the machine on, is extracting about 350ml of water through the steam wand (not steaming, just hot water) and a bit of water through the group head- just to exchange the water in the boiler.

The first thing I noticed, when pulling water from the steam wand is that the water is splashing around, because there is no steady stream- I suspect that this is related to air in the hoses/tubes..?

Another, more serious thing:

In the evening after cleaning the machine, as I always do, I unscrewed the tip of the steam wand- I noticed a lot of rust there. Shouldn't this be stainless steel??

Please see the attached photo.

I already notified Caffe Italia, not only to tell them about this issue but also about the issue, that I share with several other users: The plastic smell of the machine...

But they didn't answer so far...

Should I exchange the steam wand? I would prefer not to do that :/

Thanks!


----------



## AussieEx (Jul 10, 2013)

I'm not sure why you would unscrew the tip of the steam wand that often. I do it maybe once or twice a year! Anyway, my 4 1/2yo Silvia (hasn't skipped a beat, BTW) looks just the same.

Secondly, running 350ml through the machine every time you switch on is, IMO, overkill. Turn the machine on, allow it to come up to temperature (~20-30 minutes should be fine), run a small amount through wand/group if you desire, then make your coffee. There will always be a bit of spluttering/hissing from the steam wand as (a) there will likely be air in the wand and (b) any water in the wand won't be heated. No problem - just bleed it out with a quick activation just before steaming.

DO always make sure you bleed water through the steam wand after steaming using the hot water switch, since steaming doesn't activate the pump, so the boiler doesn't automatically refill. The quickest way of doing this, from experience, is to leave the steam wand slightly open after steaming (having turned off the steam switch, of course). This helps the machine cool faster by gently releasing the pressure in the boiler. Then bleed the water by activating the hot water switch and opening the steam wand valve until water runs through. I use the steam wand do do this as the input is right up near the top of the boiler.

Finally, DO buy an Auber PID. Expensive, but totally, completely worth it. I've read loads of mixed reviews of the MeCoffee, but my Auber has been rock solid since day one, installation was easy, and the benefits in terms of both temperature stability and workflow are immense.


----------



## Ret0lein (Dec 12, 2017)

AussieExpat said:


> I'm not sure why you would unscrew the tip of the steam wand that often. I do it maybe once or twice a year! Anyway, my 4 1/2yo Silvia (hasn't skipped a beat, BTW) looks just the same.
> 
> Secondly, running 350ml through the machine every time you switch on is, IMO, overkill. Turn the machine on, allow it to come up to temperature (~20-30 minutes should be fine), run a small amount through wand/group if you desire, then make your coffee. There will always be a bit of spluttering/hissing from the steam wand as (a) there will likely be air in the wand and (b) any water in the wand won't be heated. No problem - just bleed it out with a quick activation just before steaming.
> 
> ...


Very good suggestions, thanks









Also, I already have the Auber PID installed (w/ pre-infusion) since day one. I didn't want to mess with temperature surfing, etc...

And since I have pretty hard water, I now put a filter (Bilt Nical 900) in the tank (and attached it to the hose) to avoid too much scaling of the metal parts. Just to avoid more/other problems


----------



## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

It's not rust - it's cooked milk gunge (!)


----------

