# Metal flakes in water



## Wando64 (Feb 28, 2011)

When I descale my Silvia V3 I notice that there are little flakes of metal in the water coming out of the machine. By the time I have finished desscaling and flushed a couple of tanks the water comes out clean again. Clearly some metal is corroding, but it cannot be the brass.

I use Puly baby with a cold machine once a month and flush the whole content through in approx 15 minutes.

By the way, the reason I see this is because I flush into a white cup so the flakes stand out quite clearly.

Have you experienced anything similar and any guess on what it could be?

Thanks.


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## Wando64 (Feb 28, 2011)

I have made a google search and I am clearly not the only one experiencing this. I wonder how many other simply have not noticed. No one has identified a cause/solution as far as I can see.

BTW, small particles still coming out from the steamer even a day after descaling and a number of coffees and flushes. No more steamed milk until this has been solved. Help.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Wando64 said:


> I have made a google search and I am clearly not the only one experiencing this. I wonder how many other simply have not noticed. No one has identified a cause/solution as far as I can see.
> 
> BTW, small particles still coming out from the steamer even a day after descaling and a number of coffees and flushes. No more steamed milk until this has been solved. Help.


i need to descale mine today or tomorrow. Ill pay more attention and let you know what i see.


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## Wando64 (Feb 28, 2011)

I found this: http://coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/machines/583522

The one post from last in the thread suggests a cause for the problem with a photo to show what happened inside the boiler.

Chances are that my problem is the same.

Boiler element is still working fine so I guess I just need to take it apart and clean it.

Does anyone know where I can get a gasket in the UK? (A search didn't help)


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

If it is debris coming off an over heated element - it's a timely reminder to make sure the boiler is refilled with water after steaming. Stick a bowl under the brew head and run the pump until the spluttering ends - then you know the boiler has been refilled. This will prolong the life of the heating element.


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## glevum (Apr 4, 2013)

Yep, sounds like a dry over heated element


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## Wando64 (Feb 28, 2011)

I have always been uber-anal about refilling the boiler before and after steaming and brewing. Clearly that alone does not provide any guarantee.


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## Wando64 (Feb 28, 2011)

I have opened up the boiler and could not find any evidence of corrosion or delamination on either the boiler or the heating element. What I found though is a surprising amount of limescale. This is surprising because I use brita filtered water and religiously descale once a month when I also change the brita filter.

Moreover, I had descaled the machine twice, just days before I opened the boiler!

I will certainly be descaling much more energetically from now on. I.e. heat up the boiler a little and leave the cleaning solution in for much longer.

I still cannot understand why it was spitting particles that looked metallic, but it seems to have stopped now after the clean.

Dismounting the Silvia made me realise how well built it is compared to my previous machine (Gaggia baby).


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