The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Ours got buggered 18 months ago, and needed a new gasket which I
got...but in the meantime something seems to have gone wrong elsewhere..
and I am a bit stumped.

What it consists of is a reservoir of water that goes to a pump, which
pumps at what must be pretty high pressure into a boiler thingie. The
boiler output goes to a steam valve that goes either to the coffee head
itself which has a pressure switch - seems to need about 2 bar or more
to let steam out - or the steamer pipe for frothing the milk.

The basic trouble is that nothing is coming out at all. I did get some
steam briefly.

I have checked all the easy to get at stuff - the valves and pipes from
the boiler to the valve etc..

The pump runs - well makes its buzzy noise - but seems to draw no water
from the reservoir, but that pipe is OK as I disconnected it and sucked
water up.

My guess is that something is scaled up in the pump or boiler area, but
without more than a trickle of flow..how to descale it?

What I also don't understand is why the pump seems to be configured to
run ONLY when making coffee - not when steaming or topping up with hot
water etc..is it that the high pressure an flow can only be provided by
a pump. whilst hot water and steam can be gravity fed?

Normally I wouldn't bother, but its the wife's BIRTHDAY...;-)


Oh., I sussed it.

The pump IS a high pressure one and needs priming. You do that by
filling it up with water to the FULL mark, not where SWMBO had filled it
to ;-)

Thanks to all who failed to reply in time..anyway SHE is happy. Phew.