Steam issue on Lelit Anna 1

[ctrl-alt-mat]

Hi all, I'm having a steaming issue with my Lelit Anna 1. I've never had any problems frothing milk until recently. Here's the procedure I was used to: I set it to "steam" mode, wait for a few seconds until light goes off, then I open the valve, I let some water come out of the steam wand for few seconds until it switches to full steam. I close the valve, insert the wand into the milk and within 20-30 seconds I use to have nice silky/frothed milk. Recently, something has changed as I can no longer froth milk properly, there is still some water coming out for a few seconds once I open up the valve, then it switches to steam but that steam is no longer "powerful" enough (loss of pressure?), it doesn't even make the milk to spin and it doesn't give steam long enough so in the end, it's just hot milk without any bubble? Any ideas as to why this is happening? Coffee mode and hot water mode are OK but steam mode isn't. Is it a descaling issue? Thanks all for your troubleshooting support. Regards, Mathieu

This video might help understanding the issue and you will notice that while steam is coming out, it looks like the light goes back ON instead of staying OFF the whole time it usually takes to froth the milk:

si=GIY_NnTbPod1cthD

 

[ctrl-alt-mat]

Hi all, I'm having a steaming issue with my Lelit Anna 1. I've never had any problems frothing milk until recently. Here's the procedure I was used to: I set it to "steam" mode, wait for a few seconds until light goes off, then I open the valve, I let some water come out of the steam wand for few seconds until it switches to full steam. I close the valve, insert the wand into the milk and within 20-30 seconds I use to have nice silky/frothed milk. Recently, something has changed as I can no longer froth milk properly, there is still some water coming out for a few seconds once I open up the valve, then it switches to steam but that steam is no longer "powerful" enough (loss of pressure?), it doesn't even make the milk to spin and it doesn't give steam long enough so in the end, it's just hot milk without any bubble? Any ideas as to why this is happening? Coffee mode and hot water mode are OK but steam mode isn't. Is it a descaling issue? Thanks all for your troubleshooting support. Regards, Mathieu

This video might help understanding the issue and you will notice that while steam is coming out, it looks like the light goes back ON instead of staying OFF the whole time it usually takes to froth the milk:

si=GIY_NnTbPod1cthD

Any hints anyone?

 

[shadow745]

Any hints anyone?

Just saw this and will toss out a few possibilities... one is the boiler might benefit from a descaling. Do you pay much attention to water used in it? Also, you might get a bit more function by cleaning the wand tip if you haven't already. Doesn't take much scale/gunk buildup to affect steam pressure/volume.

 

[Enigma-2]

I'd agree with shadow745, you're having a scale issue. This vid shows how to clean

 

[ctrl-alt-mat]

Thanks for your replies. I sure did try descaling the machine (as per the video) but unfortunately it didn't change a thing, I'm still having a "steam pressure" issue on the wand tip. I also let the wand tip soak for 1 hour into the descaling solution and that didn't help neither. Also, I have always used spring water with this machine and, above all, it seems that this problem started suddenly. More a mechanical/thermostat issue? I hope not, let me know what you all think.

Thanks again for your troubleshooting support,

Mathieu

 

[Enigma-2]

As you reported that it hapoened suddenly, it would appear that something broke. While not your exactly model, it is a Lelit and shows one possibility of poor steam performance.

 

[Enigma-2]

Another thought. As your getting hot water and not steam, it still seems like its a clot. Don't know if its helpful, but this vid shows how to track down a clot.

 

[shadow745]

Thanks for your replies. I sure did try descaling the machine (as per the video) but unfortunately it didn't change a thing, I'm still having a "steam pressure" issue on the wand tip. I also let the wand tip soak for 1 hour into the descaling solution and that didn't help neither. Also, I have always used spring water with this machine and, above all, it seems that this problem started suddenly. More a mechanical/thermostat issue? I hope not, let me know what you all think.

Thanks again for your troubleshooting support,

Mathieu

No doubt the steam thermostat could've went out, not letting it get to the proper temp range. Could also possibly have tripped based on this quick fix...

Thermostat Reset - Lelit PL41 Anna

Thermostat Reset - Lelit PL41 Anna. Here you will find instructions on how to reset the safety thermostat on the boiler of the Lelit PL41 Anna.

www.1st-line.com

 

[ctrl-alt-mat]

Thanks so much everyone for helping me out, was a "clot" issue finally in the wand tip. I inserted a needle in and out several times in the bottom end and voilà, it was fixed!!

P.S. In the meantime, I went back with my '83 Baby Gaggia, such a beast that one is, 41 years later, impressive, perfect pressure, 18g/28s/30g, etc... I know that I have a solid backup in case the Lelit goes bananas again

 

[nobody]

Thanks so much everyone for helping me out, was a "clot" issue finally in the wand tip. I inserted a needle in and out several times in the bottom end and voilà, it was fixed!!

P.S. In the meantime, I went back with my '83 Baby Gaggia, such a beast that one is, 41 years later, impressive, perfect pressure, 18g/28s/30g, etc... I know that I have a solid backup in case the Lelit goes bananas again

You should open up your steam valve for some seconds after you pull your steam wand out of the steamed milk. That will purge/blow out milk up in the steam wand and will eliminate or greatly reduce the plugging you have experienced.

Danny

 

[shadow745]

You should open up your steam valve for some seconds after you pull your steam wand out of the steamed milk. That will purge/blow out milk up in the steam wand and will eliminate or greatly reduce the plugging you have experienced.

Danny

Most users tend to do that, or at least it's something that should be done after every use. Most single boiler/dual use machines allow the 'hot water function' to be enabled as in running the pump with the steam valve open. That refills the boiler after steaming as well as purging the wand/tip so no buildup will occur to begin with.

 

[nobody]

Most users tend to do that, or at least it's something that should be done after every use. Most single boiler/dual use machines allow the 'hot water function' to be enabled as in running the pump with the steam valve open. That refills the boiler after steaming as well as purging the wand/tip so no buildup will occur to begin with.

Is the original poster's machine a single boiler? I forgot about that on single boilers.

Ok, I researched the machine. It is a single boiler.

Danny

 

[Enigma-2]

[Q]Thanks so much everyone for helping me out, was a "clot" issue finally in the wand tip. I inserted a needle in and out several times in the bottom end and voilà, it was fixed!![Q/]

Even though you descaled, if it were me, I'd pull off the steam tip and drop it in some vinegar for an hour .... just to be safe.

Probably wouldn’t hurt to run a full scale descale on the machine again. If the tip was scaled, could still have scale in the narrow parts. (Can't do any harm after all.)

◇ I should talk, can't remember the last time I did a descale. (But then again, I also use soft water) ......

Glad you found the problem. Your response helps all of us in the long run.