JonDent - Exploring Electronic Music: la pavoni

Showing posts with label la pavoni. Show all posts

Wednesday, 17 September 2025

La Pavoni Europiccola V1.4 - c1966

Some pics of my Rev 1 Europiccola

This is from 1966.

The portafilter size is 49mm

Side view

Very simple machine that produces great espresso.

The internal wiring

Thursday, 26 June 2025

La Pavoni Europiccola V 1.8 - c1973

Some pics of a 1973 La Pavoni Europiccola

purchased from ebay.

Notice the single rocker switch.

It has a steel base with rubber seat.

The wiring is very simple

Red badge

The water level has a screw at the top so you can install a pressure gauge

The boiler cap

Wednesday, 23 April 2025

La Pavoni Europiccola V1.3 - 1963

Some pics of a early V1.3 Europiccola.

I picked this up on Ebay

The La Pavoni Europiccola (V 1.3, ~1968) sits in the early “pre-millennium” lineage of what is arguably the most famous domestic lever espresso machine ever made. It’s not a separate model name so much as a version classification used by collectors to describe a specific early build period of the Europiccola.

Here’s a clear breakdown of what it is and why it matters.

The Europiccola was introduced in 1961 as La Pavoni’s first true home espresso lever machine, designed to bring café-style espresso into domestic kitchens.

It uses:

a manual lever piston group
an 800 ml boiler
pressure created by a spring/lever system (fully manual extraction)
steam capability for milk

It became the template for nearly all later home lever machines.

🧠 Where “V 1.3 (1968)” fits

Collectors usually divide early Europiccolas into informal “versions” based on mechanical changes. A V1.3 around 1968 generally refers to:

early production (1960s era)
pre-pressurestat machines (no automatic pressure control yet)
early grouphead design (simpler, more direct-to-boiler mounting)
incremental refinements over the very first 1961–63 units

This is still part of the first-generation Europiccola family, before later structural revisions in the 1970s.

🔧 Key characteristics of a 1968-era Europiccola

1. Early lever group design

Fully manual piston group
Brass grouphead with minimal internal plastic (or none)
Early shower screen and diffusion design

2. Boiler system

~0.8L chromed brass boiler
Typically no pressurestat (early units used simple thermostat switching)
Takes longer to stabilize temperature compared to later models

3. Controls (very simple)

Basic rocker or toggle switches
No modern safety cutoffs like later machines
Manual pressure management via heating cycles

4. Build philosophy

Extremely overbuilt compared to modern machines
Heavy use of brass, steel, and chrome plating
Designed to last decades with rebuildable parts

🧯 What collectors care about

A 1968 V1.3 machine is considered desirable because:

It’s early production (~first decade of Europiccola history)
Mostly fully brass internals (less plastic than later machines)
Represents the “purest” manual lever experience
Still compatible with many modern rebuild parts (gaskets, seals, etc.)

However:

Electrical systems are often unsafe by modern standards if unrestored
Wiring, switches, and insulation usually need updating
Temperature stability is harder than newer models

💡 In practice (what it feels like to use)

Expect:

a strong learning curve (very temperature-sensitive)
excellent espresso potential once mastered
manual “ritual” brewing style similar to vintage café levers
no automation at all—you are the pressure and temperature controller

Monday, 15 July 2024

Common Espresso machine port sizes (G vs M), tubes and fittings

Espresso machine have a wide range of sizes of pressure gauges, temp gauges, ports etc etc.

It can be a bit confusing.

They may connect to a boiler or the steam wand, or a pressure gauge.

There are a few fitting types to remember:

T joint & L joint.

These are used to connect three or two tubes

of the same size

Adapter or Nipple

This is an adapter.

These are used to connect two tubes (for example) of different sizes

This is a hexagonal nipple

Straight 3/8 to 1/2 BSP.

It's nickel plated brass

Most espresso machines use BSP fittings and is sometimes called a pipe or G-type.

There are two versions: Parallel vs Tapered.

BSPP=Parallel / straight (this is the most common).

BSPT = Tapered.

These use imperial inches, not metric measurements.

The main difference between G and M threads is that G threads are a type of pipe thread, while M threads are a type of metric thread:

G threads

Also known as British Standard Pipe Parallel (BSPP) threads, G threads are a type of pipe thread with a 55 degree angle and a constant diameter. They are cylindrical on the inside and outside, and are suitable for pressure-tight connections that are not sealed by the thread. G threads are commonly used in the water and gas pipe industries.

M threads

Also known as ISO metric threads, M threads are specified in metric units (mm). The nominal size of an M thread is determined by the thread's major diameter and pitch.

The common sizes you will find in coffee machines are: G1/8", G1/4", G3/8", G1/2", M9, M12, M6, M10

Flair 58 - uses G1/8

Flair Pro2 - M9

E61 machines

(like the Lelit v3, Rocket R58, La Marzocco GS3 and Profitec Pro series) -

They use a M6 thread for the group head pressure/temp connector.

I use a BooKoo pressure sensor on my machine which uses a G1/8 thread. This makes it compatible with the Flair 58 or La Marzocco GS3.

The Bookoo came with an G1/8" to M6 adapter so it can work with my E61.

I've added a Pressure profiling Kit to my La Pavoni Europiccola.

This uses a G1/8 adapter

So the Bookoo pressure sensor fits onto it (without need for the G1/8 to M6 adapter).

Here are some other examples of adapters:

the M6 end is to the left.

G1/8 on the right end

Pavoni Pressure Gauge Steel Nut M11

This adapter nut allows you to add a boiler pressure gauge.

The Pressure gauge has a 1/8" fitting.

1/8" = (8.6mm) Female

This stainless steel nut will convert La Pavoni models made after 1990.

Models made before 1990 will need a 1/8" to M12 (12mm) adapter.

The la pavoni steam tip that screws into the pipe (for frothing milk) uses a M6 thread.

I replaced my 3 hole tip with a single hole tip.

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E61 Group Head Chrome Mushroom Cap

Slightly more coarse threads than the standard 3/8" British Standard Pipe thread. Chrome covered brass.

The most common thread size for a portafilter spout is 3/8 in BSP. The bottom of the portafilter body has 3/8" in female threads.

If you are pulling a shot and lack room for your glass between the drip tray and the bottom of the portafilter, just remove the spout.

The thread size for a 58mm portafilter handle is M10 or M12.

The thread is also 3/8" BSP

This is the steam valve on a Faema Faemia from 1964.

The thread size is 3/4" BSP.

The thread for the upper pressure valve is 3/8" BSP (the same as a portafilter spout).

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Other thread formats:

NPT : National Pipe Thread

National Pipe Thread (NPT) is a U.S. standard for tapered threads used to connect pipes and fittings. NPT threads are characterized by:

Tapered: NPT threads have a tapered male and female thread.

60° angle: NPT threads have a 60° thread angle.

Flat crests and roots: NPT threads have flat crests and roots.

Taper rate: The taper rate for NPT threads is 1⁄16 in (3⁄8 in per foot).

Common sizes: Common NPT sizes include 1⁄8 in, 1⁄4 in, 3⁄8 in, 1⁄2 in, 3⁄4 in, 1 in, 1 1⁄4 in, 1 1⁄2 in, and 2 in.

NPT and BSP threads are not interchangeable because they have different thread forms, pitch, and flank angles. However, you can use an adapter to convert between the two

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Coffee index. Click here :

https://djjondent.blogspot.com/2024/03/coffee.html

Monday, 8 April 2024

La Pavoni OPV & pressure stat

Maintenance / repairs etc.

You need to find out what machine you have

since the new anti-vacuum OPV body is different from the old standard steel ball OPV.

The old machines don't have anti vac, so at startup you need to release some steam to get it up to the correct temperature.

La Pavoni changed the design of the anti-vacuum valve again in 2021.

To open the valve up you need two thin #16 wrenches.

One needs to fit around the M12 boiler nut (that attaches the valve to the boiler).

The safety valve is composed of a few parts:

18. Safety valve body part no. 396751

(chromed not gold).

Suitable for LP's that have

this valve with a M12 thread.

20. Spring, part no. 311407

(8 coil spring - new style)

Part no. 311406

(15 coil spring - Old style)

19. Valve plug (anti-vacuum),

part no. 396754 R (new style)

Valve plug, part no. 371416 (old style)

The #311406 (15 coil) is the one to buy if you have an old dual element non-pStat machine .

The 8 coil spring looks like the same one that has been used in pressurestat-equipped machines since the early Professionals..:

This is a new style anti vaccuum plug

(part No: 396754)

This is the old style valve

part no. 371416

The earlier machines without PSTATs constantly vent steam through the OPV, so it's not a good idea to leave them coasting.

The build up of scale can effect the valve.

If your late model (post mil) constantly vents steam the OPV is probably stuck, perhaps with scale.

------------------------

This is a modern Pressure Stat for the La Pavoni Professional and Europiccola lever machine models that have a single element. It's function is to control and regulate the pressure inside the boiler.

The safe max pressure for the LP boiler is 1.1bar.

Part No 451308 (pressostato)

The pressure stat was first used in 1974/76 (Professional).

1991: Europiccola added.

There are a few versions, so you probably need something different if your model is old.

The addition of the pressurestat ended the need for "dual" switches and two heating elements, and allowed a single "on/off" switch (red) with a power light. The pressure was usually set to .8-1 BAR at the factory. (Industry standard.)