Rancilio Steam Wand Behavior

I'm an electrical engineer, working with the owner of an (old) Rancilio Z-11 Omicron 3-grouphead espresso machine and would appreciate some suggestions on resolving a problem with the steam wands.

Machine is levelled on the countertop.  Boiler water level maintained about 1/3 the way down from "max" indication.  Boiler pressure slightly greater than 1 bar.

Operating either the left or right steam wand BY ITSELF    gives good volume and no water.  If right steam wand is opened first, then the left wand is opened, the amount of water in the right steam wand increases as the left wand valve is opened further.  But the left wand consistently delivers good quality steam (no water) at all times.

I'm assuming the piping for both steam wands just taps into the top of the boiler, with no dip tubes or anything--RIGHT? Any thoughts?

THANKS!!........Lee

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Permalink Reply by Scott on January 15, 2014 at 10:03pm

Boiler pressure low?  The water in the boiler is expanding in the tank as the valves are both opened and for some reason it's causing wet steam in the right wand? Could be plumbed wrong I suppose (not sure how?).  What's the brew temperature?  

Try turning up the P-Stat. Get it closer to 1.5 bar. And report back. 

Good luck.

Permalink Reply by Lee Shipman on January 23, 2014 at 6:59am

Thanks, Scott...........Here's the latest.

Brew temp is about 201 deg.  I raised the boiler pressure to about 1.4 bars recently and it seems to help.  We're going to observe the results for awhile & see if perhaps this will be the way to leave it.  Another (partial) solution is for the baristas to recognize that they don't need any steam valve "full-open" for proper steaming, as there's plenty of flow.  If they follow that procedure, the problem of water in the right-hand steam valve is essentially gone.

Lee

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