Steam coming from the lid or cap can be caused by a number of things.Keep in mind that this system relies on pressure to make the espresso. Steam escaping from the cap indicates that some of the pressure in the tank is leaking through the cap. So we have to find out why.
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I'll post a detailed answer for people looking into this issue in coming years, because all home steam espresso machines work on the same principal, the machine creates stream in a small boiler, which is used to make the coffee and for milk frothing.
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Note: this is NOT a big issue. It is basic mechanics so the fixes are simple. (Think of this as similar to a bottle of Coke with a screw cap. The Krups machine's cap to the water tank / steam mechanism functions in the same manner.
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Anyway, steam emitting from the lid or cap can be caused by a number of things. Keep in mind that this system relies on pressure to make the espresso. So this is not good, steam escaping from the cap. It indicates that some of the pressure in the tank is leaking through the cap, that degrades the quality of the final product, and is a safety hazard. (Steam burns are painful and can scar.)
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- There a translucent gasket in the metal cap (lid). It is replaceable and can be removed. The good thing is that can be done.The downside,it can come off for whatever reason and be misplaced. (For example, when unscrewing the cap the rubber gasket could stick to the tank lip. Someone might have moved the machine and the gasket fell off the machine and on to the floor. My dog sees that gasket, he's rat holeing it inside his hideout and chewing it, may even eat it.
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Note: the actual fix is NOT complicated. It is basic mechanics so the fixes are simple. (Think of this as similar to a bottle of Coke with a screw cap. The espresso machine's cap to the water tank functions as simply as the cap seals in carbonation to a bottle of coke. )
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- So, is the gasket there? If you look inside the cap and see bare metal instead of a round gasket, it is gone. (You can buy a gasket. And if you are willing to experiment, you might be able to use a spare parts gasket as a temp or permanent fix.)
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Things to Check
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- Is there a gasket or "rubber washer" on the inside of the metal cap (lid)? This is similar in function and location as the Coke bottle cap. The gasket is replaceable and can be removed. But it can also fall out and be lost.
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The good thing is that if missing the gasket can be replaced. The downside, it can slip off for whatever reason and be misplaced. (For example, when unscrewing the cap the rubber gasket could stick to the tank lip. Someone might have moved the machine and the gasket fell off the machine and on to the floor. My dog sees that gasket, he's rat holeing it inside his hideout and chewing it, may even eat it. It can also be worn or corroded.
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- So, is the gasket there? If you look inside the cap and see bare metal instead of a round gasket, it is gone. (You can buy a gasket. And if you are willing to experiment, you might be able to use a spare parts gasket as a temp or permanent fix.)
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Check its condition too. If it is cracked or worn, it will need to be replaced.
- If the gasket is there, another problem is not properly seating the cap's threads with the water tank threads to where it does not fully close. I counted. It takes about six half twists to fully close the cap, or one and one-half full spins of a clock to close it.
Note: It is easy with these wide threads to incorrectly seat the cap. So make sure it is properly seated.
- Of course, make sure there's no debris on the inside of the cap. Seems hard to do, but check anyway.
- Lastly, as others have said, don't just screw the cap until it stops moving. Once it feels seated give it a final twist to seat the rubber gasket in the cap into the tank lip. That gasket is there for a reason, to form a tight seal because the tank is a pressure system, that uses it to force the water through the tightly packed espresso grind coffee grounds.
Because of this process the water tank's cap is quite beefy and has to be fully seated. If things are not perfectly sealed at the cap, pressure (steam) will escape through it.
- Note: If steam comes out, put a towel over the cap (so you don't scald yourself) and give the cap another twist. See if that stops the steam escaping. If it does, that indicates you are not fully tightening the cap.
Steam coming from the lid can be caused by a number of things.
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Steam coming from the lid or cap can be caused by a number of things. Keep in mind that this system relies on pressure to make the espresso. Steam escaping from the cap indicates that some of the pressure in the tank is leaking through the cap. So we have to find out why.
+
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Note: this is NOT a big issue. It is basic mechanics so the fixes are simple. (Think of this as similar to a bottle of Coke with a screw cap. The Krups machine's cap to the water tank / steam mechanism functions in the same manner.
- There a translucent gasket in the metal cap (lid). It is replaceable and can be removed. The good thing is that can be done. The downside, it can come off for whatever reason and be misplaced. (For example, when unscrewing the cap the rubber gasket could stick to the tank lip. Someone might have moved the machine and the gasket fell off the machine and on to the floor. My dog sees that gasket, he's rat holeing it inside his hideout and chewing it, may even eat it.
- So, is the gasket there? If you look inside the cap and see bare metal instead of a round gasket, it is gone. (You can buy a gasket. And if you are willing to experiment, you might be able to use a spare parts gasket as a temp or permanent fix.)
- If the gasket is there, another problem is not properly seating the cap's threads with the water tank threads to where it does not fully close. I counted. It takes about six half twists to fully close the cap, or one and one-half full spins of a clock to close it.
Note: It is easy with these wide threads to incorrectly seat the cap. So make sure it is properly seated.
- Of course, make sure there's no debris on the inside of the cap. Seems hard to do, but check anyway.
- Lastly, as others have said, don't just screw the cap until it stops moving. Once it feels seated give it a final twist to seat the rubber gasket in the cap into the tank lip. That gasket is there for a reason, to form a tight seal because the tank is a pressure system, that uses it to force the water through the tightly packed espresso grind coffee grounds.
Because of this process the water tank's cap is quite beefy and has to be fully seated. If things are not perfectly sealed at the cap, pressure (steam) will escape through it.
- Note: If steam comes out, put a towel over the cap (so you don't scald yourself) and give the cap another twist. See if that stops the steam escaping. If it does, that indicates you are not fully tightening the cap.
Steam coming from the lid can be caused by a number of things.
- There a translucent gasket in the metal cap (lid). It is replaceable and can be removed. The good thing is that can be done. The downside, it can come off for whatever reason and be misplaced. (For example, when unscrewing the cap the rubber gasket could stick to the tank lip. Someone might have moved the machine and the gasket fell off the machine and on to the floor. My dog sees that gasket, he's rat holeing it inside his hideout and chewing it, may even eat it.
- So, is the gasket there? If you look inside the cap and see bare metal instead of a round gasket, it is gone. (You can buy a gasket. And if you are willing to experiment, you might be able to use a spare parts gasket as a temp or permanent fix.)
- If the gasket is there, another problem is not properly seating the cap's threads with the water tank threads to where it does not fully close. I counted. It takes about six half twists to fully close the cap, or one and one-half full spins of a clock to close it.
Note: It is easy with these wide threads to incorrectly seat the cap. So make sure it is properly seated.
- Of course, make sure there's no debris on the inside of the cap. Seems hard to do, but check anyway.
- Lastly, as others have said, don't just screw the cap until it stops moving. Once it feels seated give it a final twist to seat the rubber gasket in the cap into the tank lip. That gasket is there for a reason, to form a tight seal because the tank is a pressure system, that uses it to force the water through the tightly packed espresso grind coffee grounds.
Because of this process the water tank's cap is quite beefy and has to be fully seated. If things are not perfectly sealed at the cap, pressure (steam) will escape through it.
- Note: If steam comes out, put a towel over the cap (so you don't scald yourself) and give the cap another twist. See if that stops the steam escaping. If it does, that indicates you are not fully tightening the cap.