Rancilio Silvia Pro X: User Manual

In this manual, you should find everything you need to operate and maintain your Silvia Pro X espresso machine.

Please read carefully before operating your dual boiler, rotary pump espresso machine. Check out the Rancilio Silvia Pro X product page for a list of specifications, included accessories, and other details. For setup information, check out the Rancilio Pro X Setup Guide. If you have any questions, contact our team at Clive Coffee.

Getting Started:

After reading through the Rancilio Silvia Pro X Setup Guide, test your water. Espresso machines have specific requirements when it comes to water. There are two primary considerations: filtration and hardness. Please carefully read about the importance of water in espresso to understand how water affects your espresso machine. For further learning, check out Coffee School's Water 101

Note: It's essential to test your water, filter, and soften to obtain 35-85 ppm to avoid scale and damage to your machine. RO (reverse osmosis) or distilled water does not contain enough mineral content and could cause issues to your machine. The SCA Water for Brewing Standards explains what's needed to obtain water that's suitable for your machine and coffee.

First Time Setup: Filling the Reservoir and Boilers

Fill the water reservoir with filtered, softened water, leaving a few inches at the top to prevent spillage. Ensure that you do not spill water on top of the machine when filling, as this may cause electrical damage. When filling the reservoir, verify that the rubber/plastic water intake line is arranged such that it is fully submerged and touches the bottom of the reservoir.
Once filled, turn on your machine with the power button located on the left side of the machine. The boilers should begin filling right away, and the PID will display 15t, indicating the first fill. Once the PID reads 93°C, it has fully heated. Run at least four ounces of water through the group head by pressing the brew button (coffee button below the PID). The reservoir will likely need to be replenished after filling the boilers and flushing. The PID will read h20 if required.

Programming the PID:

The Silvia Pro features a PID which allows users to control boiler temperature, group head cleaning, automatic on/off schedules, and soft infusion. To program your machine, press the plus and minus buttons on the PID simultaneously and hold for about three seconds until the PID reads "t2"— this indicates you're in programming mode. To navigate through the settings, use the plus and minus buttons. To save your settings, press the brew button once. Press the brew button again to exit programming mode. The PID has settings t2-F.08.

t1 — Brew Temperature: t1 is always displayed on PID and does not need to be in programming mode to edit. Use the +/- buttons to raise and lower brew temperature. Hotter water increases extraction and is best used on lighter roasted coffees, whereas cooler temperatures reduce extraction, which is best on darker roasts.
t2 — Steam Boiler Temperature: Use the +/- buttons to raise and lower steam temperature. The hotter the temperature, the more steam power the machine will have. The max temperature is 257°F.
F.01 — Group Head Cleaning: We recommend cleaning your machine every 100 espresso shots or about once a month. The cleaning cycle on the Silvia Pro X prompts you when to backflush, taking you through CL1-CL3 cycles (Here is a link to our instructions).
F.02 — Automatic Wake-Up: To set automatic wake-up, select after how many hours you want the machine to switch on (max 24 hours). Confirm with the coffee button for the machine to enter standby mode. Do not power off or unplug your machine.
F.03 — Empty Coffee Boiler: You only need to empty the boilers when you wish to store your machine, or it will be unused for long amounts of time. If you wish to empty the brew boiler, place a container underneath the group head, select F.03 to empty.
F.04 — Empty Steam Boiler: To empty the steam boiler for storing the machine, place a container underneath the water spout and select F.04. If you are storing your machine, make sure the water reservoir is completely empty and dry.
F.05 — Automatic Shut Down: Select how much time you wish to pass until the machine automatically turns off (max of 2 hours).
F.06 — Select the Measurement Unit for Temperature: Use the +/- buttons to change the machine to Celcius or Fahrenheit.
F.07 — Select a Mains Voltage: The machine ships as 110v. This setting does not need to be changed.
F.08 — Program Soft Infusion: Select how many seconds (between 2 and 6) you wish to soft infuse. Before pulling a shot with soft infusion, activate the flush feature by holding the brew button down for a couple of seconds until an F displays on the PID, and the machine begins automatically flushing. The flush is necessary for fully saturating the group head before pulling a shot.

Additional Resources:

For help dialing in your equipment or pulling shots, check out the articles below or reach out to our team of coffee experts and technicians.