La Spaziale LUCCA A53: User Manual

Thank you for purchasing the La Spaziale LUCCA A53 dual boiler espresso machine. This is a special version of the wildly popular Vivaldi II espresso machine, custom made for Clive by La Spaziale. In this manual you should find everything you to need to operate and maintain your machine. And if we've missed anything, you always know how to contact us. Let's get started!

new models will heat to 93, video states 95 for the previous model

 * NOTE: ALWAYS KEEP YOUR ORIGINAL PACKAGING IN CASE OF RETURN OR SERVICE

ACCESSORIES LIST

Black handle double spouted commercial portafilter, black handle bottomless commercial portafilter, double basket (16-18g max), triple basket (20-22g max), blind basket, 15 amp converter cord, cleaning brush, spare group gasket, spare set of shower screens  

INSPECT BOX FOR DAMAGE

When you receive your LUCCA A53, please inspect the box it came in for damage. If you notice that your box is damaged, or any other damages as you set up your machine, please contact us at support@clivecoffee.com at your earliest convenience to troubleshoot. Any damage must be reported to us within 3 business days so that we can begin the process to resolve.

PLACE MACHINE ON YOUR COUNTER FOR INSPECTION

Once you’ve inspected your box, lift machine out of the box and place it on the counter. Having two people lift the machine is very helpful. After the machine is on the counter, remove the bag covering the machine and inspect the machine for damages. If you see any damage, call us right away. We highly recommend holding onto the box and shipping supplies inside the box in the event you need to ship or stow your machine.

WATER QUALITY AND FILLING WATER TANK

Take note of the water quality requirements for espresso machines. This is imperative for the function and longevity of your machine. The water mineral content should be between 5 and 50ppm and the water must not be distilled, deionized or reverse osmosis treated. Read more about the importance of water quality on our blog. 

Your LUCCA A53 comes with a braided water line that connects to the water inlet directly behind the drip tray and has a 3/8ths OD push connect fitting on the other end to direct connect to a plastic water line. If you plan on plumbing in your own water kit to the braided line that doesn’t use a 3/8ths OD plastic tubing you’ll need to find an adapter for the braided line as it has a 3/8ths BSPT threaded female connection. Standard pipe thread in North America is NPT thread. We highly recommend that you put a filter and softener in your water line. You can test your water hardness using the water test strips provided with the machine. The ideal water hardness for an espresso machine is 50 ppm and the ideal psi is between 25 and 45. 

STANDYBY (OFF) MODE AND FILLING COFFEE BOILER

Once you’ve attached the water inlet of your LUCCA A53 to a cold water line it is time to plug in your machine. The machine comes standard with a 20 amp plug but also has an adapter for regular three prong kitchen outlets. When the machine is plugged in the LUCCA light will illuminate and the power light will flash, signifying the machine is in standby mode. While the machine is in standby mode it will not heat and the pump will not turn on. The only way to turn off the lights completely would be unplugging the machine. Standby mode is functionally the 'off' position for the machine.

POWER MODE AND FILLING STEAM BOILER

To turn the machine on, hold the power button down for three seconds. The power light will now be constantly illuminated, the boiler light will flash, the third number from the left will flash (93 on current models), and the machine will begin automatically filling the steam boiler. Any time the machine notices the steam boiler has had more than one-ounce leave through the steam tip or hot water tap, the steam boiler will automatically refill. The steam boiler is now refilling from being completely drained so it will take around 30 seconds for it to fill to the correct level.

Pressing the power button once will put the machine into standby mode. The power light will flash and the LUCCA light will remain lit. In standby mode your machine is off, boilers will not heat and your buttons will not engage. The lights will remain lit the entire time, you may unplug the machine to turn all indicator lights off.

STANDARD MACHINE OPERATION

1. The machine will now begin heating. The numeric lights running horizontally across the control panel signify the heat of the coffee boiler, the third number from the left (93 on current models) will flash until the coffee boiler has reached operating temperature. The flashing boiler light signifies the heat of the steam boiler, the boiler light will flash until it has reached operating temperature as well.
2. When the machine is in standard operating mode the top right button draws water through the steam tap. Tapping it once toggles the steam tap on and will continue to draw water until toggled off. The hot water tap will only draw water once the steam boiler has begun building pressure.
3. Holding down the boiler button for five seconds will turn off the steam boiler, turning its light off. Holding the boiler button down for five seconds while it is off will turn the steam boiler back on and turn the boiler light on.
4. The one cup and two cup buttons on the left side of the control panel are for brewing espresso. They are both preset to dose about 1.5 ounces of espresso. If your first few attempts at drawing a shot seem very far off in terms of the amount of espresso coming out before the machine stops, see the programming mode below on how to program volumetric dosing.
5. At this point, your machine is set up and ready for use. Now you’ll get to dial in your grinder and begin pulling shots. Your grinder should come with a user manual, describing how to adjust the grind coarser and finer to get your espresso dialed in for the shot desired. 

PROGRAMING MODE

When the machine is in standard operating mode, hold down the power button for five seconds; this will make the power light flash as well as the 95 light. To leave programming mode, tap the power button one more time and it will stop flashing and return to normal operation. From programming mode, you can adjust multiple functions on the machine.

Tapping the hot water button in programming mode will bring the machine up one degree Celsius until it comes back down. The “95” preset is closer to 94 degrees Celsius. So illuminating the “100” light will set the brew boiler at 95 degrees Celsius, 105 at 96 degrees, etc.

Tapping the one cup or two cup button will begin to change the volumetric dose set for the button pressed. In order to accurately change the volumetric dose, you will need a portafilter with coffee in the group head to slow down the flow of water so the machine can accurately read how much water is desired per dose. Once you have the desired amount of espresso, tap the button you are currently programming again to stop the shot and save the new volumetric dose. If you attempt to change the volumetric dose without a portafilter with a puck in place, you will not get accurate dosing results.

VOLUMETRIC DOSE PROGRAMMING

The programmable volumetric dosing feature allows programming of the Single Cup and Double Cup buttons to dispense set quantities of espresso. Many users only pull double shots and program the double shot button for 1.5-2.0 oz for that purpose. Then they program the single cup button for a larger amount for use in backflushing the group or pulling shots manually. The beauty of the programmable dosing feature is that the machine owner can be creative.

Programming Instructions:

1. With the machine on, press the Power button and keep it pressed for about three seconds;
2. the Standby light and the light indicating the set temperature will start flashing.
3. Fill portafilter with freshly ground coffee and press with a 53mm tamper.
4. Attach portafilter to group head and place a measuring cup under the portafilter.
5. By pressing the Single Cup button the delivery starts and the 85-90-95 temperature
6. indicators light up to show that the one-shot espresso dose is being programmed.
7. When the coffee inside the cup has reached the desired quantity, press the Single Cup button again to stop the delivery.
8. To lock the setting into memory, press the Power button once (do not hold). This will take you out of programming mode.
9. Repeat steps above using the Double Cup button making sure you use freshly ground coffee in the portafilter. During programming of the Double Cup button, the 100-105-110 temperature indicators will light up.

15 and 20 amp mode (2018 or newer are 15amp only)

Early models have an optional 15 and 20 amp mode, set by Clive at 15 amp unless otherwise noted by the customer. In 15 amp mode, the machine will only heat one boiler at a time, first heating the coffee boiler and then the steam boiler. In 20 amp mode, the machine will heat both boilers at the same time.

To change the machine between 15 and 20 amp, turn the machine off and remove the top panel from the machine by removing the Phillips screw in the circular hole on the top panel and lifting the panel out. From here you can see inside the machine and flip the two-way switch in the back right corner of the machine to the desired setting. From here if the "ECO" light is illuminated you can turn off the ECO light to put the machine in 20 amp mode by holding the boiler button down for 10 seconds until it turns off.

Now you're ready to start pulling shots! Check out our All About Coffee & Milk section to learn about steaming milk, latte art, our suggested starter espresso recipe and much more! 

Helpful Links

All About Coffee & Milk | LUCCA A53 Articles | Water, Cleaning & Unboxing

Espresso Machine Cleaning & Maintenance

Manufacturer Manual in PDF

TECHNICAL SPECS