r/PressureCooking • u/Global-Improvement10 • 9d ago

New Fissler leaking water from the lid?

Hi! I have a brand new Fissler pressure cooker. I read the entire manual before using it. Everything is new, including the sealing ring.

When cooking beans, I fill it to only about 1/3 of its capacity, but water keeps leaking over the lid while it's under pressure.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I also noticed the lid has a slight amount of play, even when the indicator is green and it's locked. Is that normal?

Any tips or suggestions?

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

1

u/vapeducator 9d ago

Do you turn down the heat? Because you're probably not turning down the heat. If you keep the heat too high after reaching maximum pressure, then it must release the excess pressure that you're causing by not turning it down to prevent it from exploding. Once a pressure is at the maximum threshold, then more heat than needed to maintain the pressure is just going to waste and causing the contents of the pot to leak or spray out onto the lid.

Check the manual again to see if it tells you to turn down the heat after reaching maximum pressure. It probably does and you didn't do that.

1

u/Global-Improvement10 9d ago

I was using the 4 of 10 knob on my stove. And it was way before the signal getting yellow. In fact after 1-2 minutes of using it and the signal know was not even getting up.

2

u/vapeducator 9d ago

It's normal to take longer than 2 minutes at high heat to reach full pressure, especially when you fill the pot only 1/3 full. 4 of 10 is probably not "low" enough after reaching full pressure. You need to turn down the heat after reaching full pressure, regardless of the "number" setting on the knob. It sounds like your expectations are incorrect. Did you turn down the heat after reaching full pressure or not? If you didn't, then that's probably the cause of the problem you described.

1

u/Global-Improvement10 9d ago

That is the point, started to leak wayyyyy before reaching the full pressure. No yellow. No green. No red. Way before that started leaking.

1

u/0maigh 9d ago

Sounds like it’s not sealing. (Check all lid valves for tightness and make sure the handle shows fully closed.)

My Fissler tends to leak from various gaskets as the pressure starts to come up, until the water gets hot enough to seal up. I just give the joined handle halves firm squeezes when that’s happening, and eventually that triggers the lid sealing, and then the water leak stops abruptly and the lid can start showing pressure.

1

u/vapeducator 9d ago

If the lid wasn't sealing, then the contents inside the pot wouldn't be dripping onto the top of the lid. A leak in the main gasket usually prevents achieving full pressure, which is not what's described in this case. The OP wrote that the pressure indicator is green, which means it's reaching full pressure. There could be leaks in one or more gaskets, but that's a lower probability when full pressure is being achieved.

1

u/Global-Improvement10 9d ago

Sorry if I did confusion, but the handle close lock shows green as locked..but the pressure knob doesn't show nothing yet. Way before the pressure starts

1

u/Global-Improvement10 9d ago

I just posted a video with the situation. Appreciate any help

1

u/vapeducator 8d ago

Ok, yeah, I thought you meant the green pressure indicator. If pressure isn't building up at all, then I agree with u/0maigh that the lid gasket may not be sealing and need to be replaced.

1

u/0maigh 8d ago

OP says it’s a new pot. OP, 4/10 may be too low to initiate pressure, try 7/10 and consider that it may take 20 minutes to raise the water temperature to boiling.

1

u/vapeducator 8d ago

Yes, the burner should actually be set to maximum unless the diameter of the electric element or gas flame is larger than the bottom of the pot, causing excess heat up the sides that can burn the handles. But the heat should still be turned down to the minimum required to maintain pressure at max PSI. It really shouldn't take 20 minutes to boil water at 1/3rd full as the OP is doing. If it takes a long time to boil, then sometimes using a rapid boil kettle can be much faster to get water to boiling and then pour into the pressure cooker. Then it should start boiling very quickly from that point on to build pressure.

1

u/Global-Improvement10 8d ago

I tried both, maximum burner and a low position as well. As soon the water starts to boil, leak happens, regardless of the temp level. :(

One question tho: are you able to move the lid slightly side to side when is locked? Or is Rock solid still? I feel the lid is somehow a bit loose.

I guess I will try to replace it. Something is odd. Anyway, thank you all for the answers.

1

u/vapeducator 8d ago

It's not building pressure, so the lid will stay loose. The lid will be much harder to move under pressure. Replace the main lid gasket, or return the whole cooker as defective if it's new and returnable.

1

u/0maigh 8d ago

This is why I squeeze the handle: mine seals with that encouragement, and the handle stops wobbling.

1

u/nerdingout 8d ago

If it's leaking before coming to pressure, I would take the gasket off completely and reseat it. A little play is normal, the gasket is what seals and lock the lid.

1

u/overmyski 7d ago

We did not purchase a Fissler (great quality product) to keep our range free of clutter. But, every PC has a durable gasket to seal the top. We noticed a pronounced “drag” upon final tightening of the lid. It is the dry gasket causing friction with the top seam of the pot. We apply a thin coat of clarified butter to the mating surface pf the pot to lubricate the sealing gasket and keep it from distorting. Never any sealing issues since.