What is a good and quality coffee machine for? Of course, for aromatic hot coffee in the morning. The brewing process of this wonderful drink is almost completely automated and requires minimal human intervention. The filling of the device includes many mechanical parts, electronic circuits, and a miniature hydraulic system. However, everything soon fails and these necessary devices are no exception. In the event of a breakdown of coffee machines, there are only two options left: take it to the service or repair the coffee machine yourself.
The main problems of coffee machines and coffee makers
- Water supply interrupted. There is a blockage in the pipeline of the mechanism;
- The coffee has acquired an unusual smell or taste. In this case, it is not always necessary to fix something with your own hands. Perhaps, you just need to change the coffee tablets, and there is a very wide selection of them: Dolce Gusto - Dolce Gusto, Nestlé, Jacobs, etc. Alternatively, the filter of the coffee machine may be clogged. Cheap plastic can be another factor affecting the taste and smell of coffee. During operation, some parts of the machine heat up to 130 degrees, which can cause the plastic to melt;
- Cold coffee. Most likely, your heating element has stopped working;
- The espresso machine is not working. Many factors can affect this: the motor is broken, the pump does not work, the power cable is broken;
- Water dosage exceeded (most often found in capsule coffee machines). Most likely, the breakdown lies in the engine or in the timer circuit.
- The brewing time setting circuit does not work or the dosage into the cup is incorrectly adjusted. Of course, you need to focus on the model of the device and its brand, but a common reason is the improper operation of the engine control circuit, or one of its compartments.
If you are not sure that the repair of the coffee machine is within your power, then it is better to refer it to specialists. If the device is under warranty, then there is no need to disassemble it at all, it will instantly lose the warranty.
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How to disassemble a coffee machine?
To repair the coffee machine, first you need to disassemble it. And how to do it correctly, step by step is described below.
- You need to find the back of the device, or rather the set screws. Unscrew with a screwdriver, pliers or whatever is at hand and is ideal for such work, set aside. It is worth noting that there may be several options for screws. They can be hidden, cross or with a convex head;
- The screws are removed, it is logical that the cover should be easily removed. However, if it cannot be removed, then there are hidden locks in the case.Most often these are ordinary plastic latches and they are located at the bottom of the back cover. From the outside, such a lock can be easily opened with a knife or a small screwdriver;
- Finally, access to the "insides" of the machine is gained, it's time to start repairing.
And so let's go in order. There is a blockage in the water supply pipe. In such coffee machines as: Delongee, Bork - Bork, Ariete - Ariete and others, cleaning is done using a long and thin rubber hose. It must be run along the duct and thereby break through the blockage. However, it will be much more effective to use special brushes on a flexible leg.
It is a little more difficult to clean the filter with your own hands. With frequent use of the coffee machine, the filter accumulates: scale, coffee residues, salt plugs, etc. Cleaning must be approached carefully, but the most important thing is to do it according to the instructions, otherwise you can violate the integrity of the part. In the process, it is allowed to use a soft swab sprinkled with alcohol. Rinse the filter thoroughly after cleaning.
The coffee machines of the Mulinex, Krups, Roventa, Saeko companies have another problem - water leaks. In them, the valve regulating the water supply is located practically in the filter. If the coffee does not stop pouring, most likely a worn valve is to blame, which leads to this phenomenon.
The valve cannot be repaired, in this case only replacement with another new part is available. To understand whether the valve has broken, it is enough to pour coffee out of the machine, disassemble, rinse and inspect well for possible breakdown.
The coffee maker does not turn on
- Initially, it is worth checking if everything is in order with the food. See if the cable is broken, check the grounding.
- It also happens that household coffee machines made in China simply lose contacts (they go away). Such cases were encountered with more famous brands: zauber, melitta, trevi. It is enough to check all wire connections with the control circuit.
- A common case for Senseo¸Siemens, Ufesa machines, they have low-quality thermostats built into them. To diagnose it, you need to remove one wire from its end and "ring" the contacts with a tester. If all is well, then the chain will be closed.
- The heating element may also fail. Diagnostics is carried out in the same way as a thermostat. Replacing it with a new one is difficult, it will be easier to try to repair or buy a new coffee machine.
- Very often on the shelves next to the coffee machine are sold all the necessary accessories that you will certainly need for the correct operation of the device. And for cleaning technical parts, it is definitely advised to buy special flexible brushes.
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Capsule coffee makers: how they work
The principle of operation and repair of capsule coffee machines is slightly different from drip coffee machines. A small container of coffee powder is attached to the inside of the machine, the piercing mechanism is manually clamped. After use, the capsule is disposed of. Inside such devices, most often there are no temperature sensors, but there is a regular pump that runs on a timer. The water flow rate has been calculated in advance. If the water supply is carried out with an incorrect dosage, then the timing circuit may have broken.
Repair of coffee makers often does not depend on the brand or model; in general, they differ only in nuances. This can be the shape, as well as the location of parts, size, different types of sensors. The very principle of operation of the coffee machine does not change.
Advice:
Any professional inspection for breakage always starts with the cord. It makes no difference whether it is a capsule or drip coffee machine repair. Then the power board is checked (if any); it is worth noting that the coffee machine has a lot of filters, diode bridges, and also transistors. All this must be inspected for burnout. This is the only way to recognize the true cause of the malfunctioning technique.