ECM Classika PID/troubleshooting
From Whole Latte Love Support Library
My Machine Has No Power, Pops GFCI
1. Is the machine plugged in to a GFCI outlet?
- Yes.
- Try testing another appliance on the same outlet. Does this appliance have power?
- If Yes, we recommend having the machine serviced by a tech.
- If you’d like to get in to the machine yourself, make sure the machine is off and unplugged. On the bottom of the machine, you will see a metal plate being held in by two 3 mm bolts. Remove this plate and you will have access to the element of the machine. Remove the two connectors from the element. At this point plug in the machine and flip the power switch. If the machine turns on, the element is more than likely faulty.
- Yes. Electrical testing will need to be done to check the power cord of the espresso machine. If the power cord needs to be replaced, we would recommend having the machine professionally repaired.
- No. The problem is your outlet.
There is no Water flow at all
- If the pumps runs, and no water is coming out, make sure that the water tank is seated properly into the socket on the water res support.
- Remove the water softener if you are using one. Old filters can get mucky and may need to be re-filtered, or may need to be replaced. Try running the machine without a filter.
- We can try force priming the machine. Remove the top of the machine and then remove the water reservoir from the upper cup tray. There are six 2.5mm screws holding the upper cup warmer to the machine. Facing the machine, two 2.5mm screws will be closest to you, one in each corner. The next two are holding the OPV in place (you will see a circular metal piece with a slit in it like a flat head screwdriver should go into it, and on either side will be the screws). The last two screws can be found if you look at the top of the machine from the back side. They are located where the upper cup warmer curves over the reservoir support. They will be found in each corner. Once these are removed, the upper cup warmer can be lifted off of the machine and set aside, facing upward as to preserve the chrome coating, or laid on a towel or pad. Using a towel or a pad, lay the machine on its back, underneath the machine will be four 3mm bolts (1 in each corner). Remove all four. Once they have been removed, support the housing and return the machine to the upright position. The housing should just slide down. Push the housing outward on either side to separate it from the frame and the slide it backwards away from the machine.
- Looking at the back of the machine, you will see the water reservoir support. Inspect the plastic socket to make sure there is no damage. Look inside the socket where you will find a plastic shaft that runs through the center of it. This is a molded piece of the socket that when the tank is inserted the shaft pushes on a ball bearing in the valve of the water reservoir and allows water to escape the tank into the socket. If this plastic shaft is broken or bent to the side, it will not make contact and not allow water to be drawn in. Make sure the socket itself is intact, sometimes during shipping, age, or someone pushed far too hard with the tank. The socket will snap, leaving only the top if it secured to the reservoir support, giving the illusion the socket is there, so when the water tank is inserted it just rests inside the remaining, broken portion of the socket.
- Inspect the water line coming off of the socket, this should have no kinks in it. If the water line is kinked it will prevent any water from being drawn in. If the water line is fine, then we can try priming the pump. Using either a prime ball or a turkey baster, fill it with water, disconnect the waterline from the socket, insert the primeball/turkey baster into the waterline, turn the machine on and lift the lever, while the pump is running, squeeze the prime ball/turkey baster. If you feel a small amount of resistance and then the water starts going through with ease, you should be fine to put the waterline back onto the socket. Insert the water tank, and try running the pump again while watching the water level in the tank. You should be able to see the level going down if the pump is now drawing water. At this point you will be able to put the panels back on the machine. If there is resistance and the water is not going through, either the pump is very locked up, or there is a blockage in the system and may need to be serviced.
- Lift the lever. Can you hear the pump?
- No. If the pump does not come on, manually use something to push in the switch behind the brew lever. Can you hear the pump now?
- Yes. Adjust the microswitch behind the lever so it protrudes more, and the lever can reach it when it’s pressing down on it. How to pull out the brew lever microswitch
- If the pump does not come on you can also flip the switch on the front of the machine that also activates the pump. If the pump turns on with the switch, the brew lever microswitch might be bad. If it works with the lever but not the toggle switch on the front of the machine, then the toggle switch may be bad. If the pump does not come on with either one of these methods, there maybe an issue with the control board.
- Yes. Move on to I Have No Water Flow At All From The Group
There is no water coming out when I open the water valve
- Hot water and steam come through the same valve on the Classika. The Classika operates a lot like a semi auto. There is a switch on the front of the machine that activates the pump. Open the valve and flip the toggle switch. When the pump is running and the valve is open, hot water should come out of the wand. If the water is not coming out there could be a blockage in the steam tip, the valve, or further back in the hydraulic system that will require a descale.
- You can remove the steam tip and try running the pump again. If flow is restored, clean the steam tip that may have become plugged by old milk, or debris.
- If no water comes through after the tip has been removed, then there may be a blockage in the valve, or pipe leading to the valve. Remove the housing to the machine and undo the copper pipe that connects to the back of the valve. Inspect the back of the valve and inspect the end of the copper pipe, if both of these are clear and free from debris or scale, there could be a blockage on the boiler side. Service should be recommended to have the hydraulic system descaled.
- If you open the knob and flip the toggle switch and do not hear the pump come on, you could have a bad pump or a failed toggle switch.
How to Diagnose Hot Water and Steam System Obstructions
There is no steam coming out when I open the steam knob
- Is the PID on the machine lit up? If the display of the PID is not on, the PID may have failed or a wire has become undone to the PID.
- Steam and hot water is share the same valve. First make sure you have flow out of the valve. You can do this by opening the valve, activating the toggle switch on the front of the machine and running some water through. If no water is coming through, perform the same steps as you would for There is no water coming out when I open the water valve.
- If you have established that you have flow, there is another toggle switch on the front of the machine that is for activating the steam function. Flip this toggle switch. ST should show up on the PID display and you should see the machine start raising in temperature on the PID display. If this is not happening the steam toggle switch may have failed and should be tested with a meter for continuity, or make sure no wires have fallen off of the terminals of the switch.
- If the toggle switch has been flipped and the PID has displayed ST, let the machine sit for about 5-10 minutes. Try opening the valve, some water will purge out of the valve followed by steam. If this does not happen you may have a faulty PID which is not controlling the steam function when the switch is activated.
- The high limit should also be inspected to ensure it has not been popped.
- Also check the steam stat for continuity and that it is not damaged in any way. These stats or not resettable and will prevent the machine from heating.
- Otherwise the issue is connected with the control board, or static relay.
Not Steaming and no Hot Water through group
- Confirm that water is coming through the group head when the lever is lifted.
- Is the orange light coming on on the front of the machine and blinking?
- No.
- Is the machine plugged in and the power switch on?
- Yes. Move on to the next question
- No. Plug the machine in and turn the power switch on
- Visually inspect the high limit switch.
- Is it melted or broken? Replace it.
- If it is not broken, unplug the machine, and reset it.
- Power the machine on see if it heats
- Test the high limit switch for continuity.
- Does it have continuity?
- Yes. Move on to the next question.
- No. Replace the high limit switch.
- At this point if you have flow through the machine to the group head and there is no damage or the stat is not popped, the failure may be due to a bad control board, PID, or boiler element, static relay, or coffee/steam thermostat.
I Have No Water Flow At All From The Group
1. Are you using a water softener?
- Yes. Remove it so you can test water flow without it.
- Make sure it is not floating and sucking in air.
- If the water softener is old, replace it.
- Lift the lever. Can you hear the sound of the pump?
- YES.
- Remove the nut at the top of the group head and check the valve. It is sometimes called a mushroom valve or jet. Inspect this for any scale or mineral deposits. Clean it really well. Hold it up to a window or a light to make sure that the hole is clear of any scale or minerals. If no improvement, move on to the next step.
- While you have this out, check and see if water is sitting in the group head. This would indicate that water is at least making it out of the brew boiler and in to the group head.
- Remove the shower screen. Hold it up to a light, and see if all of the holes are clear. Soak the screen in cafiza, or purchase a new screen and replace it.
- With the screen removed, remove the jet breaker behind it. This will be flat and can be removed with a flathead, or it will have a bolt and will require a 19mm wrench to remove. This should be inspected for any build up that will block it off.
- Neither of the above solutions have fully restored the water flow to the group. Try doing a full group head teardown:
- NO. Is the back of the lever pressing on the microswitch?
- No.
- Press it manually. Is the pump coming on now?
- Yes. Adjust the microswitch so that it sticks out of the front further, so when lifting the lever, it can reach this button, and press down on it.
- No. Remove the housing and look at the microswitch, inspect the wires to make sure they are not disconnected or damaged. Test continuity on the switch.Is there continuity?
- Yes. It’s possible its a bad pump
- Test the pump for continuity.
- Make sure there is voltage going to the pump.
- See My brew pressure is low
- Also try lifting the lever and flipping the toggle switch for the pump, does the pump turn on that way? If it does replace the brew lever microswitch
- No. Replace the microswitch.
How To Clean E61 Brew Group Mushroom, Jet and Top Valve
Steam Pressure is Low
- If you have flipped the steam switch and have given the machine at least 10 minutes to fully heat, check steam pressure. If the steam pressure is low, first remove the steam tip and inspect it to make sure it isn't blocked off from debris or old milk. If the steam pressure is still too low, have you changed any of the PID settings? It is possible to have accidentally turned down the steam value in the PID causing it to be too low. If you have changed setting, you can refer to the PID service settings to return the machine back to factory settings.
- If you have not adjusted the PID in anyway, the upper cup warmer should be removed and the stat should be inspected to make sure it is not popped or damaged. A damaged high limit can prevent a machine from heating passed a certain point. If it is popped the machine will not build steam pressure. Also inspect the non-resettable steam thermostat for damage and continuity.
- If all appears to be fine, the problem could be a result of a bad element, PID, static relay, or control board.
My brew pressure is low
1. Do you have the backflush disk in?
This is the only true test of brew pressure. Coffee has too many variables. The backflush disk gives us a control model. With the backflush disk in, the gauge should rise to 10 bars in 9-11 seconds.
- If your brew pressure is truly low, and has been measured with the backflush disk in.
- Try running a test of the vibration pump, and adjusting the OPV.
- If the pump pressure is low. If the Pressure is low the adjustment for the OPV is located on the top of the machine screwed into the upper cup warmer. Run a brew pressure test and when pressure is built, use a flat head screwdriver to turn the OPV clockwise and counter clockwise to see if the brew pressure changes. If the brew pressure does not move, you may have a failed OPV.
- Try turning the OPV clockwise, did brew pressure increase? Did the pump get more quiet with a little bit increased pressure? Drop the lever, remove the portafilter, run some water through the group, replace the portafilter and lift the lever again, when it builds pressure, does it build to the newly adjusted pressure? If the pump became more quiet with the slightly increased pressure, and was unable to achieve the newly set brew pressure when running a second brew test. The pump maybe too weak and has failed.
My group head won't flush when I put the lever down
- Move the lever up and down and see if resistance is felt in any direction from the cam moving between actuators (valves). If it will not drain, and not much resistance is felt, remove the bottom of the E61 group head and inspect the actuators. They may be broken, or ground down from poor maintenance that the cam does not make contact with the top of the actuator.
- Remove cam and inspect for flat spots. If the cam is ground down it may not be making contact with the actuator -->
How To Clean E61 Brew Group Mushroom, Jet and Top Valve
The Pump Runs Continuously when Machine is Turned On
- If the pump is running the moment the machine is turned on, either the brew toggle switch on the front of the machine has been flipped on, or the brew lever microswitch may be in contact with the lever. Classikas do not have an autofill function. Unless one of these two switches have been activated, the pump should not be running.
My machine is leaking
1. Is coffee coming up and over the portafilter?
- Replace the group gasket.
For the average home user, the group gasket should be replaced about every six months to a year. When the group gasket is worn out, it becomes hard, and no longer creates a good seal between the portafilter and the grouphead, so you may begin to notice some leaking. When a group gasket is really old, it can be extremely difficult to remove from the machine, so even if you don't experience any leaking, replacing the group gasket on a yearly basis is a good idea. The document on the right shows how to replace the group gasket and shower screen. You don't have to replace the screen once a year, as typically it can simply be cleaned.
Replacing the Group Gasket on Your E61 Machine
2. Is the leak coming from the lever arm of the machine?
- There are two o-rings in the lever of the machine. One or both of them may have blown out. You can take apart the lever, and check to see if they are worn. If they seem to be ok, you can lubricate them and see if that resolves the leak. If they are destroyed, they are also easy to replace and very cheap.
3. Is it steaming from above the machine through the vents on top?
- This would likely be due to a loose fitting. The Classikas do not have vacuum breakers, or safety valves.
4. Is the leak or drip coming from the large pipe that comes from behind the group head? (The E61)
- There is one valve above the group head, and two below the group head. One of the two valves may be clogged.
-
- If backflushing shows no improvement, try doing a group head teardown, and replace any valves or o rings in the valves, as needed.
How To Clean E61 Brew Group Mushroom, Jet and Top Valve
5. Is the leak coming from where the two pipes join in the E61?
- If leaking around the fitting or behind the fitting (where the two pipes join), either under pressure or sitting idle, may require tightening. You do not want to use sealant, as these pipes go into the back of the group head and would be in direct contact with consumable water/ coffee. This could also lock the pipes into the back of the group causing damage to the group which would require replacement of the group. Also contacts with metals is what makes the sealant harden, With how direct tightening is with those pipes you could end up cross threading into the group head thinking it's just the sealant getting hard.
- After tightening the leak still continues, Pipe may need to be replaced, or the fitting is cross threaded and the E61 group needs replacement. Under this circumstance, both parts may require replacement.
- The first is that one of the plumb lines connected to the back of the E-61 is not secure resulting in a leak. This will need to be tightened from the inside of the machine. You may see leaking from the bottom of the machine as well if this is the case. Remove the top of the machine and look towards the front of the machine. These lines will be located on the back of the faceplate, opposite to where the grouphead is seated. They are listed as parts 19 and 11 on p.9 of the machine's parts diagram. Use an open ended wrench or adjustable wrench to tighten these down.
- If they have recently done any group head maintenance on the machine, they may just not have tightened the nut down all the way. Try just turning the nut with a wrench and see if it moves.
6. Is the leak coming from around the nut where the steam or hot water wand attaches?
- There is an o-ring in there. You can try to tighten the nut first. If that doesn’t stop the leak, take it off, and check on the o-ring that sits in there. The o-ring should be placed at the bottom of the nut resting in a channel on the inside of the nut. This will either be a rubber o-ring or teflon ring. It may either be worn or damaged and will require replacement.
7. Is it dripping or leaking out of the tip of the steam wand?
- Yes. It should leak or drip a little bit after use, and when the machine is first started up. This is normal, and due to condensation in the pipe. It should subside after a few minutes of non use.
- Yes.
- The valve has a shaft that runs through it and on the end of this shaft is a rubber gasket. If there is debris present in the valve, it will cause this rubber seal to not properly seat and will let water past it. The rubber gasket may also be dried out due to age, or has been ripped from being over tightened and will no longer seal off the valve when closed.
8. Is the leak coming from between the steam tip and the wand?
- There is a rubber o ring or teflon gasket in between them that may need to be replaced.
9. Is the leak coming from the boiler itself?
- Is it leaking from where a valve screws in to the boiler?
- Remove the valve, and clean any remnants of sealant. You can use teflon tape, Permabond, or locktite to reseal the valve back into the boiler.
- Is the leak coming from a weld point on the boiler?
- The boiler must be replaced.
10. I cannot find the source of the leak.
- Run the machine to allow it to heat. Some leaks may only be apparent under heat and pressure.
- You can open the machine and send us any photos or videos, so we can determine if we can find the source of the leak.
- Send the machine in for service.
11. Is the leak coming from the top nut on the group head?
- There is an o-ring that is loose, dirty, or worn out. Take out this mushroom valve, clean any scale or debris, and reseat the valve. All of these parts are separated by teflon rings. It could just be loose and slightly tightening could stop the leak, but with heat and age its possible the teflon is no good. Tightening the bit down more will only further deform the teflon allowing a leak to still continue, these should be replaced.If it is still leaking, replace the gasket that separates it from the top of the group head. To access these parts use an open ended wrench or adjustable wrench to remove the smaller top bolt of the E-61. This will give you access to the first o-ring and spring assembly. To access further down into this part of the grouphead use a wrench to remove the large bolt. This will let you access the other o-ring, another spring assembly, and the valve assembly. Inspect all of these components for integrity. Clean any dirty parts and replace any broken parts. Reassemble the grouphead and see if the leaking is resolved.
- If you’ve recently serviced the group head, It’s possible the nut is just loose. Try tightening it.
13. Is the leak coming from the bottom of the machine?
- Inspect the plastic reservoir valve socket. If it is cracked, it will need to be replaced.
Portafilter is too tight on brand new machine
- As long as water is not leaking around the portafilter from the group head, this is totally normal. Over time, the portafilter will wear in to a normal 6 o’clock position. It could take about a month or two. As long as it is making a good seal, then it is fine. In another year or so, the gasket will need to be replaced again, and may still be a little off center in the beginning.
My coffee tastes bitter or sour
Typically, issues with crema or the flavor of the shot do not indicate a malfunction of the machine. Instead, this indicates that an adjustment needs to be made in the brewing process or that different beans need to be used.
- Here is some helpful advice on Tamping: Tamping Tips
- Making adjustments to the grind is going to have the biggest impact on the coffee extraction. If it is too coarse, the coffee is going to come through too fast, and not extract long enough. How to Grind For Espresso
- If the grind is too fine, it is going to extract for too long, results in really bitter shots. How to Grind For Espresso
- It is important to use fresh beans, typically beans roasted within the past two weeks are best. Light and medium roasts are best for espresso brewing and richer crema.
What is Preinfusion?
Pre-infusion is what allows a small amount of water through first, before beginning the shot. It allows this water to saturate the coffee and get the grounds equally wet. This can make the coffee extract more smoothly. Water will always take the path of least resistance. By letting the water saturate the grinds before brewing at 9 bars of pressure, this can help prevent channeling.
Pre-infusion on the E61 Brew Group