Your Coffee Maker Is Not Brewing Or Pumping Water
There's nothing like having your very own espresso coffee machine to make delicious coffee or other kinds of hot drinks. But when it starts refusing to dispense any more, frustration is just around the corner. There are several possible explanations for why this issue is occurring. Here we explain the most likely causes to you.
THE POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR THIS FAULT :
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The water tank is clogged
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The water filter is blocked
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The flowmeter is furred up with limescale
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The pump is defective
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The safety valve is obstructed
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The solenoid valve is blocked
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The heating element is covered in limescale
WARNING
Before you do anything to your appliance, make sure you disconnect it from the power supply.
There is a risk of electric shock.
The water tank is clogged
The water tank on your espresso coffee machine is fitted with a valve that controls the flow of water. If it's clogged up, such as by limescale or debris for example, the water will no longer be able to feed through. The tank can be removed to allow access to the valve so you can manipulate and clean it, for which you can use white vinegar. If the valve is actually defective, you will need to replace it, or even change the entire water tank.
The water filter is blocked
The water filter removes the impurities found in the water. These filters rarely get blocked and are normally to be found inside the coffee machine. You can try descaling your appliance to see if solves the problem; and if that doesn't work, you can also try dismantling the coffee machine to see if it's possible to take the filter out and give it a more thorough clean.
The flowmeter is furred up with limescale
The flowmeter enables the correct amount of water to be gauged. It does this by means of a small turbine and a magnetic sensor. This is how your appliance is able to dispense either one or two coffees at a time. If the flowmeter gets furred up with limescale, it will struggle to rotate properly and will send inaccurate information to the control circuit board (PCB). This results in the flowmeter dispensing either too little or too much water. To resolve this issue, we recommend descaling the machine then testing it again. If the problem still continues to occur after that, you will need to replace the flowmeter.
The pump is defective
The pump circulates the water at high pressure inside your espresso coffee machine. If it's defective or furred up with limescale, the water won't be able to flow properly. When this occurs, you will hear a muffled sound, then the water will start to emerge in small drops. One thing you can try is descaling the machine then testing it again. If the pump turns out to be defective, you will need to replace it.
The safety valve is obstructed
The safety valve prevents the water circulation system from becoming over-pressurized as your appliance is heating up. It's possible for this valve to become clogged up with limescale. If this is the case, we recommend descaling your machine then trying it again. If the problem still remains after that, you will need to replace the safety valve.
The solenoid valve is blocked
The solenoid is an electric valve that controls whether the water flows or not. If it's blocked or defective, the water will only be able to flow at a slow rate, or perhaps even not at all. The first thing to do when trying to resolve this is descale the machine then test it again. If the problem still persists after that, you will need to replace the solenoid valve.
The heating element is covered in limescale
Depending on the make and model of your appliance, it will either have a water boiler or a mechanism comprised of a heating element and a water circuit. These parts are responsible for heating the water before it reaches the coffee. The parts of the machine involved in heating the water are susceptible to the build up of limescale deposits, and can end up getting blocked. We therefore recommend you regularly descale your machine to avoid the hot water circuit or boiler becoming too furred up. If the water circuit mechanism is damaged or excessively affected by limescale, you will need to replace it.