Fixing my espresso machine

It’s time to rewire my espresso machine. Most of the internal wiring, including female spade connectors (Nomenclature?) and woven hi-temp insulation is in pretty rough shape. Do any DIYers out there have experience working with equipment that makes steam? It seems to be a pretty hostile environment for metals. My problem is that I need some wire, insulation, and connectors. If I knew how to specify these things I would just order some up from one of the usual suspects in Texas or Minnesota. The search engines on those sights always feel very awkward to me, probably because I’m not an engineer. I could probably source the stuff from a local appliance parts shop, but I don’t think that would really qualify as “ essential.“
Thanks in advance,
Hal
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ixnay
Yes, it’s a very hard environment and the aging process is very much accelerated.

Descale the boiler(s) while you’ve got it apart. Rayma’s suggestions are good. Basically anything new will be better than old, and generally just clean up everything you can get to.
 
Thanks Gents for a quick response

What a great resource DIYAudio is! Thanks to you all for the responses. It's good to have different perspectives I hadn't thought about using Deoxit, but if I cant find that bottle that's in my garage I will buy a fresh stash.
Definitely not going to trash it! If it were a $50 unit it would be long gone. This is my second La Pavoni Europiccola, I didn't pay $2K for it, but significantly more than $50. I rebuilt the first one three times,including having it re-plated once. I don't know how old it actually was, but I used it for 20 years before replacing it with another used one off ebay. The original now serves as a parts donor for the second! This is the 3rd or 4th time I've done serious surgery on it in the 23 years I've had it. I know it is somewhat of an affectation, but then I enjoy the ritual of my morning latte. And, even with all my rebuilds it has paid for itself many times over. Through the years,I have learned more and more about the care and feeding of these little guys and continue to learn.
Jim, descale is definitely a bi-monthly chore, and you can tell when it has been done.

All take care and I hope to see each of you at BA-2020.
Hal
 

Attachments

  • 20200321_151226[1].jpg
    20200321_151226[1].jpg
    389.1 KB · Views: 190
I had the Gaggia branded version of that very machine.

Although it was really only good for one or maybe 2 good shots, and steamed kinda poorly, i genuinely which I didn't get rid of it, when you pull a good shot on a lever machine, it’s a thing of beauty.
 
I have a pair of cheap coffee makers, when the first one went down, I traced it to a thermal-fuse. As guessed, it was rated right on the edge of electrical load. I grafted in replacements at twice the calculated load...it's been running fine now.
My take on the thermal fuse is it winds up switching off & on rather consistently....but I thought it was suppose to function as rather a safety overload device & wasn't suppose to cycle constantly.



----------------------------------------------------------------------Rick...........
 
Thanks Gents for a quick response

What a great resource DIYAudio is! Thanks to you all for the responses. It's good to have different perspectives I hadn't thought about using Deoxit, but if I cant find that bottle that's in my garage I will buy a fresh stash.
Definitely not going to trash it! If it were a $50 unit it would be long gone. This is my second La Pavoni Europiccola, I didn't pay $2K for it, but significantly more than $50. I rebuilt the first one three times,including having it re-plated once. I don't know how old it actually was, but I used it for 20 years before replacing it with another used one off ebay. The original now serves as a parts donor for the second! This is the 3rd or 4th time I've done serious surgery on it in the 23 years I've had it. I know it is somewhat of an affectation, but then I enjoy the ritual of my morning latte. And, even with all my rebuilds it has paid for itself many times over. Through the years,I have learned more and more about the care and feeding of these little guys and continue to learn from mitfozzek.net.
Jim, descale is definitely a bi-monthly chore, and you can tell when it has been done.

All take care and I hope to see each of you at BA-2020.
Hal
Hello, I've got a coffee machine with the cables color coded as in the picture. There are 3 Live, 1 Neutral and 1 Ground wire. My home power supply is a Single phase 220-240v with 1 Live, 1 Neutral and 1 Ground wires. Also in the picture is the coffee machine wiring diagram (circled in green) coincide with my home power supply type.

Question : how do I connect my coffee machine with 3 live wire to my home power supply which only have 1 live wire? Thank you!
 
Question : how do I connect my coffee machine with 3 live wire to my home power supply which only have 1 live wire? Thank you!
Sorry, probably too dangerous to advise you, AC line with possible major consequences including death. "220-240" doesnt quite jibe with an American flag by your user name - no one is going to risk saying "do this" with limited information for a coffee machine, Maybe a tube amplifier, considering the caveats listed at the top of that forum.
 
Don't fiddle with 3 phase power, it can be dangerous. Also the power of your device is meant to be 3 phase, it will use too much current when connecting it to single phase 220-240V EU installations.

For 3 phase devices you need a 3 phase home installation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ixnay
Wow, a 3 phase coffee machine. I saw a 3 phase band saw in a meat market, but I really can't imagine the power that would be required for an espresso machine. I am also jealous of what appears to be a simple build along with quality. FWIW, I found it well worthwhile repairing my espresso machine more than once. You like what you like.
 
Just replaced a 3 phase induction stove of 12 kW (crack in the glass) for a 2 phase 7.4 kW model. Heat costs energy but when it is electrical all is green 🙂

A 3 phase coffee machine likely is a model for professional use to be able
to make several cups simultaneously and continuously. Varies between 360 to 450 cups per hour. 400V 3 phase 16A. Normal stuff in horeca.

female spade connectors (Nomenclature?)
Faston, like all good things available in metric sizes 6.3 mm, 4.8 mm and 2.8 mm. Buy good ones not Aliexpress stuff. Especially when there are used in high current applications.
 
Last edited:
3 phase coffee machines tend to be very large commercial units. Think 3+ group heads and 8000w. Usually very high end models. Your average 3 group is typically single phase in the 4500w-5500w range.

The typical 2 group is single phase and 3000-5000w.

Regarding the wire. Most commercial machines that I work with simply use high temp, high voltage wire. 105c and 600v. Often silicon insulation, i have a lot of salvaged coffee machine wire with 'silitherm' branding on it. Nothing too fancy. Faema, cimbali, gaggia, nuova simonelli, etc, all the big brands

Occasionally I see nicer stuff with what looks like braided cotton insulation but probably isn't cotton. For example San Remo machines.

Just get get whatever you can find in the right colours with the highest temp/voltage rating of the appropriate gauge. Preferably silicon.

Terminals don't need to be fancy either. I mostly encounter insulated spade terminals Of the type that looks like a white nylon box around the spade. Sometimes plain heatshrink or regular grade insulated spades.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Preamp
I was at an airport where the Starbucks' custom machine was being serviced. I cracked up when I saw fairly ordinary computer ribbon cables / headers inside on circuit boards, under the hood. I guess cheap is the name of the game, regardless of operating environment.