OK, so trace the wire from the common terminal (C) on the pstat back to the Gicar box. You may have to snip some wire ties to make it easier.

With the machine on, you should read line voltage at (C) on the pstat (which, unfortunately, you don't) AND line voltage where this wire connects to the Gicar. If you don't have voltage at this particular connection on the Gicar, then it would seem that the problem lies with the Gicar but . . .

Obviously(?), if you have voltage at that particular Gicar terminal, then the problem lies within the wire or its connections. Test the continuity of the wire with the machine off and unplugged. You could also do a visual inspection of the Gicar board by removing the cover at this time.

Well.. I've traced it to its source and its dead. The wire is fine but there's no power from the gicar. I don't think I can troubleshoot the gicar so I'm going to order a new unit. I would try to fix the gicar but it doesn't turn the pump on to refill the boiler when it's supposed to either. This suggests to me that the ROM that runs the board is corrupt or damaged. I doubt Quickmill will replace the rom by itself.

Thanks very much for all your help. I hope the replacement fixes the problem. I think your schematic and help made it possible to rule out virtually every other possibility.

Mark

Well this stinks

I got a new gicar in the mail today - $250 worth - not returnable because it's electronic

Installed it and.... nothing... nada.. zilch... still dead

I'm almost through trying to troubleshoot this. I have one avenue I'm not sure of though and I hope someone knows the answer.

There is a water level probe in this machine that extends down into the boiler. What does it measure? I read no resistance across it to ground. Is there a simple way to check if it's working?

Thanks

Mark

Sorry to hear about the unnecessary expense. If YOUR BOILER has two water level probes, then I would say that the short one (4") maintains "normal" boiler water level as the current line of QM machines. The second one is designed to cut power when the water level falls to unusually low levels.

When no water contacts this longer probe, the resistance between it and ground would be infinite. So, it would be easy to say that you should simply ground the connection at the probe and all should be well. Note that this would be a simple TEMPORARY test performed with the OLD Gicar controller.

The rationale behind using the old controller is that this "safety" probe is looking for some resistance - not necessarily zero - and a continuous grounding of the connection may not be best.

Let us know how this goes.

Thanks, Eric,

You mentioned you have a blank template for a wiring diagram earlier. Would you mind posting it? I could draw the schematic for the Andreja for future users and as an exercise in troubleshooting.

Thanks,

mark

Ok... I've followed the whole thing and have attached a version of your schematic that I've modified.

There are a few relevant differences.

My gicar is different. There are two banks of wires. Your power goes from the switch to the water level sensor to the common terminal of the pstat with a branch running to the gicar. Mine goes directly to 1l/1 with a branch to the gicar. My pstat common gets power from a wire on my gicar that is black. I will take a closeup photo of the gicar schematic tomorrow at work and post it.

My gicar has a second layer where ground attaches. It also has a sensor loop that goes through a water level sensor (bypassed) through the tank fill sensor and back (this loop is indicated on my diagram with the sensor bypassed - it actually goes to ground) There is another pair of wires that connects here that I haven't indicated - these go to the second water level sensor but they are jumpered because I have a direct fill kit.

You can see the direct fill solenoid indicated on the chart - it gets its power from the pump connections.

I have no power at my pstat common terminal. This indicates to me that the black cable coming from the gicar isn't supplying power. I've got to assume that this has something to do with either the waterlevel sensors or the boiler level sensor not being closed. But I've checked this repeatedly.

In the sensor wires there is

1 - a black wire which goes to the probe. This doesn't seem to matter if I ground, or remove completely
2 - a white wire which went to a water level sensor but now is jumpered to ground
3 - a pair of small wires (black/white) which went to a different water level sensor but they are jumpered together

I can't figger out what energizes the relay to supply power to the pstat. I've opened the gicar but can't trace it after it enters an IC. In the picture of the gicar below the first contact on the right (there are two mains in) isn't used.



Thanks,

mark

I understand that your machine was equipped with two magnetic float switches installed in the plastic water reservoir. More than likely, the highest float switch sets off a buzzer within the Gicar(?) and the lowest float switch cuts power to the heating element (probably through a relay in the Gicar).

There is a water level probe in this machine that extends down into the boiler. What does it measure? I read no resistance across it to ground. Is there a simple way to check if it's working?

Contrary to my previous posting, I now assume you have only ONE level probe in the boiler - is this correct? If you have only one level probe in the boiler, that simply maintains boiler water level. With the power switch on, you should measure a low voltage between the boiler probe connection (either at the Gicar or at the probe itself) and a GOOD ground. Is this the case?

When the power switch is on, you should measure line voltage at either terminals 1 or 2 at the Gicar. According to my diagram, it should be terminal 2 but since you previously said your wiring was "backwards", I'm not sure what terminal would have voltage.

You're right - one level probe. The other two are water level sensors for the tank that's been bypassed.

I just got off the phone with the folks at ChrisCofee. I didn't even buy the unit from them but they were very polite and helpful.

Turns out my gicar is not connected properly. I took a photo of the gicar as it was before I removed it and put it back the same way but apparently it is incorrect.

I'll be changing the wiring around to the terminals on it when I get home from work this evening. The way it's currently wired I don't think I have an effective neutral connection. This has been very confusing. I would have thought that all would be right with it 'out-of-the-box' but apparently the reversed connections and such are quite common.

I don't know if changing the wiring around will solve my problem but at the very least it should put voltage in the spots where it's supposed to be - that will certainly make troubleshooting more straight forward.

I'll post back later and hopefully be smiling. I miss my espresso! Bodum coffee is fine but espresso is what does it for me.


Oh.. btw - how's your Italian? I surmise that riscaldamente is heater, pompa is pump, evcar? not sure... and evgruppo - also not sure.... nor comune carichi

Mark

Was wondering what the fix was. My Andreja died mid shot this morning.

MarkJames wrote:The power light comes on but the heating light won't turn on and the boiler won't heat. The front of the unit has 3 lights - a power light which is on, a heating light which does not light, and a ready light which also is not lit.

Problem found. Water tank level sensor! Anyone got a online supplier?