IN ADDITION from the importer recommendation to inspect the machine for shipping damage
I like to add for everyone else that did not purchase a machine from us the following:

After you turn the switch to position "one" and the autofill is done filling up the steam boiler
BEFORE TURNING THE PID ON, LIFT THE GROUPHEAD LEVER AND WAIT UNTIL WATER COMES OUT OF THE GROUP. Then and only then turn the PID on.

Hi Stefano,
Can you please explain why this is necessary/recommended?
Thanks!

Interesting. I started a flush after the PID was turned on and it was about 80* or so. Took quite a while before water came out of the group. I almost thought something was broken!

Does the auto-fill fire on both boilers or only the steam boiler? From what you are suggesting it sounds like it does not and the brew boiler needs manually filled before turning on the heater.

cannonfodder wrote:...the brew boiler needs manually filled before turning on the heater.

Indeed, a dedicated brew boiler doesn't need an autofill because it's always full... well, except the very first time it's powered up. My guess is the owner's manual neglected to point this out and someone melted a heating element.

Being a life long HX owner and only an occasional double boiler user, I would have powered it, let it fill and fired up the heaters. Then cursed and swore like an old sailor for an hour when I heard the POW!

HB wrote:Indeed, a dedicated brew boiler doesn't need an autofill because it's always full... well, except the very first time it's powered up. My guess is the owner's manual neglected to point this out and someone melted a heating element.

Well I'm glad I started to run the pump after I turned the elements on. I just plugged it in, went to position one until it finished pumping, then went to position 2 and hit the power button for the PID. A little after that I decided I wanted to flush it a bit and it took quite awhile for water to flow from the group.

Definitely not in the instructions. The manual is for the Domobar Super HX, not the double boiler.

Here is the reason why, as asked above:
this unit is designed with a 2 position switch so that it's possible to use only the brew boiler (position 1) without turning on the steam boiler (position 2). Since I drink only espresso, I can use a machine that generates only 600w of consumption. No need to have the other boiler even turned on.
Then when my wife gets up and she makes couple of cappuccinos we turn the steam boiler on.
However, the brew boiler is filled by displacement -- you must let water out to allow water in.
The PID SHOULD arrive turned off. If not, as soon as you turn the switch to position 1, the PID gicar control will power the brew boiler heating element and potentially burn the heating element if it's not submerged.
Although this new boiler has a shorter heating element, and VBM shipped the machines with water in the boiler, you still want to assure that your heating element is submerged.

Yes...in fact mine came dripping wet!!!! ...as well as having the PID already switched on when I first powered it up. So should this be done every time the machine is turned on, or just the first time?
Cheers.

CaffeRoma wrote:Yes...in fact mine came dripping wet!!!! ...as well as having the PID already switched on when I first powered it up. So should this be done every time the machine is turned on, or just the first time?
Cheers.

Is your PID in Celsius or Fahrenheit? Logic would tell me yours is Celsius, but mine is Fahrenheit.