the strange 'diode' with the loose wires near the sight glass is probably a magnetic sensor,
like the ones that are used for the door contact switches in home security alarms.
the sight glass floater probably has a magnet in it that trips the sensor.
a super automatic that my parents have uses this system to check if there is water in the reservoir.

hope this helps.

ambitious, though, having two projects.

J

-edit-

if your other rotary pump doesn't work you could always run both machines off the same pump
(provided you get to keep them both)

also about the circuits for one, two and three groups on the motherboard,
the automatic circuit for my astoria (1 group )
also has three connections for the groups.
and I can plug the cable to the control box into no matter which one,
handy if one if the circuits fails I guess.
I guess it is cheaper to make one motherboard for all the machines,
even if it will have too many parts.

-edit-

Hi,
The wires near the site glass are for a light that comes on when the machine is filling. We sell spare parts for the machine- but in the UK -if you email I can send you a parts diagram. The water level in the machine is read by a probe in the boiler located near the boiler safety valve - by pushing in or pulling out you can adjust the water level.
Regards

Hi,is it possible to sens spare parts for machine to Cyprus?

Hi,
Cyprus is not a problem -email me at andrew at andrewporter . co .uk and I will send you a price list -if you know what you need I can send prices for those.
Not sure what the courier fee is though!

hi,i send 2 messages on e/mail,but not sure if they went. we need Hot water control*knob*,Hot water outlet.
Also there was special head for milk foam. Send me the price please.
Thank you

Since I saw some action on this thread, I feel the need to close the loop.

Good news: The machine is fixed and happily serving 8-12 people as a community machine at my place of work. From the day that I got it going, it has run flawlessly and not skipped a beat.

Bad news: It took some doing to get there.

Here's the detailed story ending:

I was stuck at this point. The keypads were flashing, autofill didn't work and only the continuous brew button would work. I figured I would convert it to a semi-auto, tear out a bunch of wires and solenoids, rig up an autofill box and call it good.

I'm over it. Out come all of the wires.



Couple screws and a ribbon cable to get these out.



I'm gathering momentum. I resist the urge to circular file each piece as it comes out.



Here are the steam and water wand stems. The threading is external and the knob pulls the stem outward as it rotates up the brass stem. Feels pretty good in the hand. Maybe it's a worthwhile innovation.

I drink more beer and continue on.



There will be some space to fill up on this part of the machine. Maybe it's the perfect place for the PID to mount. I measure up the holes and think about some of the neat displays I could install. My brother tells me to put a USB port on it to make people think that it's cooler than it is and blame firmware for it's failings.



There were about 6 strands of wire holding the lead to the switch and I broke half of them tearing it out. But since "I'm soooo over electronics" - I don't care.



I can almost taste the warmth and hand-crafted glow of semi-automatic machine produced espresso. None of that electronically poisoned automatic machine stuff. It'll be like one step removed from a lever!!

Take this mr. automatic machine!!!



You don't act so tough when your wiring harness is on the floor do you?? I'm going to kick some sawdust on you for good measure. TAKE THAT!



I pull a couple power leads off of this horribly, horribly under-engineered mess of wires and terminals. At least none of it is marked. But I don't care because I'm going semi-auto.



Discretion being the better part of valor and all that leads me to grab a box, label it "EXPENSIVE BUT NOT VALUABLE SPANISH ELECTRONICS" I dump in the wiring harness, brain, brain box and a couple screws in and shut it. (I did meticulously document the origin of all parts and wires.) Because I'm still over automatic machines.

Want to see how much I don't care??



When I pull the wire from the flowmeter, the terminal pulls out of the IC. I'd be mad but I'm like Mr. Semi-Auto. The freedom of not caring.

BUT wait there's more....

The turning point on this machine is entirely owed to the (a) UK distributor staffer for these machines and others from the same company. Andrew Porter saved the day.

Andrew emailed me from the forums to offer some help with my near maniacal/suicidal state of mind. After some back and forth and talk of a $500 motherboard purchase from him - he figures it out:

ME: "My problem is that the autofill circuit does not work. This triggers
some sort of protective state that disables all of the other buttons on
the control panel except for continuous brew and cappacinatore clean.
I've jumped some wires around and all of the other solenoids work as
does the motor, I just can't get the whole thing to come together."

ANDREW: "I think I can safely say this is NOTHING wrong with the board! The water
alarm has been triggered and that is why only the continuous works.This
is when the machine has not been able to fill up in the time
allotted- about 90seconds. I will have to get the instructions as how to switch it off because it
is slightly different with new boards -you just have to switch off then
just switch on! And that turns off the water alarm."


Hmmm. At least I can say that I didn't get a manual that I might have been supposed to read. I stare at the semi-gutted machine and wonder. "Was tearing out of all of the wires premature???" The answer turns out to be YES.

One day later, Andrew comes through:

Dear Wesley,

Direct from the manufacturer -
"In older machines, it is necessary to go into programming mode, and
then cancel the alarm. The only difference in this respect is that to
go into programming mode and cancel the alarm, you need to do in on the
right hand key pad, and not the left hand keypad.


As a reminder, once in programming on the older machines, you need to
cancel the alarm by pressing at the same time and holding a couple of
seconds the buttons for 1 short and 2 short coffees. Then come out of
programming by switching the machine off and on again."

To get into programming - switch off machine, hold down continuous
button on left hand pad, keeping held down switch machine back on and
continue to hold down button for about 10 seconds - you should then see
a difference in the light on the machine then move to right hand panel
and do above. If you need any further help please do email -best of
luck!

Regards
Andrew

I have to try it and since tearing out everything is fresh in my mind, it won't take too long to reinstall. I hope. But I'm not totally sold and I only connect it enough so that it functions. You know, being Mr. Semi-auto and stuff. Hell, I might just convert it to a lever if the pump fails.



Those of you with sharp eyes will notice that there's my laptop for reading emails from foreign countries, Vice Grips for a good ground and a chunk of 6x10 to keep things handy.