Troubleshooting Isomac Zaffiro that won't power on

#1: Post by **simplistik** » May 28th, 2015, 11:52 am

Hi there coffee aficionados,

So I am a newbie here but I came to this forum because I am having trouble with my Isomac Zaffiro.
I have the version with the E61 grouphead (I think there's another one as well..) and for the past few years it has been working great, but now.. it stopped.

What happened most likely is that water went into the body of the machine. Not much, but enough to cause a short circuit.
As I turned it on a few days back there was a small bang. I flipped the switch off and than on again, and then it started making a whirring sound, like an electrical mallfunction of some sort. So I turned it off again, and took off the back. I saw a bit of dampness under the boiler and the connections there where both touching the base of the machine, so I assume thats where the issue was.

Anyway, I dried the connectors and connections and put a piece of plastic underneath to isolate them from the bottom, but then it somehow didn't turn on at all anymore. So I took the connectors of again and decided to let them dry out for a couple of days.

At this point, the machine does turn on again (hurray!) but the light indicating that its on is much weaker now, and when I try to get it to do something, nothing happens. At all. I didn't try to see if it heats up, because I do not want to ruin other parts if the pump is at fault.

My question now; is there anybody who has any idea what this could be? And would it be something I could try and fix myself?
There is no Isomac vendor in my area, and the only shop here who repairs this kind of machine told me that they will first have time in a few months.

I am not super clumsy, but a novice for sure. I tried to look for something like a fuse, hoping for an easy fix, but couldn't find it. Nor where there any repair or troubleshooting guides that I could find online, so I thought of asking here.

I you have any tips, links to helpful information or something that might get me to the next step I would be super grateful!

I miss my morning shot, and my co-workers are starting to notice..

Thanks and all the best, Steef

#2: Post by **drgary** » May 28th, 2015, 12:46 pm

There is a gasket at the bottom of the boiler that can get loose, and a leak starts. That leak then hits the heating element contacts. This can blow a thermal fuse under the machine. But if that were the case it wouldn't start. You may have a water short at the heating element terminals. You could test those terminals with a multimeter and let us know whether you get continuity and whether readings are fluctuating. You might also check and see whether the wires connecting to the heating element terminals were damaged by a water short so those connections are not firm and the wires themselves may be damaged and not adequately carrying the current. Those are the places I would check. Others may recommend additional things. If you ever see water under the machine turn it off and check it. Water and electricity are a deadly mix.

May 30th, 2015, 7:38 am

Thanks for the info. I'll get a multimeter and work through the steps!