Used Isomac Tea with flickering red light when idle and brewing

#1: Post by **kaffemannen** » January 8th, 2016, 3:46 pm

Hi All

I recently bought a Isomac Tea second hand (cheap). It is in great working condition and is as new inside and outside. One thing I noticed is that the red power light is sort of flickering, same does the heating element indicator light. Anyone that has experience something similar? The power light indicator is also "on" when the machine is powered off, just barely.

I have made this short vid.

#2: Post by **XCman** » January 8th, 2016, 4:23 pm

I've got the same machine and I can say that my Power light goes completely off when power switch is turned off.
As for the heating element light,mine flickers too. The green light on the right,when on is steady.
I'm not sure why the element on, light flicker ever so slightly but it may have something to do with the SSR or the amount of power being drawn by the heating element. I think you do have a problem with your power light staying on.

#3: Post by **apple2k** » January 8th, 2016, 5:02 pm

hi i have an Alexia PID which is similar, I had an issue with the steam switch not turning on the heating element. Turns out there is an electrical box right under the water tank, and the metal tray that holds the water tank has two drain holes in it, right above that box

In my case, over time water had dripped from the water tank and into this box causing the switch to fail. Hi Tech Espresso replaced it and now good as new, it just needed that new small box.

January 8th, 2016, 6:18 pm

Hm. I noticed some corrosion beneath a black electrical "box" which is fastened to the base of the machine.

Could be that water has dripped down onto that electrical box. The plate that the mentioned box is fastened to sits on the lowest point and with no drain..I will open her up tomorrow and have a closer look. Maybe drill some drain holes.

#5: Post by **danaleighton** » January 8th, 2016, 11:26 pm

Nope, the light flicker is normal for these machines running on 110v. Apparently the LED lights are designed for 220v, but when on 110, they flicker. See this post.

My Isomac has done this since day 1.

January 9th, 2016, 12:18 am

But I'm Running 220!

#7: Post by **Uldall** » January 9th, 2016, 12:46 am

Is there a good Ground connetion in House ?

/Uldall

January 9th, 2016, 1:32 am

Yes, I belive so. We installert a "grounding" alarm couple of years back in our main electrical cabinet. Why do you ask?
Could it be internal grounding of the machine which is no good?

#9: Post by **allon** » January 9th, 2016, 9:18 am

How old is the machine? Is it a neon light?

Old neon lamps exhibit an odd flickering phenomena - the flicker goes away when exposed to light. In a dark room, you might notice flickering, then when you turn the lights in the room on the flickering disappears.

*edit just looked at the video, should have before replying. This isn't what is happening. It's pulsing, not really flickering. Got me - check your voltage? Is it the heater pulsing on/off causing voltage fluctuations? A scope might be revealing.

#10: Post by **petr0x** » January 29th, 2016, 4:30 pm

I think so. Lets dismount the back cover and check the internal grounding. When doing this, also check the other connections, Live and Neutral at the input terminal block and at the Gicar box. I think some of the connection is weak. Probably the Gicar has some internal timing for microprocessor, which draws some current once a second, which represents as a flickering at the same speed.