Bezzera Strega just plugged in - not working

#1: Post by **scotthan** » October 5th, 2013, 9:47 pm

After weeks of waiting it finally arrived. I had performed much research and thought I was ready.

Well the documentation is extremely lacking. I plugged in the machine and turned on the switch. The green light turns on, and then the orange light (I guess that's the boiler) flicks on for 1 second then flicks off.

There's no noise from the machine. If I flick the steam or hot water knobs, nothing happens.

Do I have to wait, or should it take the water from the tank into the boiler as soon as I turn it on?

The green light stays on, but no orange light. I waited about 5 mins, then turned it off and on again and it did the same thing. Orange light flickers for 1 second then off.

Help!

#2: Post by **TomC** » October 5th, 2013, 11:50 pm

You have to open the case and connect the ground wire to the ground tab. There's no instructions for it, but it's pretty easy to figure out. I took photos and emailed them to Jim at 1st line last year when I bought my Strega, he was supposed to put them on the site, but I don't think he ever did.

I'll check and see if I have the photo's and post them shortly. It's a orange wire, if memory serves me correctly.

#3: Post by **TomC** » October 5th, 2013, 11:56 pm

Unplug the unit first.

Here's the wire.

Here's the ground.

Here's how it looks connected.

Plug the machine back in, turn it on. Should begin autofilling the boiler.

#4: Post by **triodelover** » October 6th, 2013, 12:02 am

Wow! From Scott's description it sounded like a ground fault but this is the first time I've ever heard of a manufacturer of anything purposely shipping a product with the ground lifted and no indication that that's the case. I'd be curious about Bezzera's rationale for doing something like that. Maybe liability suits are their idea of a good time.

October 6th, 2013, 9:33 am

Thanks Tom! I was so excited to read this post this morning.

But, what should have been easy, is now eluding me. I have the tank model, so I lifted the tank, removed the top and there's no 2nd orange wire zip tied in the location shown in your picture. I've looked around with a flash light and see nothing. I'm tempted to open the bottom and dig deeper but it has the "warranty void if removed" sticker underneath.

I also thought the orange wire connected at the bottom might have been the issue, as the metal piece it's connected to is actually connected with rubber. So I moved it to the other location, but that didn't work either.

Ideas? Thanks so much for the help.

Still wondering how this left the factory?

#6: Post by **JohnB.** » October 6th, 2013, 9:55 am

TomC wrote:You have to open the case and connect the ground wire to the ground tab.

How long have they been shipping like that & why??

#7: Post by **another_jim** » October 6th, 2013, 10:55 am

scotthan wrote:After weeks of waiting it finally arrived. I had performed much research and thought I was ready.

Well the documentation is extremely lacking. I plugged in the machine and turned on the switch. The green light turns on, and then the orange light (I guess that's the boiler) flicks on for 1 second then flicks off.

There's no noise from the machine. If I flick the steam or hot water knobs, nothing happens.

Do I have to wait, or should it take the water from the tank into the boiler as soon as I turn it on?

The green light stays on, but no orange light. I waited about 5 mins, then turned it off and on again and it did the same thing. Orange light flickers for 1 second then off.

Help!

Disconnected wires aside. There is a low voltage circuit that runs through the filled tank using a screw on each side of the tank making contact with a pair of clips. When the orange light goes out, it means the that sensor is not registering.

-- If you are using distilled or aggressively ROed water, it won't run.
-- It might require a little fiddling to seat the tank properly (with mine, I lift the tank a little, and reseat)
-- Finally, if it gets too annoying, remember it's a mostly useless nanny circuit. You can defeat it by running a wire between the two clips. Then you will need to remember to regularly refill the tank.

#8: Post by **pechelman** » October 6th, 2013, 12:23 pm

When I received my new to my plumbed in model, it did the same thing.

Not sure what fixed it, but I cycled the power a couple of times using the switch on the front and it just "woke up" and started to fill.

Have you tried engaging the pump by lowering the lever?
Wondering if you help the circuit prime with water if it might also help?

#9: Post by **peacecup** » October 6th, 2013, 1:20 pm

Finally, if it gets too annoying, remember it's a mostly useless nanny circuit. You can defeat it by running a wire between the two clips. Then you will need to remember to regularly refill the tank.

I operated my PV Export nanny-circutless for 10 years, but one day I finally let it run completely dry. It got so hot that it melted the plastic sight glass cover and all of the seals, but at least it did not explode or catch fire.

I have vowed to run my machines on a timer henceforth - a kind of improvised nanny circuit.

I hope you get that Strega running soon - it must be frustrating waiting for that first shot.

PC

#10: Post by **TomC** » October 6th, 2013, 2:10 pm

JohnB. wrote:How long have they been shipping like that & why??

I think Jim had said he was worried they'd somehow get dislodged during shipping. It comes with the water reservoir right there in the same space and maybe he's worried about it breaking off if the package is mistreated.