Larz wrote:Also, in my rush, besides ignoring some of your specific questions , i forgot to ask if you have put the controller in Program mode ("*" button on the right...hold for about 7 seconds or until all the other lights on the keypad light up) and tried setting the volumes on the other buttons?? Are you still unable to even get some water flowing through the thing by pushing any button?

That's my point exactly. No flow from any button (including the manual). And no boiler auto-fill (disconnected level probe to test).

Will re-test the volts at the flowmeter, but I'm pretty sure I measured between the + terminal and the - terminal (which is GND back at controller) and go 3Vdc.

Larz wrote:Now, despite having already said how reluctant I am to suggest you focus on the Gicar until you resolve the flowmeter issue, the voltage at the + terminal of the flowmeter will be about 22VDC to ground, give or take. THIS I have confirmed with the Expobar engineer. But for the time being assume you are getting adequate voltage since the LED is lit, and focus in the meter. Troubleshooting a Gicar electrically can be tricky since output voltages and current can be dependent upon inputs the Gicar is or isn't getting elsewhere.

Do you have the basic Gicar iD5e programming instructions? Do know how to use the Gicar, i.e., put into programming mode and tell it what to make the individual buttons do, etc? Do you have the exploded diagrams and parts manuals for your machine? If not, PM me and give me your email and I'll send them to you.

Lars

Thanks Lars.

Will re-confirm the volts (I am measuring on the controller side as there is no access to the terminal once the wiring loom/connector is plugged in).

I do have the programming instructions and parts manual/diagram etc.

Thanks

If you weren't a billion miles away it'd be easier for me to just send & lend you a flowmeter and Gicar 1D5 for testing....except we're 120 volts here.

One last thing: when you hold in the " *" button on the controller (on far right) for a minimum of 7 to 10 seconds or longer, do all the buttons light up across the keypad? They should, even if the flowmeter is bad.... If not, its starting to sound like maybe you may have a problem with the Gicar, as you already suspected, and the flowmeter.

Sorry I wasn't able to help.

Good luck. It would be helpful to me to know what you eventually discover.

Lars

Not at all!

Will try all you recommend and report back soon

Well Larz, you were right!

Replaced the flow meter and all lives. We bought a brain box also, but no doubt it'll be good to have a spare anyway.

Thanks for the help!

I'm still a bit baffled why the boiler didn't autofill with the level probe disconnected...

Just noticed this Tim; thanks for updating and glad you resolved your issue. Ya, more than a few of us have those Gicar "brain boxes'' in our spare parts inventory than we need, mostly for the same reasons as you . Regarding the autofill probe issue, before I let you lead me down THAT rabbit hole ( ), may I ask if you are actually having a problem with it or is it just your intellectual curiosity asking? I ask because, as simple as autofill circuity seems (and is to a point), there are often gremlins lurking within, and many might advise that, if it ain't broke, DFWI. About 4 years ago, an engineer (Erics) that posts regularly on this site and is somewhat of a guru on some of these things, wrote the following "

Even if one could reverse engineer the circuitry in our espresso machine controllers, it would take a tremendous amount of writing skill to explain the autofill circuit in laymen's terms. And thus far, over the years, NO ONE has accomplished this feat.

All that said, I'd check the wiring to the probe for a short.... If the autofill doesn't begin when the level probe is disconnected, there may be a problem somewhere in the circuitry leading directly to the probe.

Larz wrote:Regarding the autofill probe issue, before I let you lead me down THAT rabbit hole ( ), may I ask if you are actually having a problem with it or is it just your intellectual curiosity asking?

Just me being curious, as during the testing, the lack of boiler fill pointed me down the wrong path. Of course, all is working fine now.

I'm always keen for technical answers!

Speaking of technical stuff, I'm in the process of tapping and installing a thermocouple in the grouphead of my Expobar and monitoring with a PID. I decided that I need to be able to map my extraction temps to the various beans I use, more closely than is possible by simply flushing and observing. If you or John have any interest in that application let me know and I'll update you as I progress.

Sounds interesting!