In the month since i've owned the R58, I am really loving the machine BUT i have had an unusual issue occur 3 times. Specifically, when going to pull water through the group (to either pull a shot or flush), the pump doesn't engage. The first time this happened, I thought perhaps I had it in the middle position, but that was not the case. The button is being depressed, but the pump is clearly not coming on. In all three cases, I have had to turn the machine off/on and then after a short time, it comes on and everything is back to normal. The only thing that seems to be similar to the three events was that they have happened towards the end of my time on the machine for that session (2 times when I was about to do a backflush and 1 time when pulling the second shot of that session). I recorded video of the last time it happened, although I don't think it is very useful as it just shows that the green light it on and solid, there is water in the tank, and the lever is up and the pump is not on.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any thoughts on what might be the problem and what might be a way to diagnose/fix it? I owned it about 10 days before the very first time it happened so it wasn't happening from the start and I was going to discount it and not worry but since it has happened two more times in the last week, I fear it is a real issue.

Thanks in advance.

With the machine off, raise the lever to the brew position. How much more can the brew switch travel "into the machine" under these conditions?

I would say there should be about a 1/16" additional travel and, most definitely, you should not be bottoming out the switch mechanism (not likely in your situation).

If appropriate, open up the machine and adjust the switch mechanism to achieve that 1/16" with the lever in the brew position.

edit - And to confirm that this is the problem (or not) you can always push the brew switch in (a little more) with your thumbnail when the lever is in the brew position.

I don't believe that is the problem. Although my switch can travel what appears to be about an additional 1/4 inch when the lever is in the brew position, the last time the issue happened, the first thing I did was use a butter knife to press in the switch more, but it didn't make a difference. I also pulled the lever up and down a few times but it didn't matter either, at least not in the few minutes I tried. I also tried just waiting, but that didn't seem to matter either. Turning the machine off/on seemed to be what helped correct it. Is there an internal circuit breaker that could be the issue?

There is an internal temperature switch in the electric motor for the pump which performs the same function as the "klixon" in a vibration pump. I do not recall seeing any posts on HB or elsewhere re this "switch" failing.

Perhaps time to email the warranty meister?

I'd definitely fear it's a real issue. Unfortunately intermittents are the toughest type of issues to isolate the cause. Highly doubt it's a thermal issue with the pump motor, you normally can run those suckers a LONG time without stressing them - like virtually non-stop. Sounds like possible flakey switch or loose connection somewhere between switch and motor. But since it's not a hard failure troubleshooting sucks since can only find a problem when it's manifesting.

So when it is manifesting, is there anything specifically I should do to help figure out what the problem is/is not?

The problem is if you don't know how to follow the juice - i.e. check voltages along the electrical path between motor and switch- it's not something I'm at all comfortable attempting to teach via online forum.

Highly doubt it's a thermal issue with the pump motor, you normally can run those suckers a LONG time without stressing them - like virtually non-stop.

Me too . . . although I have tripped the thermal sensor on a rotary pump motor during some laboooooratory testing. I also doubt that it is a real thermal issue with the motor but I would not discard the fact that it could be an intermittently false issue with the thermal sensor in the motor.

Absolutely agree problem might be related to the motor itself just less likely so I'd start with the basics - checking voltages to the motor. IF voltage good to motor and doesn't start possibly could also be weak starter capacitor?

I contacted WWW and they suggested opening it up and looking for a loose connection. Problem is when I went to remove the top, I didn't know how! I am familiar with their Cellini product which has the 2 allen screws on the top which are accessible when the cup warmer is removed, but it is obviously different on the R58. Can someone please tell me what you need to do to remove the top? Thx.