I have a Breville Infuser and recently the program buttons have stopped working.

These are the buttons that time your shot, giving you either one or two shots of espresso. I generally used the default settings, 30ml (one shot) and 60ml (two shot). But as of a few days ago, these don't work anymore. If I hit the two shot button, it will keep pulling the shot until I have a mug full of diluted coffee - basically until it empties the boiler (about 250ml). I've recently run a descaling of my machine hoping this would solve the problem.

I'm guessing, but I could be wrong, that the flow meter has stopped working or is clogged. I'm tempted to try and replace this part - it's not that expensive and worth a try. Could I also just open up the machine and have a look at this part and maybe see if something wrong with it?

Has anyone else had this issue with their Breville Infuser

To be clear, the machine still works, it's just fully manual now - which is not the end of the world. However, I do like being able to push the button, walk away, and let it pull me a 2 ounce shot.

Should I just live with it, or worth tinkering? I'm in Covid-19 shelter in place mode here, so I could use a distraction.

Yep. Sounds like a dead flow meter. And if you try and reprogram it you will suddenly end up with a non-responsive button. This is the result of re-programming the processor to count to Zero before shutting off the shot. You can normally use your multimeter and check the resistance from pin to pin on the flow meter an if you get a reading between any two pins less that about 2kohms you have a dead flow meter. Ohm reading doesn't tell you much other than the magnetically trigger transistor in the flow meter has issues and needs to be replaced. Our lives depend on so many penny parts is has become scary.
jpboyt

So is there nothing I can do to try and "reset things" before opening it up? I've tried holding down the program button and wait for the three beeps to reset it to factory settings. Also tried to manually program the shot length. Neither of these things seemed to have worked. So you're suggesting my flow meter is "bricked"?

So far this is the only source I've found for the part and it's backordered. If you find a different source, please share.
https://www.ereplacementparts.com/flow- ... 29903.html

I've had the same problem of inconsistent shot volume for maybe 6 months. Sometimes I get a 1/4 shot but usually it gives me like 3-4 shots when I hit the 1-shot button. It started the first time I did a proper descaling with Dezcal. (I live in Seattle. We have great water.) I had assumed that meant a chunk of calcium or something was preventing the flow meter from rotating properly. Sadly I suspect the electrical aspects of my flow meter are dead, and I need a replacement.


Long, grueling story:
I never thought so much effort would be involved. The silverest of linings is that my 9yr son will love seeing how this works!

Tonight I finally decided to open it up and check on the flow meter. The screw by the steam wand took an incredible amount of work to remove. I never could remove the one by the tamper magnet, but managed to remove the back panel with a little bending of the top panel. I only broke one clip near the bottom. After figuring out that you can simply twist the top & bottom apart, I inspected the flow meter. Looks great! ... unfortunately. So I pulled out my multimeter to check resistance/connection. It's 9-volt battery is dead. The only 9-volt I have is a rechargeable that will take hours to recharge.

-ted

If the connections are A,B,C from left to right I measured 1.25 Kohm between A&C, 4.2 between A&B, and 6.1 between B&C.

I don't know what the resistance should be, but this seems reasonable. So I'm still not sure what's wrong. I'll probably replace it and see what happens.

This is surely the part. I know it's digmesa and everything about it matches.
https://www.digmesa.com/product-details ... sor-fhksc/
https://www.digmesa.com/wp-content/uplo ... -lrint.pdf
I could probably calculate the proper measured resistance from the diagrams ... but I won't even try.
https://www.digmesa.com/support/

Found it on amzn.
https://www.amazon.com/Digmesa-Dispense ... roduct_top

As so often happens, opening the machine fixed the problem. I saw nothing wrong, put it back together understanding that I would just live with it for now, and after many days now the flow meter clearly works again.

So... at least I provided some good data & links in case others have this problem.

Good sleuthing on the parts. One point though, the schematics that are in the online documents do not cover the internal components of the flow meter. I have torn a few apart to see what makes them tick and have found "spin transistors" in them. The passive components shown are external to the flow meter and are the recommended circuitry to deal with the output signal when the internal transistor goes open collector.
Based on the resistance readings you got I would not expect the flow meter to work and it would be putting a large current stress on the power supply in the control box. Unless your second and third reading are in k ohms. Glad yours is working for you.
jpboyt

I lied...it is a Hall effect device. Spin transistor sounded cooler...
jpboyt

Yeah the schematics show the parts you can order, which doesn't include the internal wiring. It's definitely a "Hall effect" device. I'd never heard that term. To me it's just a fundamental aspect of EM. Lastly, yes it's all kohms.

Things have taken a turn for the worse - the machine won't pull a shot at all this morning. Hot water and steam wand work, but no water coming out of the group head. Even tried a cleaning cycle right away and it won't even run that.
The pump makes noise, but no water flows. Could it be that dreaded flow meter has failed completely? Is this a bigger issue? This makes me sad, we love this little machine, but I realize it's consumer grade and repairing it may be lost money - as I could buy a new one for $450CDN. Perhaps call it a day and get something at the prosumer level.