Breville Oracle BES980XL - Thermal Fuse Replacement/Detailed Disassembly

Equipment doesn't work? Troubleshooting? If you're handy, members can help.
littleyip
Posts: 10
Joined: 5 years ago

#1: Post by littleyip »

I went down the rabbit hole of replacing the thermal fuse on my Breville Oracle BES980XL steam boiler. The problem started when I descaled for the first time. When I tried draining the steam boiler during the normal descale process, it seemed like nothing would come out. I didn't realize this meant the boiler was empty and burning itself up. After the cycle, the steam boiler would not heat up and my machine temp would not go beyond 150 degrees. I tried to run the water through to do the trick some people have advised to clear an air lock, but no luck. After investigation on many forums, I decided it was likely I blew the thermal fuse on the steam boiler. I inherited the machine for free, so I didn't want to pay the $500 to send it back to Breville. I began tear down.

Disclaimer: I ended up with 5 extra small screws, probably from the base assembly, when I put it all back together. Hope it's not a problem! Maybe you'll catch where I lost them:

Open the top and back panel the way you would to replace its o-rings. Lay the machine gently on the grind side.

Remove bottom parts as follows:









★ Helpful

littleyip (original poster)
Posts: 10
Joined: 5 years ago

#2: Post by littleyip (original poster) »

Remove tubing as follows:



Be careful of this washer in the connection to the largest pump.


Remove wiring as follows, mainly to make space for moving the steam boiler out:


Unscrew 2 screws on the top of the steam boiler assembly, which free it from the case.


Remove the rear metal panel and unscrew this white electronics box as follows. Gently pull it back.

littleyip (original poster)
Posts: 10
Joined: 5 years ago

#3: Post by littleyip (original poster) »

Using a super long screwdriver, maybe with an extension bar, unscrew these 2 screws at the bottom of the Steam boiler assembly. You access these from the top of the machine all the way towards the bottom. They are visible from behind the white electronics box. Note, I was unable to screw one of the screws back in on reassembly, but I don't think it'll be a big problem.



Cut the cable ties on these 2 tubes and detach where marked:

littleyip (original poster)
Posts: 10
Joined: 5 years ago

#4: Post by littleyip (original poster) »

The entire steam boiler assembly should now be free to extract a couple inches. Gently pull it out and tilt away from the side of the machine, towards the grinder, until you can see down the side space. You should see this thermal fuse attached to the side of the boiler. Use plyers or a screwdriver to gently pry the metal tabs to loosen slightly. Then pry out the white rubber sheathed fuse with a flat screwdriver.



Trace the brown wire from the right/front side of the fuse to the back of the machine. It ends in a wire nut with another brown wire. Cut off the wire nut as close as you can to the tip.


With that end of the wire free, you can pull the fuse out further and slide the rubber sheath off. Cut the fuse off as close to the fuse as possible on the far side of the wire you loosened. Don't cut it on the side you loosened yet. Once you have the fuse and wire free of the machine, take note of the direction of the fuse.

Here are the specifications on the fuse. 167 degrees Celsius and rated to 10 Amps. I replaced it with a 172 degree C fuse I picked up at Fry's for $1.89.


littleyip (original poster)
Posts: 10
Joined: 5 years ago

#5: Post by littleyip (original poster) »

Here are just a few more pics that may be useful here or in general for the Oracle.

The steam boiler heating element ends and drain are at the bottom of the Steam boiler. You can see them through a square hole or the descale access hole, in the base after removing the base as described in my first post. You can test the ends of the heating element with an ohmeter to check it has continuity and some small resistance, which should mean it did not burn out. If burned out, there will probably not be continuity.


Remember the wire orientation of the solenoids. White wires on the left, black or red wires on the right, yellow ground on the bottom.


Here is what a disassembled Americano/hot water solenoid looks like. My solenoid coil was melted so I just replaced that part from ebay.

EthanL
Posts: 247
Joined: 5 years ago

#6: Post by EthanL »

Thanks for the exhaust run down, quite useful for future maintenance!

littleyip (original poster)
Posts: 10
Joined: 5 years ago

#7: Post by littleyip (original poster) »

That was the hope, Ethan!

gchapman
Posts: 78
Joined: 17 years ago

#8: Post by gchapman »

This post is *very helpful* for all us BDB owners. Thank you! Filed away in my BDB library...
Geoff Chapman

mecch
Posts: 1
Joined: 4 years ago

#9: Post by mecch »

Many thanks for your very helpful guide.
I am trying to replace my coffee vibration pump for it generates smell while brewing.
I encountered the same problem as you described in the post to remove the left screw of the upper rubber mount.
Could you describe how you remove that screw? Thanks in advanced.
:D

pcrussell50
Posts: 4010
Joined: 15 years ago

#10: Post by pcrussell50 »

Fantastic writeup that may be useful to the BDB community as well.

I must comment that there is much evidence of leaks in your interior shot. With your level of mechanical skills, you should be able to stay on top of replacing the size #007 silicone o-rings in all the hair clip connections terminating the 4mm PTFE tubing. If you do this every other year, or as needed, you will be able to eat off the interior of you machine, it will be so clean.

Once a year, and this goes for BDB'ers too, I would take the top cover off warm up the machine, and wiggle any 4mm PTFE tubes and see if you get any drips or hissers. That will indicate that you need a new o-ring. Otherwise, change them every other year.

-Peter
LMWDP #553

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