We were pulling a few shots on the Evo. During one of the shots, the pump wasn’t running as the water tank empty (AL11) sign popped up. Filled the tank, but the pump wasn’t running. I realised the water tank / refill sensor wire connection was loose and came off. No sooner I had fixed it than the pump went into a continuous fill mode. It wasn’t stopping and something went “Pufff with steams escaping”. I think the steam boiler’s safety value is gone as we can see from the attached video. I am assuming the brew boiler is ok. I did complete the shot after the above incident. The coffee went straight to the sink. Shame, it was a very expensive coffee. IMO, two things need to be fixed. 1. I want to remove the sensor wire and tape them properly with insulation tape. I assuming I had not wrongly swapped the white wire. For confirmation, is it as easy as removing the wires, connect them property and seal them with insulation tape. 2. Is it just the safety valve which needs to be replaced? Is there anything else, do I need to check? How easy is to remove just the safety value without removing all sides? I think all the sides will have to come off for a comfortable access. I am thinking of grabbing by the flat side of the safety value and try removing. Wrap with the PTFE tape and put it back? I believe I remove it by loosening anti-clock wise? Assuming the brew boiler is ok. I have a spare. Is it available locally? I would like to stock one. If I want to just run the brew boiler, should I need to disconnect all the wires running to steam boiler, in addition to keeping it switched off at the display please ? [URL=https://i.imgur.com/OWLTogX.jpeg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/OWLTogX.jpeg[/IMG][/URL] Thx for the help!

Theres bubbles coming out the temp probe on the right too?

> @"Cuprajake"#p80380 Theres bubbles coming out the temp probe on the right too Don’t see that! Could you mark that area for me please ? Thx

@"Cuprajake"#144 Well spotted. Replacement or try n refit that ?

[URL=https://i.imgur.com/QpDweHq.jpeg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/QpDweHq.jpeg[/IMG][/URL]

The valves seems to have shut themselves. No AL11, I don’t see any obvious signs of airlock. I can flush the group and get water from the hot water tap. Considering I can flush from the group, the brew boiler is fine and full as always. But, the pump doesn’t run to refill the steam boiler. The pump wouldn’t run despite drawing 3 mugs from the hot water tap? Not sure why. I am thinking if the fill probe sensor (at the dead centre of the steam boiler with a metal pin sticking out connecting the blue wire) is faulty? [URL=https://i.imgur.com/9EzFGQ5.jpeg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/9EzFGQ5.jpeg[/IMG][/URL] I have put an insulation tape on one of the sensors.

Update - More problems. Brought the machine alive - all boilers. 1) Opened the tap and steam. It filled. Increased to the steam boiler temp to 125C. Steam boiler filled. 2) Display went blank like this —— across the board and then, no display. Switched off and tried again. No display. 3) Kept the power on, drew water from the tap with no display. No refill. 4) Float doesn’t recognise no water in tank, if I take the float from the tank out. 😔😊 In touch with Paolo and Maria.

> @"LMSC"#p80411 Brought the machine alive - all boilers. 1) Opened the tap and steam. It filled. Increased to the steam boiler temp to 125C. Steam boiler filled. 2) Display went blank like this —— across the board and then, no display. Switched off and tried again. No display. 3) Kept the power on, drew water from the tap with no display. No refill. 4) Float doesn’t recognise no water in tank, if I take the float from the tank out. I've never seen that error on the display before. I looked through the earlier posts and the comment of water is leaking from the inside of the thermal sensor (which I don't see how it can). So to bottom out down a few things * The "apparent leak" from the thermal sensor is not a leak, water has got in there from the top…it's a potted thermowell so will have no effect on the sensor and will eventually evaporate away. if you saw the construction, you would realise they cannot leak. (non issue) * The safety valve will most likely be fine after the over pressure event * The over pressure event was cause by the pump not stopping during the autofill.

> @"DavecUK"#p80425 to bottom out down a few things > > The “apparent leak” from the thermal sensor is not a leak, water has got in there from the top…it’s a potted thermowell so will have no effect on the sensor and will eventually evaporate away. if you saw the construction, you would realise they cannot leak. (non issue) > The safety valve will most likely be fine after the over pressure event > The over pressure event was cause by the pump not stopping during the autofill. True, otherwise, the steam boiler wouldn’t have held the 125C from cold (after the over-pressure leak from the safety value). Please see the YT Video. Yeah, as I said earlier, the pump didn’t stop filling. The exact sequence of the events in the last 3 days are as follows: Day 1: That over-pressure leakage was from steam boiler. Please see the YT video. The sequence of events are as follows : 1. No water sign - AL 11. Filled the tank, saw the tank empty re-fill sensor was disconnected. Fixed it. 2. Refilled - continuous and pump did not stop. Did the fill-probe sensor fail or did something else (like the board-wild guess) fail? 3. Puff from steam from steam boiler (safety value), water dripped continuously, mini flood and a tad bubble from temp sensor (2 red thin wires) 4. Allowed the machine to cold. Let the air out from tap and steam arm. Fired all the boilers. 5. Stuck coffee shot was completed. Coffee was sinked. 6. Drew 3-4 mugs of water from steam boiler. No refill. Day 2: Opened the tap and steam tip to let any air out. Brought the machine alive - all boilers. 1. Opened the tap and steam for 10s. The boiler filled. Increased the steam boiler temp to 125C. Drew water out from the tap. The steam boiler filled. 2. The display exhibited the following strange behaviour before going black Group 94, Brew 100, Steam 125 Group —, Brew —, Steam — Black sceeen. Switched off and tried again. No display. 3. Kept the power on, drew water from the tap with no display. No refill. 4. Another separate issue is when I take the float valve from the tank, I do not get AL11. This was even before the display incident. Day 3 (Today) Power on, no firmware, blank screen. Fuses were checked as requested by Paolo. Shared the photo with him. Ordered multi-meter as he wanted to check a few things. Great and timely assistance, as usual, from ACS. To summarise: I think the float valve with two wires in the tank is perhaps dodgy. Board - may be Display - may be Fill probe on the steam boiler - may be Anything else, I am not sure. 😊

@"LMSC"#p80427 You need to be super careful as you will tie yourself in knots and a lot of expense fixing things that are not faulty. 1. You had an AL11 fill timeout problem = faulty tank float switch or wiring 2. You had a steam boiler overfill event resulting in a steam and water excursion from the safety valve These two issues may have caused all other faults, or temp ones e.g. display may work when it dries out, was connector damp, is it loose etc.. etc.. Is main board fault, probably not…Water inside the machine can always cause issues. **The key question is why is the steam boiler overfilling.**

> @"DavecUK"#p80430 You need to be super careful as you will tie yourself in nots and a lot of expense fixing things that are not faulty. > > You had an AL11 fill timeout problem = faulty tank float switch or wiring > You had a steam boiler overfill event resulting in a steam and water excursion from the safety valve Thank you Dave. Appreciate your replies, taking time to help us. Agree. The last thing I want is spending hundreds on parts which are not required. I don’t want to. 1. I was wondering it would definitively be worth and safe to try replacing the faulty float switch with the wires. 2. Steam Boiler - safety valve resolved itself as the boiler came up to full temperature. No need to replace them. > @"DavecUK"#p80430 The key question is why is the steam boiler overfilling. This was clearly triggered when the disconnected solar switch wire were connected. I have no clue / idea why it suddenly overfilled without stopping. **Did the fill probe sensor suddenly fail (the middle valve with a long steel arm with blue wire sticking out) ?** It worked flawlessly the week end before. After that, the steam boiler was pressed into service only this week end, when my daughter visited us for the long week end. The alternative is wait out for a few days to allow those to dry fully. Fingers crossed, I hope the display and board are ok, saving £££. 😁 I have removed the sides and the top to allow some fresh air in. The machine is under used. It comes into service only on week ends. Hahaha

ACS Evo Leva - Steam Boiler Safety Valve

DavecUK

LMSC

You need to be super careful as you will tie yourself in knots and a lot of expense fixing things that are not faulty.

You had an AL11 fill timeout problem = faulty tank float switch or wiring
You had a steam boiler overfill event resulting in a steam and water excursion from the safety valve

These two issues may have caused all other faults, or temp ones e.g. display may work when it dries out, was connector damp, is it loose etc.. etc.. Is main board fault, probably not…Water inside the machine can always cause issues.

The key question is why is the steam boiler overfilling.

LMSC

DavecUK You need to be super careful as you will tie yourself in nots and a lot of expense fixing things that are not faulty.

You had an AL11 fill timeout problem = faulty tank float switch or wiring
You had a steam boiler overfill event resulting in a steam and water excursion from the safety valve

Thank you Dave. Appreciate your replies, taking time to help us.

Agree. The last thing I want is spending hundreds on parts which are not required. I don’t want to.

I was wondering it would definitively be worth and safe to try replacing the faulty float switch with the wires.
Steam Boiler - safety valve resolved itself as the boiler came up to full temperature. No need to replace them.

DavecUK The key question is why is the steam boiler overfilling.

This was clearly triggered when the disconnected solar switch wire were connected. I have no clue / idea why it suddenly overfilled without stopping.

Did the fill probe sensor suddenly fail (the middle valve with a long steel arm with blue wire sticking out) ?

It worked flawlessly the week end before. After that, the steam boiler was pressed into service only this week end, when my daughter visited us for the long week end.

The alternative is wait out for a few days to allow those to dry fully. Fingers crossed, I hope the display and board are ok, saving £££. 😁 I have removed the sides and the top to allow some fresh air in.

The machine is under used. It comes into service only on week ends. Hahaha

LMSC

Paolo asked me to grab a multimeter to test the fuses. All but one of them beeped with a steady green. Shared the video with them. Will wait for the next steps.

It doesn’t still explain “why the steam boiler overfilled”. I can’t think of anything other than the fill probe failure.

I have drained out the steam boiler completely getting out 855 ml of water. Earlier, I would have easily drawn closer to 4 mugs of water.

LMSC

Changed the fuse. She has come alive.

It filled the empty steam boiler and stopped filling. It also refilled and stopped when I drew hot water from the tap.

I intend working with ACS and resolve the pending issues.

1) Float switch with its sensors need a replacement.
2) Considering something caused the steam boiler not to stop filling when it was full, I want to know why?
3) Did the fill probe sensor fail last week? If yes, why it worked this time? I would like to replace this fill probe sensor just to be safe.
4) What caused the fuse to blow? What does it do?

I will wait for ACS to advise. Am in no rush. :-)

DavecUK

LMSC ) Did the fill probe sensor fail last week? If yes, why it worked this time? I would like to replace this fill probe sensor just to be safe.

No need, nothing wrong with the fill probe sensor, probably the blown fuse stopped it working.

LMSC

Pulled a couple of shots for flat whites. All went well. 😊The float switch sensor is definitely not working.

LMSC

@DavecUK Is it possible to locally source “a float switch sensor with two thin wires” available please?

I saw this online, but it is very short.

https://tinyurl.com/4hpu939m

I have advised ACS the machine is working and indicated a float switch pack replacement.

DavecUK

LMSC It might work fine once you wire it in. Or perhaps this is better as it has a 300mm cable length.

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/level-sensors/0307104

LMSC

DavecUK Perfect. I order one and try. Thx Dave. 🙏🏽

LMSC

DavecUK The parts arrived.

I think it is straightforward- connect the wires and it should work straight away. The AL 11 does pop up, but in reverse. That is, AL11 comes up when the float is inside the water and switches off when I remove the float switch above water. What am I missing ? Thx

The manual
https://assets.rs-online.com/image/upload/v1747776256/Datasheets/206a1fa67ef110ec5dbe6f4dc89f2b40.pdf

Adrianmsmith

LMSC

Sounds like you got the normally closed version instead of normally open or vice versa .

LMSC

Adrianmsmith Sounds like you got the normally closed version instead of normally open or vice versa .

Oh dear. 🙄😂 I guess, we can’t tweak the function, can we? This is too complicated for my grey cells. 😁

Does this work please?

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/float-switches/0519232

Thx,

Adrianmsmith

I would assume so as its NO where the one you currently have is NC so should be good to go ….

Cuprajake

Cant you turn the float round?

LMSC

Cuprajake Cant you turn the float round?

That’s exactly what I did! 😊

DavecUK

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/level-sensors/0307104

This is the NC version which is what you want., I couldn’t remember which way around it was, but you could have tested by cutting the wires of the old float switch joining them together and seeing what happened.

LMSC

DavecUK https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/level-sensors/0307104

This is the NC version which is what you want., I couldn’t remember which way around it was, but you could have tested by cutting the wires of the old float switch joining them together and seeing what happened.

Yeah, I did. It is a normally closed float. We want a normally open float, which is :

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/float-switches/0519232.

The old float was faulty, failed to recognise “no water” and could not be used for comparison.

Instead of going through the hassle of returning and buying a new NO float, I just flipped the float and hooked it up to the Evo. It worked! " Got an “AL11” error when I pulled the float out of the tank. 😅

Thx for your help Dave. 🙏🏽

DavecUK

LMSC Instead of going through the hassle of returning and buying a new NO float, I just flipped the float and hooked it up to the Evo. It worked! " Got an “AL11” error when I pulled the float out of the tank. 😅

It would, it would probably also bother my OCD lol

LMSC

DavecUK it would probably also bother my OCD

What would bother you and why ? 😊

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