# Rocket Evoluzione exploded



## sumo

I've got a Rocket Evoluzione in my office, it sees maybe 20 espressos a day and is nearly bang on 2 years old. Yesterday, it started making a high pitch rattling noise when pulling a shot. I thought maybe something was blocking it inside so backflushed it, after about 1 minute the noise stopped and a couple of seconds after that something went pop.

It tripped the fuses and smelt a little like burning. I took the case off and couldn't see any burnt connections or anything inside and haven't tried turning it on again in case it trips the fuse and turns off half the office's computers again.

I've heard that maybe the PID inside doesn't stand well to the heat of being turned on for 12 hours a day, so maybe that could have burnt through? I understand it's hard to diagnose via the internet but does anyone have an idea what may have happened to it?


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## Jumbo Ratty

sumo said:


> after about 1 minute the noise stopped and a couple of seconds after that something went pop.
> 
> It tripped the fuses and smelt a little like burning.
> 
> does anyone have an idea what may have happened to it?


My Francis Francis X1 made the same sound as that. It was the control board had burnt out.

Not suggesting its what has happened to your machine, just that it did go POP and then smelled of burned electrics and when I had a look inside i couldnt see anything amiss


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## DavecUK

So, let me get this right....it didn't explode, as per the thread title?



> Yesterday, it started making a high pitch rattling noise when pulling a shot. I thought maybe something was blocking it inside so back flushed it, after about 1 minute the noise stopped


Was it making the noise ONLY when pulling a shot or not...the latter part of the sentence seems to conflict with this, and it is quite important.



> It tripped the fuses and smelt a little like burning. I took the case off and couldn't see any burnt connections or anything inside and haven't tried turning it on again in case it trips the fuse and turns off half the office's computers again.


Did it, or didn't it, smell like the magic smoke electrical items produce?

Has it ever been properly maintained, water used that won't scale up the machine, *did anything else happen to the machine any other observations that you forgot to mention* in the drama of the post....cos I don't give a rats ass about the computers in the office. You would be surprised what people forget to mention e.g. water in the case, pool of water under the machine, steam pressure gauge reading very high etc.. etc..


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## Mad Wally

sumo said:


> I've heard that maybe the PID inside doesn't stand well to the heat of being turned on for 12 hours a day, so maybe that could have burnt through? I understand it's hard to diagnose via the internet but does anyone have an idea what may have happened to it?


It might very well be the solid state relay. The PID controller uses the SSR to control the high current for the heater element. They do have a habit of failing, especially in a high temperature environment. They aren't very expensive to replace.


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## sumo

Well it made a pop noise like a small explosion. Artistic license.

When pulling a normal shot it made the high pitched rattle. While back flushing it was still making the noise, then after about a minute it stopped for just a couple of seconds before the pop.

It did smell like burning electrics, but there wasn't any smoke and the smell didn't last long.

It has been maintained but probably not as much as it should have been. I descaled it once every 6 months ish and tried to mostly use Brita filtered water but I know other people were just filling it from the tap.

The pressure gauges were normal, I don't think anyone's spilt any water down the top of it or anything and it doesn't look like they have. The high pitched rattle noise only appeared a couple of espresso pulls before I got to it.


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## sumo

Interesting, thank you. I'll get a micrometer on it.


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## DavecUK

sumo said:


> Interesting, thank you. I'll get a micrometer on it.


Who cares how big it is?

SSRs can fail, if they do they usually fail closed e.g. passing current, it would possibly not trip the electrics.

From what you say it sounds like the heating element may have failed....easily confirmed by using a "multimeter" to check the heating element resistance and also any leakage from 1 leg of the heating element to the boiler body on the meg ohm scale. i'm even woundering if the noise you heart was the element rather than the pump, or was unrelated.


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## Xpenno

DavecUK said:


> Who cares how big it is?
> 
> SSRs can fail, if they do they usually fail closed e.g. passing current, it would possibly not trip the electrics.
> 
> From what you say it sounds like the heating element may have failed....easily confirmed by using a "multimeter" to check the heating element resistance and also any leakage from 1 leg of the heating element to the boiler body on the meg ohm scale. i'm even woundering if the noise you heart was the element rather than the pump, or was unrelated.


Could have been pump struggling due to scale stopping water entering the boiler. This in turn leads to overheating elements?


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## sumo

DavecUK said:


> Who cares how big it is?


Ha, I meant a multimeter.


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## Missy

I want to come and work in a multiple coffee machine office.


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## CallumT

Could be a whole range of problems, have you tried plugging the machine back in?

What is still functioning if at all.

To diagnose the machine with a scale issue was the machine struggling in any days / weeks prior; How 'well' is the machine looked after what water is used to fill the tank / is the machine plumbed into.

Best advice is to seek advice from either the reseller or have a bash if your competent with electronics; The latter applies more to if your out of the warrantee period.


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## sumo

I've done some investigating and think it's either the control box or a solenoid that was making the noise, it came from that part of the machine anyway. I'll get the multimeter on it and see what's still working.


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## Dallah

And please be more precise with your language in the future!!!!!


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## PPapa

CallumT said:


> Best advice is to seek advice from either the reseller or have a bash if your competent with electronics; The latter applies more to if your out of the warrantee period.


Can you actually do that in the office though? H&S and stuff.

I was told the other day that we can not replace some particular lights at work by ourselves (I do a bit of maintenance) as that requires some certifications. Lol.


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## "coffee 4/1"

Sainsburys 2010 now that's exploding, coffee "bomb"


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## hotmetal

\ said:


> View attachment 20137
> 
> 
> Sainsburys 2010 now that's exploding, coffee "bomb"


Ha! That looks more like a sumo sat on it! Glad I wasn't there when that happened.


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## Thecatlinux

davecuk said:


> did it, or didn't it, smell like the magic smoke electrical items produce?
> 
> ..


pmsl


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## DavecUK

\ said:


> View attachment 20137
> 
> 
> Sainsburys 2010 now that's exploding, coffee "bomb"


Now...if his rocket had done what this machine did...I'd have been completely happy, totally satisfied. This is what I define as exploded.



sumo said:


> Well it made a pop noise like a small explosion. Artistic license.


Artistic bollox more like, just wanted attention a bit faster..









P.S. Let's hope the Chinese don't start making prosumer espresso machines!


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## jeebsy

PPapa said:


> I was told the other day that we can not replace some particular lights at work by ourselves (I do a bit of maintenance) as that requires some certifications. Lol.


In one office I worked, we weren't allowed to plug/unplug anything electrical without someone from facilities or IT being present.


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## hotmetal

Bet the IT boys loved that - up and down in the lift all day helping people plug a kettle in. Gotta love how Elf n Safety types manage to totally make everyone's life a misery while simultaneously devaluing a degree in computer science to get IT people to supervise grown adults plugging stuff in!

At our place there was a special chair made out of a big bouncy ball (like you get in gyms). Apparently this thing was for the use of pregnant women only - deemed far too dangerous for non-pregnant staff. Go figure.


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## Missy

hotmetal said:


> At our place there was a special chair made out of a big bouncy ball (like you get in gyms). Apparently this thing was for the use of pregnant women only - deemed far too dangerous for non-pregnant staff. Go figure.


pregnant women are generally pretty well padded by the time a bouncy ball is required, plus if they fall off they will just weeble around until rescued.

edited to add I've been pregnant most of the last three years, I'm allowed to mock.


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## hotmetal

Weeble around! ?


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