# Sage Barista Express Problem



## Bycraft

Hey guys,

I recently got a Barista Express during the Christmas Period and I've run into an issue, water doesn't come out of the group head at a normal rate anymore. When I remove the portafilter and run water through it the water barely even grips through. This started happening yesterday. 

Today I decided to clean everything, I removed the shower screen thingy and cleaned everything with the hopes that this will make a difference, but it didn't. Water runs through the hot water spout and steam arm completely normally but not through the group head. I haven't de-scaled and I haven't used one of those tablets that came with the machine. I was waiting on that "clean me" light to turn on even though I've been using it for a 1 Latte most days.

What do you suggest I do? I've read the manual and says I should de-scale with 50/50 White vinegar and Cold Water, I think this is what I'll do first.

Have any of you had this issue and do you have any advice on what to do?

Thanks in advance,

Ryan


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## hilltopbrews

I'd descale it with puly baby or citric acid. I would also backflush it using the tablet. if it still does not help, call sage for service. You should be within warranty.


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## Vieux Clou

Whoa back, this is a *new* machine? If so, then unless you've got water like dilute limestone it shouldn't need descaling yet. Best play dumb and call it in before fiddling and giving them a chance to refuse service under the guarantee.


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## Dallah

Definite a warranty type issue. Get onto Sage they do offer great support.


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## Bycraft

Thanks for your replies everyone, do you suggest I attempt de-scaling or just contact the support without trying to fix the issue myself.


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## Dylan

Get it fixed by Sage. I'm not sure even London water could block up a machine with scale in that time frame.


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## TheBeehive

How hard is the water you're using? I've found that the Sage machines are pretty sensitive to hard water.


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## Bycraft

Thought I'd update;

I got some de-scaling stuff directly from Sage (I called them and explained my issue), literally within 5 seconds water started gushing out of the group head when before it was virtually clogged. Super happy it was a quick fix and slightly annoyed that this happened in around 1 month seeing as I only make 1 latte a day. I knew the water in my area was "hard", I didn't realise it would have this effect so quickly though.

Going forward I'm only going to use bottled water and will de-scale regularly to hopefully avoid this happening again.

Thanks for all the advice guys,

Ryan


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## iffy

Bycraft said:


> Going forward I'm only going to use bottled water and will de-scale regularly to hopefully avoid this happening again.


I never thought of using bottled mineral water, figured it would be fairly hard too hence the name! Our tap water is very hard and we use a Brita filter, but our kettle still gets scaled up fairly quickly so it might be a better option.


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## hotmetal

Definitely. Brita jugs don't really do a good job of removing the hardness, they only make the water taste a bit better. But you need to be careful *which* BMW you use - some bottled mineral water is harder than London tap water (as you say, "hence the name"). Avoid anything with a high TDS (also called Dry Residue at 180°). Recommended waters in order of preference would be Volvic, Waitrose Essential and Tesco Ashbeck - although the latter is said not to taste as nice for coffee as the first 2, it shouldn't cause scale. Give them a go and see which you prefer. There are a few very complicated threads on water on the forum, and what I've said above is literally skimming the surface so you don't go out and stock up on Evian or Buxton.


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## jpaul__

contemplating a barista express purchase - Seattle coffee have a video showing a cutaway express thermocoil :

search what is a thermoblock for those interested ..... is this structure more prone to scale, reducing the flow

rate, compared to a regular boiler ?; for a regular boiler, like a kettle it would be a few mm directly on the element,

but the same on the inside of a thermocoil may have bigger consequence ?


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## otterolly

I've just had the same kind of problem except no water was coming through the group head, the steam wand and hot water outlet worked fine. I descaled on the 1st of every month without fail after the sage engineer came out to an earlier problem and advised as such.

I called sage again and an engineer came out, when it was stripped we found the coil that opens and closes the water valve had leaked and corroded on the group head side only (which is why the steam and hot water still operated). I have since sent the machine back for a full refund as I was worried it could go wrong again. It went wrong twice in 8 months !

it may be worth mentioning the coil to sage ?? Hope this helps


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## Spy

Do you know if this is the same on the Duo Temp.

Interestingly, there are far more failure reports on the Internet with the Barista Express machine and a lot less on the other machines.

I wonder why that is as I would have expected them to share many of the same parts.


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## Dylan

jpaul__ said:


> contemplating a barista express purchase - Seattle coffee have a video showing a cutaway express thermocoil :
> 
> search what is a thermoblock for those interested ..... is this structure more prone to scale, reducing the flow
> 
> rate, compared to a regular boiler ?; for a regular boiler, like a kettle it would be a few mm directly on the element,
> 
> but the same on the inside of a thermocoil may have bigger consequence ?


I think scale is a bigger problem where there is sitting water, like in a boiler or kettle. A pipe system being constantly flushed should be better. However if it was stored without being drained scale could quickly bung it up.


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## Andrew Wood

Hi

We have a new issue - the pressure goes to where it should and then falls off during the pour - the dial oscillates on a lower part of the dial. We clean the machine often. It is a Sage Barista Express. thanks/ Andrew


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## AlisonB42

Hi. I've had my barista express for about 6 weeks, used every day, always cleaned after every use. Today the clean me light came on so I followed the instructions and used the tablet. Made a latte after and it was perfect as usual. Literally straight after my son goes to make one and no water is coming through the porterfilter. We think it needs descaling as the troubleshooting seems to suggest it Any ideas? And the best thing to use to descale as I don't have any of the sage stuff. Thanks.


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