# Help with a Heavenly



## Padder (Dec 14, 2012)

I've just managed to pick up a used Heavenly for a good price but isn't working properly. Pump seems to be working fine but didn't seem to be pumping water into the boiler. Heating element seemed to come on and heating light came on but then the alarm (low water presumably?) came one then the machine presumably switches itself odd. Any ideas?

Also, the boiler is crudded up around the heating element so was going to give it a soak in some descaler and replace the element but can't get the element out. Anyone know what size spanner I need and any ideas on getting t out without damaging the boiler?

Cheers for any help


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## customcoffee (Jan 9, 2013)

sounds like you may have pretty heave scale issues?

try removing the level probe first, it is on top of the boiler with a single wire going to it. If you remove it you will be able to see if limescale has built up around the rod of the probe. ive seen it were there has been so much build up on the probe that i cant remove it because the scale has developed into a ball around the rod and made it too big to pull through the hole.

from here you will be able to get a better indication of what the inside of your boiler looks like.

if there is alot of scale on the probe, the machine could basically be thinking that your boiler is full of water, when it is actually full of scale, and so then solenoid may not be openeing to allow anymore 'water' in

try removing the wire from the probe and hold it off for a few seconds, see if your pump activates as well as your autofill solenoid (located on the right hand side as you look at the machine) it should 'click' in your hand as it opens.

if this is the case it could possibly indicate scale/probe issues


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## Callum_T (Dec 23, 2012)

When you initially fill up a heavenly / cherub you have to do it in two stints - the alarm sounds to stop the pump being on for too long. This could be the issue of you were filling it for the first time all you have to do is shut it off wait a couple minutes to let the pump rest and boot it all back up and the boiler will fill up totally and you could let the machine warm up.

If you have any issues I'm pretty knowledgable about these as I rebuilt my cherub.


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## customcoffee (Jan 9, 2013)

ive only ever worked on a couple of heavenlys as my work is business is mainly commercial machinery, but if i remember correctly the heavenly doesnt have a drain valve to empty the boiler so i would be suprised if the seller bothered to drain your machine?hence it shouldnt take all that long to fill?

could be completely wrong obviously try Callum_T's advice. give the guy you bought the machine from a quick call/email will ask how long the machine has stood for? what water he used to fill it with? has it ever been descaled by him? the white crusting you describe coming from the element does indicate scale issues.

as for removing the element, try soaking abit of wd-40 round the element, leave it for 15/20 mins then try using a pair of pipe grips or correct sized spanner


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## Savo (Apr 9, 2013)

Callum_T said:


> When you initially fill up a heavenly / cherub you have to do it in two stints - the alarm sounds to stop the pump being on for too long. This could be the issue of you were filling it for the first time all you have to do is shut it off wait a couple minutes to let the pump rest and boot it all back up and the boiler will fill up totally and you could let the machine warm up.
> 
> If you have any issues I'm pretty knowledgable about these as I rebuilt my cherub.


My heavenly did this today when I was descaling it

Sent from my GT-P5100 using Tapatalk 2


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

Yep.. 2.8 litre boiler... The pump stops after a minute of constant pumping. Boiler low alarm kicks in.

Just turn machine off and back on.. It'll finish the fill.

Unless of course it's full of gunk







but I can't imagine scale being so bad that it can't even fill the boiler.


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## Padder (Dec 14, 2012)

Thanks for the responses. Sorry I've not replied earlier but the machine has been completely stripped, cleaned and all copper parts soaked in descaling solution. Big thanks to Ryan from custom-coffee.co.uk who managed to get the old heating element out for me - I would never have done it myself. Anyway, I've rebuilt it but the fault is still there. Pump is working but no water going through to the boiler or HX circuit. I presume it's an issue with the copper pipework which sits between the pump and the bolier/HX. Thought it may be the solenoid but would have thought if it were that the HX circuit would still fill. Anyway, anyone have any ideas? I'm hoping it isn't something expensive like the electronic control unit as this would make my relatively cheap machine a relatively expensive one


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

If it was well bunged up, then something makes me think of dirt in the solenoid. Don't ask me why but I am sure I heard of A similar problem


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## Padder (Dec 14, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> If it was well bunged up, then something makes me think of dirt in the solenoid. Don't ask me why but I am sure I heard of A similar problem


To be fair, the inside of the pipework wasn't too bad but the outside and the boiler in particular were really badly scaled up. Must have either had some kind of leak somewhere or had water spilled in from the top on a regular basis


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## Callum_T (Dec 23, 2012)

Bad solenoid sounds likely , long shot that the opv could be jammed completely open only allowing water out through the expansion circuit and not HX / boiler.

Does the pump sound healthy, have you made sure the pump is shifting water by running the heavenly without a case and the exit of the pump into a bucket.

As for group have you inspected the 'group jet' and 'group jet filter' under the wannabe e61 mushroom - this is common cause behind getting no water flow through the group.


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## Padder (Dec 14, 2012)

Pump seems fine when I've disconnected from the machine. I've run it without the inlet pipework to the boiler and HX unit disconnected and no water getting past there on either the boiler side or the HX so now thinking it may be a sticking non return valve which is the first thing in the circuit. I've dismantled the pipework and have the NRV soaking in descaler currently so hopefully it may free it up so I can dismantle it so if that works I'll be a happy chappie. Only other thought I had is that there needs to be a certain pressure from the pump to open up the NRV to let the water in and maybe the pump isn't creating enough pressure although when I ran it into a bucket it seemed pretty good and I could certainly feel pressure on my finger when I sprayed the water on it


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## Padder (Dec 14, 2012)

OK, seem to have resolved the filling issue but now it won't heat up so my dad is going to put a test meter on it to see if there is power to the element.

Should the orange or red light come on when it's heating up? Orange light came on originally when it was filling but now gone out and red one never been on


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## Callum_T (Dec 23, 2012)

Orange is auto - fill

Red is heating element on

Good look with it all, there's another heavenly on eBay that looks like its been dropped out of a window lmao


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