# Isomac Millennium not heating boiler



## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

Hello!

So after perfect service my Isomac Millennium has developed a fault.

Must have happened at some point today as I made a few coffees this morning, no issues.

The heating element doesn't seem to want to kick in. The power light is on (red lamp by steam wand) but the heating lamp (red lamp by hot water tap) isn't on, but usually is when heating, then it goes out, and the green comes on when up to temp.

View attachment 53616


Is there anything that could be causing this, any suggestions what to check first?


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## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

Oh my lord. I think it just wanted some attention. Was just taking a video of it and the lamp flicked on! What gives?

https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/applications/core/interface/index.html


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

Pressure stat probably. It will possibly fail shortly. I find after they start to get a bit sticky it isn't long until they throw a double six.

The good news is they are cheap and easy to replace though.

David


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## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

BlackCatCoffee said:


> Pressure stat probably. It will possibly fail shortly. I find after they start to get a bit sticky it isn't long until they throw a double six.
> The good news is they are cheap and easy to replace though.
> 
> David


Good shout. May get one on order ready for its final day.

Thought I'd give it a descale as well. Make sure she's tip top. I think it may have been a while.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Sooner rather than later, you don't want it failing closed


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## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

DavecUK said:


> Sooner rather than later, you don't want it failing closed


Yeah! I thought that would be a problem haha. It's on order, hopefully get it swapped out ASAP.


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## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

So I've replaced the pressure stat but seems I have the same issue. Couple of days have been OK. this afternoon same problem if power on (LH red light on) but no heating lamp or green lamp on (rh side).

Is there anything else I should be checking, any ideas?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Water tank switch. yellow arrow....you can short it out (obviously you won't get low water detection), but see if the problem goes away.


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## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

DavecUK said:


> Water tank switch. yellow arrow....you can short it out (obviously you won't get low water detection), but see if the problem goes away.
> <img alt="image.png.9a2ed301ca4f52a141c497b70034fa7a.png" data-fileid="55231" data-src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2021_03/image.png.9a2ed301ca4f52a141c497b70034fa7a.png" src="https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png">


So mine is plumbed in. I believe it is re routed to the solenoid that opens when the pump starts to allow the mains water in I think. Been a while since I had looked at that bit of it.


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## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

I did hear a louder than normal click just before the heating lamp went out.

After posting I let the machine cool down. Turned it back on and seemed to be working again. Just now it had just got up to temp when usually you hear a lighter click where it stops heating (relay switching I guess?).

This one definitely louder and odd sounding. Could be anything I know.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

it could be the Gicar, or is it Proelind box, depends on year I guess.


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## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

DavecUK said:


> it could be the Gicar, or is it Proelind box, depends on year I guess.


Hmmm. That was my only other thought. £60 for a new one which isn't earth shattering but given overall value of machine/what I've spent on it. Annoying.

It has come back to life in the mean time again. I guess I'll have to keep an eye on it!


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## ken0062 (May 19, 2017)

There are a couple of relays inside those controllers and with the fault you have I would suspect that the contacts on the single pole one are starting to fail, probably would not be to hard to repair at component level, you should be able to source a new relay for a few quid.

I have read about the transformer failing in them but I would of thought that would cause a permanent fault not a intermittent one like yours.


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## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

So issue ongoing. Very random and have not investigated the gicar box.

But I was doing some googling the other day and someone, somewhere had a vaguely similar issue and it was supposedly related to the thermal fuse.

My question is, can thermal fuses fail in this way? Sometime working and sometimes tripping out the element?


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

_shakeyjake_ said:


> So issue ongoing. Very random and have not investigated the gicar box.
> 
> But I was doing some googling the other day and someone, somewhere had a vaguely similar issue and it was supposedly related to the thermal fuse.
> 
> My question is, can thermal fuses fail in this way? Sometime working and sometimes tripping out the element?


 If it is an automatic reset fuse then I suppose it is possible.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

_shakeyjake_ said:


> My question is, can thermal fuses fail in this way? Sometime working and sometimes tripping out the element?


 Unless someone has change the limit stat for a self resetting fuse...no. Photo of the top of your boiler will tell us.


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## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

DavecUK said:


> Unless someone has change the limit stat for a self resetting fuse...no. Photo of the top of your boiler will tell us.


 No, I don't think it has one of those?


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## _shakeyjake_ (Dec 16, 2016)

New update in the saga of what's wrong.

still not opened it up yet, the prospect of no espresso is a difficult one as I k ow once it's opened up, I might be a while till it's back up running!

But, I have found a weird work around. If the fault kicks in and the boiler stops heating, and I run water through the group head (lift the lever) and flick the machine off and on again a few times on the toggle switch it comes back to life! Weird right!

Does this sound like anything in particular? 
I'm not sure what flushing water through it does but flicking it off and on again doesn't do the trick in isolation.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Sticking solenoid valve allowing water level to drop ?.

I think you need to bite the bullet and open it up !


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