# ACS minima trips circuit breaker



## jscott (Jun 25, 2019)

Hi All,

Been reading the forum for a while, and just bought an ACS Minima from Bella Barista, mainly due to the great reviews.

The machine arrived today, but unfortunately, it isn't working properly. I followed the instructions and filled the boilers with the elements turned off, and water flows from the group with no problems. I then turned the boilers to heat, and the brew boiler reaches 70-77 degrees C and then trips the RCD circuit breaker for the whole flat. I then couldn't turn the machine back on without it tripping again. After 10-15 minutes, it cooled down a bit and it did turn back on, but again, once it reaches around 75 degrees, it trips the RCD. It does this if I just turn on the brew boiler and if I have both boilers turned on.

Does anyone have any idea on what could be the problem? Could be be something simple or am I going to have to return the machine to be fixed? 

Many thanks

James


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

They must have bench tested it, so it had to be working when it left BB, I'd contact them, perhaps something has shifted in transit? I would assume they test connected to an RCD.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I let Paolo know, he said remove the top panel next time and watch it heating in case there is something leaking and shorting it out, listen for noises. Could be something very simple.


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## Paolo_Cortese (Jul 11, 2014)

Dave has already replied try and let us know thanks. This is very unusual and this is the first time that I found a problem like that.


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## jscott (Jun 25, 2019)

Thanks for your help. I tried it with the top panel off and I couldn't see or hear anything obviously leaking. If I set the brew boiler offset to 0 on the PID and set the temp to 80 (so equivalent to 63 with the offset set at 17?), it will heat up and stay stable at that temp, but once I set the temp above 90 (73 with offset), it trips the RCD.

Just quickly having something to eat but I will try again to double check nothing is leaking in the next half an hour or so.

Cheers


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## jscott (Jun 25, 2019)

Just tried again and it tripped again at 95 (with 0 offset, so 78). I tried with the top cover off and there are no obvious leaks or noises, I also removed the side cover to have a look under the boiler and there doesn't appear to be any leaks.

The service boiler seems to work fine, heats to 125 with no problems.

I have emailed BB so I will see what they say tomorrow.


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## Sparkyx (Oct 23, 2017)

I may be of no help to you, but you're not overloading your sockets are you? Might be worth plugging the machine into a different ring main/spur and seeing if you have the same problem. Bella Barista bench test all their machines prior to shipping, so it seems strange you're having issues straight out the box.


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## jscott (Jun 25, 2019)

Thanks for your reply, but unfortunately I only have one ring main for sockets (small flat) so I can't try any others. I had the same thought earlier and have tried with everything else turned off and it still happens. I have tried different sockets to no avail.

Interestingly I did just manage to get it to heat to 110 (Minus offset so 93), but when I turned the machine off and on again it tripped immediately.


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## Sparkyx (Oct 23, 2017)

jscott said:


> Thanks for your reply, but unfortunately I only have one ring main for sockets (small flat) so I can't ﻿try any others. I had the same thought earlier and have tried with everything else turned off and it still h﻿appens. I have tried different socket﻿s to no avail.
> 
> Interestingly I did just manage to get it to heat to 110 (Minus offset so 93), but when I turned the machine off and on again it tripped immediately.


 Ahh, I'm sorry I can't be of more help. I'm at a loss.


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## Nikko (Aug 20, 2014)

The problem seems to be temperature related so points to a problem with the heater element which leaks to earth at higher temperatures. Problem may not be apparent if rcd not present.


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## jscott (Jun 25, 2019)

So I have made some progress...

I tried it again and I noticed a noise from the solonoid valve in the group as soon as it tripped the RCD. So I removed the shroud from the solonoid valve and it looked like the blue wire (live?) to the solonoid valve was stuck between the copper pipe return to the boiler and the post that the screw goes into. I moved it out of the way, the sheath on the cable still appears to be intact, and now it seems to be fine; holding at 93 (with the 17 degree offset) for the last 10-15 minutes now.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I would recommend where the wire was trapped you put a few layers of electrical insulation tape neatly around the wire.


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## jscott (Jun 25, 2019)

Yes, good idea, I will do that. Thanks Dave


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Props for finding the cause though...I was impressed and I'm not easily impressed.


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## jscott (Jun 25, 2019)

Yeah, I was quite surprised myself!

It's working fine this morning, very very nice machine. Steam power is incredible!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

jscott said:


> Yeah, I was quite surprised myself!
> 
> It's working fine this morning, very very nice machine. Steam power is incredible!


 Try it at 130C...wow, I usually keep it down to around 125C. It's a steaming monsta, but of course a proper full dual loop PID helps a lot.


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