# Mazzer Major E - not spinning



## Tsangpa (Nov 26, 2017)

After being stored for a few months the Major stopped working.

The green light goes on as does the shot counter, but when pressing any of the does buttons nothing happens except the shot counter shows it should be spinning and after that the fan comes on.

I've replaced the capacitor with a 16uf one and still have the same problem. I've checked that the burr carrier can spin easily by hand.

Attached are some pictures of the circuit board and wiring.

Any ideas what to try next?


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

You need to check that all of the connections are solid


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Do you hear the relay clicking?


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## Tsangpa (Nov 26, 2017)

All the connections are solid. No click from a relay, but then I can't see anything that looks like a contactor, just a couple of black boxes on the circuit board.

I tried the capacitor from espresso solutions, but maybe it's the wrong one, so I've ordered a Ducati one from RS - maybe that will solve it


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## Syenitic (Dec 1, 2013)

it was plugged in and you checked the fuse?


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Dry / poor joint on connections to capacitor ?


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## Tsangpa (Nov 26, 2017)

yep plugged in, fuse ok. I aded new wires to the capacitor to make sure it wasn't a faulty or broken cable


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I think the square black thing is a relay... or is it fixed e.g. dry soldered joints.


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## Tsangpa (Nov 26, 2017)

I'm a bit buggered if that's what's gone then. No idea what the new part would be and if it can be soldered into the board or if a whole new board would be needed.



DavecUK said:


> I think the square black thing is a relay...


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

I don't think thats a relay, maybe a transformer.

Have you got a multimeter? You should be able to diagnose by following the power path. Electronic parts almost always have their part numbers written on them. The whole board is about £200 to replace so you want to try and avoid that if possible!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Dylan said:


> I don't think thats a relay, maybe a transformer.
> 
> Have you got a multimeter? You should be able to diagnose by following the power path. Electronic parts almost always have their part numbers written on them. The whole board is about £200 to replace so you want to try and avoid that if possible!


There is a relay inside that black box, the timer has to trigger a relay, the electronics of the timer cannot handle such a large load so passes the starting and run current of the motor through a relay. A sharp tap may free it up, or perhaps the cover can be removed and the relay inside replaced. It's a pity because my box of bits is now in transit from Italy. I did check the price of a new board and could have had a new dual timer board put in the box for about £60-70 inc VAT.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Hmm - I didn't think it looked like a relay, so googled the board and found similar ones but not for the Major that had the same box but with a part number - when the part number was looked up it said it was a mini transformer, so thats where that came from.

The boards I looked up were much more than that, thats not too bad of a price.


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

A grinder the size of the Major needs a contactor to handle the startup load.

If there was no "thump" heard on startup, then the contactor may have gone. It's a big cube, usually lurking near the capacitor & bolted to the chassis, with input & output wiring. It will be rated 20 amp or maybe 25amp.


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## Tsangpa (Nov 26, 2017)

Tried a few sharp taps and a new Ducatti capacitor, all to no avail, so it's consigned to the deceased parrot shelf until I can get a reasonably priced board to swap out.

Any chance you could add one to your next box of tricks from Italy? I appreciate this could be a fair few months away.



DavecUK said:


> There is a relay inside that black box, the timer has to trigger a relay, the electronics of the timer cannot handle such a large load so passes the starting and run current of the motor through a relay. A sharp tap may free it up, or perhaps the cover can be removed and the relay inside replaced. It's a pity because my box of bits is now in transit from Italy. I did check the price of a new board and could have had a new dual timer board put in the box for about £60-70 inc VAT.


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

might be the board, but worth seeing if anyone has a contactor as espressotechno says above to try swopping over - this would rule the board in or out - the contactors do occasionally go, Ive half a mind its the electronics though -ouch at £155

Get the part number off the side of the contactor as I think there are three different versions £30 - £55 new


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## ken0062 (May 19, 2017)

Having a look at parts diagram for major E it does not utilise a contactor but uses a high power relay (the smaller black box on the cct board where the brown and blue cables are connected to) I would suspect that it is this that is burnt out.

If you get the part number off it you may be able to source one for a few quid from RS components or somewhere and de-solder the old one and swap it.


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

I use Vendparts in Skipton for pcb repairs: They usually turnaround the job in 24-28 hours.


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## Dan_M (Nov 24, 2018)

Silly question... is the hopper in place? And if it is, does is still have the black plastic at the base that is pushing on the switch? If that switch is not pushed, the grinder is not starting even if the green light is on. Again, it was a silly question but msybe is something you missed out.

Dan


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Dan_M said:


> Silly question... is the hopper in place? And if it is, does is still have the black plastic at the base that is pushing on the switch? If that switch is not pushed, the grinder is not starting even if the green light is on. Again, it was a silly question but msybe is something you missed out.
> 
> Dan


There are no stupid questions where safety cutouts are concerned. They're very easily overlooked when faultfinding.


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## Dan_M (Nov 24, 2018)

ashcroc said:


> There are no stupid questions where safety cutouts are concerned. They're very easily overlooked when faultfinding.


True. It happend to me a few times and spent a lot of time to find the fault, just to realise that it was something simple.


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