# Melitta Barista TS - Fill beans error



## UpTheToon (Aug 7, 2020)

Hi,

I've been battling this machine for a good while now with an incorrect "fill beans" error.

It seems to happen more and more until every other grind is thrown away.

I've tried various different beans, I've cleaned the hopper and grinder thoroughly - I took the top cap off yesterday and got every speck of debris out of the grinder. I've wiped the hopper (as per the only official instruction for his error).

I've replaced the brewing unit.

I'm not sure what kind of sensor is used to detect the lack of beans or where it is housed.

Any ideas? I'm running out of things to try now and will have to weigh up sending it in for repair vs different machine. It's out of warranty.

thanks.


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## DrRSG (Jul 11, 2017)

I must be having a bad day as I don't fully understand the problem. I am confused by your second sentence. Is the machine grinding any beans and what are you throwing away?

When you say it is happening more and more does this mean that the problem is intermittent?


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## UpTheToon (Aug 7, 2020)

Sorry, let me try and be more clear...

The problem is that the machine grinds a shot then gives a "fill beans" message (the grinds are then sent into the waste without being used to make the shot). This happens despite there being beans in the hopper.

The issue is intermittent but is now happening roughly every other shot. If I give everything a good clean it can happen once every third or so shot but quickly goes back to 1 failed in 2. The first shot after the machine is turned on nearly always fails.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Watch this and some other videos to get a look inside. Get the cover off and find those wires going to the hoppers and portioning unit and check out what's going wrong with detection or portioning. It might even be a loose connector into the control board.


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## DrRSG (Jul 11, 2017)

I have the same machine as you and would suggest some investigation.

I would switch machine off and unplug. Fill both bean hoppers; plug machine in and turn on and note any text on the screen. Remove beans from left hand hopper and note if correct message is displayed. Replace beans in LH hopper and remove beans from RH hopper and note if correct message displayed.


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## UpTheToon (Aug 7, 2020)

> On 07/08/2020 at 13:00, DavecUK said:
> 
> Watch this and some other videos to get a look inside. Get the cover off and find those wires going to the hoppers and portioning unit and check out what's going wrong with detection or portioning. It might even be a loose connector into the control board.


 Thanks, I've taken it apart and had a delve around.

Apart from being pretty dirty it looked ok. No obvious loose connections or anything. I've cleaned out most of the grime and reassembled it.

The first shot failed and said to refil beans. 4 in a row have been successful since then.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Check the area around the sensor is really clean and the sensor is in place...also that the portioning flap is freely moving as it senses from there as well if it cannot fully close or somethings jamming it.


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## DrRSG (Jul 11, 2017)

Have you cleaned out the coffee system, descaled and cleaned the milk system with the correct materials when prompted by the machine?


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## UpTheToon (Aug 7, 2020)

DavecUK said:


> Check the area around the sensor is really clean and the sensor is in place...also that the portioning flap is freely moving as it senses from there as well if it cannot fully close or somethings jamming it.


 It's been working since without generating the error (apart from the very first shot) so fingers crossed the general disassembly and clean out sorted it for now.

I couldn't figure out what or where the sensor was. I thought the 4 lumps/holes in the hopper might have something to do with it but on the reverse they had some transparent plastic with no electronics or sensor around.


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## UpTheToon (Aug 7, 2020)

DrRSG said:


> Have you cleaned out the coffee system, descaled and cleaned the milk system with the correct materials when prompted by the machine?


 Yep, I always do the cleaning or descaling when prompted and I rinse the brewing unit once a week.


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## Martijn (Sep 16, 2020)

Hello,

@UpTheToon, have you solved the issue yet?

I seem to have the same issue on my Melitta Barista T TYP F 37. After grinding it says 'stopped', then saying 'fill beans'. I also cleaned the machine completely. It seems to grind just fine but just refusing to work.

Does anyone know where the coffee sensor is? I also can't seem to find it.


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## mavroboy (Jun 8, 2021)

Martijn said:


> Hello,
> 
> @UpTheToon, have you solved the issue yet?
> 
> ...


 Hi,

Did you manage to fix this? I'm having the same "fill beans" issue. I can't even get the cover off the machine!

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks


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## philkingston (Jul 8, 2021)

Hey @UpTheToon / @mavroboy / @Martijn

I've been battling with my machine for a while as well.



> I couldn't figure out what or where the sensor was. I thought the 4 lumps/holes in the hopper might have something to do with it but on the reverse they had some transparent plastic with no electronics or sensor around.


 They are some of the sensors, presumably infra-red. One side emits light and the other detects the light. If there's no light received then the machine believes there's coffee in the hopper. You can test them by putting your finger over one of the lumps in the hopper and seeing if the LCD screen toggles the error machine.

However, I don't think this is the problem we're all experiencing. I think it's to do with some other sensor(s) further down the chain, after the coffee has been ground. I've ended up having to take the machine apart and give it a thorough clean, which stops the error but only for a short while (maybe 50 espressos), then the error creeps back in again.

My machine is starting to "creak" and "snap" while brewing, as well. Maybe that's connected to the problem?

Does anybody know what other sensors are involved?


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## Adnan malik (Aug 18, 2021)

Hi guys 
I am facing the same problem. I have cleaned up by opening the machine. Machine grinds the beans but it throws away the crushed beans instead of using it and preparing a coffee and all i see then on the screen. Stopped : refill beans.


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## Daz0527 (10 mo ago)

UpTheToon said:


> Hi,
> 
> I've been battling this machine for a good while now with an incorrect "fill beans" error.
> 
> ...


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