# Bought a commercial Rancilio Midi CD and need some help please!!



## bairn59

Hi, In a rush of blood to the head, I bought a Rancilio Midi CD off a cafe that had bought a new machine, it is quite old (1999) but it seems in grand shape. I have turned it on and starts fine so that's a start.

I am a keen domestic coffee practitioner and saw the opportunity to get a commercial machine to good to turn down. I don't really know much about it and would love some help in getting it set up. The instruction manual isn't great as it covers all models in the range and is quite generic.

I have a few questions that I hope people can help with:


Do I need to plumb the the coffee machine in or can i manually fill the tank? As I don;t really want to be at that as my kitchen isn't really that big?

Are there standard water pipes to use if this is needed?


If anyone has any info / links / tutorials / advice they could give me I'd be very grateful.

Thanks Mick


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## aaronb

Hi.

This machine probably needs to be plumber in *but* you can get round that by using a small pump known as a flojet connected to a tank or bottle of water. Remember to consider scale in whichever solution you use, either a plumbed in water filter or running off filtered water if necessary.

More important is the power useage, is there a small disc with the voltage and wattage on the back? IIRC the max current you can get from one socket at 240v (13a) is 3120w. If the machine requires more current than this DO NOT PLUG IT IN. You will need to either reduce the load by disconnecting one of the boiler loops (assuming this is possible) or have a more powerful line installed for it.

The other thing I always say to people and is often ignored take it to pieces and deep clean the thing. I have seen so many restorations on Home Barista where the boiler when opened has loads of gunk in it, yuck. I appreciate its a daunting task and not for everyone but do at least take the lid off and check the insides, and give the group components a very deep clean.


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## coffeechops

Take a look at my thread "CMA Astoria Lisa Restoration" and at what my machine looked like inside when I took it apart - this from a machine that looked in better condition externally than yours did when I bought it.

The cleaning and restoration is a lot of fun though, so don't be put off, take your time and you'll get there. I've never enjoyed coffee more since I did it.

Also, I echo aaronb's comments on power.


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## bairn59

Hi both,

Thanks you for coming back to me. Your comments have been helpful. I have looked online at flojet pumps and they seem quite pricey, almost as much as the machine was. I have taken the lid of and looked around the internal machine and I don't really know what things are so it is a bit of daunting task to "fix" anything.

How easy is it to plumb a coffee machine in? Are there any particular standard hoses / values that i need to use? Do i need to get a pro in to set it up?

Thanks once again for your help I really appreciate your advice and I promise this thing will brew me a fine coffee and I will raise a cup to all those that have assisted.

Cheers

Mick


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## froggystyle

Stick some photos up of the inside of the machine?


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## aaronb

Seriously, you want to at least clean the groups - it wont brew a fine cup of coffee without a good clean.

The power consumption issue is also very important, please don't just gloss over it.

You just need to measure the diameter of the water inlet and then use some standard pipe and then a hose, most makers do have a plumb in kit but cant seem to find a Rancillio one. You will probably have to plumb the drip tray into a drain as well if it's ex-commercial - this could just be a pipe going into a bucket but remember to empty it and replace it regularly









If you are in a hard water area you really do need a water filter too, otherwise in a years time your machine will be dead and either need a costly descale (potentially many times more expensive than a flojet) or scrapping.


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## coffeechops

Clean it first. At the very least the groupheads, but ideally so you can look inside the boiler to see the amount of scaling. Having seen what was inside mine I'll never drink again from a machine I don't know is clean.

Plumbing in is pretty easy if you can wield a spanner and plumb normal household work. It's similar to a washing machine. Is there an internal pump by the way? [Edit: I see they do normally have internal rotary pumps.]

I'd guess the water input will be on a 3/8" BSP. You can buy 'John Guest' push-fit adapters to plastic pipework for this, and run that to a water takeoff point somewhere. I think that is easier (and certainly cheaper) than a flowjet. I plumbed in with stainless-steel hoses to a WRAS-approved washing machine tap (which is 3/4" BSP), with a hose like this and an adapter like this. Similarly you can get drain hoses from that first link - Peter at Espresso Underground is very helpful.

Don't forget to use a decent water filter, or - if your machine is clean inside - it will scale up within months and you will need to disassemble to descale fully. They really aren't optional. You might also consider a pressure regulator if your input pressure is high (above maybe 5 bar).

Finally - plumb the drain in first, not the feed! Feed with no drain = flood







(and make sure the drain pipe has no sections that are flat or upwards, or you'll get an airlock, also leading to a flood... DAMHIK...)

Colin


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## coffeechops

PS: http://www.manualslib.com/manual/138056/Rancilio-S20.html?page=71#manual


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## espressotechno

Your Rancilio has a 3/8"bsp male connection. Using John Guest push-fit connectors and microbore plastic tubing, you can go up/down/through/round... to your nearest mains water takeoff point. Then just connect it like a washing machine....

The 2 group midi, form memory, has a loading of 3-3.3kw (see the spec plate on the front bulkhead, or take the side panel off & check the rating on the element base). So it will run on 13a plug-in, or hard wired into a 13a spur - unless you have old grotty wiring in your house ! Fire it up first plugged into a power-breaker (30ma) adaptor.

The drain tubing should always "fall" from the machine down to the waste pipe - do not fit a P trap - just feed the tube into the vertical pipe.


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## bairn59

Hi Guys,

Some really helpful stuff here and I really appreciate your help and advice.

I will have a play around this weekend and see if i can get it cleaned and working. if things go belly up I will probably be seeking more advise.

Thanks


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## bairn59

So I have decided that I will deep clean my machine. i will be going into it an a complete novice and hope that peeps here will be able to assist. I have lifted the lid and taken a few snaps it is in surprisingly good nick. I have two questions

- What is the best kind of de-scaler to use and will I need just ordinary descales for all items or will i need to purchase different kinds for different parts?

- I know the answer to this but in the 3 image is that the connection for the water pipe (silly question perhaps) as it seems to be the only connection on show?

























I'm really excited to get this started

If anyone has any info of where is best to start eg Groups head etc then please let me know.

Thanks


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## aaronb

Read some of the refurb threads on Home Barista on here to get a good idea of what to do.

Take pics of how everything is connected and wired up, lots and lots of pics! You can always stick a bit of masking tape on the end of the wires too and label them up.

Good luck!


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## coffeechops

I wrote something down somewhere about what I'd learnt on my refurb. I think it went along the lines of:

- take lots of pictures

- take some more pictures

- have patience, take it slowly

- take lots more pictures

- Phos descaler is better than citric

- take more pics

Did I mention take a lot of pics? It's things like the exact routing of cables, cable ties etc that you forget. I also put each pipe on a piece of paper with the location of the pipe written on it, and took photos of them, as I removed each pipe. Similarly, every fastening and small item you remove needs to go into a ziplock plastic bag with with the name of it written on it.

Descaler - the same type is generally used for copper, brass and stainless still - but keep it away from anything chrome plated or highly polished. It is acid and will at the very least discolour those materials. For materials that you can't descale use something like cafiza cleaning solution to get rid of coffee oils.

Yes, that does look like the water inlet - but you should get hold of the manual and confirm,

Finally, enjoy the process.


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## espressotechno

Yup -that's the mains water inlet (3/8" bsp ). You can connect it to a bucket of water, parked alongside, to test run the machine.

Use a magic marker pen to label each electrical connection. When disconnecting the brass nuts etc code them to the pipe / boiler/etc by scratching them with a metal scriber (= point of sharp file) - avoids losing pen markings in the acid bath......


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## bairn59

Hi ,

Thank you for the help.

I tried to remove the brass nuts on the group head last time and they didn't budge an inch is that normal. Every nut on there seems to be welded on.

Any tips or tricks?

Thanks


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## espressotechno

Squirt some WD40 in.

Then use good quality spanners & tap/hit spanner with a hammer - a sharp knock works better than a pull.

When reassembling, use teflon tape & don't overtighten (they're brass & copper connections !)


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## bairn59

Thanks Espressotechno - you been a great help.


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## bairn59

Hey so after a good 4 hours of cleaning and re attaching I was looking good. The previous owner said he had had it reserviced atnthe start ofnyear and had not used it much since and it seems to be in good nick.

After reattaching the group heads I came a cropper and I have no idea what to do. So while trying to re attach front chrome panel and while doing so I had to reslot the power switch rod and electrics through the chrome panel when the electrics block came apart. See attached the electric block.

I have no idea how to put this back together does any one have any advice








Thanks


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## coffeechops

That looks like the main power switch to me. How did it come apart?


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## Daren

It would drive me mad trying to reasemble that - springs and fiddly bits! Have you had a look for a new switch?


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## bairn59

Hi,

No it happened last night and I wasn't sure what to do about it - thought maybe I could put it back to together. It came apart when i was putting the front panel on you have to slide the switch rod that connects to the main power switch but when i was trying to slide the rod through a spring popped and the thing came apart and i realised that it needed to be put back together.

Where would i get a new switch?

Thanks


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## coffeechops

Sounds like some of the plastic fractured - they shouldn't just come apart. Espresso underground has the switch listed. Not cheap I'm afraid.


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## bairn59

Thanks Coffeechops,

I've had a look and they are 50 bucks with delivery so not cheap. I have a mate who's a handy person to know and he will have a look this evening.

If its broken I'll stick an order in.

Thanks


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## espressotechno

These rotary switches are almost impossible to repair or re-assemble: Good luck to your mate.

£50 all incl is a reasonable price for a new one.


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## bairn59

Hey,

So after having a go I soon realised that it was going to be impossible to fix so I bought a new switch. I realised that I made the mistake of undoing the screw at the back of the switch (rookie error), hence why it came apart in my hand.

The other issue that this caused was that it meant i wasn't able to note down where each lead connected to?

Is there any kind of diagram out there to assist with reconnecting these the cables









Thanks


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## coffeechops

I did mention 'take lots of pics' I think ;-)

Unless espressotechno happens to know, I think you're going to need a circuit diagram and do some careful tracing of wiring - the manual is essential (try the link I sent earlier).

You will hopefully be able to see the names of the contacts moulded into the plastic on the switch. Armed with that and the cct diag you should be able to work it out.

Just be careful - get it wrong and you could make the frame live and/or fry the electronics, or yourself.


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## bairn59

Hi,

Yeah I did take loads of pics but the thing unexpectedly came apart in my hand.

Yeah I printed off the circuit diagram - it has been a while since i looked at one of those so hopefully my A-Level Physics will come in handy.

Thanks

Thnaks


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## espressotechno

The Rancilio 3 pole rotary switch goes: middle = all off; rotate left = electrics on, boiler off; rotate rght = all on.

You can use a multimeter to work out which terminals connect to which; but you really need the Rancilio circuit diagrams !

Rancilio UK (http://www.coffeemachinecompany.co.uk) may be able to help.....


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