# MaraX - Solutions? I think I have introduced air bubbles to system when changing the filter



## Mike_coffeeinbath (Dec 26, 2020)

Six months in with a MaraX and very pleased with the reliably tasty coffee and 'it just works' experience. Imagine my horror/ distress then...

I have been using the resin filters in the water tank as we have quite hard water here. I've successfully replaced this a couple of times - the directions are to to submerge filter in a water for a few minutes before using to get the air out 'because it may cause the machine to malfunction'

Immediately after replacing filter, the next time I lifted lever to pull a shot, no flow from group head, no pump pressure showing, when I remove porta filter and try and discharge, mainly steam and a dribble of water. I turned machine off, let it cool and tried the next day - very long time to warm up, same behaviour, pump (to fill tank?) did come on a couple of times but sounded very muted. No flow, no pressure, even with blind filter.

My inference is that I have introduced air from the filter... machine definitely malfunctioning!

Any advice?

Thanks, (feeling a bit silly)


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

@Mike_coffeeinbath - empty the tank and throw that water away. Remove the filter and soak it in a separate container.

put the tank back, and fill up with Tesco's Ashbeck or Waitrose Lockhills or Volvic as those won't scale your machine in the short term.

Draw at least 500ml continuously from the group in order to prime the pump. Once machine is hot, draw 500ml of hot water from the hot water tap to trigger an auto fill and have that path primed too.

I'm not sure how effective those filters are with water as hard as from Bath. I don't think they will help much.


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## Mike_coffeeinbath (Dec 26, 2020)

Thanks for the response. Point taken about mineral water.

This hasn't worked. It struggled to draw off 500ml from the group, dibble coming out.

Pump did come on after that and the hot water tap, but stayed on for long time. After, same behaviour and zero pump pressure when I put a blind filter in fortafilter

😞


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

So when you draw water from the group, does the pump kick in? I'm confused by your comment:



Mike_coffeeinbath said:


> Pump did come on after that and the hot water tap


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## Mike_coffeeinbath (Dec 26, 2020)

Sorry, the sequence was

- I lifted the lever; pump runs and a small amount of water came out. At one point the pump stopped, I put the lever down and lifted again, pump continued. It took quite a while to get a volume of water, put lever down.

- drew water from hot water tap

- Then the pump kicked in, sounded different to normal, quite muted, and ran for quite a long time.

- After that, drawing water from group, lifting lever, pump runs... dribble of water again, but as described, not the normal behaviour and no pressure showing for pump if I put portafilter in (with blind)


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

@Mike_coffeeinbath - are you sure it is air rather than a blockage?


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## Mike_coffeeinbath (Dec 26, 2020)

Well no, it's just that it happen right after I changed the filter - not sure what would have introduced a blockage, but possible of course.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

@Mike_coffeeinbath - is the tank sitting correctly? Could it be that the pump is not able to draw water as it's not forming a seal?


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## Mike_coffeeinbath (Dec 26, 2020)

Double double checked that... and yes it is.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

This is strange. I never heard of sir causing so much issues, specially on a vibe pump. We all let our old and faithfuls Silvias and Classics run dry&#8230; put the hose back in and turn it on. Prime it and it will work again. So this is strange.

So&#8230; do you know if the water is going anywhere? For instance:

- turn the machine on;
- lock the PF in with a blind basket;
- turn the machine on for 15 seconds;

does the pressure build up? Do you see water entering the drip tray? Do you see water moving out of the tank?

have you done the OPV diversion mod or is it stock?


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## Mike_coffeeinbath (Dec 26, 2020)

The machine is stock - no mods. I bought in January from Bella Barista - natch 😉 - so it is under warranty, hence slight hestitation about disassembling.

So i had tried PF a few times as you describe.

No - no pressure build up. It literally stays at 0.

When switching off - returning lever to off position - there is a puff of water back into drip tray like when back flushing for cleaning.

As mentioned abouve, with no PF, do get a steady dribble or puffs of steam.

The instructions for fitting fliter do warn darkly of ensuring there is no air inside 'that may cause machine malfunction', which is why I'd wondered if this is what had happened given it happened the very next time I used the machine after putting new filter in.

Thanks for engaging so energetically btw 🙂 Much appreciated.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

@Mike_coffeeinbath - ok. No idea then. Maybe @DavecUK will know, but, failing that, might be worthwhile contacting BB. Good luck.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@Mike_coffeeinbath @MediumRoastSteam It's best to contact Bella Barista as it's under warranty and see what they say, before removing the case or doing any more.


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## Mike_coffeeinbath (Dec 26, 2020)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> @Mike_coffeeinbath - ok. No idea then. Maybe @DavecUK will know, but, failing that, might be worthwhile contacting BB. Good luck.


 Thanks, yes I've emailed them. Will post the resolution when I get there


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## bpowell555 (Nov 30, 2014)

Think I have same issue but occurred several days after changing filter 😢


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## bpowell555 (Nov 30, 2014)

bpowell555 said:


> Think I have same issue but occurred several days after changing filter 😢


 After a few days of aeropress tried again today and a few flushes from tap and pf and she came back to life! Thanks Dave as ever you're a 🌟


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## bpowell555 (Nov 30, 2014)

bpowell555 said:


> After a few days of aeropress tried again today and a few flushes from tap and pf and she came back to life! Thanks Dave as ever you're a 🌟


 Needless to say, spoke too soon and the problem reoccurred. Just swapped a bb supplied steam temp sensor (took the opportunity to lower the opv to exactly 9 bar) and all seems good 👍


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## Mike_coffeeinbath (Dec 26, 2020)

Mike_coffeeinbath said:


> Thanks, yes I've emailed them. Will post the resolution when I get there


 @DavecUK @MediumRoastSteam

I'm all sorted and about to go make a nice cup of coffee. Bella Barista decided it sounded like a pump failure, I sent it back and it duly returned to me (under warranty) happily purring away with a new pump. I was VERY keen to test whether there was a connection between filter replacement and the pump failure and a helpful exchange with BB techies (mainly Martin I think) ensued. The explanation of random bad luck or co-incidence seemed a bit implausible ( but could be that the 'narrative fallacy' of cause and effect is too deeply embedded in my psyche! )

Martin reckoned:

"The pump failure may just have been bad luck co incidence with the filter change, essentially there are two non return valves inside the pump and they may have stuck causing the inability to generate pressure. This can be a technical manufacturing failure or a foreign body that has entered the water system can even be some filter media a small piece of resin or carbon that can cause this. It was most likely just bad luck"

No 'smoking gun' then, but I'm hoping the pump isn't too much of delicate flower, as i really didn't do much to disturb it. Now, about that coffee....


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## JensLeander (Oct 10, 2021)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> @Mike_coffeeinbath - empty the tank and throw that water away. Remove the filter and soak it in a separate container.
> 
> put the tank back, and fill up with Tesco's Ashbeck or Waitrose Lockhills or Volvic as those won't scale your machine in the short term.
> 
> ...


 This worked for me, thank you 🙏


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