# ECM giotto won't refill boiler



## Danielbeck (Feb 20, 2017)

Hi coffee Friends.

I have my hands on an old ECM Giotto that won't refill the boiler. I've emptied the boiler and now I need the machine to fill it back up, but when I turn on the machine nothing happens. The LED lights up and indicates that the machine has been turned on but the pump doesn't do anything. I've tried many things:

1: unplugging the cable from the water level probe - didn't have any effect

2: changing the gicar (black control box) to a new one - didn't have any effect

3: changing the vibration pump to a new one - didn't have any effect

Does anybody have any idea as to what my next step would be?


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Have you tried opening the steam valve then switching on and allowing it to fill before turning off the steam valve ?


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## Danielbeck (Feb 20, 2017)

Well to be honest i have not tried opening the steam valve because the machine has a depression valve. I Could try it out but the pump doesn't even kick in at all and I don't think that the steam valve is connected to the pump in such a way that it tells the pump not to initiate when the steam valve is closed. But I'll give it a go


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Danielbeck said:


> Well to be honest i have not tried opening the steam valve because the machine has a depression valve. I Could try it out but the pump doesn't even kick in at all and I don't think that the steam valve is connected to the pump in such a way that it tells the pump not to initiate when the steam valve is closed. But I'll give it a go


That is the recommendation in the "user manual when first filling"


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Check the connection from the low water sensor/microswitch below the tank.... to the gicar....problem is most likely there. If I remember rightly the Giotto just stops working and heating when low on water, with no indicator sound or light.


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## Danielbeck (Feb 20, 2017)

El carajillo said:


> That is the recommendation in the "user manual when first filling"


It didn't do any difference


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## stevenh (May 15, 2014)

Have you tried Dave's suggestion? You can try checking the water sensor with a multimeter and check the value with and without tank full, depending on the type of sensor this might just be a simple resistance setting on your meter, check your circuit diagrams. There may be more than 1 sensor, I've seen one for checking water tank in place and separate one for checking water level...


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## Danielbeck (Feb 20, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> Check the connection from the low water sensor below the tank.... to the gicar....problem is most likely there. If I remember rightly the Giotto just stops working and heating when low on water, with no indicator sound or light.


Hi Dave. You remember correctly. But the low water level sensing system in the ecm giotto uses a pair of brass rods that goes into the water reservoir. When there's water in the reservoir, there's a connection between the rods, and that's how it tells the gicar that there's water in the reservoir.

The cable going from the reservoir to the new gicar is connected properly.


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## Danielbeck (Feb 20, 2017)

stevenh said:


> Have you tried Dave's suggestion? You can try checking the water sensor with a multimeter and check the value with and without tank full, depending on the type of sensor this might just be a simple resistance setting on your meter, check your circuit diagrams. There may be more than 1 sensor, I've seen one for checking water tank in place and separate one for checking water level...


hi Steven. There's only one sensor in this machine and there's definitely something wrong. (See my answer to Dave) I've even tried to tie the to rods together with a cable tie to take the water out of the equation


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## stevenh (May 15, 2014)

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.home-barista.com/repairs/ecm-giotto-premium-diagnosis-t42985.html


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## Danielbeck (Feb 20, 2017)

Hi guys. Thanks for trying to help. I think I found the problem because it's working now. Apparently both of the brass rods in the reservoir need to be in contact with the boiler somehow.


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## Danielbeck (Feb 20, 2017)

Hi everyone. I figured out the problem. Aparrently the rod on the reservoir, that is not connected to the cable going to the control box, needs to be in contact with the boiler


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