# Problem with Sage Barista Express



## rich11235

Hi can anybody help me diagnose what's wrong with my Sage BE, which has worked fine up to now, but ceases to deliver any shots now.

I ran a cleaning cycle as the light came on, and also descaled with white vinegar

After that I have a rattly solenoid noise, and the shower head delivers a tiny, minuscule shot after about 30 seconds, if at all. The gauge shows zero

I took the plunge, and thinking it was the 3 way valve, have replaced that, with no improvement

I have removed the showerhead screen and cleaned it, it had usual levels of coffee residue (I would judge) and has cleaned up OK

With the showerhead off, running a double shot programme on the button results again in a tiny amount of water being delivered, in a very spluttery way. Again gauge is zero (which I'd expect in this case as no back pressure from the basket)

Switching to hot water, also results in tiny delivery of "spluttery" water

Steam wand also does not deliver, despite the usual "pumping" noise

Is this the pump failing?

Or the other solenoid valve?

Or something else?

Thanks in advance for any help


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## ajohn

It might be best to reset the machine to default programming if you use a button to test output.

Some people would be interested in just where you obtained the 3 way valve from ? People usually dismantle and clean to cure the rattle. They sometime buzz anyway.

It sounds like the pump may be unhappy. I had a db for a very short period where the pump noise wasn't consistent. For some reason it wasn't pumping water. As it wasn't an old machine i can only put this down to a blockages somewhere or an airlock.

I'd suggest you look carefully for blockages, kinked pipes etc. Maybe run more descaler though and out of the hot water outlet. Perhaps you have dislodged a chunk of scale rather than dissolved it.

From memory in and out pipes from the thermocoil can be removed. No idea of the bore but it might be possible to run something flexible through it.

If the pump has failed I believe people replace them with an Ulka. Ebay etc.

John

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## buderim

If you dont have any joy here there is a Australian forum called coffesnobs . Sage are sold as Breville in Australia and are very popular , you may get some answers there .


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## rich11235

Great thanks guys for your response. I may try the Australian Breville forum.

John, I got the replacement 3 way valve here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253051552714

I did check for blockages, took pipes off and immersed in vinegar to ensure clear of scale, I thought I'd caught them all but will double check.

Looks like pump maybe the next stop. When you say people replace with an Ulka, is that because that pump is more durable/better or just because it is what is available?

Also, what does the second solenoid valve (the single/two way one) - what is that controlled by? How do I know if it is that one at fault?

Finally, the solenoids have a hex on the top of the brass valve body which looks like they should be dis-assembleable - and you say people usually dismantle and clean to cure that rattle. Does that imply that the hex can be undone - it looked and felt extremely tight and I didn't want to risk breaking. It's not an LH thread or anything crazy?


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## ajohn

Can't help on taking a valve apart. I have only read that they can be cleaned. The taking apart was mentioned on a video but that person bought a new one. Could just be that what needs cleaning can be done without dismantling. What I would probably do to check assuming they have 6mm / 1/4" spade terminals is make lead up to energise them and check they are clear. The insulated receptacles are suitably rated so with some sense a safe thing to do.







3pin plug on the end plugged into a socket with a switch that you know works.

Again I have only read that pumps can be replaced with Ulka. On DB's some replace with screw fit parts and even change the opv to a brass one but but other forms of connection are about. Wattage varies so what ever make you use I would go for one of the same / very similar size.

I thought that they would use standard Olab parts. Pass on the other solenoid. Maybe it's part of the 3 way action. I honestly don't know. One thing missing from any parts list I have looked at is the actual plumbing so when I need to do something with one I'll have to figure it out. A Piccino uses two solenoids one referred to as the group solenoid and the other as the inlet solenoid. I'd guess that when nothing is happening the inlet solenoid blocks flow so that the 3 way action can work and also guess that the group solenoid vents the puck. So I would assume both are energised when a shot is being pulled, that blocks the 3 way outlet and lets water in. Then when the shot finishes both are de energised. That blocks the inlet and the 3 way outlet is open. Switching may be staged rather than simultaneous. Maybe @DavecUK can shed some light on usual variations.







Knowing Sage they might do something else. I'd be surprised if they did but other than looking no way of knowing.

John

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## DAH

Do you get the normal pumping sound when you first turn the machine on?

The pump is an ULKA EP5 and can be picked up from ebay for about £13. Very easy to fit.


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## Kestas

Can anyone advise what activates the solenoids? They did not buzz nor look dirty, but I suspect they are dead and stuck opened, that's why the boiling water gets discharged into the tray and not into the shower head


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## Tonino

You can just get the old pump out of the machine, open and clean it inside, make sure you put back everything together as it was. There maybe some little peaces of dirt been stuck and causing limited water flow or you may have worn out valve, it's a tinny plastic ball like that seats on top of a spring. Maybe some YouTube videos how to check those pump can help.


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## Adrian Barnes

Badger,.... I have the same problem with my Sage barista express. Sputtering from the steam wand very little water from the dispencer pipe,and the pressure dial does not move, please somebody must be able to help us, or give me a number of a person in the south Wales area who can fix this fab machine, I need my coffee fix.


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## ashcroc

Adrian Barnes said:


> Badger,.... I have the same problem with my Sage barista express. Sputtering from the steam wand very little water from the dispencer pipe,and the pressure dial does not move, please somebody must be able to help us, or give me a number of a person in the south Wales area who can fix this fab machine, I need my coffee fix.


Think Coffee Classics are you only real option for repairs if you can't do it yourself.


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## ajohn

Adrian Barnes said:


> Badger,.... I have the same problem with my Sage barista express. Sputtering from the steam wand very little water from the dispencer pipe,and the pressure dial does not move, please somebody must be able to help us, or give me a number of a person in the south Wales area who can fix this fab machine, I need my coffee fix.


 The cheapest way of using Coffee Classics is to mail the machine to them. Lower hourly rate than if they call on you which they will do if required. They have people who cover various areas. Not sure if they can be used directly or only through Sage.

It sound like it might be a scale problem to me. Use puly caff descaler and run the lot through the hot water outlet and see if that helps. If it improves do it again with fresh descaler. You could then try running more than the manual suggests through the steam wand as well. Then if better yet another done the way the manual suggests.

Not sure why you mentioned the pressure gauge so no comment as you would need to explain.

I finally got round to having the grinder in my BE replaced while it was under warrantee - just. The engineer told me the same as many other people. Descale once a month even on the Dual Boiler. Probably a bit over the top on that if the owner lives in a soft water area. The thermoblock models are a different animal and will need descaling regularly. I did mine every 2 months and we get very soft water. It doesn't take long to do. It takes a lot longer on the DB and in my case the machine was leaving it too long before it told me to do it. I think the manuals now mention that people should switch to another water source if they live in a hard water area. That usually means certain brands of bottled water or a filter that really does soften eg an inline type that's plumbed in. Even the early Sage filter softens but they still suggest the same for hard water areas. This isn't a Sage specific problem. It's an espresso machine problem.

It probably doesn't hurt to back flush more often than the machine suggests. I believe some do it weekly on some machines.

John

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## pgarrish

My DTP played up a bit the other week, similar symptoms - poor flow and very poor steaming. I put a sachet of Caly Puly in the tank and let it try and run water through the head and then the steam wand. It took a while but it did clear eventually. I then did another sachet and it was like a new machine afterwards. I'm now descaling more often....

Worth a go I'd say.


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