# Sage dual boiler - steam boiler not heating up



## chris.gid (Apr 19, 2020)

About a week ago i noticed my sage dual boiler was producing more steam pressure than normal, and then when i turned the machine off (button in the machine) the machine appeared to be off but the steam boiler still seemed to stay hot and the machine would hiss and gurgle so started turning it off at the plug.

Yesterday i descaled the machine thinking the staying on could be due to some scale clogging something up. Machine descaled, i got the vALv error but after tipping the machine backwards and forwards some more water came out (with a few small bits of scale) and then managed to proceed without the error and complete the cycle.

Turned the machine on an no steam at all, just the 3 beeps. I have done the following and none have resolved the issue:



Repeated the descale but this time with just water


Drained the boilers a few times (the coffee boiler water comes out hot but the steam boiler water is cold)


Reset the machine (1cup and power button)


Cleared all of the error codes


Left the machine off (turned off at the plug) overnight (with boilers drained)


Opened up the machine and cant see any problems with o rings on the steam boiler


Cleaned the steam boiler sensors


Is there anyone that has come across this issue before and managed to fix it themselves? I've read various forum posts and no-one ever seems to say what the underlying issue was.

The only thing that looks odd in the machine is the top of the steam boiler looks like something has leaked from it and burnt on but there are no scale marks that would indicate this has been a long term leak. Ignore any water you can see in the pic as that was from me disconnecting the tube that goes from the steam boiler to the coffee boiler while the coffee boiler was hot and it squirting everywhere. Cant figure out how to attach photos in this forum so here is a link https://photos.app.goo.gl/ASskH3hph5DHu5RXA

Any help appreciated otherwise i'll be calling around coffee repair shops on Monday (if any are even open with current Covid-19 restrictions in UK).


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## terio (Oct 17, 2017)

Hi, no idea if this is your actual problem, I stumbled across this page when considering a used dual boiler, a few walkthroughs to repairs and remembered reading about heating while switched off:

https://outwestcoffee.com.au/index.php/2019/08/19/breville-bes-920-triac-failure/


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

If it's still under warranty I'd call Sage and let them deal with the problem.


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## chris.gid (Apr 19, 2020)

terio said:


> Hi, no idea if this is your actual problem, I stumbled across this page when considering a used dual boiler, a few walkthroughs to repairs and remembered reading about heating while switched off:
> 
> https://outwestcoffee.com.au/index.php/2019/08/19/breville-bes-920-triac-failure/


 Hmmmm interesting, sounds like the issues i was facing. I'll do some more diagnostics on this when I get the boiler working again which I hope will just be the thermal fuse.

Do you know if anywhere in the UK sticks the triac board, just had a quick look and only saw links to AU.


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## chris.gid (Apr 19, 2020)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> If it's still under warranty I'd call Sage and let them deal with the problem.


 I don't think so, I got it 2nd hand off eBay about 6 months ago.


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## terio (Oct 17, 2017)

Hi, afraid I don't know of any, I'm actually in New Zealand at the moment for the next few months, I know the local place to me here lists quite a lot of spares for them. I came across the link when fixing a cheap Breville (Sage) machine I bought used and one of the plastic threaded connectors perished and disintegrated. I'm really tempted with trying to get a used dual boiler as they pop up pretty cheap out here and from reading it seems if your willing to put up with the faff, most of it is fixable/ can be bodged. The Slayer mod looks amazing. Good luck with trying to get it fixed.


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## Kannan (Mar 28, 2020)

Hi Chris,

That's almost definitely a leak from one or more of the water level probes, usually the o rings, which looks like it might have caused the ntc to fail perhaps causing the boiler to start overheating (or not stop boiling)... which in turn might have caused some other faults...

It does seem like you've had a cascade of faults on the machine, possibly the triacs are gone now too but maybe not... is the machine under warranty? If not then it's time to start pulling the thing apart! How old is it?


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## chris.gid (Apr 19, 2020)

So update for anyone reading this..... The thermal fuse has been replaced and coffee machine is steaming again.

If anyone wants to replace the thermal fuse these instructions are pretty good https://www.home-barista.com/repairs/breville-oracle-bes980xl-thermal-fuse-replacement-detailed-disassembly-t58936.html 
The one thing I would comment on that not mentioned in the oracle instructions is that the fuse is crumpled onto the wires. I went to solder the new fuse and then realised that soldering may cause the fuse to blow with the heat so make sure you have a crimping set. I did mine with plastic cover crimps so let's hold they hold up against the heat.

If anyone has the no steam problem I would recommend tracing the wires and testing whether the fuse is blown as this whole job took me about 4 hours.


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## Kannan (Mar 28, 2020)

chris.gid said:


> The thermal fuse has been replaced


 Good job, that's a mission! Presumably you replaced the O-rings too?


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## chris.gid (Apr 19, 2020)

Appreciate this a long dead thread but in case anyone comes across it in the future.
Just did a descale on a 1yr old Sage Dual Boiler (got a replacement from Sage at a discount) and seemed to encounter the same issue during a descale where the steam boiler doesnt fill up and it blows the thermal fuse.
Was all prepared to call Sage service for a replacement device the following day, turned the machine on, machine seemed to trigger the pump for lots of short bursts, turned the steam on and......there was steam.
Dont know if they have replaced the thermal fuse of the older machines with a thermal cut-out that resets after it cools down on the new machines?


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