# Sage Barista Express - Shorting straightaway after pressing single/double espresso buttons. Steam/hot water work fine



## Hetman (Oct 5, 2021)

Hi,

I have a 3 year old Barista Express. After last cleaning cycle it started shorting out rcd circuit straight after pushing single or double button. It is not the buttons themselves as using them in temperature setting mode works fine. Machine powers up normally and steam wand/hot water work fine. I had a look inside and do not see any obvious candidates for replacement, main pcb looks fine, no moisture around, all cables look fine. There are some light deposits on the right hand solenoid that goes to steam/hot water so that needs o ring replacement but would this cause short only when extracting coffee? Has anyone experienced something similar before? Machine was left open for the last 24h to let any moisture I cannot see dry up but it didn't help.


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

Is the pump coming on at all?


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## Hetman (Oct 5, 2021)

The pump is coming up as usual doing startup. It is also working fine when steaming.

It doesn't come up after pressing the single or double button as rcd trips within fraction of a second.


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## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

Have you checked the group solenoid? That could be shorting (blockage?)


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## Hetman (Oct 5, 2021)

It seems like you are right regarding the solenoid, thanks! Resistance from live to earth was only several k ohms on both solenoids and jumped back up on the left solenoid once I disconnected earth from the right solenoid. Will dismantle it on weekend and see whether I can clean it or need a new one. Maybe both solenoids are not energized when using the steam/hot water so that is why it only shorted on extraction.


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## whitecitadel (Oct 19, 2021)

Did you manage to find a replacement solonoid? 
Have exactly the same fault as you on our 3 year old barista express, the joint on the right has clearly been leaking (I believe this is the main input to the manifold from the heater?) and the escaping steam seems to have finally caused the solonoid to fail.

the eBay solonoid linked on the forum are OLAB not CEME, it's not clear if they are a direct replacement?

Seems changing the right angle for high pressure food grade metal fitting is the answer, but that will only screw into the metal solonoid not the plastic fitting on the CEME?


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## Hetman (Oct 5, 2021)

Yes, I managed to fix it. I used OLAB 9000 (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384202555930?hash=item597441c21a:g:WAYAAOxy4dNS5WOp - solenoid only, I cleaned and reused the rest). I also replaced all of the o-rings. Even after o-ring replacement the right hand side joint was leaking a lot of steam but after putting 2 o-rings instead of one there it subsided. Now there is just a tiny puff of steam once steam wand is turned on and the joint heats up - hopefully that will last a while.


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## whitecitadel (Oct 19, 2021)

Thanks for the reply, struggling to get the 3 way solonoid, at the moment I can't remove the fitting through the centre of the solonoid as the top nut seems seized I need to get some plus gas or something on it.

I think I will need to try the same and just swap electrical solonoid as can't get anywhere the CEME solonoid assembly.


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## whitecitadel (Oct 19, 2021)

Also have a lot of markings and evidence the right elbow was leaking a lot which is what caused the failure - also ordered a pack of o-rings to renew them all.


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## Hetman (Oct 5, 2021)

That nut required more force than I thought it would to unscrew but it did come off eventually.


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## whitecitadel (Oct 19, 2021)

Hetman said:


> That nut required more force than I thought it would to unscrew but it did come off eventually.


 The problem is getting enough grip on the base of the metal fitting at the bottom without crushing it, when I had it in a vice it was still spinning and I don't want to deform the fitting - will soak the nut in some release agent and try again.


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## whitecitadel (Oct 19, 2021)

Hetman said:


> Yes, I managed to fix it. I used OLAB 9000 (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384202555930?hash=item597441c21a:g:WAYAAOxy4dNS5WOp - solenoid only, I cleaned and reused the rest). I also replaced all of the o-rings. Even after o-ring replacement the right hand side joint was leaking a lot of steam but after putting 2 o-rings instead of one there it subsided. Now there is just a tiny puff of steam once steam wand is turned on and the joint heats up - hopefully that will last a while.


 Ok swapped my solonoid, same as you I still had issue with steam escaping the right angle. Some people have used a fixed metal joint but that seems to be for another solonoid type.

My solution was to put a small adhesive pad next to the right angle junction, on the wall to the grinder side, it just keeps the joint under a little bit of pressure and seemed to allow the o-rings to work properly.

Not sure I would ever buy a sage machine again!


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