# Can't even plug it in.



## gladdice (Jan 22, 2018)

Right here goes...

I have zero experience taking apart my rancilio but think I am going to need to.

I turned it on yesterday morning and immediately it flipped the breakers for the socket. I changed fuse on the plug and gave it another go. Same result.

There was nothing different to normal about yesterday and I hadn't even had the machine on for a period of time to warm up.

It is a standard machine with no mods. I bought it second hand 2 years ago and it had very little use when I received it. I use it mainly at weekends, I regularly descale it and use filtered tap water.

Any ideas on where to begin would be great. I have standard tools but no electronic specific ones.

Cheers

Joel


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## Cooffe (Mar 7, 2019)

See if there's a wire exposed touching the outer casing from the inside? A quick inspection from the top should be able to show a blatantly obvious one.

Do you have many other appliances (like kettles/toasters) on the same ring main running at the same time? You could be plugging in and overloading it. The straw that broke the camel's back so to say.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Check inside for any leaks which could be on any electrical connections, particularly the boiler element terminals.

If you can access / borrow a test meter (ask a friend). Remove the two boiler terminals and with the meter set to ohms, test across the two terminals and then terminals to the boiler body (earth) let us know the results. These tests with the machine UNPLUGGED.

Unfortuneately element failure is not uncommon on these machines.


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

Changing the fuse wont help with a problem like this unless it was actually blown. Different things can trip in modern consumer units as well. Over current or rcd / earth leakage trips. Heating elements in all sort of thing are often the reason RCD's trip. The level of current they trip at wont blow a fuse. RCD's will have something like 63A 30ma on them. 30ma is the current they trip at. The over current trips just a number indicating the current they trip at. Then there is a combined type called rcbo's that do both functions. They will show the 30ma and the trip current.

If a multimeter doesn't show any problems it may be best to disconnect the heater, take care that the leads can't short on the case etc and then turn it on. No trip then that's the problem. It really needs an insulation tester to really check things such as this one using the 500v resistance range. The test voltage on a multimeter isn't high enough to be sure of reliable readings.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VC60B-Digital-Insulation-Resistance-Tester-Megger-MegOhm-Meter-1000V-0-1-2000M/222753805236?epid=1267067247&hash=item33dd2953b4%3Ag%3AKHoAAOSwMg5b6Or-&LH_ItemCondition=1000|1500|2000

Connect one end to the ground connection in the machine and use the other to test each side of the heater, both will show low readings unless the element has gone open circuit. All ok if the reading is in the mega ohm range.

 That one as I own one, needed to check some house wiring and it works rather well.

John

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## gladdice (Jan 22, 2018)

Fantastic stuff, thank you, time to open it up and see if any of these things show up then borrow a test meter if I can.


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## gladdice (Jan 22, 2018)

No obvious water inside or wires touching the case. I guess I need to find a testing meter next. A photo in case this triggers anything.


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## gladdice (Jan 22, 2018)

Borrowed a multimeter and I think tested the heating element which as I read it is OK. Not sure where to next.


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## AndyDClements (Aug 29, 2016)

Lots of the insides are double-insulated but the thermal switches aren't so my next guess would be to test those for a short to ground. On one of the thermal switches (circular items secured to the top of the boiler at the 6 o'clock and 7 o'clock positions when viewing the picture of the internals), with the machine unplugged from the wall, unplug both the wires from one of the thermal switches, then use the multi-meter to check for continuity between the boiler and either terminal of that thermal switch. Both terminals should have no circuit to the boiler, but if they show as having continuity then that's the problem. Repeat for the other thermal switch.


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## gladdice (Jan 22, 2018)

Thanks all. El carajillo has been sending me advice and it appears the heating element is the problem as it is offering no resistance even though it should be.


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