The S1 Cafe - Helping Your Espresso Dreams Become Reality

Well, it's been a while since I've posted. I recently acquired a Rocket so the Spaz hasn't been getting much attention. To recap the issue: The steam boiler would not refill, but if I turned off the steam boiler I could pull shots just fine (i.e. no pump issues). Recent repairs made: -Replaced all t...

Hey there, were you ever able to diagnose the issue? I have the same problem with my machine but it isn't intermittent, the boiler simply never refills ((Here is the topic - https://www.s1cafe.com/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=2456 ) I purchased a Rocket so my Spaz is just sitting. Would like to get it ...

I have a Mini Vivaldi which has intermittent problems with autofilling the steam boiler. After using hot water or steam, the machine does not consistently refill the boiler. Instead, it simply heats up without filling. Sometimes it does refill properly. If the machine is off for several hours, it m...

Gave that a try, still no luck. The boiler light was flashing but neither the pump nor the refill solenoid kicked in. I guess I'm just stuck with a machine that's only capable of espressos and no steaming... If only there was a scrap yard for Spaziale where I could get a control board for cheap lol ...

Got it, thanks! I'll check the wire this evening after work

Much appreciated! Looking forward to hearing what they have to say.

I tried shorting the water level sensor last night with no luck. I turned on the machine, as the boiler light was blinking I connected one end of the jumper cable to the top of the water probe and the other end I touched to the side of the boiler. I also tried grounding that end on the metal frame o...

Phew. $500 is a steep price for repair. I got the machine for $100 all in, so I think if it was to come to that point I would just use it for espresso and maybe buy an independent milk frother. I did give the controller board a visual inspection yesterday, no scorch marks to be seen and the fuse loo...

So I'm not overly familiar with the best way to troubleshoot the controller board. Any pointers or advice on where to get started? I've been looking through the forums but haven't come across anything to point me in the right direction.

So when I measure from the bottom of the water probe to ground I get a reading of OL on the fluke which I assume means infinity? I guess the problem may be with the controller board.

Unless you're referring to this

110V AC. I just checked the operation with the steel mesh removed, using just a gravity feed the water passed through the solenoid when it was open and stopped when it was closed. But like you said, there is expected to be some driving force from the pump when in actual operation to force it through...

It's actually a variable power supply, I increase the voltage slowly and at about 40 V the solenoid clicks. When I test it the second time I can up the voltage to 110V and just use the on/off switch instead.

Ok, I'll give that a shot.

The pump does turn on when I make an espresso shot. No sound of the pump running when the steam boiler is empty though.

The pictures posted in the wrong order, but the 1st and 3rd are the closed and open positions respectively. The middle picture is the filter screen behind the Tee fitting.

I tested the solenoid by hooking up it up to a power supply. It does open and close as it should. However I connected some tubing in line and tried to flow water through it, but even when the solenoid is 'open' the water doesn't flow. The travel on the plunger is pretty minimal and the click sound w...

Inside the solenoid and valve body look pretty clean. Maybe a little buildup on the base of the solenoid shaft though. The tubing running from the valve body to the steam boiler also looks clear of obstruction. I've removed the solenoid assembly and I'll test it's functionality today. IMG_20190314_0...

Yep, it terminates at the steam boiler. Just checked the machine operation without the water level probe in place, solenoid still doesn't turn on...
I'll take it off later once the machine cools down and check for any potential mineral buildup

Ok, I'll give that a shot this evening. If I have to remove the steam boiler refill solenoid, I assume it is the one to the left of the brew boiler with the tubing running towards the steam boiler? See pic

I'm not sure if my previous post has gone through yet, it's showing up as black text when I view it from my computer. The water level sensor rod is pretty short, I've attached a pic below. It probably sits just an inch or so into the steam boiler. 20190312_163721.jpg Here was my previous post: So ou...

So out of sheer curiosity I manually filled the steam boiler with water to see how things would behave. No errors! And the steam wand/hot water work great. Perhaps the steam boiler was overheating and causing an error due to no water in the tank to act as a heat sink? Either way, I guess the next st...

Correct. The solenoid does not activate when the machine is turned on. The water blockage light does not come on either.
Upon visual inspection, it looks as though the water level sensor is completely intact (i.e. the plastic collar has no worn out spots).

I removed the temperature probe to check the resistance, it was sitting around 238 kOhms at room temp and increases when placed in cold water. So it seems to be working as it should. More interestingly, I checked the water level probe and it's bone dry. Also dipped a stick into the very bottom which...

I tracked down a place here in Edmonton that sells them for about $100 CAD. About the same as the US suppliers, but at least I'll be able to pick it up on the same day. I also plan on checking the resistance across the temp sensor this evening to confirm it's operating as it should. From some other ...

Ohh okay, that makes sense. I'll have a look at the water level probe this evening. If the water level is fine and the refill solenoid is working as expected, I will proceed with replacing the steam temp probe to see if it fixes the issue. Just looking to rule out the other issues before spending th...

So I quickly went home on my lunch break to take a look at the steam boiler temp probe. It wasn't in the cleanest condition (see pics), but after cleaning it I still have the same error. I should have verified with a dip stick of some sort, but I don't think there is any water in the steam boiler. C...

Yeah I just had a look at that. Between the shipping, import fees and exchange rate it may end up being a pricey sensor! Perhaps I'll dig through the forums in search of Canadian suppliers.

Okay sounds good. I'll take a look this evening, hopefully this is the cause! Getting anxious to get this machine fully operational

Okay sounds good, I will keep the SSR as it is. And agreed! It would definitely make sense to have differing alarms for different errors. Makes diagnosing the issue a little tricky. As for the temp probe, I'm not sure 100% where this is located. Could you please confirm that they are correctly ident...

So I managed to get the leads off and swap them over. The result? The same 19-20-21 error as before... Both the brew boiler and the steam boiler heat up, but about 4 minutes after I turn on the steam boiler I get the same blocking error. So would this mean the SSR is fine and the problem lies elsewh...

No problem!
So I'm attempting to remove the leads from the plugs on the relay, but can't seem to get them unplugged. Is there a trick to it?

Awesome, thanks for the prompt and detailed response! I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for your help! I should have been clearer earlier, I'm fairly certain the 19-20-21 alarm will trigger whether or not I pull a shot (I'll verify this evening). As for swapping the SSR cables, I will try this when I get home this evening and report back. I picked up the machine on Friday so I'm...

I recently purchased a used La Spaziale Mini Vivaldi II. The unit needs some repair but I was able to get it for a good deal all things considered. So, a summary of the issue: when the unit is turned on, the steam boiler and the brew boiler heat up as they should (they are hot to the touch and I che...