This pinned comment has some troubleshooting tips for Breville/Sage 870XL and similar espresso machines If you have any tips to add or topics not covered, reply to this comment. SAFETY NOTES: - Be careful inside the machine, there are exposed live electrical connections inside - Unplug the machine before working inside - You may need to peek inside with a flashlight while running the machine to observe where water is flowing or to check for leaks - Playlist with all videos: kzfaq.info/sun/PLpY2FP1a9tisyIfKjSugexoVK01xQuptv - Photo album with more details: photos.app.goo.gl/bN1ugnLPYwvyDcr59 The basic idea for troubleshooting problems with the machine is to "follow the water". Start at the tank, then follow it's flow path and where it either stops or goes the "wrong" way is where the problem lies. See below for details: WATER FLOW: Follow the water, find out how it's going to the wrong place, then figure out why: - Starts in the tank - Flows through a small in-line water filter That can get clogged, clean or replace - Through the flow meter If that fails you're machine won't stop at the 1-cup or 2-cup setting - Into the bottom of the pump That line can have air leaks and that can prevent the pump suction from pulling in water - Out the top of the pump The pump can be worn and not be able to prime, move water or produce enough pressure Ulka pump rebuild kits are available as are new pumps - Through the over pressure/safety valve (plastic part with a knob and hose off the side) That can be set for too low a pressure or if can have debris inside that causes a leak to the drip tray - Through a tube to the thermo-coil then out of thermo-coil down to the side of the 3-port solenoid valve Either tube can be connected wrong or plugged inside or an o-ring is damaged or missing The thermo-coil could be clogged internally, try blowing air through forward and backwards to check - For a brew cycle, the 3-port solenoid valve must open fully This will seal off the top port, that otherwise send water to the hot water/steam valve This also opens the side port to send water up to the group head If this valve is clogged and doesn't fully open, water will take the path of least resistance - The 2-port solenoid valve needs to be closed to seal off it's side port which send water to the drip tray That valve may be getting power all the time and/or it may be clogged inside, preventing it from sealing Easy test is to disconnect the wires to the solenoid and test If it still leaks, open up the valve and clean it in descaling liquid It opens at the end of a cycle for ~30 secs. to purge hot water out of the machine - For a hot water or steam cycle, the 3-port solenoid valve must be closed fully If water comes out the group head in hot water or steam mode, the 3-port solenoid may not be fully closed It could have deposits inside preventing it from sealing off the side port Open up the valve and clean it in descaling liquid It may be getting power all the time and sending water to the group head Easy test is to disconnect the wires to the solenoid and test - No flow or pressure too low: If you don't hear the pump run at power on or while running the machine, pump may not be running Wires may not be connected properly Thermal overload (Klixon) may have popped Driver (Triac) on the main PCB may not be sending power to the pump, check voltage If you hear the pump running but no flow of water or too little pressure: Pump internals may be worn, rebuild or replace the pump Over pressure valve may be leaking or set to low, sending water to the drip tray Water may not be getting to the pump, clogged inlet filter or flow meter or air leak in tubing Check all the lines for clogs or leaks. ELECTRICAL: - Machine trips GFCI/RCD breaker A solenoid coil (black plastic cube on top of the valve) is a likely cause It may have had water dripping on it, leaving conductive deposits This can create a short from a live connection to one of the metal parts It may have overheated and cracked leading to a connection to metal parts If this is the case, replace the black plastic solenoid coil (see below) - Solenoid doesn't turn on Wiring hooked up incorrectly, e.g. maybe the solenoid wires have been swapped Solenoid coil may be burned out internally, a resistance/continuity check would tell if this is the case - Try swapping the coil with the other solenoid valve and see if starts working, if so, replace the coil - These coils seem to be similar, if you can find a similar brand valve with the same voltage Main circuit board (PCB) may be damaged and not sending enough current to turn on the solenoid - Voltage check at the coil; voltage significantly less than your normal line voltage, this may be the issue - Solenoid runs all the time Coil will feel warm/hot to the touch after the machine has been plugged in but not used for a while This will cause the water to only flow to the group head, even in hot water or steam setting Likely cause is the driver (Triac) on the main PCB has failed in the on state, powering the coil all the time - Easy check: Disconnect the wires to that solenoid coil and see if it stays in the off position If this information has helped you get your machine working, there are links to BuyMeACoffee and Paypal.me on the channel About page if you feel so inclined.

I’ve been looking for information to help me confirm my suspicion of the same issue. Glad we still got some old school engineer out there taking the time to help others. God bless from the UK sir !

Thank you for the explanation. I bought a machine like yours a couple of months ago and the grinder already got broken (a small stone came with the beans, jammed it up and broke the gear). I didnt have any idea these machines were so sofisticated and have so many parts. I love it. Another thing to add to my list of DIY projects :)

Probably the best video explaining how this machine works - Thank you

One of the best videos on explaining how an espresso machine works. There are so many videos on how to repair but very few on explaining the flow of operation. I just troubleshooted and fixed a friend's BES860XL in no time. Thank you!

Thank you so much for posting this video. I own an ultima cossa espresso machine that basically it's very similar to yours. After doing extensive troubleshooting based on your recommendations, I put it back together and decided to do a very deep descaling procedure FIVE times in a row till I finally started getting a full stream of hot water out of the group head and the wand. I believe the main issue was a build up of hard water in the system. Once Again, Thank you sir for taking the timing by posting this invaluable information. Cheers.

Thank god for old mechanical engineers on KZfaq

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to post this video. I had a problem with water coming through the filter head (think that's the right name), as soon as power was switched on, and no flow through either the hot water output or the steam wand. I had no idea of the flow through the machine, but once I watched your video everything was clear. Diagnosed a stuck 3 way valve, stripped it down and voila! One valve stuck in the open position with limescale buildup being the culprit. A soaking in white vinegar and a quick rinse with water and all is now well. Thanks again, much appreciated.

Brilliant and informative! Now...I know my machine almost certainly has a faulty 3 way solenoid valve

Thank you for posting this. It helped me solve my issue. I had no flow/ no pressure to grouphead or wand/hot water. Took the line out of the thermo coil and tested the pump was working. Took the bottom hose out of thermo coil and one of the ferules was clogged with hard water deposit. Back in business

Outstanding walk through! You took time to explain even minor details. I appreciate that. The details are important. It seems like so many videos people make, they just rush through and try to hit bullet points; this just leaves me with lots of leftover questions. Thanks for being thorough!

Thanks a million for taking the time to make this video. I especially appreciate your efforts to name the different components by their proper name. It makes finding replacement parts on-line a lot easier.

I’m back Mr Brown. I replaced the solenoid block and pump on barista express a couple weeks back due to your video so thanks again for the instructions on how to get back pressure. I got my hands on a Breville infuser that was giving slight pressure on the gauge around low pre infusion stage but never more than that. Like the barista express I fixed I ordered the solenoid block and pump because the solenoid block on this infuser was busted open like a corroded battery when I opened the back. I always had steam and water coming from the wand and hot water spout but when I started it back up after the install, now I get no pressure at all, even with the cleaning disc and lower amount of water coming through the group head. I took it apart again an cleaned all the tubes going to the boiler and checked for limescale or broken o rings. Put it back together, still no pressure and again low water after I used to get the right amount of water but just low pressure when I first got the machine. Thoughts? I’m stumped at what to try next. Thanks in advance!

Thank you! I am so glad I found this video!

I have enjoyed my Barista Express for 4 years and thanks to videos like this one, I can maintain it and ensure it always makes the good coffee I enjoy every day. Thank you and keep them coming.

Thanks for the excellent presentation , it's refreshing to meet engineering minded people.

That is SO clever with the solenoids showing what's happening!

Very useful video for problem solving. For a couple weeks, I have had low shot pressure and weak steam. After viewing your video, I have a much better understanding of how everything works/flows, and I have confirmed that my problem is the safety valve. Whenever I pull a shot or use the steamer, water escapes from the side of the safety valve into the drip tray. Hence the lack of pressure/steam. I'm happy that I finally figured out this problem with your help. Thank you!

You single-handedly helped me repair my machine, thank you so much!!

Mate thanks for that explanation. That helps greatly. I found one of these BES870 machines at my dump today in the mud so brought it home. And judging by your videos it looks like the solenoid is bad. I'm getting no pressure and no water flowing over the ground coffee. The steam and hot water flow part work fine though. So I'm going to try and fix it rather than buy the entire unit. In Australia you're looking at $120! Thanks again you're a champ!

Had an issue with a Breville Barista Express where hot water would flow through the steam wand and the dedicated outlet, but not the group head. Your video provides valuable info on how water flows through the system. As you point out, the solenoid value is a common failure point, and based on the symptoms I was seeing, the metal plug was stuck in the down position. I removed the tube on the valve as well as the two tubes on either side, dropped white vinegar through the ports, and let it sit for awhile. Also tried to clear any blockages with a thin pick. Put it all back together and water immediately started pouring out of the group head. All fixed, without any new parts. Since I recently moved to hard water country, I suspect the metal plug became calcified a lot faster than I expected. Will have to use better water and clean/decalcify more often than I did before. Thank you for a great video!

Best video I've ever seen on this. Applicable to oher models as well, they all use similar principles. Thank you for taking the time to make this. Even the audio alone was gold!

Genius, I have just been given a faulty unit and you have just saved me a lot of time! Thank you

thanks to your videos i was able to repair my Solis Grind and Infuse Pro 115A , which is the Dutch/European version of this machine. In my case, there was no water coming out of it, not with the coffee function or the hotwater/steam function. The problem was the tube between the hotwater boiler and the Solenoid input, the 'knee'., where the hose entered the knee it was full of scale and stuff. Then when i got the hose of the boiler 'WOOSH/SQUIRT' all various scale and goo came out of the boiler. Cleaned it all and it is working like a charm now!!

Thanks, this water flow video and then this solenoid disassembly helped me fix my machine that was barely two years old. The first time I had an issue about 6 months ago after a descaling, the steam wand wasn’t working the next day. I took it apart then trying to figure it out, I squeezed the tube coming from the Steam/hot water switch that I now know goes to the diffuser and saw some water move around in the tube. I then powered the machine up to test the steam function while I was watching the tubes inside and the wand was working again and I did not have an issue until about a week ago (about 6 month after the steam wand issue and 3 cleanings I think). I think the squeeze must have been just enough to bump whatever may have causing the problem. . Then last week after a descale and clean, two days of normal use, on the third day nothing was coming out of the group head except a drip and no pressure building up. The Hot water and Steam were still working. So tried the 'squeeze method' again, but this time didn't fix. After many worthless searches, I found this water flow video first, then watched the how to replace the solenoid and then the solenoid repair video. Based on my symptoms and my understanding of the water flow from the video. I suspected the three-way valve (one on the right when looking into the machine from the back). On mine there was an e-type retaining ring that was inserted from the back to the front on this valve so I was able to remove it without taking anything else off. I unscrewed the top threaded water connector that goes back to the group head leaving it connected on both ends, (because of the way it is put together, the small tube turns freely while still connected to the threaded connector that attaches to the top of the valve assembly). I then disconnected the wires and was able to remove just the solenoid. In my case I had to use needle nose pliers to remove the slug because it was not falling out as I learned after cleaning is what it should have done. I cleaned it, soaked it in store bought descaling solution for about an hour and reassembled. Slug moved freely inside of the threaded sleeve. Reassembled the solenoid and reinstalled into the machine, tested and was super happy. Thank you so much for the videos.👏👍

Excellent explanation, thanks a lot! I couldn't have even started my troubleshooting without your video. Luckily I have the same model...

An excellent overview - the explanation of the diffuser was especially helpful!

You are a stud! Thanks for this and the other videos. Love the indicator light mod.

Wow that was a great insight into how the flows work out. Thanks for sharing. I have Subscribed 👌🏻

Great video, thank you for taking the time to upload this. Need to dive into my BES870 to investigate a very loud buzzing and no water pressure from brew head or water, so I suspect the 3 way solenoid you describe is my first port of call. Thanks from UK

Awesome video. I love how clearly you explained the way the system works.

You explain better than my exmentors :D Greets from London, from an ex coffee engineer!

Great explanation! Helped me understand the machine and was able fix the issue I was having.

Awesome video!!! Thanks a lot, now I start to understand what the noises are all about. Love it!😊

Thank you! Just one note: flow meter is not used for clean me feature. I've disabled it and clean me still works

someone who loves coffee as much as me thanks for showing

Thanks for the very informative video. I have had my breville for 6 years with no issues. My hot water and steam wand is working but no water through the group head just dumping straight to purge drip tray. I presume I have a bad solinoid. A common water leak I found is the elbow connector which I have replaced. Thank you

Wow this cleared up so many questions I had, working on 2 of these machines myself. Thank you!

Thank you very much for this very informative video

Great video. I've had my machine for 2 years and didn't use it for 1 year, but trying to cut down on the coffee i started using the espresso machine. the pressure was always in the middle then one day it hit max. It was the day i changed coffee, i grinded it myself so i thought maybe i made it too powdery and tried it again. Then it jumped from low to high and noticed something wasn't right... but kept using it since coffee came out. Maybe 7 cups later i notice the drip tray full. I always put a little bowl under the cup so it didn't make sense it was full. Thought the machine blew a seal somewhere and disconnected it. Saw another video of a water leak by the bucket. Today i took the back/top off and noticed the little rubber hose on the bottom and knew it was meant for something and the cause of my water leak. Now with your video my problem may be related to the solenoid that handles the hot water. It may be stuck on 2 hoses and it would explain how a full tank only handled 3 or 4 double espressos and filled my drip tray!! Do you have the model number of the solenoids that you can share? I saw your water pump link. Thanks.

Thank you! I’m surprised no one has made a video like this for delonghi ec9335

Very informative!! Thank you!

Thank you for an optimal description. I now have a Flow Diagram. 1st diagnosis: No pressure indicated and no water flow through Group Head. REPLACED SOLENOID VALVE ASSEMBLY. No change. Still no pressure or water flow trough Group Head. Stay tuned.

Thank you for sharing valuable content video. It helps me to fix problem of my coffee machine.

Thanks so much for explaining the water flow truly appreciate it 🙏 I'm still not getting any water coming through to brew coffee for some reason and I've replaced the solenoids and water pump. So just seeing if you can help me and let me know if I'm missing something? Thanks heaps🙏

Excellent video, all of yours are very very helpful, much appreciated

Thank you for the wealth of information!. I was about to give up on my 870XL, but now I'm fairly confident that I can fix my issue. I believe I have a bad three way solenoid but there were also times when it just wouldn't pump water, so I'll probably be replacing the pump soon too.

Thank you for taking the time to explain how the path of water flow goes, now I understand a little more this machine! Sheers☕️ Btw I was able to find a water leak in the 2 way solenoid valve top side, and repair it at home👍🏼👍🏼 the water leak was tripping the GFCI, now is solved. Good Job!

Greatly happy that I found your video. It is a gold mine.

Nice engineering. Thank you

You’re a genius!

Thanks so much for the very nice explanation of the internal structure. This serves me as a very good straight to the truth buying guide for me. I am looking for something like this for the Breville Bambino espresso machine. So far no luck.

Great video, excellent explanation. Thank you from the land down under.

Amazing video, thank you❤!!

Great video. Thanks for the very useful info. I’ve had a very similar problem. Australian version BES860. Replaced the 3 way solenoid and dump valve on the valve block and descaled again. Still sending water to the group head and steamer at the same time when steam switched on. Trying to pour a shot results in no pressure on the gauge. Think I’ll watch your pump/over pressure valve video for some more help with my problem. Might be time to buy more parts although this time with more understanding of how it all works. Cheers 🍻

Thank you for your very thorough analysis of the water flow. The problem I have is as follows. When the machine is first turned on, it begins to pre-heat and presurise the water. At this point, the port solenoid is turned off. What stops the water flowing directly from the 3 port solenoid to the steam/hot water switch and from there be dumped? This is in fact what is happening in my machine and I cannot figure out how it is supposed to work. Unless the pump is not supposed to come on until you start brewing but I am quite sure I have always been able to hear the pump come on momentarily upon pressing the "on" button. I would appreciate any comments you may have on this matter.

This is an excellent video! Thank you very much for sharing!

This makes sense - thx! I’ll take my 10 year old machine apart and see if I can squeeze a few more out of it!

Very useful, thanks.

Thank you for explaining this!

excellent video

Thank you from Brazil!

thank you so much for sharing, I already disasembled coffee machine (bes 875), but so far couldn't figure out which part has a fault. water is not coming from group head/ portafilter steam and hot water on the side - no problem. clean me option is working. descaling process works 50/50. but 1 / 2 cup coffee - water just won't flow and it ends all in drip tray the water tubes look very clean. some say that airlock could be a problem, not sure if these coffee machines have such issue at all. I'll try to see that valve you mentioned and clean it with vinegar, maybe it helps hopefully I can drink coffee again :)))

Great Job,

Thank you sir, very informative. I seem to be having this same issue

Mr. Brown. Clearly the world has been waiting for your videos! My Breville has working steam, poor (and steamy) hot water output and low flow through the main coffee-making head. I'm suspecting a stuck/clogged solenoid valve. Would this make sense to you?

This was the video I needed! Ty

Thanks ... great insight ,I have much better understanding now after going through your video! Gonna be useful when my machine needs some tweaking!!

Amazing video thank you so much, this was a big help

Fantastic thank you! FYI in the UK its called the "Sage Barista Express". You might get a few more views if you add the word Sage somewhere in your description.

This rocks! Thanks for your effort!

Thank you for such a great contribution and for sharing such valuable information. I am having problems with 2 little things #1. I did the descale but the light is still on and I did the process 3 times thinking that the machine continued with the light on #2 the amount of water that comes out in hot water remains active for exactly 1 minute vacantly 1 3/4 rate

wow excellent

I fixed mine there was some blockage in the solenoids assembly between the right solenoid and the 90deg elbow...all that after changing the pump and realizing it was unsuccesfull....well at least now its working!

Genius, thanks

Thanks for taking the time to post such useful info! I replaced the pump on my BES870 because it developed a screeching sound with low pressure (after 5 years } ... initially it sounded normal when turned on but started the screech and low pressure before even one cup ...is there a check I should do before replacing the solenoid valve assembly? Thanks again

Very helpful, much thanks 🙏

Thank you very much for explaining in detail. The water is not stopping at 1 cup or 2 cup mark I have to press the button again. Tried factory resetting but still the same. Also tried to program the quantity of water to 1 oz for 1 cup and 2 oz for 2 cup but still the same. Hoping you might have any insight on this.

For the amount of money these things cost, they are junk. I have another Chinese one that costs 10 time less and never had a problem with it in the 2 years I owned one. This one costs £550 in the UK and broke down twice. Your videos helped a lot

Thanks for taking the time to make this video. Breville has been zero help in troubleshooting this with me. Question for you. I turn on the steam and water wand and nothing comes out, the water actually comes out of the espresso area which makes me think there is a blockage somewhere? The wand it'self isn't blocked because when I take off the tip nothing comes out, regardless. Any thoughts or ideas on what to clean?

Thank you for the Video! While brewing should there be water running from the 2 way solonoid to the diffuser ? or does this show that the 2 way cant close properly ? Because my machine doesnt have good pressure and might loose it at that point.

awesome

Какой вы молодец 👏 все так Хорошо объясняете 😊

Thanks for this amazing video! It really helped me understand how these things work! I have a similar issue to some other comments, but I can't seem to figure out exactly what's happening; perhaps you can help? Can pull a shot just fine. The hot water valve also works and continues working as long as I run it. My issue is with the steam valve. When switching to steam, it will heat up and water and steam will come out for about 10-20 seconds, then it will stop completely. The water pump is still thumping, but it looks like no water is flowing to the steam valve. It's also not flowing through the steam valve overflow or through the group head. If I switch it to hot water it also won't flow there. When I press a shot button, all of the steam escapes through the group head at once, along with water for the shot. Then I can repeat the process and run the steam until it stops again. It seems like maybe something is stopping the flow when it gets too hot for the steam? Could it be the 3-way valve? If it was stuck on then I think it would run through the group head, but if it was stuck off, it would go through the steam (or steam overflow). It appears that something is stopping the flow as soon as it gets up to steam temp (which I assume is hotter than all other modes). Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

very informative.Thanks

Nice video, for anyone who never seen inside one they might find it hard to follow but you did a good job explaining it:) I always say take pictures before you take it apart if you don't know where it will go after it's not where it use to be hahaha. Or you could just run this video and freeze frame it to look alike and hope for the best!

Great explanation!

Thanks, very informative. I do not have any pressure at the head, so think it may be that pump or solenoid. Plenty of steam and hot water out the steam pipe.Where did you obtain the solenoid? Thanks,Brian

Very helpful Thank you

Thank you for such detailed explanation. I have replaced the 3 way and 2 way valve and cleaned all hoses out; still the steam wand and hot water will not work. Any suggestions?

Hi thank you so much for the video. I wonder where can I buy a replacement for the plastic adapter tube that connects on top of the valve. I am having problems finding it. Thanks in advance!!!1

Hi thanks for the video, it has been a great help. Mine is doing that valve nose you have mentioned, so I have taken the solenoids off, now I am wondering do I need to replace both solenoids or will I get away with changing the right hand one only. Could you advice?

I’ll be buying a 2-way solenoid after watching this. My machine is barely sending any water through the grouphead and instead is leaking at full force into the drip tray when trying to pull a shot.

Thank you for your videos. My BES870XL stopped making expresso a while ago. There is no water coming out from the group head when pressing the expresso/coffee button. Steam and hot water work just fine. I followed the steps from your other video to put in a new solenoid. The first thing I noticed is every time I plug the machine into the outlet, there is an audible clicking sound from the solenoid. I didn't recall hearing something similar in the past. The second thing I noticed is hot water will drip for a good 10-20 seconds from the group head every time the machine completes its initiation cycle after the power is turned on. With the new solenoid, I now have water coming out form the group head after pressing the expresso/coffee button. However, when turning on steam or hot water, the steam and hot water come out from the group head instead of the steam wand or hot water outlet. I put the old solenoid back to test if there's any blockage in the delivery of steam and hot water but they both function correctly. I am wondering if I received a defective solenoid but I don't know how to verify.

For anyone who finds this video: ISSUE: Steam and/or water coming from head when selected to hot water or steam. PROBLEM: 3-Way solenoid was caked with mineral deposits. FIX: remove solenoid clip from bottom of 3 way valve with side cutter, remove hoses connected to solenoid, remove wires to solenoid. Remove solenoid valve by percussive means, soak on vinegar or other mineral remover. Clean with soft brushes, and clean waterway to steam/hot water selector. Make sure that solenoid plunger moves freely in body. Reassemble is reverse of removal.

Really helpful thanks!

Thank you very much. It's so well explained and detailed. I have a Breville BES 840XL and the water don't stopped with the 1 or 2 cups setting. If I follow your explanation, the flow meter would be the problem ? What else should I check ? Thank you

Hi R Brown, thanks for all your material about Breville Espresso Machines! It is really great!! I have Breville BES860XL Barista Express Espresso Machine with Grinder and once a plug the machine and I turn the switch I got a tripping breaker. Any suggestion? Thanks!

Thanks so much for a great rundown on how the machine works. Was able to buy a new solenoid rack and repair my son's machine because of your excellent video-so I got brownie points there! Now a friends machine wont work after a lightning strike to the electricity supply. Any thoughts? Fuse?

This was really helpful thank you! I've got a leak coming out of the elbow join closest to the hopper side and can't work out why. I changed the o ring which helped a bit, but im still not getting hot water or steam and can still see hot water dripping out. before I changed the o ring turning the switch to either hot water or steam wasn't doing anything and now it's making noises again so its definitely helped, but not fixed! Any ideas?