Re: Knackered Visacreme pro machine

Ian Rawlings wrote: 
Hello all, I have a Visacreme FGX1 single-group machine that hasn't
worked for about 6 months now, and I'm getting tired of press-pot.
I've stripped the machine down to discover how it works and seem to
have tracked the problem down to either the pump or the motor.

Even when the pump inputs and outputs are removed, the motor can't
spin the pump every time, it just sits there stock still and hums.  If
I repeatedly flick the button on the front (for drawing coffee) it
starts turning the motor on about the 6th-10th flick, and once it's
turning it seems to turn fine.  When I remove the pump from the motor
it spins up fine every time without fail, and the pump can be turned
relatively easily with a pair of pliers on the shaft but can't be
turned by twisting the (flat) shaft alone.  The pump was replaced a
short time ago so should be OK.

This leads me to think that either the motor is weak, or the motor
needs a greater impulse to start it turning.  There is a large
capacitor on the side of the motor which might be used to help the
motor overcome the initial reluctance of the pump to turn, I don't
know much about these things so I'm guessing here.

It could also be that the previous pump and the new pump are both
stiff (symptoms didn't change when the pump was changed), the machine
did run for about 4 months with an intermittently sticking valve on
the output from the motor so both the motor and the pump have for some
time had to push against a closed valve.

Another possibility is that the controller board isn't supplying
enough current any more.  Without knowing what the outputs should be,
it's hard to test for this though.  I will probably try wiring the
motor direct to the mains (once I've confirmed that it takes switched
mains from the board) to rule this in or out.

Anyone have any ideas on all of this?

Cheers for any pointers.


Try a new Start capacitor. Available in the sizes that grinders use in Maplins (8-12uf) - just check the uf rating (excuse the typo, can't be bothered to cut and paste the correct symbol).

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Regards,
Danny

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