Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

I think my ECM Synchronika is a lemon

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • I think my ECM Synchronika is a lemon

    Hi guys, After years of saving and then months of waiting for the machine to be imported into the country, I finally received my ECM Synchronika 2 weeks ago. It worked perfectly for 2 days and then the power switch failed. Attempting to switch the machine on resulted in the circuit tripping in the house. I submitted it to a local technician and he fixed it and had it back to me the following day. $150 was no big deal in the grand scheme of things. It was annoying being without the machine but I was used to waiting at this stage. I could have sent the machine all the way back to the supplier and had this done under warranty for free but that would have meant being without it for weeks. The machine worked perfectly again for another 4 days until this morning. The machine can't seem to fill the steam boiler with water. When turning the machine on, the rotary pump attempts to fill the steam boiler continuously until it finally gives up and the machine turns itself off. Has anyone else ran into this issue? Is it an easy fix? The magnetic water level sensor is working and there is plenty of water in the tank. I'm in Canberra where the water profile is quite soft and there is no obvious blockage in the water tank. I think I might have a lemon

  • #2
    Give your vendor a call. They can refer you to a local repair agent to have the machine repaired under warranty. They may even refund the $150 for the electrical fault. The other important thing about handling through the vendor is that the faults are documented if indeed the machine turns out to be a lemon.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by flynnaus View Post
      Give your vendor a call. They can refer you to a local repair agent to have the machine repaired under warranty. They may even refund the $150 for the electrical fault. The other important thing about handling through the vendor is that the faults are documented if indeed the machine turns out to be a lemon.
      Thanjs mate. Good advice.

      Comment


      • #4
        Have you bought this from an overseas seller by any chance? I really hope not, but that’s how I read your first post.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by LeroyC View Post
          Have you bought this from an overseas seller by any chance? I really hope not, but that’s how I read your first post.
          No I haven't. I'm in Canberra and seller is in Sydney

          Comment


          • Barry O'Speedwagon
            Barry O'Speedwagon commented
            Editing a comment
            Presumably the vendor will refer you to Cosmorex who are (or were) an authorised service agent for ECM. But as LeroyC says, I'd be talking to the vendor and await further instructions from them.

        • #6
          Originally posted by adegrub21 View Post
          No I haven't. I'm in Canberra and seller is in Sydney
          Phew, that’s good. In that case I’d just be dealing with the vendor. Did they send you to the local repairer that you used? If not they might get a little funny about it, but as long as they’re a reputable service centre it shouldn’t void the warranty. It definitely sounds like your machine has faulty electrics. It could be a simple and cheap fix or it could be a stuffed control board. Either way, as annoying as it is, just put it in the hands of the retailer at this point.

          Comment


          • #7
            The down side to buying something is not local is warranty are usually back to base.
            Always contact the seller first.
            As a side note a factory service agent can give 24mths warranty so if you purchased it from an authorised ECM service centre you will be covered for longer.

            Comment


            • Barry O'Speedwagon
              Barry O'Speedwagon commented
              Editing a comment
              Well, you don't have much choice buying local in Canberra. Cosmorex only sell the BFC variants (Diadema etc, which are great machines), or at least that's all they advertise. So if you want anything else it will have to come from interstate.

          • #8
            Thanks for the advice everyone. After much fiddling around I managed to solve the issue. The pump was air-locked. To solve the issue I filled the tank to maximum capacity to apply as much hydrostatic pressure on the water inlet as possible and then turned the machine on. I let the pump engage and attempt to prime/fill but if it was unsuccessful I'd turn it off and start the process again. After about three attempts I could hear an audible bubble and then the level in the tank started to drop as the pump successfully primed and filled the steam boiler. I really don't think this should ever happen but I thought I'd document this if anyone ever runs into this issue. I never really let the water tank get low but now I'm even more diligent and I don't let it drop below halfway.

            Comment


            • Ronin
              Ronin commented
              Editing a comment
              The ECM range have a low water level magnet sensor in the tank. The pump won’t engage if the water is too low

          • #9
            Bookmark this site.
            Also, if you haven't already done so, download the full manual from the ECM site
            But, as already recommended several times, contact the vendor. There is a risk of voiding your warranty by relying on unauthorised repairs, especially by yourself.

            Comment


            • #10
              I had ecm synchronica, bough in dec 19 arrived Jan 2020, was great for 6 months developed a leak, drove it back to the store, fixed leak, full service, 12 months later another leak, sent back to store, got damaged in transit on the way from the courier, ECM has no local office here and parts or whatever was needed was based in Italy, ECM was was at trade show in Milan couldn't’ contact etc. thankfully the awesome guys at di bartoli in Sydney decided after 4 weeks of no machine to end my suffering with store credit to value of the ECM so I took that and paid the difference and just got a Linea Mini as they actually have headquarters located in Sydney and will come to your home for servicing and warranty repair no shipping back and forth. That said ECM made a good coffee when it worked, the levers however needed lube all the time and squeaked, it was noisy when turning on, heating up and making coffee which was a annoyance as well, water would constantly drip from the little spot thing under the group head near the drip tray and from everywhere else I’ve seen on reddit and other forums etc apparently their QC or Parts of late have been having issues. For comparison I had a old $900 breville coffee machine bought back in 2015 lasted for years before going sideways but that was $900 not over $4000…

              Comment

              Working...
              X