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Sunbeam EM6910 Repair pointers...

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  • #31
    Thanks so much. I cleaned it with a tablet and descaled it the water came through quite clear I have to say. Even when the group head was unscrewed that seemed pretty clear and the seal looked good. The pressure gauge moves but only slightly so might wait on freshly ground coffee to make a call on that. It still tastes ok (better than instant anyway) just weak. The grounds come out of the filter after use compact and firm.

    The steam wand is annoying me no end it is so weak any advice on how to check that properly?

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    • #32
      Steam Wand

      Originally posted by Pennyc View Post
      Thanks so much. I cleaned it with a tablet and descaled it the water came through quite clear I have to say. Even when the group head was unscrewed that seemed pretty clear and the seal looked good. The pressure gauge moves but only slightly so might wait on freshly ground coffee to make a call on that. It still tastes ok (better than instant anyway) just weak. The grounds come out of the filter after use compact and firm.

      The steam wand is annoying me no end it is so weak any advice on how to check that properly?

      Hi again Pennyc

      Check the following for more info about a 6910 than you will probably ever wish to know (this was my first CS post, which is why I stored the link):-
      http://coffeesnobs.com.au/brewing-eq...tml#post507441

      Basically, the 6910 will steam brilliantly IF it is clean. Unfortunately, as I know I posted (prob on same thread) "correctly steam the milk or the wand will clog". I have seen quite a few shockers. Get your hubby to try cleaning it "properly", if that fails then take the wand off altogether and soak it in a good solvent (he should be able to use toluene safely: it has worked as a last resort on the worst ones I have seen).

      Do you have the SB 6910 DVD? It actually has the correct way to steam milk plus a few other 6910 tips worth knowing.

      Due to a snafu I have a few spare DVDs here in Rockingham: pay for postage and one is yours... (applies to any CSr's until I run out).

      TampIt
      Last edited by TampIt; 1 October 2014, 04:19 PM.

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      • #33
        Originally posted by TampIt View Post
        Hi again Pennyc

        Check the following for more info about a 6910 than you will probably ever wish to know (this was my first CS post, which is why I stored the link):-
        http://coffeesnobs.com.au/brewing-eq...tml#post507441

        Basically, the 6910 will steam brilliantly IF it is clean. Unfortunately, as I know I posted (prob on same thread) "correctly steam the milk or the wand will clog". I have seem quite a few shockers. Get your hubby to try cleaning it "properly", if that fails then take the wand off altogether and soak it in a good solvent (he should be able to use toluene safely: it has worked as a last resort on the worst ones I have seen).

        Do you have the SB 6910 DVD? It actually has the correct way to steam milk plus a few other 6910 tips worth knowing.

        Due to a snafu I have a few spare DVDs here in Rockingham: pay for postage and one is yours... (applies to any CSr's until I run out).

        TampIt
        May I have a copy also,I will pm details to you,just give me an idea what postage is and I can send direct deposit to get this going,thanks.
        Mick

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        • #34
          DVD's sent. TampIt

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          • #35
            Hey guys

            well the other half pulled it apart and it is still weak as anything here is what he looked at and found.
            took out pump and check internals and flushed the thermoblock everything looked clean no floaty bits chunks of discolouration put back together but steam is still weak as.

            when you turn it on you can hear the pump throbbing it takes awhile for any steam to come out when it does it is a small weak amount which seems to get a little stronger then weaker again.

            for a while when I had my hand on the steam control it would stay on but if I took my hand off it stopped so we thought it might be electrical but now it is going without keeping my hand on it.


            The back housing is still off while we are testing it and looking at the inlet tube into the pump it seems there is little flow into the pump there are a few bubbles in there and they aren't moving. The pump seemed to function ok when he tested it it didn't feel like it was catching anywhere the action seemed smooth.

            not sure if the pump action is supposed to be constant or if it is supposed to be throbbing.

            any tips or advice on what to look at next? Or is it a lost cause

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            • #36
              Get some cleaner fluid - I used Cino Cleano from my local roaster but white vinegar will do it as well - the thermoblocks are stainless steel lined so no worries - and add 60ml to about 1 litre of water in the tank. Run the steam until some comes through. Turn it off and let it sit for a while (10 minutes or so) then turn the steam on and let it run. Give it maybe 15 minutes or so - put a container under the nozzle to catch effluent.

              In my case there was an almighty spuuter and spitting and suddenly the steam was MUCH stronger and I had brown gunk in the container.

              TampIt is right about the incorrect steaming process in the manual - turning off the knob with the tip buried in milk is a good way to suck milk up into a very hot metal shaft, where it hardens and builds up. To get around this issue, turn the knob off and almost immediately, while there is stills team issuing from the tip, withdraw the jug smoothly from the wand. Do it so the movement is straight down the line of the wand and you won't have any issues with splattering milk.

              You could try using the larger wire bit on the probe thing attached to the rubber disk to poke up into the nozzle and see if there is blockage, but realistically, it's not going to be long enough to clear everything that's up there. A length of wire the same size might help, but still do the cleaner/let-it-run thing to make sure you get it all.

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              • #37
                Would the sunbeam de scale liquid I have work?

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                • #38
                  Should do - another source of problems is the crap they add to our water, so descale will help with that as well.

                  Do you have the descale filter in the water tank? If it is there and looks dark brown you can soak it in salt water for a day then let it dry out and put it back in.

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                  • #39
                    Remove the upper copper tube connecting the thermoblock output to the steam tap then turn on the steam.
                    If you have a section of silicone hose or something else to put over the thermoblock outlet to direct the steam away from the machine that would be ideal.

                    If you have sufficient steam leaving the thermoblock then you know the blockage is in the copper pipe, steam tap or steam arm.
                    Blow through the copper pipe and see if you encounter resistance. I have seen a few machines where this pipe is clogged.
                    Clean it in descaler and with some wire to poke through it.

                    Once reinstalled, unscrew the steam adjustment pin from the steam tap body. You will require a 13mm spanner to undo the retain ing nut that holds it in place. With it removed, press down on the steam microswitch to turn on the steam.
                    Does sufficient steam come out of where the steam dial used to be? If so, the blockage may be in the steam wand. I doubt it though.
                    If the blockage is not in the tip, shine a light up the steam wand and see if there is any contaminants.
                    I've repaired at least 15-20 EM6910's with poor steam power and it has never been a blockage in the wand that has been the problem.

                    The pump is meant to pulse and it doesn't output much water. Sometimes even if the pump looks and sounds right it is still the problem. I replaced a broken pump the other day with a brand new one from Sunbeam, looked and sounded perfect but the steam was weak and wet. Replaced the pump again, problem solved.
                    Pumps aren't that expensive though. If you have exhausted every other option, maybe try replacing it.

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                    • #40
                      Hi again all,

                      As suggested, we cracked the copper line at the thermoblock outlet to test the flow of steam and there was really not much happening there which pointed at a problem upstream (thermoblock / pump). To test the the pump we cracked the copper line just prior to the inlet of the thermoblock and re-tested. True to Noidle's description for the normal function of the pump, it didn't transfer a huge volume of fluid (maybe 120ml over a 5min period) but it did function, which now makes us think that the problem is downstream of the pump, probably the thermoblock itself, which is confusing 'cos on a previous occasion we syringed descaling fluid through it which seemed to flow through it fine. Still somehow suspect the thermoblock though.

                      Now just wondering whether anyone can point out something we may have overlooked otherwise we'll be focusing on further cleaning of the thermoblock and possible pump replacement.

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                      • #41
                        The thermoblock can flow fine and seem to have the same flow as a brand new thermoblock but scale can still be the problem.

                        What happens is the thermoblock no longer has the ability to recover its heat from the cold water being pumped into it. This means less than powerful and sufficient steam comes out of your steam arm as most of it is still just water not fully converted into super heated steam.

                        I've soaked a thermoblock in a powerful descaling solution (with the element connectors NOT submerged) for a day and a half and got a small improvement in steam power. It would take regular cycling of the water path in the block to have the best chance of success.

                        If you don't want to spend the money on retail costs for a new pump or thermoblock, send me a PM as I have access to the full range of Sunbeam spare parts at trade price.

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                        • #42
                          Thanks so much noidle22 have sent you a PM

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                          • #43
                            Any suggestions on where to start when diagnosing my machine. When powering up, the lights just keep flashing, never reaching operating temp. Prior to this happening the steam became very weak. I have had the sides off and the steam thermoblock is not getting even remotely warm. I am assuming it could be anything from circuit board to thermofuse to thermoblock itself. Any tips would be much appreciated.

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                            • #44
                              likely to be the thermo-fuse.

                              I blew a few on the steam TB
                              Test it by bypassing the fuse with a piece of insulated wire.

                              otherwise it may be a relay issue (i had those too) but the relay usually sticks on,
                              so the TB is always heating whenever the power-point is on

                              Finally it might be a thermostat issue or even a dead heating element.

                              But fuse is most likely.

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                              • #45
                                Hi again

                                just updating.

                                so we broke the line so the descale was just being pushed through the pump and thermoblock and we did get some very disgusting sticky brown stuff coming out. The steam was still not strong but got stronger and weaker. We turned the steam off for a few minutes and turned back on and very little came out we turned it off again then some more brown gunk so it looks like there is definitely a blockage probably in the thermoblock.

                                we saw a thread on here where someone filled up the thermoblock using a syringe and let the solution sit in the thermoblock for about 7 hours and then used wire and pressure to get the blockage moving. I think that is what we are planning next (this is of course the royal we as it is hubby doing all the fiddling while I stand there looking disgusted and what is coming out and dreaming of a new machine on interest free )

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