Vibiemme Minimax

[budandbeans]

Hey guys. I bought this machine used a few weeks ago and haven't been able to make a single cup of coffee. None of the buttons work, the boiler never seems to fill, I can't do anything with it.

I've used many different commercial and home espresso machines before. Anyone with a Minimax know what I'm doing wrong?

[TOK]

Welcome to Cs.

It's been a while, but I seem to remember that on some older electronic VBM models you could isolate the black box right out of the system with a push button switch, found somewhere on the working face of the machine OR perhaps under the front top panel / facing downwards (the panel that holds the touch pad and steam and hot water valves).

However even with the push button activated (to effectively switch off the black box), you should still (I think....memory...) be able to use the manual group switch to make coffee and of course fill the boiler manually with the fill valve (but the auto fill and electronics wont work).

As I said however....its been a while. See if you can find a push button or toggle switch that doesnt seem to have any obvious function, switch it on/off and see if it results in activation or not of the functions per above.

It doesnt help that VBM never labelled anything that didnt have an obvious function...

Hope that helps.

[Vinitasse]

hmmm... buttons not working and boiler not filling

option 1... take it to a coffee machine technician

option 2... toss it in the bin and buy a working machine

[budandbeans]

Hey, TOK. Can't seem to find the switch. The manual switch for the right brew head on the right off the machine does a horrible job, producing weak, thin mice tails and sour coffee. I'm really, really disappointed with this machine.

[budandbeans]

The idiot who sold it to me isn't responding. I'd love to be able to throw it out but I'm not a rich man and I need the money back.

[chokkidog]

The idiot who sold it to me isn't responding. I'd love to be able to throw it out but I'm not a rich man and I need the money back.

Sorry?? Say what?? Which idiot?? I guess it was working just fine when the seller ran the demo you asked for?? :-D

[budandbeans]

Turns out it's the light in the center of the console, and yes, I am the idiot.

[TOK]

Glad you worked it out.....lot of assumptions here...

I am assuming your post immediately above this means, that my memory was on the right track about there being an isolating switch on the machine somewhere, in this case on the front panel. Also, remembering that VBM had (and may still have) a thing for round push buttons (rather than toggle switches where separate on/off positions are obvious), then I am assuming the push button was activated (in the "pushed in" position) with light on, and simply looked like some kind of an "activation light" for the machine being on, rather than an obvious on/off switch for some function.

All of that aside, the brewed coffee result you obtained when using the standby "manual" group on/off switch will be no different to that which you will get by using the electronic touch pad/s.

Which means you still need to sort other things to get good coffee from the set up.

Hope that helps.

[budandbeans]

Yeah, the water still only dribbles out. Any solutions?

[TOK]

Trouble is I dont have the machine in front of me to check for myself and dont know how you have it rigged up.

EG If it is a plumb in model and was previously hooked up to the mains, but you are running it out of a container, then it could be as simple as you (someone) hasnt adjusted the pump pressure to account for the lack of mains boost while running out of a container.....

[budandbeans]

Is this what you're talking about? How should it be adjusted? Thanks for all the help so far.