Coffee machine not drawing water: causes
Author: AMT SerwisUpdated:
An automatic coffee machine that will not draw water can be frustrating, but it is often a fault that is easy to clear with a few simple steps. In this article we go through several possible causes and how to fix them.
Check the water tank
Sometimes the fix for a machine that is not delivering water is very simple — just check that there is enough water in the tank. An automatic coffee machine will not work if the tank is empty or the level is below minimum. Most machines today will tell you when the water level is too low, but on older models, or ones that do not display a refill message, it is easy to overlook that the level has dropped or the tank has run dry.
Another thing worth checking is where the water tank is sitting — more precisely, whether it is seated correctly. It happens that when you put the tank back after refilling it, you do not notice that it has not gone in properly. A stray coffee bean or another small object getting underneath the tank is enough to guarantee a water supply problem.
Then there is the inside of the tank itself. If your machine is struggling to draw water, make sure there is nothing inside the tank that could block the flow. In that case it is always a good idea to rinse the tank out and refill it with clean water.
Air blocking the water supply
An airlock is a minor but very persistent fault, where trapped air blocks the water supply. The most common causes are too little water in the tank (or none at all) and changing the water filter. In both cases air can get into the system and stop the water flowing, and the machine will fail to draw water. The fix is to run enough hot water through the machine, which you do by selecting the rinse function.
Limescale blocking the water flow
We have covered limescale many times. Descaling comes up in practically every discussion of coffee machine problems and faults, and this case is no exception. Scale that has built up in the lines or other components can cause a water supply problem. So if the appliance is not working properly, it is always worth descaling the machine. If you suspect that scale is behind the fault, we recommend doing the job with dedicated coffee machine care products, ideally the ones the manufacturer recommends. We are not against home remedies for descaling, but in a case like this they may simply prove too weak and ineffective.
If you have checked everything above and carried out the steps described, and the machine still will not draw water, the cause may lie in one of the appliance's components not working correctly. Repairing that yourself can be a challenge, especially if you are not a keen home mechanic.
Would you like a free estimate of what the repair will cost? Get in touch.
The machine won't draw water — check the flow meter
The flow meter in a coffee machine controls the flow of water through the appliance, and a faulty one can lead to a range of problems, including trouble drawing water. If the flow meter fails, it has to be replaced.
A faulty pump
Trouble drawing water can be a sign of a failing water pump. The pump moves water from the tank into the machine and builds the pressure needed to brew coffee. If the pump is damaged, the machine may struggle to draw water or to brew at all. In that case the pump has to be repaired or replaced.
The machine won't draw water — what now?
An automatic coffee machine can fail to draw water for any number of reasons. Alongside the most common causes listed above, you can add a blocked hot water tap, loose or worn hoses, and problems with the water sensor. Tracing the source of the fault is not always easy, but we hope the guidance here has been useful.
If you need the support of our technicians and coffee machine repair specialists, get in touch. Remember that at AMT Serwis you can request a free repair cost estimate.