Learn how to test the element on Bezzera espresso machines.
1. Lay down a towel or foam paid and lay the machine on its back. Using a 3mm Allen wrench remove the four screws that hold on the access panel for the element.
2. Put your meter on this setting here where we will be checking continuity and resistance.
3. Remove the neutral and hot wire from the element, they are outlined in yellow in the picture below.
4. Place one meter lead on one element terminal and your other lead on the second element terminal. You should have around 12 ohms. Most meters will also play a sound when continuity is present. If your meter plays sound, you will want to hear an audible tone when touching both of these terminals. If no sound is heard or the screen shows “OL” then the element has failed.
5. Next you will want to touch one meter lead to one element terminal and the other meter lead to the metal base of the element. There should be no continuity present. If you hear an audible sound then the element has fractured, and is no longer functioning properly. Repeat this test on the other terminal as well.
6. If the element tests fine then I would test voltage to the element. The pictures supplied in this article are of the machine on its back, however you will want to perform this test with the machine upright. You will want to remove the housing of the machine. You can find our housing removal video here.
7. Set your meter to volts.
8. Please note that this section requires testing with the machine live. If you are not comfortable working with electricity please DO NOT proceed. With the machine upright you will wand to remove the hot wire from the element. This is usually represented by the black wire, seen in the picture below. Remove the black wire from the element terminal and insert the lead from your multimeter into it. Once inserted, make sure it is not touching anything metal around it and plug in the machine. Place the water reservoir into the machine and turn it on. Take the second wire from your meter and touch it to a ground. For this you can just touch your lead to one of the copper water lines in the machine. If you see 120v then the element is receiving power. If voltage is present but the machine is not heating, the element has failed.
