Threes solutions to help you …
Today we received an email from Cathy who was frustrated that no matter how much she cleaned their brewer it kept producing grounds in the cup, whether using coffee or tea pods for the drink. So after looking at what we had produced for this section of our problem solving pages we thought we better improve what we had.
Set out below are the three main causes we see for this problem and three corresponding solutions to get you back to making your favorite hot drink.
Causes of the Problem
Clogged Needles
The build of up of grounds in the entry and / or exit needles can cause the passage of these grounds into your cup. In particular where a machine is used on a regular basis, and coffee is main drink produced, the grounds can build up over time.
Entry Needle Gasket Washer
In the picture below (from our B60) one can see the small rubber gasket that sits around the entry needle. Ensuring there is a proper seal around the needle, and the K Cup when the hole is punctured into the top of the pod, is the sole purpose of this small piece of rubber.
But if the gasket is damaged or loose then the seal will not be properly made and this can lead to water and / or grounds being released under pressure from the K Cup and passing into your cup below.
Entry Needle Damage
The last cause we have seen of this problem is damage to the entry needle itself. If the needle has become loose or blunted in some way this can lead to a bigger than normal hole being produced in the top of the pod and this movement therefore allows the release of grounds in to your cup.
Solutions to the Problem
Solution One – Cleaning the Needles
To assist with the cleaning of the needles we have produced a guide that takes you through the steps, the things to watch out for, and what to use in the process. This guide can be found by following through this link.
Solution Two – Entry Needle Gasket Replacement
If the needles are all clear then the next thing we would look at is the gasket around the entry needle. Pictured below is the type of thing you need to buy. We have this spare part listed on our parts page or you can click on the image below and it will take you to ebay.com (our preferred supplier of spares these days). Priced at around $6.00 it is a small outlay to help you back to making your favorite coffee again.
You should be able to remove the gasket from around the entry needle without too much hassle. But do watch your fingers on the VERY sharp entry needle. Make sure the gasket is clean and has no cracks or other signs deterioration.
Solution Three – Entry Needle Replacement
If instead of a needle clean, or a gasket replacement, you think the needle is damaged or loose then a replacement is the next step. It’s not a big job and we have guidance material that will help you along the way. The link here will take you through to our repair guide in putting in a new entry needle. It’s a bit more involved compared to solutions one or two, but doesn’t take a lot of work.
If none of these solutions have worked for you, get in touch with us using the Contact Us page and we can then see what other options there might be.