Saeco Royal Professional. It has a false "grinder blocked" error.

[dupczyciel1]

I get this error message. According to old post I cleaned grinder and out chamber - not helped. So I disassemble grinder to motor and cleaned once again - not helped. Grinder motor is working, after 2-3 sec of working machine stops with this error. Probably CPU doesn't get the signal that motor is okay. How does the CPU get this information, there is some sensor or there is current measure? Any ideas? Please help.

[wraper]

If it's a brushed motor with only 2 wires, then only current sensing is possible. Also note that if motor is still spinning, it doesn't necessarily mean it's OK.

[Pfriemler]

With the Saecos, the upper ball bearing under the grinder often gets dirty. The very stiff bearing then generates the error message via the current monitoring.
Check in any case.

[VeloSol]

Pfriemler, thank you for this!

I had completely torn down and put back the grinder burr assembly and it hadn't solved the grinder blocked message, looking at the service manual (https://www.commentreparer.com/doc/13908/SAECO-ROYAL-service-manual.pdf ) I was able to go into the service menu (from energy saving, press preground, medium coffee, small coffee all at once then tap Menu...maybe) it briefly displays the firmware version then shows input switches on the first line (eg dregs drawer, doser, brew unit presence, etc) and the second line will light as you press buttons. The buttons trigger doser electromagnet, grinder, brew unit direction, etc. This way I was able to confirm the motor (and attached burr) still moved OK.

The automated cycle still didn't like it so I gently backed off the left-hand thread torx-10 head screw (ie screwed it slightly clockwise to loosen) and I was then able to pull shots again! Almost 24,000 coffees on this unit and this was the hardest repair (not that any of them have been too bad).

The bearings and their tensioning springs can be seen at https://imgur.com/a/UZfPoFz along with the body underneath the lower burr holder. Be sure to vacuum up any coffee without vacuuming up the rubber shock absorbers before reassembly (the holder and springs go in then balls on springs then burr, nylon screw cap and lefthand thread screw.