tiedyeguy64 Senior Member Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 1 Location: S. Windsor, CT, USA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sun Jan 20, 2008, 7:39pm Subject: Problem with Technivorm KBT741 thermal
After months of debating spending the $$$, I decided to get a Technivorm coffeemaker in mid-June 2006. The normal sources (Boyd's, Sweet Marias) had been out of stock for a while with no in stock date; I happened upon a small batch specialty roasting compnay while traveling on buisiness, and purchased it a purchased a technivorm KBT741 10 cup thermal from them.
When I first got it, I fell in love. The coffee was exquisite; brewing was fast & quiet. It ruined coffee made anywhere else for me. I actually tested the water temp straight out of the shower head; consistently ran at 201 to 202 degrees.
In about Nov 2007, I noticed the brew time increasing - to about 18 minutes for a full carafe. I also noticed the taste had dropped off, the coffee temp has dropped off, and that I have had to increase the amount of grounds to get as strong a brew as previously. I regularly descale the machine, so it is not a build up of scale or other deposits, and use only triple filtered water (filtered through the fridge once, and then through (2) Brita filters).
The taste has dropped off so much that my wife is ready to go out and buy another coffee brewer - and NOT another Technivorm.
Is there anything I can do to check that the machine? Any way to get it fixed or checked?
The company I purchased it from has not helped at all. I love my Technivorm, and don't want to lose it - but I am having difficulty justifying spending another $200+ for a new one when this one hasn't lasted.
Eiron Senior Member Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 194 Location: Loveland, Colorado Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Quick Mill 0930 Grinder: Quick Mill 031, Solis 166 Drip: Technivorm KBTS Roaster: frying pan & wooden spatula
Posted Thu Jan 24, 2008, 3:59pm Subject: Re: Problem with Technivorm KBT741 thermal
Hi Guy,
It's unfortunate that the company you bought from is not supporting their sale. If it were my machine, I'd contact Technivorm directly. You won't get a same-day reply, but both times I've emailed them I've gotten replies within a few days.
If it's taking 18 minutes (?!) to brew a 1-1/4 liter pot, then it sounds like a heating element (or thermal switch?) problem. A power surge might have damaged these components. Low voltage can also be a problem, but you'd see other electrical eqpt having issues if that were the case. As has been mentioned before, the boiling water pushes itself up the distribution column & out the shower head. The water at my altitude (5,280 ft) actually starts to boil as low as 165°F, so if your heating element is no longer getting as hot as before then you might be getting just-barely-hot-enough-to-boil water. Just out of curiosity, what has the coffee temp dropped off to? (Are you still measuring the temp at the shower head?)
-Greg
"Just what I need - another 'geek' label..." - my friend Mark, on being told of Coffee Geek's existence
javanomad Senior Member Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 2 Location: American Southwest Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Grindmaster 2450 Grinder: Various Bunns Drip: Bunn, Curtis, Etna
Posted Sat Jan 26, 2008, 1:23am Subject: Re: Problem with Technivorm KBT741 thermal
I've had this problem with other Technivorm brewers. On the one that crossed my workbench, there was a small in-line check valve/strainer fitting. I punched a hole in the strainer with a safety pin - problem solved. Even following deliming procedures, there are particulates native to any water system that will eventually clog the strainer.
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