DISCONTINUED Lelit PL62T Mara Espresso Machine with PID Display

It possibly needs a new pump, but it may be the solenoid valve or other parts. Net step is to have a professional evaluate the machine.

Remove water softener and test as outlined. If it can not reach minimum 9 bar, then a descaling should occur OR a new pump may be needed.  If it reaches 9 bar, it may be the water softener.

If the water tank has a magnet, make sure it is floating inside. Make sure the magnet is on the left side. Otherwise, it can be the switch under the reservoir, or wiring, or the brain unit. It does becomes a guess on the parts. Sorry, we could not be more specific.

Sorry, at this age, the machine should be evaluated by a professional. It can be the power switch, damaged wiring, low water cut off switch, the safety thermostats and/or the heating element.

Please read our article on gauges and manometers. Based on design, the heat exchanger overheats in as little as 5 minutes from inactivity. What is probably happening is the water is evaporating over several hours. If this did not happen before, then it 'can' mean there is a steam leak somewhere and the heat exchanger is filling up with water in the latter times. This is why customers do flushes on E61 machines when there is inactivity.

If the pump works, please remove any water softener and test the brew pressure gauge with the blind filter inserted into the portafilter. Lift the lever up for 45 seconds and see if the gauges moves to 9 or higher.

If the gauge reads 9 or higher, then it is not the machine. It may be a clogged water softener or your grind settings.

If the gauge does not reach 8-9 bar, then it may be a bad pump that needs replacement.

It sounds like gauge is limescaled up. Please remove the water softener and run a descaler, like Dezcal, only through the grouphead - about 16 ounces - and let sit overnight. Then run another 15 ounces. Rinse reservoir and and fill tank with water. Flush out 8 ouces through the grouphead every 30 minutes until the reservoir is empty. Test again with blind.

Chances are the machine was sitting for more than 2 weeks and the solenoid valve for the boiler refill became clogged with dried water or limescale. Otherwise, the solenoid valve is defective.

Remove the reservoir, take all the water out, fill with white vinegar, and run 2 (8 ounce) cups through grouphead. When you turn on the machine, you will hear the pump turn on within 30 seconds because it is trying to fill the boiler. Do not heat machine at all until the problems stops as this could damage the heating element. Power off and let sit for 2 hours.

Repeat until you see vinegar stops exiting the return hose or if you power on and the pump does not engage within 30 seconds.

Once the valve is cleared, you will need to remove the white vinegar from the boiler and these descaling instructions (rinsing section starting at step 17) can be used.

Here are the differences:

Construction - Stainless Steel

Body style, including drip tray, body, top cup warmer grill are different.

Water Reservoir

PL62T - pull from hoses above the reservoir

PL62X - bottom gravity feed

Pump

PL62T - standard vibration pump

PL62X - vibration pump that is about 10% quieter

PID Sensor Positioning

PL62T - One PID sensor on top of the boiler only

PL62X - One PID sensor on top of the boiler to manage steam, and the 2nd PID sensor on the bottom of the thermosyphon loop to manage the temperature of water in the heat exchanger for grouphead. IN X mode, priority temp is given to the coffee side for temperature stability. In non-X mode, priority given to the steam side with very little priority for water temperature stability at grouphead

Temperature Programming

PL62T has a PID display to program the desired temperature of the boiler

PL62X has a 3 position switch to program 90-92, 92-94, and 94-96 d °C

Usage - Espresso

PL62T does require a cooling flush but then can do back to back espresso shots

PL62X In X mode (switch on right-hand side pushed up), the optimal programmed temperature is achieved at the 24-30 minute mark after start up. At 30-60 minutes after start-up, there is a little over temp. After 60 minutes it settles to the desired temp. However, after pulling the first shot, the temperature increases by 1 degree C over-programmed temp for the second shot. 3rd and more shots continually to increase in temp. Hence, X mode is not good for entertaining, but then the switch on the right side is pushed down for regular heat exchanger mode.

Usage - Steam

PL62T -Standard like other heat exchangers

PL62X - In X mode, during the first extraction, the heating element turns on to prepare for steaming/frothing milk.

Please go the diagrams on our web site and search the part code on our web site for the grouphead gasket. We are unsure what you mean by rubber mounts as the water softener connects to the hose.

If the espresso is not hot, this means your grouphead is not properly heated at start up or your preparation needs to be improved. The PID does reflect the temperature in the boiler AND does not reflect the temperature of the grouphead.

If the slit is small, just trim the hose a little.

It is best to get a grouphead thermometer as every machines rate of heat loss at the grouphead is different.

Please read our article on GFIC.

If you are using pure water, the boiler may be overfilling, and there is extra spritzing at the vacuum valve. We have another article for this. This is probably why the brew pressure drops when extracting. Otherwise, it can be limescale that causes the same problem.

The solenoid valve has dried water or limescale that is not allowing water to pass to refill the boiler. This is confirmed by water returning to the reservoir when the machine is powered on. We suggest removing the water softener, running a descaler through the machine for 2 minutes, power down for 20 minutes, let sit for 20 minutes, run more descaler for 2 minutes, power down for 20 minutes. Repeat until you hear the machine refill the boiler and ery little solution is being released from the return hose.

Please note that keeping your machine powered on without the boiler refilling can damage the heating element.

Yes, it has auto boiler refill circuitry.

Yes, but we can not guarantee every aftermarket basket will fit.

Sorry, we do not have any alternatives at this time.

A 58mm bottomless for E61 groupheads should fit: 1st-line's version 50890, Lelit's version.

The steam pressure range on the gauge is normal between 0.8 and 1.2 and it depends upon what the PID is set to. The needle will fluctuate while the boiler cools and reheats.

Every customer's outlet has different voltages, and this can impact the performance of the machine. Try to start steaming milk when the needle is higher on the gauge. It also depends upon the temperature of the milk and frothing technique.

Lastly, bleed the steam wand of water built up before steaming milk.

Yes, the grouphead is noticeably different.

Please read.

We are sorry to hear this. It may not be the switch itself, but the supporting bracket behind the switch. Please unplug the cord fromt he elctrical outlet. Allow the machine to cool down. Remove the reservoir, then the top panel screws and the lower body panel screws (5 of them). Slide the body panel off towards the back. please check the brack behind the switch and re-attach. If ok, please email us directly with a picture of the inside.

The pressurstat should be brought down so the steam boiler pressure gauge reads 0.9 maximum. Limescale also can make it worse as the water can not flow as good through the system.

Yes, this machine uses a hard switch so a smart plug can be used.

Thank you for your inquiry and patience. This vacuum/bleeder valve is compatible on the Mara produced before this answer date.

Copper with brass fittings.

Please note that we normally do not allow external links to other web sites as we are not responsible for any information that is there or changes without our knowledge.

It could be the pump, but unlikely. It could also be the boiler refill solenoid valve allowing water to backtrack to the pump, OPV, or air release valve. The heat issue indicates a faulty brain unit. However, we could be wrong as the only way to test it is replace it.

Lelit produces high quality espresso machines. The machines are designed based more on a client's usage. If more steam power is needed or desired for lots of milk, then the Mara is more desirable because the steam boiler is larger in capacity and power. The efficiency of one heating element to heat allows quicker recovery of heat in the steam boiler. The PID controller is on the boiler, and this has an indirect temperature control of the water in the grouphead and coffee extraction. Hence, since this less controlled, the espresso would, in theory, not come out as good a double boiler machine. However, if steaming/frothing a lot of milk, the milk will dilute the espresso.

In the Elizabeth espresso machine, there are two boilers - one coffee boiler for espresso/hot water and one for the steam boiler. The electricity goes to one boiler then the other, alternating between the two, to heat each boiler. 110 volts is not enough to heat both boilers at the same time. Hence, if steaming/frothing a lot of milk, one can run out of steam if making multiple espresso extractions at the same time. The reason is that the espresso boiler usually has priority. However, if making more espresso extractions is desired, the espresso will come out better.

We hope this information helps.

Other customers have been successful with the 8mm portafilter gasket for the Lelit Mara espresso machine line. However, if you feel more comfortable with a thicker gasket, we do sell an 8.5mm portafilter gasket.

Filtered water is not softened water. From the sound of it, you should be ok. However, we suggest using the Lelit softener MC747.

All backflush detergents on our web site are approved for the Lelit Mara espresso machines. However, we do not recommend descaling due to degrading or orings and metals.

Please shut off machine to reset.

Magnetic float tube needs to be on left side.Take out reservoir from machine, empty and make sure the magnetic float moves within the inner tube. Sometimes, limescale can make it get stuck. Fill reservoir 3/4 and put tank up to the light to see if the float moved up. If it did not, the tank may need to be descaled or replaced.

The back flush disc is THE pressure test that the pump can achieve 9 bars or higher (depending upon factory setting of OPV), not have a leak, and show the gauge working.

Unfortunately, this is

a grinder issue,

grind fineness issue,

amout of coffee in the basket issue,

a tamping issue,

or a combination of any the aforementioned concerned areas. Please keep in mind the brew pressure gauge is not a pump pressure gauge, but a gauge to measure the resistance of the ground coffee in the filter basket.

It is best to check the cord with a continuity tester to confirm the cord is defective.

Sorry to hear about this. It could the reservoir needs more water. It could also be the float in the reservoir is getting stuck near the bottom, or the wires connected behind the power switch  have loosened. The last one would mean disconnecting the power cord from the electrical outlet, then allowing the machine to fully cool. The top screws holding the top panel need to be removed. The bottom screws holding the wraparound body panel would need to be removed. All wires inside the machine should be inspected.

The pump pressure should only be read when making espresso. At all other times, it has no meaning. A pump pressure of 4 bar usually means there is a problem with the grind fineness of the ground beans, the grinder, a water softener in tank that needs to be recharged, an faulty overpressure valve (OPV), a very low possibility of a failing pump (most pumps usually just quit with no in between), or a very low possibility of a faulty gauge (faulty gauges usually do not move at all because there is a blockage in its capillary tube).

To test the pump, put in a blind filter, lift the lever and check to see the pump pressure goes over 8 bar on the gauge. If it does, its the grinder or ground coffee.

If it does not, recharge the (optional) water softener. Check to see when running the pump, the hose is not sucking up against the reservoir wall. Test again with the blind filter.

Next, to clear the OPV and gauge, remove the softener, and put in descaling solution in the tank, keeping the blind in the portafilter, lift the lever for 1 minute and return the lever to the down position. Let sit for 20 minutes. Repeat. Rinse the reservoir and fill with water. If there is a shorter return hose, place outside machine and catch drippings in a container. Rinse for 1 minute with blind in portafilter and lever up. Rest 3 minutes and repeat twice to flush out the descaling solution.

If the issue does not resolve, it can be the pump (rare) or the OPV (rare).

https://www.1st-line.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/PID-Overview-PL41-PL60.pdf