[panchovilla]

Hi there. Sorry, this may be very simple, but I cannot find an answer online. Can someone please let me know how current is distributed on this terminal block? My wife brought back this awesome espresso machine from europe, and I am trying to understand the wiring; the power cord goes directly to the main switch, and then wires exit the switch and enter this block with the numbers 1,2,3,4 and each number has 3 levels of connectors available to be plugged into it on each side. The pink wire (behind the red wire with yellow rings) comes in directly from the switch, and the blue (with yellow rings) and red (with yellow rings) go elsewhere on the machine. So if the pink wire has juice/current from the switch, does that mean that the red (with yellow rings) and the white and brown wires on the opposite end of the terminal also have juice (since these all 4 wires are on the same line of current on this terminal, in this case number 1)? Thank you,gerry

[ebaines]

The blue looks like it's isolated from the red & pink wires on a different set of terminals. But I suggest you use an ohm-meter to check whether the leads are all connected or not. Also - just curious but is this machine wired for 220-volt operation, or 110?

[smoothy]

I agree with ebains... you might have a very real problem getting it to work here because 220v in europe (reall 220v) is NOT the same as 220v in the USA (two 110v hots and a common). Unless its designed for possible use outside Europe, which would be the exception rather than the rule.

YOu really need to find a service manual for the item, because there were many, many manufacturers, each making many different models over the years.

[panchovilla]

Thank you. So therefore, each terminal carries different juice? 1 is not connected to 2 or 3, is this correct? The machine is completely disassembled. Can I still check the ohms? (where would the 2 terminals on my multimeter go for this test). Thanks again for your assistance and patience, and I eagerly await news from you.
<concerning the machine, I spoke to the manufacturer in italy, and they told me all I had to do to make it work in the USA is to change the heating element (resistance) to a 110v element, which I already bought, and will be installing soon. I am now just cleaning up the machine, disassembled it, and trying to understand where all the wiring goes and how the machine works. Sorry, I am not an engineer and beginning to learn these simple things>

[smoothy]

Have they been able to provide you with a wiring diagram for it?

We don't know instinctively what any of those wires go to specifically without having it in front of us to see where everything goes, and it really does matter that they all go to the exact right things.

[ebaines]

If the machine came wired with a 220-volt European style plug, it sounds as if all you need to do is replace the existing power cord with a US-type cord. If the existing power cord has three leads, two of them are "hot" and one is ground - connect the hot and neutral leads of the new US cord where the old European hot leads are connected, and the ground to wherever the European ground is connected. I see no need to dissect or analyze the rest of the wiring. But to answer your question about using an ohmmeter - test for resistance between each of the terminals. You may find (a) open circuit (i.e. they are not connected), (b) very low resistance (they are directly connected) or (c) resistance on the order of a few ohms (they are probably connected through the heating element). To properly differentiate between cases (b) and (c) you may have to disconnect all the wiring from the terminals under test.

[panchovilla]

Thanks. The issue is that the manufacturer sent me the wiring schematic, but this thing (is this a terminal block?) is not shown on the schematic, and, the previous owner re-did everything, the wiring, so that's why I am checking it, all of this wiring (I will be attaching the schematic). So to clarify, terminal 1 is independent of terminal 2 & 3 & 4?

[ebaines]

I suggest you compare the wire colors on the schematic against what you have - that may help you figure it out. I can't tell you for sure how that terminal block is designed - I can guess that terminals 1, 2, 3, and 4 are all isolated from each other, but only you can check it. Are you sure this thing is not item 6 on the schematic ("interruttore" means switch), item 18 (electronic control unit), or the "P N L" block in the lower left?

[smoothy]

As ebains says...look at the colors...

Being I speak Italian, let me tell you what colors are on the schematic.

NE = Nero = Black

BL - Blu = Blue

GI = Giallo = Yellow

VE - Verdi = Green

MA = Marrone = Brown


Each of those sections of that terminal block are indepenedent for the one above and below it. Look at is as a way to connect several wires tothere with push on connectores... up to six per junction.

I would take and lable each of the wirse after traceing them back to see which each connects to individually... make a note on the lable, do enough and you might be able to see how they fit into the schematic.

Its complicated because if you look under 8, you see three possible wiring hookups, from a three phase 400VAC Y on the left , or a three pahse 230v delta in the center , or the simple 230 wall connection you will find in homes on the right. Also basically the same up at 3, as apaprently those have load resistors for the prior two neither of which you will use.

under the legend (legenda)

1= Perssure switch

2= Boiler/heater

3= Resistance diagram Boiler/heater

5=safety thermostat (see previous)

6= Switch

7= General switch Diagram

8= Supply Diagram

9= Indicator light

10= Probe level

12= Fuse

13= Solenoid Valves (the PNL thing)

18=Electronic control unit (optional)


But if it was rewired, only god knows what the colors would mean without tracing them out because they could have used anything handy. And I see a red wire on the photo, but no red wires on the Schematic. Or white for that matter.

[panchovilla]

I do not know what PNL is, but I think the previous owner did something weird because the current hookup on the main switch (interruttore generale) does not look like what the schematic says. The main switch has a zero position, a 1 position and a 2 position, but there are bridge connectors between some connections on the switch and I do not know what 1 & 2 mean on the switch. The thick black cable is the wires coming from the wall, the main power source. The wires in the white braid are the ones exiting the switch and going into the machine's interior. Does this look like the switch is wired correctly? Also, I noticed an error on the schematic, why is the neutral on the 400V3N connected to line3, shouldn't Neutral be going straight to the N, like in the other 2 instances, 230V3 & 230V1? Please help me understand this.

[smoothy]

The PNL is the solenoids (electric water valves) that control the water/steam unless I misread it. The switch with the Red knob you took pictures of appears to be item #6.