Hello everyone,
I have an old Nespresso essenza that stopped working. The machine can make coffee, but the on/off button doesn't work anymore. I tried to fix it, but I can't understand how it works. Does anyone know? The first picture is the on/off board, inside the machine. Second picture is the button itself. Third picture is the back of the button, which is what touches the board. If I wiggle a screwdriver around the board, it eventually turns on, but I can't understand how. If anyone can explain it to me, or maybe suggest a solution, I'd be very thankfully.
by _Flutter_
2 Comments
If that’s all, I suspect it just completes a circuit by bridging between the semicircle and the inner portion. That would be typical for this kind of situation, the semicircle is grounded to the board, the worn inner part, to make a switch. You could confirm that by deliberately bridging that gap with a screwdriver and see if it acts as a switch. It is likely part of a latching circuit that makes the power connection the first time it completes the latch circuit and unmakes the power connection the next time, or when it’s unplugged.
Is there perhaps a spring plunger missing that used to run in the central hole? Or, the center part of the button assembly moves with a spring inside the housing, the black piece with the power symbol moving inside the red housing that contains a spring.
It kind of makes sense. If that button is only held loosely in position, making the connection that way would insure that it can wiggle side to side a bit and still has to bridge somewhere.
Probably was supposed to be held in by the rim at the bottom of the button after being assembled from the inside, but has worn over time and no longer stays put. Shouldn’t be a problem if you remember not to lose it next time you invert the machine.
It’s just a simple button that bridges the outer horseshoe shaped ring, with the inner circle/dot on the edges. Or more simple it bridges the bare metal bits to complete a circuit that switches it on.
The back of the button is just two strips of conductive material positioned to bridge those points when pressed down. Common issue is oxidation on the surfaces on both the board and the button. You can try cleaning it with some rubbing or IPA alcohol, or electronics contact cleaner and giving it a bit of a scuff with some fine steel wool, or the rough side of a dish sponge whilst cleaning it with the above cleaners.
Wiggling a screwdriver around works sometimes because you manage to touch an unoxidized point on each side, completing the circuit. Good news is that the it still works, just needs a bit of cleaning and scuffing up to get them working 100% again.