Where's the Water | Bunn Coffee Maker Troubleshooting

GreenGander75 with Buddy Philips
Today I'll talk about some recent issues with a Bunn VPR Series coffee maker running out of water and the damage caused when that happens.
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[@natalienardo1782]

Thank you so much for the video. This is the exact problem we were having with our office Bunn. The boss wanted to throw it out but all it needed was more water. Can't thank you enough! ☕

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't receiving comment notifications. Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

[@stephendevery4220]

Fantastic. Always wanted a Bunn coffee maker. Finally got one at an auction. Brought it home. The burners heated but no water came out. You were right, the tank needed to be filled. Super happy that you got right to the point with a simple solution. Big Time Thanks!!!

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't receiving comment notifications. Great news! Thanks for watching!

[@austinaustin7209]

Thanks for the video. Had a real old model that leaked when water was put into the tank. I'm not a coffee drinker so I didn't know about it needing to be full and the model being 30+ years old there wasn't a manual for it, so that tip helped immensely. Ended up being that the temperature probe seal broke from heat fatigue, so when the tank was filled it spilled out from the hole rather than the spout. Fixed the seal and descaled it. Should work for years to come now.

[@MyHeap]

Nice informational video. My wife and I used BUNN for many years. Our issues usually related to them developing a leak. I think over time the spring would wear through the tube. Keep on mind that we were using a residential version of the maker. By the time we were on our third maker we started using zero water filtered water. Never had any issues with hard water after that. Now, several months ago my mother in law broke the pot. We replaced it with a moccamaster. It is an induction heater and is a surprising fast brewer. Thanks for the video, it was good seeing information. Joe

[@GreenGander75]

Hi Joe. Sorry for the late reply. I think the hard water and the spring issue is the most common issue I've had on the BUNN coffee makers. Filtered water sure makes the difference. Thanks for the comment and for watching!

[@familyd5952]

Factory Instructions Initial Set-Up CAUTION - The brewer must be disconnected from the power source throughout the initial set-up, except when specified in the instructions. 1. Insert an empty funnel into the funnel rails. 2. Place an empty dispenser under the funnel. 3. Open the flip lid on top of the brewer and pour in three pitchers of tap water. Allow approximately two minutes between pitchers for water to flow into the tank. While the third pitcher of water is entering the tank, the tank will fill to capacity and the excess will flow from the sprayhead, out of the funnel, and into the dispenser. FIG. 1 4. When the flow of water from the funnel stops, connect the brewer to the power source and wait approxi- mately twenty minutes for the water in the tank to heat to the proper temperature. Some water will drip from the funnel during this time; this is due to expansion and should not occur thereafter. 5. Empty the dispenser and replace it under the funnel. 6. Open the flip lid on top of the brewer and pour in one pitcher of tap water. 7. When water has stopped flowing from the funnel let the water in the tank reheat to the proper tempera- ture. 8. Empty the dispenser. The brewer is now ready for use in accordance with the coffee brewing instructions below. NOTE: The control thermostat will need to be adjusted downward to compensate for high altitudes. Refer to Service Manual for instructions. COFFEE BREWING 1. Insert a BUNN® filter into the funnel. 2. Pour the fresh coffee into the filter and level the bed of grounds by gently shaking. 3. Slide the funnel into the funnel rails. 4. Place an empty dispenser beneath the funnel. Models with warmers - Turn on lower warmer switch. 5. Open the flip lid on top of the brewer and pour in one pitcher of tap water. FIG. 1 6. When brewing is completed, simply discard the grounds and filter. P4038.50 FIG. 1 POUR IN WATER ONLY Page 4 10053.1 101508

[@SoCal_ayyayyron]

This is a fantastic video! I have one of those that it was not working and I took it apart, tested everything and clean the heating element which had a lot of scale. I put in the normal water without realizing it needed to be filled all the way first. Bravo! Thank you for the education. I am going to wire a toggle switch to the power mains next.

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't receiving comment notifications. Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

[@janetjensen4843]

I filled the tank and it did the trick! Thank you so much.

[@GreenGander75]

Fantastic!

[@MrPlorquet]

Hello. And thank you so much for your knowledge.

[@robertchiarenza4051]

Thanks for the vid. This was an issue for me but you answered my questions!

[@GreenGander75]

Happy to help. Thanks for watching!

[@sarafghjkl]

Hi Buddy, thank you very much for making this video. The Bunn coffee machine at my medical school hasn't been used since the start of COVID... needless to say the water reservoir was completely dry and took a few pots of water before it started brewing again. Thank you for helping keep us med students caffeinated :)

[@randomrazr]

can u dump vinegar into the cofeee machien to clean out hard water depositis

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't receiving comment notifications. Need that caffeine...Happy to help :)

[@kieranjimenez1808]

Hello Thank you for the vid! I think my tube (connecting the reservoir to the spout) must be plugged, as you suggest. I pour water in the top (1, 2, 3, carafes), and the water never comes out of the spout. Instead it just starts leaking out of the top and the bottom of the entire coffee machine. But you never really show us how to take that tube out or how to clean it... How do we do that? What does the pipe cleaner tool look like? Thanks so much for any insight or guidance!

[@davidbayley5194]

And Best of All it's made in the USA

[@cblanton42]

This is why people should actually READ their owner's manual; it tells you to unplug the unit if it's not going to be used for more than 3 days.

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't receiving comment notifications. I agree...read and keep it. Never know when you might need it. Thanks for watching!

[@Straightfromshibuya]

I would say stick to the manufacturer instructions. About a pitcher of water is 1800g and it says use 3 of them. Add the decanter on the bottom and the residual water will come out all before even plugging it in. Plug it in and wait 20 minutes. After 20 minutes you will hear it stop heating up. This means the tank is pressurized and full and to temp 212 degrees. Add desired amount of water and the displacement will be the amount of coffee you will make. Cheers folks.

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't receiving comment notifications. Great advice. Thanks for watching!

[@Aerobleu]

@@GreenGander75 . .

[@jrstamps9939]

By unplugging this coffee maker you would allow some growth of bacteria in the tank. This is why it remains on to keep the tank of water hot enough to fight bacteria growth.

[@GreenGander75]

Interesting observation. Perhaps after having it unplugged for an extended period of time it should be recommend to allow the tank to come up to full temperature of 190 degrees (about 15 minutes) or run cleaner through it before use. Thanks for the comment.

[@jrstamps9939]

@@GreenGander75 if turned off for an extended amount of time , the tank should be sanitized before use. Probably best course of action.

[@lauraskillern5165]

Ok so I have the bun pour Omatic home model and it’s not pushing water through . When I go to empty out water so it doesn’t sit it’s super hot and flows through properly if I am holding upside down- so I don’t think it’s lime of something . Anything else to try - I love this maker 😢

[@user-wu6oi6tm8f]

My bunn cwtd15 leaks water overnight when all is off, and the carafe ends up overflowing. which seal or issue do I need to address?

[@waggitnshaggit6592]

My son got it for me, water pours right through, coffee is weak and cold,taking it back to goodwill.

[@ItCantRainForever2]

Thanks alot. I just got a used one and was about to tell my friend it didn't work.

[@GreenGander75]

Happy to help. Thanks for comment and for watching!

[@normfromga]

I have the home version (a "vacation" on/off switch, but no hotplates on top), and it has given me great coffee for years. BUT, I haven't cleaned it since I got it (I use only filtered water) and lately, I get about 8 or 9 cups out for the 10 cups I put in. I add a little extra water to the reservoir to fill the pot, but it seems to me to weaken the brew. I had just switched to buying ground coffee instead of beans, so I thought the different grind might be more absorbent. I will, of course, try cleaning the unit per instructions, but can you think of another reason for the shortfall? Also, do you think I should use any of the citric acid coffee cleaner stuff to get rid of any scaling in the tank? I realize it would require several rinse cycles to get rid of the taste. Great video!

[@GreenGander75]

Hi Norm. I've been giving your coffee maker some thought and I'm wondering if it could be a combination of the ground coffee (I think your right about it being more absorbent) and the spray nozzle and fill tube might need some cleaning. I was looking at some owners manuals for the home version of the BUNN coffee maker and noticed they recommend using diluted white vinegar and a descaling tool. The website for the owners manuals can be found here: retail.bunn.com/support/products I wish I could be more help, but I think your on the right track to getting it working again. Thanks for the comment and for watching!

[@normfromga]

@@GreenGander75 Thanks for the link; I have downloaded the appropriate manual. However, I had already gone ahead and bought pipe cleaners and coffee pot cleaner, and pretty much do the processes based on your video. I twisted together three pipe cleaners to get the right diameter and stiffness to replace the misplaced deliming spring and then used the liquid cleaner, based on their instructions. I did this all while plugged in, thinking that the heat would speed up the process, but of course, by the second drain and fill, cold water was passing through the system. By the third or fourth drain and fill, I could still taste a bit of the cleaner, so I unplugged the coffee maker and drained the system, pretty much like in the manual, except I hadn't removed the spray nozzle. That water sure shoots out pretty fast and far upside down, not always into the sink! Anyway, the coffee now is up to standard, and up to the top of the pot, so it was the crud build up and not the coffee's fault after all. Again, thanks for the video, and the advice.

[@GreenGander75]

Hi Norm. Glad it worked out for you. Great news!

[@maryandersondearing3053]

What I would like to know is how to empty these units for storage

[@johndavid072007]

I got a commercial cdb model but as soon as I fill from the top (no water line hooked up) about 4 cups of water immediately flow out the Brewer spout. I can run it until nothing comes out (empty) then cold or hot as soon as I add 11 cups of water 4 cups come out ? Any idea why. It was a used machine when I got it. Trying to clean it and make sure everything is ok before I donate it to our local VFW. Thanks

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. I believe that model has an adjustment for filling and over/under fill. Do you have the model number? I'll see if I can find you a link to the owners manual.

[@randomrazr]

can u dump vinegar into the cofeee machien to clean out hard water depositis

[@GreenGander75]

I don't recommend it, unless it is the method the manufacturer recommends. I've ruined coffee makers with vinegar. It can be hard to remove the odor and taste of the vinegar. Especially with the tank style of coffee maker like the commercial Bunn. It can also cause flash rusting. Best to refer to the owners manual for cleaning instructions. Thanks for the question and for watching!

[@johnlauzon9837]

What was the ball figure for the parts?

[@PreachTheGospel07]

Each day, even if some reason I don't drink coffee which is seldom, if I don't, I still run a pot of water thru mine any how to keep water in it. Even running my coffee maker after a few months I still once and while run just water thru mine two or three pots to refill because after a while we lose water because evaporation.

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't receiving comment notifications. Great advice. Thank you and thank you for watching!

[@stormihogan7142]

Hi. I bought a used stf-20. It works fine as a pour over brewer, but wont brew from the plumbed line or dispense hot water from the dispenser. I have replaced the inlet valve with no change. What else could it be? There is NO information on the net. Thanks

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't receiving comment notifications. Unfortunately I haven't had an opportunity to work on that model before. If your still in need of assistance I would be happy to look into it for you.

[@debbyt7095]

Helpful video? How can you empty the water tank without taking it all apart or turning it upside down?

[@debbyt7095]

Helpful video! Same question about emptying tank. Thanks.

[@milijaradicevic7011]

I have Krups Siziliana coffee machine. On this machine hot water and steam go through the same pipe, when I accsidentally tried to use steam before the machine heated up enough. Now i can only heard the pump inside, but no water or steam are going out. Do you know how to fix it?

[@GreenGander75]

Hi Milija. Sorry I didn't reply to your question sooner. I'm not familiar with the Krups Siziliana, but I'll be happy to help if I can. I did some research into a similar model (Krups Orchestro 889) sold in the USA. The manual indicates that it may work again after it has time to cool down. Are you still having issues with it not working?

[@milijaradicevic7011]

@@GreenGander75 When I tried it worked perfectly fine, i don't know it somehow fixed by itself Thanks for the response anyways.

[@GreenGander75]

I'm happy to hear that it worked. Great news!

[@mikecondoluci53]

i have a vpr and it makes noises all night long like its boiling the water, is that normal? and is there anyway to turnup the temp coffee could be hotter, thank you

[@GreenGander75]

Hi Mike. Sounds like you might be having some issues with the main heating element. Have a look at my video on that repair for more info. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYuXk3aer6yNbrM

[@Kindlyone777]

I’ve had mine for about 8-10 yrs. It’s a commercial one and has always made those noises. Totally normal

[@malecho]

my coffe comes out light. would you happen to know what the issue could be?

[@GreenGander75]

Hi Malecho. Unfortunately I'm not a coffee expert and rarely drink it. If it's a coffee blend or quality issue I'm afraid I won't be of much assistance. That said, on the Bunn coffee maker I think if the nozzle is stopped up that the coffee wouldn't brew well. I would recommend cleaning the nozzle to see if the brew improves. Thanks for watching.

[@SeanLynchXY]

About how much did the parts cost?

[@GreenGander75]

Hi Sean. The repair parts cost about $160. This is almost the cost to replace the coffee maker. If I had included labor it would have been cheaper to purchase a new maker. The repair parts were sourced from www.partstown.com and Amazon. Parts Town is a great source for parts diagrams. Hope this helps. Thanks for the comment and for watching!

[@SeanLynchXY]

​@@GreenGander75 Thanks for the info GreenGander75. I got Freebie but it totally trashed. I haven't torn it down yet- perhaps some of the parts will come in handy later if I find another Bunn "donor."

[@Melissa-mb3vr]

Just purchased a bun and no water coming out

[@GreenGander75]

Hi Melissa. Bunn coffee makers require extra water to fill the tank before the first use. Once the tank is filled, only a normal amount of water is usually required unless the water in the tank has evaporated. There can be other reasons for no water coming out, but this is the most common reason. Are you still having problems with the coffee maker? I'll be happy to help if I can.

[@donnarossman9448]

We are only getting 1/2 a pot of coffee then it shuts off

[@jasonbrindamour903]

Same problem I have. I'll be looking at it next week.

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't receiving comment notifications. I hope you were able to find a solution to the issue. Please let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for watching.

[@johnoraczewski5065]

How can I contact you to get help with mine? Thanks

[@GreenGander75]

Hi. Sorry for the late reply. I wasn't receiving comment notifications. Unfortunately I'm not doing side work at this time but you're welcome to email me at [e-mail] if you still need troubleshooting assistance.

[@m06atc11]

WOW ! how to make a short story LONG ! You"re past your 15 minutes of fame dude .

[@paulwallpe4813]

You talk to much. And you don't turn it off.

[@GreenGander75]

Thank you. I'll keep that in mind.