Delonghi Dedica troubleshooting

Do you own a Delonghi Dedica and have encountered issues such as the machine not dispensing water or perhaps doing so with very low pressure? Or maybe you want to know how to reset your Delonghi Dedica. Don’t worry, you’re in the right place!

Based on my experience repairing multiple Delonghi Dedica machines, I’ve prepared this guide to help you address any issues with the Delonghi EC680, EC685, EC785, and EC885 coffee makers.

Delonghi Dedica brews too short coffees

Let’s start with the obvious: if coffee comes out of the coffee maker with good flow but does so for too short a period, we’re dealing with a case of misconfigured brewing time. Fortunately, this has an easy solution through a reconfiguration or a reset to factory settings.

Issue: When pressing the espresso or lungo button, your Dedica stops after a few seconds of activity. This can happen with either one button or both.

Cause: For some reason, the Delonghi Dedica has stored a coffee brewing time that is too short in its memory, so it needs to be reconfigured or reset to its factory settings.

Solution 1. Reconfigure the coffee values on the Delonghi Dedica:

  1. Turn on the coffee maker, wait for the buttons to stop flashing, and the Dedica is ready to brew coffee.
  2. Prepare the filter with your favorite ground coffee, compact it, and place it in the coffee maker.
  3. Instead of a short press on the coffee button, now press and hold the button until the coffee maker brews coffee with the amount you prefer.
  4. Once you reach the desired coffee volume and release the button, it will flash, indicating that it has recorded the new brewing time. This can be done for both buttons.

➡️ If this solution doesn’t work for you or you want to reset your Dedica directly, check out this other solution:

Solution 2. Reset the Delonghi Dedica:

  1. Turn on the coffee maker, wait for the buttons to stop flashing, and the Dedica is ready to brew coffee.
  2. Press and hold the steam button for about 5 seconds until the buttons start flashing sequentially.
  3. Place a cup under the steam wand and turn the steam knob downward to the position with the steam/droplets symbol (if some water comes out, it’s normal).
  4. Now, the buttons will flash twice and alternately.
  5. Press the single coffee cup button.
  6. All lights will flash several times simultaneously, indicating that the coffee maker has been successfully reset.
  7. After this, the lights of one and two cups will flash to indicate that you should turn the steam wand knob again.

How to change settings on the Delonghi Dedica

We’ve just seen how to reset the Delonghi Dedica to factory settings, but these settings may not always be ideal for every user. Fortunately, you can enter the “settings menu” of the Delonghi Dedica coffee maker to modify factors such as water temperature, water hardness, or the time it takes for the coffee maker to turn off (standby time).

Delonghi Dedica settings
Delonghi Dedica settings

How to Change Delonghi Dedica Factory Settings:

With the Delonghi Dedica turned on, press the steam button for about 5 seconds until all the lights start flashing (you are now in the settings menu). In this state, pressing each button gives you access to a different function:

  • Espresso button = water temperature.
  • Lungo button = water hardness.
  • Steam button = standby time.

Note: After 10 seconds, the lights will stop flashing, and the machine will have exited the settings menu. Therefore, you must input one of the options before the machine exits this state or re-enter the menu.

Once you have pressed one of the three options, it will enter a submenu where each button has a different meaning.

➡️ In the water temperature menu (after pressing the espresso button once):

  • Espresso button = low temperature.
  • Lungo button = medium temperature.
  • Steam button = high temperature.

➡️ In the water hardness menu (after pressing the lungo button once):

  • Espresso button = soft water.
  • Lungo button = normal water.
  • Steam button = hard water.

➡️ In the shutdown time menu (after pressing the steam button once):

  • Espresso button = 9 min.
  • Lungo button = 30 min.
  • Steam button = 3 hours.

The Delonghi Dedica is not brewing coffee

Before addressing this issue, I would like to distinguish between two completely different situations. On the one hand, there are cases where a NEW Delonghi Dedica doesn’t brew coffee; on the other hand, there are cases where your coffee maker has been working correctly until it suddenly stopped brewing coffee.

Case 1. (New) Delonghi Dedica is not preparing coffee

If you’ve just purchased a Delonghi Dedica and it barely comes out of the machine’s spout when brewing coffee, don’t despair. The coffee maker is probably in good condition, but you might be doing something wrong with the ground coffee.

Issue: A NEW Delonghi Dedica brews very little or no coffee at all. The pump sounds, but the water cannot pass through the coffee and come out of the pressurized filter (it seems to lack sufficient pressure).

Cause: Four factors related to coffee preparation influence the extraction flow. These factors include the roast type of the coffee, the grind size, the pressure applied when compacting the coffee in the portafilter, and the amount of coffee placed in it.

⚠️ Although the coffee puck barely influences the extraction flow in pressurized filters, if done incorrectly, it could be why your Delonghi Dedica is not dispensing coffee.

Solution:

  • Coffee roast: If you use coffee with added sugar during roasting (torrefacto), the sugar in the coffee can clog the filter outlet, resulting in just a drip of coffee from the spout.
  • Grind size: If you grind the coffee too fine, it could clog the filter outlet, and no coffee will fall into your cup. It would be best to aim for a fairly fine grind, but not too fine.
  • Tamping: Tamping the coffee is another parameter that one optimizes over time. If you tamp the coffee too much, the coffee maker may struggle to pass the water, and as a result, you’ll get hardly any coffee in the cup.
  • Amount of coffee used: Related to the previous point, if you fill the portafilter too much and tamp it excessively, the Delonghi Dedica won’t be able to brew coffee efficiently, and you’ll end up with very little coffee in your cup.

Case 2. Delonghi Dedica has stopped brewing coffee

One of the most frustrating issues that can affect the Delonghi Dedica is the sudden loss of water pressure. Although sometimes it can also happen gradually, the machine pours coffee more and more slowly.

If you press the button without the filter, water comes out without issues, but if you insert the portafilter, the Delonghi Dedica stops dispensing water.

In this case, we are dealing with an issue unrelated to preparing the coffee puck but with the coffee maker, specifically the pressure relief valve.

Pressure relief valve on a Delonghi Dedica
The pressure relief valve on a Delonghi Dedica

Issue: Water flows without issues when the filter is not used, but when the filter is inserted, the flow is significantly reduced or stops completely. Additionally, there is an unusual increase in air bubbles at the bottom of the water tank.

Cause: The Delonghi Dedica has a pressure relief valve at the water pump outlet. This valve contains small springs and plastic parts that redirect water at 9 bars to the coffee preparation group. Any pressure exceeding 9 bars is redirected to the water tank.

When one of the plastic parts is damaged, the valve sends more water to the tank than to the coffee group; hence, you see more bubbles in the tank and less pressure at the water outlet.

Solution:

  1. Disassemble the coffee maker.
  2. Locate the pressure relief valve.
  3. Disassemble the valve and check for any damaged parts inside (see image below, where I highlight a broken piece).
  4. Buy a new pressure relief valve and replace it.
  5. Reassemble the coffee maker.
Damaged plastic part inside the valve
Damaged plastic part inside the valve
Delonghi overpressure valve
Delonghi overpressure valve

Why does the coffee puck come out soggy after extraction?

Regarding the De’Longhi Dedica and other coffee maker models lacking a solenoid valve to control water flow, you may encounter the issue of the coffee puck ending up soaked after extraction.

This happens because there is no solenoid valve to control water flow after extraction, preventing the coffee maker from continuing to drip and leaving the coffee puck soaked.

However, you don’t need to worry because this does not affect the final taste of your espresso; you’ll only face a minor inconvenience in the form of dripping after extraction. If you wait a few minutes for the water in the pipes to empty, the coffee puck will dry and come out solid.

Wait for the coffee puck to dry before removing it
Wait for the coffee puck to dry before removing it

For coffee makers equipped with a solenoid valve experiencing this issue, it is a sign that something is wrong with the extraction or the valve itself.

Delonghi Dedica does not pour water

Sometimes, our Delonghi Dedica suddenly does not dispense water (with or without a filter). The coffee maker turned on, and we heard sounds, but no water came from the coffee group or the steam wand.

Issue: If we can hear the sound, it’s a good sign because it certifies that electricity is reaching the pump. The sound comes from the internal electromagnetic process of the pump. However, the absence of water means the pump is not moving its internal piston.

Location of the water pump in the Delonghi Dedica
Location of the water pump in the Delonghi Dedica

Cause: Most likely, the pump is clogged with impurities and sediment in the water circulating inside it; the lack of periodic descaling can lead to this situation. However, there are cases where the pump stops working despite frequent descaling.

Solution 1:

  1. Disassemble the coffee maker.
  2. Locate the water pump.
  3. Try to run the machine with the water pump exposed (this action is dangerous as there are live wires in the air) and tap it with the rubber handle of a screwdriver to unlock its internal parts.

Note: If you believe you have the skill, you can disassemble the pump as shown in the image below:

Disassembly of a water pump
Disassembly of a water pump

Solution 2:

  1. Disassemble the coffee maker.
  2. Locate the water pump.
  3. Purchase and replace the old pump with a new one (try Solution 1 first).
  4. Reassemble the coffee maker.
ULKA EP5 230 V 48 W pump
ULKA EP5 230 V 48 W pump

Water leaks in the Delonghi Dedica

Delonghi Dedica coffee makers are very robust, and faults rarely occur; however, water leaks are common in all coffee makers because the internal components of the water circuit are subjected to a lot of stress. We have water constantly circulating in a high-temperature environment with many vibrations.

Case 1. Water leak in the Delonghi Dedica due to damaged O-rings

Issue: There are two types of connections in the water pipes of the Delonghi Dedica: some pipes “enter inside” the valves, and others “cover the outlet” of the valves. The tubes that enter the valve are sealed with an O-ring inside.

Cause: Often, the interior O-rings deteriorate, causing water leaks. This usually happens the closer they are to the pump due to vibrations or at the water heater outlet due to high temperatures.

In the photo below, we see the connection of an upper valve of the Dedica that was leaking water:

Leaks due to damaged O-Rings
Leaks due to damaged O-rings

Solution:

  1. Disassemble the coffee maker to locate the leak. In the case of the photo above, you only need to disassemble the top part of the coffee maker.
  2. Brew coffee without the casing and observe where the water is dripping.
  3. If you identify dripping at an O-ring, as shown in the image, replace it.
O ring Delonghi
O ring Delonghi

Water leakage in Delonghi Dedica due to damaged plastic parts

Issue: Many connections in the water circuit of Delonghi Dedica are made by screwing two plastic pieces together. This occurs with the water pump outlet, the flow meter, or the pressure relief valve. These connections are weak points in the coffee maker where leaks can occur.

Cause: As mentioned earlier, many internal components of a coffee maker are subjected to significant stress due to vibrations and high temperatures. The components that suffer the most are rigid plastic, which tends to crack or break.

Solution: We can often solve the problem by using PTFE thread tape on the joints or some strong adhesive. However, in most situations, we must replace the damaged part with a new one.

Leakage from the water pump outlet
Leakage from the water pump outlet
Connector of the 3-way valve Delonghi Dedica
The connector of the 3-way valve Delonghi Dedica
3-way connector Delonghi Dedica
3-way connector Delonghi Dedica

How to turn off the descaling light after completing the descaling process

Sometimes, the orange descaling light doesn’t turn off after completing the descaling process on our Delonghi Dedica.

Issue: According to the manual, the orange light blinks after emptying the tank with the descaling solution and turns off once the machine empties a new tank with clean water. However, there are times when this orange light continues to blink, no matter what we do.

Delonghi Dedica EC685 descaling process
Delonghi Dedica EC685 descaling process

Cause: This issue’s cause is unclear, as Delonghi only suggests repeating the descaling to eliminate the flashing light because the machine did not register the descaling in its memory. However, no matter how many descaling processes are performed, the light never turns off.

Solution:

  1. With the orange steam light flashing, fill the tank with about an inch’s width of water.
  2. Hold down the steam button until the tank is completely emptied.
  3. After this, the light should turn off.
  4. Turn off the coffee maker.
  5. Fill the water tank and proceed with your coffee maker as usual.
Official descaler for Delonghi
Official descaler for Delonghi

Why do the three lights on the Delonghi Dedica keep flashing?

Sometimes, after using our Delonghi Dedica, the three lights on the control panel start flashing incessantly. You turn off the machine, turn it back on, and they continue to blink. Don’t worry; it’s a protective measure for the coffee maker.

Issue: When the three lights on the front panel of your Delonghi Dedica keep flashing continuously, you can’t perform any operations with your coffee maker. You can’t brew coffee or froth milk.

This “issue” occurs after prolonged use of the machine; if it happens before you’ve used it, leave a comment below to analyze your specific case.

Cause: As mentioned earlier, this is a self-protection measure. It happens when the coffee maker reaches an excessively high internal temperature. To prevent damage, the coffee maker enters a mode that doesn’t brew coffee or froth milk until the temperature has lowered.

Solution: The only solution is to wait for the temperature to decrease on its own; however, if this issue occurs frequently without prolonged use of the coffee maker, there may be two additional problems:

  1. The resistance thermostat is not functioning correctly, causing the coffee water and maker to overheat. The solution would be to replace the thermostat.
  2. The coffee maker has an issue with its microprocessor, and the solution would be to replace the control board entirely.

The power button on the Delonghi Dedica gets stuck

This is a rare problem in Delonghi Dedica. Nevertheless, it’s not uncommon to see it after a certain period of use.

Issue: Sometimes, when we try to turn on the machine, the power button does nothing. It neither moves nor makes the classic clicking sound. It sometimes occurs when we turn it off because, as many of us use the automatic shutdown, we may not even notice the fault.

Cause: These buttons are not exclusive to Delonghi machines, as they can be found in countless appliances and other devices. They are plastic and metal pieces connected with two springs and a metal hook.

It turns out that sometimes the metal hook or one of the springs comes out of place, and the button stops performing its function.

Solution: Remove the button from the coffee maker, disassemble it, and reassemble it. If there are no loose parts, the button will work like new. You must purchase a replacement button if a spring or hook is broken.

Disassemble the power button
Disassemble the power button

The Delonghi Dedica steam wand Isn’t working

An uncommon problem with Delonghi Dedica involves the steam wand, which it seems to lose pressure and is unable to maintain the steam flow.

Issue: The coffee maker cannot deliver sufficient steam to the steam wand for various reasons. This problem is usually independent of coffee preparation, so the resistance and pump can be ruled out as causes.

Cause: When the problem doesn’t present other symptoms in coffee preparation, we can determine that the cause lies exclusively in the steam system. It could be the knob, the switch, or the pipes.

Solution: Sometimes, turning the knob more decisively can allow you to get steam temporarily. However, the solution to this problem is replacing the entire system with a new one. Don’t worry; this system is quite affordable.

Replace the Delonghi Dedica steam wand
Replace the Delonghi Dedica steam wand
Written by Pablo Barrantes Nevado
I am Pablo Barrantes, a coffee lover. I decided to start this website to solve all the doubts that arise every day when preparing our favorite drink: coffee. I am an industrial engineer by profession, but I have worked in coffee shops for many years, where I have learned all the secrets about coffee machines and coffee. My passion for coffee has led me to investigate and study beyond the obvious, and thanks to this, I can offer solutions and give news about coffee and coffee makers. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I research, document and write here.

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