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Caribou Coffee CC‑EKV8SS7 Troubleshooting
This guide is for Caribou Coffee CC-EKV8SS7 kettles that are not operating their best, but aren't quite ready for a trip to the landfill.
Product will not turn on
Product is plugged into a working outlet, but no lights power on.
The most likely cause is a damaged power cord, either externally or internally.
CAUTION: Before doing anything else, unplug your unit from its power source to avoid electrocution or burns!
Power cord is damaged on the outside of the unit
- Check along the entire power cord for signs of breaks or exposed wires.
- If the break is closer to the base than the plug, you will splice the two sides back together.
- If the break is closest to the wall plug, you will want to install a replacement plug instead of splicing to the old plug.
- To splice wires, start by using wire cutters to make clean cuts on both sides of the break.
- Remove about 1/4" of the protective casing on each wire. Twist coordinating colored wires together and secure each twist with electrical tape.
- Bundle up all the freshly connected wires and secure them all together with electrical tape. ! Do not be stingy with the electrical tape.
Power cord is damaged on the inside of the unit
If no damage is found along the outer cord, you will need to open the base up to check the insides for breaks or exposed wires.
- First, remove the three anti-tampering screws by using a triangular screwdriver.
- The bottom will now be easily separated from the top, revealing the power cord connected to the base of the appliance.
- Once the break is found, splice the ends back together, as instructed above.
- After splicing the power cord back together, plug the device back into the wall and attempt to power on again.
Circuit Board Damage
If no cord breaks are found, the next likely cause is circuit board damage.
- If there are any visible breaks or missing pieces on the board, replace them. Use this video for a refresher on resistors and capacitors.
Interior metal surface is obscured
Off-white circles or scales from "hard" mineral-rich water have appeared inside the kettle. Over time this may affect the flavor or texture of your boiled water.
CAUTION: first, unplug your unit from its power source to avoid electrocution or burns!
Hard-water deposits
- Scoop approximately 1 tablespoon baking soda inside the kettle and use a long handled brush to scrub affected areas.
- Pour in 2 tablespoons of vinegar to activate effervescent cleaning powers.
- Continue to scrub until the circles or scales have disappeared.
- Rinse your kettle with water to remove the cleaning agents and freshly scrubbed deposits.
'' Note: In the future, you can avoid these buildups by using filtered or bottled water. "
Cannot change temperature
The temperature selector light is blinking and will not move away from boiling setting.
Improper kettle placement
This is a safety feature where the heating element in the base will not begin warming until it is connected to it's kettle. Put kettle onto base, then try changing the temperature again, the light should now move.
If that fails, you may need to replace a component of the selector switch.
Selector switch failure
- Replace any resistors that appear out-of-place by re-welding.
- Look for replacement components here.
Product is emitting smoke or sparks
Instead of steam emerging from the top of the kettle, smoke or sparks are coming from the base.
CAUTION: first, unplug your unit from its power source to avoid electrocution or burns!
Excessive incoming power
- Check using a multi meter by attaching the black cable to the ground jack and the red cable to the voltage-measuring jack .
If there is proper voltage, then you will disassemble and check inside the base for causes of the electrical fire. Likely locations of malfunction are the internal heating element and the circuit board.
Dirty internal heating element
- First, disassemble the base by removing the three anti-tampering screws by using a triangular screwdriver.
- The bottom will now be easily separated from the top, revealing the power cord connected to the base of the unit.
- Inspect the three internal heating element circles for debris, rust, carbon, or corrosion.
- Rub affected areas clean using a dry cotton cloth.
If no damage is found on the heating element itself, next you can check the part of the circuit board that regulates temperature for cracks, burns, and corrosion.
Damaged circuit board
If one component can be replaced, replace it, otherwise, the circuit board may need to be replaced entirely. Circuit boards can be purchased from this website.
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