Crem & Expobar · 2 and 3 group
Crem & Expobar MA-C — PSSR examination & servicing
MA-C machines are used in cafés and restaurants wanting a large boiler on a modest budget nationwide. The engineer carries out the statutory PSSR examination, the front-end service and the water treatment on this model — a standalone examination is £295 + VAT, or £500 + VAT with the service included.
Quick answer
Does a Crem & Expobar MA-C need a PSSR examination?
Yes, if it operates in a workplace. It carries a single steam boiler with its own protective devices, which is the pressure system in scope. Steam is a relevant fluid under PSSR 2000 and steam systems are covered at any pressure and any volume, so the boiler must have a Written Scheme of Examination and be examined periodically by a competent person.
- Examination only
- £295
- With service
- £500
The machine
Why the MA-C matters to the Crem & Expobar owner
A long-running Expobar traditional machine sold under the MA-C code and, by some distributors, as the Monroc. A single copper boiler with a heat exchanger per group.
In practice you will find it in cafés and restaurants wanting a large boiler on a modest budget — which shapes what the examination looks like on site: how the machine is accessed, how long it can be offline, and how much scale it has accumulated.
On the day
- The steam boiler is drained and inspected internally with an endoscope for scale, corrosion and weld condition.
- The safety valve, anti-vac valve and fittings are checked and tested.
- The pressure gauge is verified against our calibrated test gauge, not against itself.
- A 3 group boiler holds more water than a 2 group, so the drain, refill and heat-up all take longer — allow the full appointment window.
- The Written Scheme of Examination names the vessel and the protective devices it covers.
Typical rates for this model
- Standalone PSSR examination
- £295
- Service + PSSR bundle
- £500
- Certified safety valve, if it fails
- £35 + VAT
- Water filter, fitted on a visit
- from £107
- Grinder calibration & deep clean
- £89
- If it does not pass
- Explained in writing
All prices exclude VAT. The additional drain and heat-up time a 3 group boiler needs. We confirm the exact figure on the call.
Filters are fitted on site by an engineer and are not posted out. The filter price applies when ordered with a PSSR examination, service, call-out or water test; booked alone it is charged at the standard call-out.
What we see on this model
- 11.5 litres in the 2 group and 17.5 in the 3 to 4 group. The 6 litre figure that circulates belongs to the 1 group compact, not to this machine.
- Copper boiler with a heat exchanger per group. The heat exchangers are not pressure vessels in their own right, so the scheme covers the single boiler and its protective devices.
- CAUTION ON THE NAME: no Crem or Expobar document obtained uses the model name 'MA-C'. The closest published manual is Crem's MEGACREM user manual, which covers the 'Control 2GR / Control 3GR' versions that UK dealers sell as MA-C-2gr. The 2-minute fill limit, the 5-second flowmeter window and the pressure-switch (not PID) control above are all from that Megacrem manual, so confirm the mapping on the serial plate before quoting. Nothing at all is published specifically as 'Expobar MA-C faults'.
Verified boiler data
What is actually inside this machine
| Configuration | Steam boiler |
|---|---|
| 2 group | 11.5 L |
| 3 group | 17.5 L |
Manufacturer's published boiler capacities. Where a maker publishes no figure we say so rather than estimate.
Service interval. No published interval; Crem fits a service counter and a water-filter counter to the electronics. Clean the drain and maintain the softener; descale on hardness.
Source: Expobar MA-C technical data (archived manufacturer page)
Fault finder
What actually goes wrong on a Crem & Expobar MA-C
Owners usually call us with a symptom, not a diagnosis. This is what that symptom most often turns out to be on this machine, and what putting it right involves.
| Symptom | Usual cause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Machine refuses to brew - every drink button light flashes and the machine is dead until reset | boiler fill time exceeded the programmed limit (2 minutes): water not reaching the boiler | power-cycle, restore water, clean the level probe, test or replace the autofill solenoid. |
| A dose button light flashes instead of dosing, staff press again, occasionally a group stops | no flowmeter pulse within 5 seconds of pressing the espresso button - grind too fine or flowmeter fault | correct the grind first, then clean or replace that group's flowmeter. |
| Boiler temperature control lost, probe alarm | broken or disconnected temperature probe (or, on thermostat-controlled variants, the group thermostat) | re-seat or replace the probe or thermostat. |
| Cold shots, or groups stop dispensing | limescale in the heat-exchanger outlet pipes and water system | descale or rebuild, fix water treatment. |
| Boiler pressure swings, or the machine over-pressurises and will not heat at all | MA-C/Megacrem 'Control' versions are pressure-switch machines, not PID - the pressurestat is the regulator and it drifts or its contacts fail | replace the pressurestat and check the safety valve. |
| Water under the machine, or a weak steam arm | blocked drain tube, milk-clogged steam nozzle | clean the drain tube, unclog the nozzle. |
| Machine refuses to brew: every drink-button light flashes and it is dead until power-cycled. | Boiler fill time exceeded the programmed 2-minute limit - water not reaching the boiler (mains/filter blocked, inlet solenoid failed, level probe scaled so it never reads full). | Power-cycle, restore water, clean the level probe, test/replace the autofill solenoid. |
| A dose button light flashes instead of dosing; staff press again; occasionally a group never doses. | No flowmeter pulse within 5 seconds of pressing an espresso button - grind too fine, flowmeter fault or scaled meter. | Correct the grind first, then clean/replace that group's flowmeter. |
| Boiler temperature control lost; probe alarm (or 'A1' / 'A2' on thermostat variants). | Broken or disconnected temperature probe, or a shorted (A1) / disconnected (A2) group thermostat. | Re-seat or replace the probe or thermostat. |
| Cold shots, or groups stop dispensing. | Limescale in the heat-exchanger outlet pipes and water system - Crem attributes 90% of faults to it. | Descale or rebuild the HX circuit and fix the water treatment. |
These are faults documented for this model, not a generic list.
Common parts
Common parts for the Crem & Expobar MA-C
The components most often replaced on this machine, listed by reference number, as a reference for engineers and owners identifying a part.
| Part no. | Description |
|---|---|
| #5484 | 3/8 Cma Safety Valve 1.9 Bar Certified - Original |
| #2102 | Parker 3 Way Grp Solenoid Valve 24v (Plus 3 housings in) |
| #2841 | Element Protection Thermostat - Original |
| #0398 | Lucifer 3 Way Grp Solenoid Valve 230v (Ruby) |
| #18281 | Parker 3 Way Solenoid Valve 24v |
| #0450 | PARKER 3 WAY GRP SOLENOID VALVE 230V (RUBY) |
| #23371 | PARKER 2 WAY INLET SOLENOID VALVE 230V |
| #29950 | PARKER 3 WAY SOLENOID VALVE 24V |
| #0020 | Pump Head Rotoflow |
| #0093 | Sirai Pressure Switch |
| #1497 | Parker Pressure Switch |
| #1578 | Solenoid O Rings Bag Of 100 |
Parts most often needed on this model
| Part | Number | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure switch (pressurestat) | — | The regulating element on MA-C 'Control' versions and a wear item; Crem's UK parts catalogue lists 'Pressure Stat'. |
| Boiler temperature probe | — | Probe/thermostat faults are the documented temperature-control failure. |
| Flowmeter | — | 5-second no-pulse fault and a group that will not dose. |
| Autofill / inlet solenoid valve | — | The 2-minute fill timeout usually ends at the inlet valve or a scaled probe. |
Questions
MA-C questions, answered
How a boiler of this size is examined, how often, and who carries the duty — see the complete PSSR guide.
0208 037 9340
How much does a PSSR examination cost on a Crem & Expobar MA-C?
A standalone examination is £295 + VAT, because the additional drain and heat-up time a 3 group boiler needs. Combined with a front-end service it is £500 + VAT, which is what most cafés and restaurants wanting a large boiler on a modest budget choose, since the boiler has to be drained for the examination either way. We confirm the exact figure on the call.
How often does a Crem & Expobar MA-C need examining?
The Written Scheme of Examination sets the interval, and for a commercial machine used in cafés and restaurants wanting a large boiler on a modest budget it is typically 12 to 14 months. A 3 group boiler holds a larger volume of water, so scale accumulates faster than in a smaller machine on the same duty and the scheme usually sets the shorter interval.
How long does a Crem & Expobar MA-C examination take, and what happens on the day?
A 3 group boiler holds more water than a 2 group, so the drain, refill and heat-up all take longer — allow the full appointment window. The visit runs: the steam boiler is drained and inspected internally with an endoscope for scale, corrosion and weld condition. the safety valve, anti-vac valve and fittings are checked and tested. The gauge is then verified against our calibrated test gauge, the system is pressure tested and held, and the machine is re-assembled, refilled, heated and function tested. The Written Scheme of Examination, signed report and asset record follow within 48 hours.
Other Crem & Expobar machines covered
Call and we'll price your MA-C on the spot.
Same-week appointments nationwide, the Written Scheme of Examination issued within 48 hours of the visit, and a fixed price agreed before we travel.