Fracino · 2 group
Fracino Romano — PSSR examination & servicing
Romano machines are used in mobile coffee vans, street-food markets and event caterers nationwide. The engineer carries out the statutory PSSR examination, the front-end service and the water treatment on this model — a standalone examination is £265 + VAT, or £440 + VAT with the service included.
Quick answer
Does a Fracino Romano 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
- £265
- With service
- £440
The machine
Why the Romano matters to the Fracino owner
A dual-fuel staple heavily relied upon by London's mobile coffee vans and street-food markets.
In practice you will find it in mobile coffee vans, street-food markets and event caterers — 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 2 group single boiler is one drain and one refill, comfortably inside the standard appointment window.
- The Written Scheme of Examination names the vessel and the protective devices it covers.
Typical rates for this model
- Standalone PSSR examination
- £265
- Service + PSSR bundle
- £440
- Certified safety valve, if it fails
- £52 + 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. A single steam boiler with one set of protective devices to examine. 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
- Dual-fuel machines can run on gas where no electrical supply is available — we examine the pressure system on site wherever the van is parked.
- Mobile installations still need a Written Scheme. A machine that moves between pitches is not exempt; the duty follows the pressure system, not the postcode.
- Romano is the 2- and 3-group traditional range: FR 2E-R has a 14 L copper boiler, 4 kW/20 A (2.85 kW alternative), 565 x 800 x 550 mm, 70 kg; FR 3E-R has 20 L, 7.5 kW/30 A, 1045 mm wide, 90 kg. Two steam valves and one hot water valve. Current models are electronic (four preset doses); parts book also covers semi-automatic versions. Thermosyphonic heat exchangers, brass groups.
Verified boiler data
What is actually inside this machine
| Configuration | Steam boiler |
|---|---|
| 2 group (FR 2E-R) | 14.0 L |
| 3 group (FR 3E-R) | 20.0 L |
Manufacturer's published boiler capacities. Where a maker publishes no figure we say so rather than estimate.
Service interval. Fracino specifies regular servicing at least once a year (frequency set by use and water hardness) and an annual Boiler Test Inspection under the HSE PSSR Act 2000. Fracino Service's own schedule is a first service after year one, then an e
Source: Fracino official product page technical specifications table
Fault finder
What actually goes wrong on a Fracino Romano
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 |
|---|---|---|
| “ALARM TIME-OUT BOILER REFILLING” and all keypad LEDs flashing | The machine did not reach the level probe inside the refill time. The manual notes this can simply be a large draw-off in one go, but if it repeats the water supply is usually off. | Power-cycle to reset. If it returns, check the supply — Fracino warn that running without water damages the high-pressure pump and voids its warranty. |
| “ALARM FLOW METER GROUP X” with the button LED flashing | The PCB sees no pulses from that group's flowmeter. Fracino list five causes: a blank filter left in the holder, coffee ground too fine, a wire off or bad connection at the flowmeter, a blocked group or failed group solenoid, or crossed wires at the PCB. | Work the list in order. The machine turns that group off automatically after a minute without pulses. |
| Boiler will not refill and the pump runs continuously | A blocked non-return valve, so the pump keeps running against a closed circuit. | Strip and clean or replace the non-return valve. |
| Machine trips at temperature — PID models | Fracino's PID alarms trigger at 140 °C, and the high-limit safety stat trips at 115 °C. | Reset the high-limit stat and find why it overheated before resetting. |
| "ALARM FLOW METER GROUP X" with flashing key LED; group stops. | No flowmeter pulses: blank filter, fine grind, wiring/connection, blocked group or solenoid, crossed wires. | Remove blank filter, adjust grind, check flowmeter wiring and turbine, clean jet, test group solenoid. |
| "ALARM TIME-OUT BOILER REFILLING" after heavy water use. | Boiler did not reach the level probe in the permitted refill time; a big draw-off can do it, as can a closed supply. | Reset by switching off/on; if persistent check supply, inlet filter and fill solenoid. Running dry damages the pump and voids its warranty. |
| A touch-pad button will not operate after programming. | PCB recorded a zero value because no flowmeter pulses were seen (blank filter, disconnected flowmeter, jammed turbine, no water flow, crossed terminals). | Re-programme with a normal basket; check flowmeter wiring and water flow. |
| "H2O FILTER" displayed. | Filter counter reached its set volume. | Renew the filter and reset the counter from the keypad. |
These are faults documented for this model, not a generic list.
Common parts
Common parts for the Fracino Romano
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 |
|---|---|
| #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 |
| #1586 | Shower Plate 52 X 5mm |
Parts most often needed on this model
| Part | Number | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Group gasket | FC101 | Group seal wear item on every Romano group. |
| Filter holder washer, 8.5 mm | FC104/8.5 | Wears first and causes leaks/handle creep. |
| Pressure switch, 3-pole | FC169 | Controls boiler pressure; contact wear causes low or unstable steam pressure. |
| Level probe | FC191 | Scale on the probe causes overfilling or refill time-outs. |
| Inlet solenoid valve | FC171 | Fills the boiler; a stuck or scaled valve gives refill time-outs. |
| Heating element, 4000 W, 2 group | FC162 | Main element; 7.5 kW FC163 for 3-group. |
Questions
Romano 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 Fracino Romano?
A standalone examination is £265 + VAT, because a single steam boiler with one set of protective devices to examine. Combined with a front-end service it is £440 + VAT, which is what most mobile coffee vans, street-food markets and event caterers 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 Fracino Romano need examining?
The Written Scheme of Examination sets the interval, and for a commercial machine used in mobile coffee vans, street-food markets and event caterers it is typically 12 to 14 months. A single boiler on this duty normally sits at the middle of that range unless the water is hard, which we test on the day and report with the certificate.
How long does a Fracino Romano examination take, and what happens on the day?
A 2 group single boiler is one drain and one refill, comfortably inside the standard 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 Fracino machines covered
Call and we'll price your Romano 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.