La Cimbali · 2 group
La Cimbali M23 UP — PSSR examination & servicing
M23 UP machines are used in busy high-street cafés, takeaways and delis 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 La Cimbali M23 UP 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 M23 UP matters to the La Cimbali owner
A heavy-duty steel machine common in busy high-street cafés and takeaway setups.
In practice you will find it in busy high-street cafés, takeaways and delis — 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
- £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. 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
- Heavy steel frames are forgiving, but the wear items around the groups and the anti-vac valve are not — these are the parts we carry as standard.
- Takeaway-led sites tend to run higher volumes through fewer groups, which shortens the life of group seals considerably.
- Heat-exchanger machine: 11 L boiler on the 2-group, 17.5 L on the 3-group, 0.65 L HX per group, 2 bar / 133 degC, 63/78 kg. DT/A versions are volumetric, C/S are manual. Still a current model on cimbali.com and shares its platform with the Faema E98 UP.
Verified boiler data
What is actually inside this machine
| Configuration | Steam boiler |
|---|---|
| 2 group | 11.0 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 M23-specific interval published in the engineer's manual. Cimbali's user manual for the same generation (M26/Undici text) requires a first safety-device inspection within three years of purchase, then every year.
Source: La Cimbali official Technical Drawings datasheet M23UP. Single boiler with thermosyphon groups.
Fault finder
What actually goes wrong on a La Cimbali M23 UP
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 dead and display blank. | No electricity supply or main switch off (M23 engineer's manual, defects table). | Check supply and the main switch position. |
| Machine will not heat up. | Boiler/heating switch (1a) in the wrong position (M23 manual, defects table). | Press switch 1a. |
| Machine is hot but no coffee is dispensed, and the automatic level control keeps running. | Water supply tap or water-softener tap closed, or no water in the system (M23 manual, defects table). | Open both taps; if there is no mains water, wait or call a plumber. |
| Water under the machine or leaking round the filter-holder rim. | Discharge well or discharge-basin hole blocked, or underpan gasket dirty with coffee (M23 manual, defects table). | Clear the discharge and clean the underpan gasket with the brush supplied. |
These are faults documented for this model, not a generic list.
Common parts
Common parts for the La Cimbali M23 UP
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 |
|---|---|
| #0972 | Cimbali Group Seal 70 X 57 X 9mm |
| #18148 | Cimbali / Faema Group Seal 70 X 57 X 9mm |
| #20963 | Cimbali / Faema Cap Upper Piston 44mm - Original |
| #0227 | Pump Fitting 3/8 X 3/8 |
| #22752 | Parker 2 Way Solenoid Valve 24v |
| #18625 | PARKER 3 WAY SOLENOID VALVE 24V |
| #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 |
Parts most often needed on this model
| Part | Number | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Conical portafilter/group gasket 71x56x9 mm | 401-261-010 | Leak at the group/filter-holder rim |
| Heating-element flange gasket | 401-194-000 | Weep at the boiler face after element work |
| Steam/water valve gasket set (green FKM gasket + PTFE tap joint) | 400-274-020 / 485-078-010 | Dripping steam or hot-water tap |
| Boiler pressurestat | — | Pressure drift / short-cycling element; the manual's hydraulic legend lists item 54 'pressostato', no number published in the sources read |
Questions
M23 UP 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 La Cimbali M23 UP?
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 busy high-street cafés, takeaways and delis 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 La Cimbali M23 UP need examining?
The Written Scheme of Examination sets the interval, and for a commercial machine used in busy high-street cafés, takeaways and delis 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 La Cimbali M23 UP 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 La Cimbali machines covered
Call and we'll price your M23 UP 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.