La Cimbali · 2 and 3 group
La Cimbali M26 SE / TE — PSSR examination & servicing
M26 SE / TE machines are used in corporate offices, staff restaurants and contract catering 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 La Cimbali M26 SE / TE 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 M26 SE / TE matters to the La Cimbali owner
A ubiquitous fixture across City of London corporate offices and contract catering hubs.
In practice you will find it in corporate offices, staff restaurants and contract catering — 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
- Contract-catering sites usually need the certificate addressed to a facilities manager or a landlord rather than the café owner — tell us at booking and we will issue it accordingly.
- Machines in office environments often sit idle at weekends, which is a genuine advantage: examinations can be booked without touching service.
- Compact HX: 5 L service boiler and only 0.18 L heat exchanger per group, 1 or 2 groups. Current model (M26 and M26 TE RE). The manufacturer's own defect table is the generic Cimbali user-level list, so the probe/overfill item is the genuinely model-specific fault.
Verified boiler data
What is actually inside this machine
| Configuration | Steam boiler |
|---|---|
| 1 group (DT/1) | 5.0 L |
| 2 group (DT/2) | 10.0 L |
| 3 group (DT/3) | 15.0 L |
Manufacturer's published boiler capacities. Where a maker publishes no figure we say so rather than estimate.
Service interval. Cimbali use-and-installation manual: qualified technicians must check all safety devices periodically - first inspection within three years of purchase, then every year. No fixed descale interval is stated.
Source: La Cimbali official Technical Data M26 TE RE; Pmax 2 bar from the M26 use and installation manual
Fault finder
What actually goes wrong on a La Cimbali M26 SE / TE
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 cold — please wait” and the group refuses to dispense | Documented Cimbali message meaning the machine is not up to temperature — it is a heating fault, not a keypad fault. | Treat it as a heating problem: element, thermostat and pressurestat. |
| Every time hot water is drawn the pump starts and the boiler refills; hot water flow is weak | A documented owner report of the autofill triggering on hot-water draw. | Check the level probe and the filling circuit. |
| Boiler overfills; drawing hot water starts the pump and the boiler keeps refilling, sometimes venting through the safety valve. | Calcified level probe on top of the boiler gives a false low level (documented on Coffee Forums for the M26); a loose probe earth has the same effect. | Remove and clean the probe back to bare metal (sandpaper), re-tension the connector; with heavy hot-water use the probe may need cleaning every 2-3 months. Fit water treatment. |
| Machine cold after switch-on. | Boiler/heating switch (1a) in the wrong position (M26 use-and-installation manual, defects table). | Press switch 1a. |
| Machine hot but does not dispense coffee; automatic level control stays on. | Water supply or water-softener tap closed, or no water in the system (manual, defects table). | Open the taps; restore water supply. |
| Leak at the filter-holder rim or water under the machine. | Underpan gasket dirty with coffee; discharge well or discharge-basin hole blocked (manual, defects table). | Clean the gasket with the brush supplied and clear the discharge. |
These are faults documented for this model, not a generic list.
Common parts
Common parts for the La Cimbali M26 SE / TE
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 |
|---|---|
| #15973 | Cimbali / Faema Brew Grp Temp Sensor - Original |
| #8488 | Cimbali Touchpanel Right Hand M29 Selectron - (Hot Water) Original |
| #18266 | Waste Hose With Wire 16mm X 1m |
| #2841 | Element Protection Thermostat - Original |
| #0108 | Flowmeter With Lead |
| #0972 | Cimbali Group Seal 70 X 57 X 9mm |
| #15933 | 44mm Top Piston Shower Plate |
| #15955 | 44mm Bottom Shower Plate |
| #18148 | Cimbali / Faema Group Seal 70 X 57 X 9mm |
| #18268 | Cimbali / Faema Quick Release Fitting / Union |
| #19111 | Valve Insert |
| #19923 | Cimbali Pad Seal 12 X 4 X 4 70sh Nbr |
Parts most often needed on this model
| Part | Number | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Boiler level probe | — | Boiler overfill / continuous refill; no number published in the sources read |
| 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 |
| Heating element, 1/2-group M26 | — | Slow heat-up / heating timeout; no number published in the sources read |
Questions
M26 SE / TE 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 M26 SE / TE?
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 corporate offices, staff restaurants and contract catering 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 M26 SE / TE need examining?
The Written Scheme of Examination sets the interval, and for a commercial machine used in corporate offices, staff restaurants and contract catering 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 La Cimbali M26 SE / TE 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 La Cimbali machines covered
Call and we'll price your M26 SE / TE 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.