La Cimbali · 2 group
La Cimbali M29 — PSSR examination & servicing
M29 machines are used in established cafés and restaurants, often on a second or third decade of service 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 M29 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 M29 matters to the La Cimbali owner
The previous-generation La Cimbali workhorse. Still numerous, still reliable, and increasingly the machine an operator is deciding whether to keep or replace.
In practice you will find it in established cafés and restaurants, often on a second or third decade of service — 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
- 10 litre steel boiler at 2.0 bar. The oldest M29s in our records are past twenty years and still passing, which is the practical argument for keeping them on a Written Scheme.
- Age shows up in the fittings rather than the vessel — a twenty-year-old M29 usually needs attention at the safety valve and the anti-vac valve before it needs anything done to the boiler.
- 2-group Select/Start with a 5 L boiler, 3200-3700 W, 56 kg; Select is volumetric (4 doses + continuous), Start is manual. No longer listed in Cimbali's current product sitemap, so treat as discontinued but well supported by parts houses.
Measured boiler data
What is actually inside this machine
| Configuration | Steam boiler | Working | Design |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 group8 examined | 10.0 L | 1.1 bar | 2.0 bar |
Capacities and pressures recorded across 8 examinations of this model.
Service interval. No M29-specific interval published in the documents found. A UK supplier (Jaguar Espresso Systems) lists a shared M22/M24/M29/M39 Selectron service kit, which reflects how the trade services this platform.
Source: PSSR examination records, 8 examinations of this model, anonymised.
Fault finder
What actually goes wrong on a La Cimbali M29
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Brew valve spits violently when the shot ends, then all brew buttons die and a red LED lights | Three-way valves spraying on pump stop, with water reaching the electrical box and locking the board out. | Dry and inspect the board, rebuild or replace the three-way valves, and find where the water entered. |
| A group's three-way valve leaks constantly and the drip tray fills | Scale and coffee-oil build-up on the valve seat. | Strip and rebuild the group valve. |
| Pressure drifts and the element short-cycles | Pressure microswitch (pressurestat) contact burning on this generation of Cimbali traditional machine. | Replace the pressurestat and reset the deadband against a calibrated gauge. |
| Touch-pad behaves erratically: one button lights another, the manual button does nothing, auto shot timing fails. | The keypad senses an impedance change, not a contact closure; moisture in the button membrane corrupts it. Reported as common on this Cimbali generation (Home-Barista). | Replace the keypad membrane (Cimbali part, about EUR 79 at the time of the report); resealing the panel helps prevent recurrence. |
| Boiler pressure falls and the pressurestat cuts heating early; opening the steam valve restores normal running. | Air lock caused by a hardened/brittle OPV rubber washer that no longer opens as the machine cools (Home-Barista, resolved case). | Strip the OPV and replace its rubber washer; check the expansion/OPV seat while it is apart. |
| Three-way brew valves spray violently when the pump stops; then all brew buttons die, a red LED lights on the main board and the boiler stops refilling. | Water from a leaking three-way valve reaching the electrical box; the board locks out to protect itself (Home-Barista, M29 Selectron). | Dry and repair/replace the control board, replace the leaking three-way valve(s), reseat the box lid and cable glands. |
| Scale, element and level-probe wear on an older machine. | Normal scale build-up in the boiler and HX; the M22/M24/M29/M39 Selectron family is serviced as one platform. | Boiler service/descale, element and gasket replacement, probe clean; a UK supplier sells a shared Selectron service kit. |
These are faults documented for this model, not a generic list.
Common parts
Common parts for the La Cimbali M29
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 |
|---|---|
| #18956 | M29/M32 Steam Arm |
| #18993 | M29 Steam Knob |
| #1980 | Faema / Cimbali Pcb 2 Grp - Due, E97, E98 / President, Stylema Fa, M22 / M29 Sel |
| #31105 | Cimbali M29/M39 2 Grp Front End S/Kit |
| #7750 | Cimbali Site Glass Cover Complete M29 - Original |
| #8488 | Cimbali Touchpanel Right Hand M29 Selectron - (Hot Water) 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) |
Parts most often needed on this model
| Part | Number | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Cimbali M22/M24/M29/M39 Selectron service kit | JAG18526 (Cimbali 999000024 / 999000029) | Platform service kit for the Selectron family |
| Steam/water valve knob, M29 Selectron | — | Worn knob/spring on the steam and water taps |
| 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 |
Questions
M29 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 M29?
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 established cafés and restaurants, often on a second or third decade of service 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 M29 need examining?
The Written Scheme of Examination sets the interval, and for a commercial machine used in established cafés and restaurants, often on a second or third decade of service 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 M29 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 M29 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.