La Spaziale · 2 group
La Spaziale S5 EK — PSSR examination & servicing
S5 EK machines are used in Italian restaurants, bistros and traditional cafés 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 Spaziale S5 EK 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 S5 EK matters to the La Spaziale owner
A highly durable heat-exchange machine favoured by busy Italian restaurants and bistros.
In practice you will find it in Italian restaurants, bistros and traditional cafés — 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
- Heat-exchange machines use a single boiler with a heat exchanger for brew water — one pressure vessel, one set of protective devices, so the examination is priced in the standard band.
- The trade-off is that the boiler is worked harder per litre, which makes scale inspection the most important part of the visit.
- Alarm wording is from the S5 EK/EP manual (LSC 011 rev. 00); the cycle-counter behaviour is from the S5 range manual (LSC 001 UK rev. 06). EK = volumetric electronic dosing. Keep the S5 EK alarm set separate from the S50's — different controllers.
Verified boiler data
What is actually inside this machine
| Configuration | Steam boiler |
|---|---|
| 1 group | 5.0 L |
| 2 group | 10.0 L |
| 3 group | 15.0 L |
| 4 group | 20.0 L |
Manufacturer's published boiler capacities. Where a maker publishes no figure we say so rather than estimate.
Service interval. No calendar interval: La Spaziale's controller raises the 'technical assistance' symbol on a technician-set threshold of solenoid-valve action cycles, and a separate flashing symbol on softened litres. Daily: boiler water change and group c
Fault finder
What actually goes wrong on a La Spaziale S5 EK
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dose LED keeps flashing 5-6 seconds after the button is pressed | EK-specific: too fine grinding OR no flow-meter pulses reaching the board | correct the grind first, then check the flowmeter and its wiring. |
| All dose symbols flash and the machine will not dispense | boiler refill has been running for more than 3 minutes (total block) - no water, blocked inlet, or fill circuit fault | check supply and fill circuit, then reset. |
| A '125 deg C' symbol appears | sensor reads above 140 deg C - over-temperature, so heating is blocked | find the overshooting thermoregulation device. |
| A '105 deg C' symbol appears | boiler still below 60 deg C after 20 minutes - element, contactor or probe | test the heating chain. |
| All temperature symbols flash | temperature probe short or open circuit | test and replace the probe. |
| Service comes due by cycle count, not calendar | La Spaziale's service counters are driven by solenoid-valve cycle counts and softened litres, so a busy machine needs valves serviced on cycles | service the solenoids and resets counters at the interval. |
| The selected dose symbol starts blinking 5–6 seconds into delivery and the dose is wrong. | EK-specific: grind too fine, or no flow-meter pulses recorded for that group. | Correct the grind first; if it persists, check the flowmeter, its connector and the board. |
| All dose symbols on all touchpads flash, temperature symbols go out, machine blocks. | Automatic boiler refill has been running for more than 3 minutes (total block of all functions). | Find why it is filling continuously (supply, inlet filter, fill solenoid, level probe, leak), then power-cycle to reset. |
| '125 °C' symbol lit and all other symbols off. | Temperature sensor reading above 140 °C — total block. | Power-cycle; if it recurs, test the thermoregulation device and the sensor. |
| '105 °C' symbol lit and the machine never heats. | Sensor still below 60 °C twenty minutes after switch-on — element, relay/contactor, probe or no water in the boiler. | Work through the heating circuit: element resistance, contactor/relay, probe, boiler level. |
| All temperature symbols flash and the keypads are dead. | Temperature sensor short circuit or open circuit. | Test the probe and its wiring; replace the probe. |
These are faults documented for this model, not a generic list.
Common parts
Common parts for the La Spaziale S5 EK
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 |
|---|---|
| #2572.01 | Eureka Micro-Switch Kit |
| #MAC64ITA-HPCP | Eureka Helios Grinder Blades 65mm |
| #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 |
Parts most often needed on this model
| Part | Number | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Group/portafilter gasket 6.3 mm | SP002 | The standard La Spaziale group seal; a 7.0 mm version (SP094) is listed for worn groups. |
| Shower screen pair | SP017 | Screens clog and distort flow; sold as a pair, with SP017/1 (49 mm) and SP017/2 (51.7 mm) individual screens. |
| 3-way solenoid valve, Lucifer, 230 V | SP033 | The valve whose action cycles drive the service counter — the most-cycled electrical part. |
| Boiler level probe | SP190 | Scale on the probe is the usual cause of the 3-minute refill block. |
| Boiler heating element, 2-group 4200 W | SP376 | Element failure is the '105 °C' no-heat path. |
| Temperature probe for boiler | SP132 | The probe behind the temperature-symbol alarms. |
Questions
S5 EK 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 Spaziale S5 EK?
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 Italian restaurants, bistros and traditional cafés 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 Spaziale S5 EK need examining?
The Written Scheme of Examination sets the interval, and for a commercial machine used in Italian restaurants, bistros and traditional cafés 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 Spaziale S5 EK 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 Spaziale machines covered
Call and we'll price your S5 EK 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.