Rancilio · 2 group
Rancilio Classe 5 S — PSSR examination & servicing
Classe 5 S machines are used in compact high-street sites, small restaurants 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 Rancilio Classe 5 S 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 Classe 5 S matters to the Rancilio owner
The non-Eco Classe 5 — the same compact chassis as the Eco but with a larger boiler, which is why the two are priced differently in our schedule.
In practice you will find it in compact high-street sites, small restaurants 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
- £55 + 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
- The compact body means the boiler drain is reached from the front rather than the rear, which makes this one of the quicker examinations.
- The larger boiler in the S, against the Eco's smaller one, is exactly why we price on boiler configuration rather than on the badge.
- Semi-automatic Classe 5: no dose keypad, boiler pressure set by the mechanical pressurestat (P302/6) rather than by a display. Technical data from the Classe 5 manual: boiler 5 L (2-group compact) / 11 L (2-group) / 16 L (3-group), max 0.22 MPa (2.2 bar), 134 C, 55/74/85 kg, 611/771/1011 mm wide. The Classe 5 manual publishes its error list under 'Model USB' - the S has no display, so codes are only visible on a PC after a USB download.
Verified boiler data
What is actually inside this machine
| Configuration | Steam boiler |
|---|---|
| 2 group compact | 11.0 L |
Manufacturer's published boiler capacities. Where a maker publishes no figure we say so rather than estimate.
Service interval. No fixed interval published by Rancilio and no maintenance counter on the Classe 5 S. Dealer guidance: daily backflush, weekly detergent soak, descale monthly (hard water) / quarterly (soft), annual seal and pressure check.
Source: Rancilio Group official product page, Classe 5 S technical specifications
Fault finder
What actually goes wrong on a Rancilio Classe 5 S
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 will not build pressure or dispense — E01 or E02 on the display | E01 fill time-out (no water, failed fill solenoid) or E02 boiler-pressure time-out. | Check supply, filter and softener, then the fill solenoid. |
| A group meters badly or the dose wanders — W01 / W02 / W03 | Broken wire from the flowmeter for that group, or a fouled flowmeter. | Check the flowmeter wiring first, then clean or replace the flowmeter. |
| Boiler level wrong or false fills — E14 on a Classe 9, SL lamp on a Classe 7 | Level probe fouled or shorted. SL means the boiler level is too low. | Clean or replace the level probe. |
| Alarm after a period of use — E19 over-pressure boiler | Boiler over-pressure: pressure sensor or controller fault, or a filling valve passing. | Test the pressure sensor and the filling valve. |
| A group will not fire, or the valve clicks but nothing happens — W12–W17 | Short circuit or broken wire on a group valve coil. | Check the coil and its wiring. |
| Weak steam and slow recovery that looks like a fault | Classe 9 has a documented REDUCED POWER mode running only two of three heating elements. | Check whether reduced power is selected before diagnosing the boiler. |
| Machine stops with E01 - boiler fill timeout; no heat, no coffee. | The boiler did not reach level in the permitted time: no mains water, blocked inlet filter, blocked fill gigleur, or a fill solenoid that does not open. | Check supply and filter first, then the fill solenoid; clean the hydraulic-module filter/gigleur. |
| Portafilter creeps past centre; group leaks at pressure. | Hardened group gasket. On an S there is no display to warn you - the first sign is poor lock-in and a drip. | Fit group gasket 36301046; smear food-grade silicone grease on reassembly. |
| Slow extraction on one group, worsening over weeks. | Blocked group gigleur/restrictor in hard water. | Clean or replace the gigleur (10701616 Teflon, or 10060622 / 10060623 NANEFLON). |
| Slow dispensing, getting slower through the day. | Dirty group and filters, grind too fine, dose too high, or over-tamping - Rancilio's own 'What if' list for this machine. | Clean the group and baskets, then correct grind and dose before touching the hydraulics. |
| Water under the machine. | Drain tray or drain tube obstructed (Rancilio's own troubleshooting list). | Clear the drain tray and tube; check the drain is falling away from the machine. |
These are faults documented for this model, not a generic list.
Common parts
Common parts for the Rancilio Classe 5 S
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 |
|---|---|
| #28206 | Rancilio Right Clever Steam Valve Classe 9 |
| #32906 | Asco 3 Way Pre Infusion Solenoid Valve 24v 1/8 |
| #32915 | Asco 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 |
| #29950 | PARKER 3 WAY SOLENOID VALVE 24V |
| #32912 | Rancilio 200l/H Pump |
| #32916 | Rancilio 200l/H Volumetric Pump |
Parts most often needed on this model
| Part | Number | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Group gasket, peroxide-cured (HP) | 36301046 | Main wear item on the group. |
| Shower net | 40200005 | Replaced with the gasket; blocks with oil and scale. |
| Level probe assembly | 34200088 | Scaled probe = wrong boiler level and repeated fill faults. |
| Mechanical pressure switch, wired P302/6 | 10111023 | The S is pressurestat-controlled; this is the boiler-pressure regulator and a wear part. |
| Heating element 230 V 4300 W with capillary | 33323004 | Element failure is the classic 'no heat / trips the breaker' fault. |
| Element gasket, Teflon | 36930012 | Weeps after an element change if not renewed. |
Questions
Classe 5 S 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 Rancilio Classe 5 S?
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 compact high-street sites, small restaurants 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 Rancilio Classe 5 S need examining?
The Written Scheme of Examination sets the interval, and for a commercial machine used in compact high-street sites, small restaurants 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 Rancilio Classe 5 S 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 Rancilio machines covered
Call and we'll price your Classe 5 S 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.