semiatic

De’Longhi Eletta Cappuccino: what the lights mean

Bean-to-cup with a text display in capitals and a milk container (ECAM44.66X, e.g. ECAM44.660.B; and the ECAM45.760 ‘Eletta Cappuccino Top’)

The Eletta Cappuccino writes its warnings in capital letters on a small text display (FILL TANK, DESCALE, GENERAL ALARM). We read two De’Longhi manuals: the Instructions for use for the ECAM44.66X (linked from the ECAM44.660.B support page) and the one linked from the ECAM45.760.W page (the ‘Eletta Cappuccino Top’). Their ‘Displayed messages’ tables are the same message for message, with one difference: too much coffee reads LESS COFFEE on the ECAM44.66X and REDUCE COFFEE AMOUNT on the ECAM45.760. The Eletta Explore, with a colour touch screen and different messages, has its own page.

Every De’Longhi Eletta Cappuccino light we could source, 16 in all, each with De’Longhi’s meaning and steps. This is the Eletta Cappuccino’s pattern; another De’Longhi machine may use the same light for something else — check the manual for your model.

FILL TANK

Water

The water tank is too low, or not seated properly.

“Insufficient water in the tank (A16).”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Fill the tank with water and/or insert it correctly, pushing it as far as it will go until it clicks into place.

Source:

INSERT TANK

Water

The water tank is missing or not pushed fully in.

“The tank (A16) is not correctly in place.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Insert the tank correctly and press it in as far as it will go.

Source:

EMPTY CIRCUIT, FILL CIRCUIT — HOT WATER, Press OK

Water

There is no water in the internal water circuit. On the ECAM45.760 the two lines alternate on the display.

“The water circuit is empty”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Press OK and run water from the hot water spout until it flows normally.
  2. If the message persists, check the water tank is fully inserted (the ECAM45.760 manual adds this step).

Source:

EMPTY GROUNDS CONTAINER

Container or tray

The used-grounds container is full.

“The grounds container (A10) is full.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Empty the grounds container and the drip tray, clean them and put them back.
  2. De’Longhi’s warning: whenever you take the drip tray out, the grounds container MUST be emptied too, even if it holds few grounds, or it can overfill on the next coffees and clog the machine.

Source:

INSERT GROUNDS CONTAINER

Container or tray

The grounds container was not put back after cleaning.

“After cleaning, the grounds container (A10) has not been replaced.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Take out the drip tray, insert the grounds container, and refit the tray.

Source:

FILL BEANS CONTAINER

Container or tray

The bean container is empty — or, if you were using pre-ground coffee, the pre-ground funnel is clogged.

“The coffee beans have run out.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Fill the bean container.
  2. If you were making pre-ground coffee, empty the funnel with the brush, as the manual’s ‘Cleaning the pre-ground coffee funnel’ describes.

Source:

INSERT INFUSER ASSEMBLY

Fault or blockage

The brewing unit (infuser) is not in the machine.

“The infuser (A15) has not been replaced after cleaning.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Put the infuser back as the manual’s ‘Cleaning the infuser’ describes.

Source:

GROUND TOO FINE ADJUST MILL

Fault or blockage

The coffee ran too slowly or not at all because the grind is too fine.

“The grinding is too fine and the coffee is delivered too slowly or not at all.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Make the coffee again and, while the grinder is running, turn the grinding dial one click clockwise, towards “7”.
  2. If coffee is still too slow after at least 2 more coffees, turn it one more click. On the ECAM45.760 the manual adds: if a water softener filter is fitted, an air bubble may be blocking delivery, so run a little hot water until it flows evenly.

Source:

LESS COFFEE (REDUCE COFFEE AMOUNT on the ECAM45.760)

Fault or blockage

There was more coffee in the brewing unit than it can take.

“Too much coffee has been used.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Choose a milder taste with the coffee-strength button, or use less pre-ground coffee.

Source:

ADD PRE-GROUND COFFEE

Mode running

You chose pre-ground coffee but the funnel is empty.

“With the “pre-ground coffee” function selected, pre-ground coffee has not been poured into the funnel (A4).”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Put pre-ground coffee in the funnel, or switch the pre-ground function off.

Source:

INSERT WATER SPOUT

Container or tray

The hot water spout is missing or not pushed fully in.

“The hot water spout is not inserted or is inserted incorrectly.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Insert the water spout as far as it will go.

Source:

INSERT MILK CONTAINER

Container or tray

You chose a milk drink but the milk container is not fitted properly.

“The milk container is not inserted correctly.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Push the milk container in as far as it will go.

Source:

SET DIAL TO CLEAN

Cleaning due

After a milk drink, the milk container’s tubes need their quick rinse.

“Milk has been delivered recently and the tubes inside the milk container must be cleaned.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Turn the froth adjustment dial on the milk container to CLEAN.

Source:

DESCALE

Descale needed

The machine needs descaling. On the ECAM45.760 the manual says the word flashes on the display.

“The machine must be descaled.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Run the descaling programme in the manual’s ‘Descaling’ section as soon as possible, with De’Longhi descaler.

Source:

REPLACE FILTER

Water filter

The water softener filter in the tank is used up.

“The water softener filter is exhausted.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Replace the filter or remove it, as the manual’s ‘Water softener filter’ section describes.

Source:

GENERAL ALARM

Fault or blockage

The inside of the machine is very dirty.

“The inside of the appliance is very dirty.”

— De’Longhi, Eletta Cappuccino ECAM44.660.B and the other ECAM44.66X models
Which light
Text message on the display
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Clean the inside of the machine thoroughly, as the manual’s ‘Cleaning’ section describes.
  2. If the message is still there after cleaning, contact a De’Longhi service centre.

If that does not fix it: how to contact De’Longhi.

Source:

Near relatives

Machines from the same maker whose lights are close to these, each on its own page from its own manual. A light that looks the same can still mean something else, so check each one.

When De’Longhi says to get help

Contact a De’Longhi service centre — the manual’s words — if GENERAL ALARM stays after a thorough clean, or if a problem is not solved by the steps in the manual.

Sources

Every line on this page comes from De’Longhi’s own documents, read on the date shown. Nothing is taken from third-party manual sites.

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