semiatic

De’Longhi Rivelia: what the lights mean

Bean-to-cup with a colour touch screen and two swappable bean hoppers (EXAM44X.3Y with a steam wand; Rivelia LatteCrema EXAM44X.5Y with a milk carafe)

The Rivelia has no warning lights to decode: its touch screen writes each alarm out as a friendly sentence (“Oops! it looks like you’re out of coffee beans”), and the manual’s ‘Frequent and alarm messages’ table says what is behind it. The sentences are not the ones the Eletta Explore shows for the same problems, and some hide more than they say — “Something’s not right: can you refer to the user manual please?” means the inside of the machine is very dirty. Every message below is quoted from De’Longhi’s Instructions for use for the EXAM44X.3Y (steam-wand) models; all but one also appear, word for word, in the LatteCrema (EXAM44X.5Y) manual, whose brewing-unit message is printed half in Italian, and the milk-carafe reminder is from that manual only.

Every De’Longhi Rivelia light we could source, 15 in all, each with De’Longhi’s meaning and steps. This is the Rivelia’s pattern; another De’Longhi machine may use the same light for something else — check the manual for your model.

“Time to fill the water tank with fresh water and then insert it.”

Water

Icon on the display screen: steady

There is not enough water in the tank — or the tank is not correctly in place, which the manual lists under the same message.

“Insufficient water in the tank”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Remove the tank, fill it with fresh drinking water up to the MAX level and put it back.
  2. If it was already full, push the tank fully into place.

Source:

“Can you empty the drip tray and the grounds container? Fill water tank with fresh water and then insert it.”

Container or tray

Icon on the display screen: steady

Two jobs are due at once: the tank is low and the grounds container is nearly full. The machine asks for both now so that you can then make several drinks without being interrupted.

“There is not enough water in the tank to make a drink, and the machine will soon be asking for the grounds container to be emptied”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Empty the drip tray and the grounds container and put them back.
  2. Fill the water tank with fresh water and put it back.

Source:

“Time to empty the grounds container and the drip tray. Even if not full, it is important to clear them out regularly”

Container or tray

Icon on the display screen: steady

The grounds container is full by the machine’s count — even if it does not look full.

“The grounds container is full.”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Empty and clean the grounds container and the drip tray, as in the manual’s ‘Coffee grounds container’ section, and put them back.

Source:

“Empty the grounds container and drip tray. Once done, if you still see this message, ensure the side door is closed.”

Container or tray

Icon on the display screen: steady

The grounds container or the drip tray is missing or not pushed fully in — or the side flap is missing or not properly shut.

“Grounds container and/or the drip tray not correctly in place or missing completely.”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Put the grounds container and drip tray back fully.
  2. If the message stays, fit the side flap or make sure it is properly shut.

Source:

“Can you insert the brewing unit?”

Fault or blockage

Icon on the display screen: steady

The removable brewing unit is not in the machine — usually because it was taken out for cleaning.

“The brewing unit has not been replaced after cleaning.”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Put the brewing unit back as the manual’s ‘Removable brewing unit’ section describes.

Source:

“Oops! it looks like you’re out of coffee beans. Time to add some more.”

Container or tray

Icon on the display screen: steady

The bean hopper is empty.

“Coffee beans have run out. Fill the bean hopper and press "Done".”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Fill the bean hopper with beans and press “Done”.

Source:

“Just doing a little cleaning. I’ll be back in a few seconds”

Cleaning due

Icon on the display screen: steady

The machine found impurities in its internal circuits and is clearing them by itself.

“The machine has detected impurities in its internal circuits.”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Wait until the machine is ready again, then choose your drink again.
  2. If it keeps happening, contact an authorised De’Longhi Service Centre.

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

Source:

“Sorry, I am unable to complete your drink. Increase the grind setting by 1 (+1).”

Fault or blockage

Icon on the display screen: steady

The grind is too fine for the water to get through, so the drink stopped.

“The beans are too finely ground, so that the coffee is delivered too slowly or not at all.”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Press “Ok”, then “Next”, and raise the grind setting by 1, as the message says; the manual’s ‘Coffee grinder settings’ tutorial shows how.
  2. Turn the grinder’s adjuster ring only while the grinder is running, and make at least 3 coffees before adjusting it again.

Source:

“Sorry, I am unable to complete your drink. Please reduce the intensity and try again”

Fault or blockage

Icon on the display screen: steady

Too much ground coffee for the drink, so it could not be finished.

“Too much coffee has been used. Select a milder “intensity””

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Press “Ok” to go back to the homepage and choose a milder intensity for that drink.

Source:

“A descale is needed. Ready to start? (~ 30 min)”

Descale needed

Icon on the display screen: steady

Time to descale; the guided procedure takes about 30 minutes. If you press “Cancel”, the homepage keeps showing the descale symbol, and the message comes back every time you switch the machine on.

“Indicates that the machine needs descaling.”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Press “Yes” (or later, the settings menu’s “Descale”) and follow the steps on the screen.
  2. Empty the drip tray and grounds container; take the filter out of the tank and empty the tank.
  3. Pour De’Longhi descaler into the tank up to level A (one 100 ml pack), add drinking water up to level B (one litre) and put a container of at least 1.5 litres under the spouts.
  4. After about 20 minutes, rinse as the screen asks: fill the tank to MAX with fresh water for each rinse and empty the container in between.

Source:

“Oops, the process has been interrupted”

Descale needed

Icon on the display screen: steady

The descale did not finish — for example after a power cut.

“Descaling interrupted or not completed correctly”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Press “Ok” to continue, and follow the ‘Descaling’ section; De’Longhi advises repeating the procedure if it was not completed correctly.

Source:

“The water filter needs to be replaced. Ready to start?”

Water filter

Icon on the display screen: steady

The water softener filter in the tank is used up.

“Water softener filter spent.”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Press “Yes” to replace the filter now, or “Cancel” to do it later, and follow the manual’s ‘Replacing or removing the filter’ section.

Source:

“The water circuit is out of water. Ready to refill?”

Water

Icon on the display screen: steady

The machine’s internal water circuit is empty — for example after you emptied it before storage.

“The water circuit is empty”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Press “Yes” to fill the circuit; the water stops by itself.
  2. If the message comes back, check that the water tank is correctly in place.

Source:

“Something’s not right: can you refer to the user manual please?”

Fault or blockage

Icon on the display screen: steady

Despite the vague wording, the manual gives one cause: the inside of the machine is very dirty.

“The inside of the machine is very dirty.”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia EXAM440.35.B and the other EXAM44X.3Y models (steam wand)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
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 describes.
  2. If the message is still there after cleaning, contact De’Longhi Customer Services or an approved Service Centre.

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

Source:

“Remember to store the milk carafe in the fridge” (LatteCrema)

Cleaning due

Icon on the display screen: steady

You made a milk drink and left the carafe attached. Only the LatteCrema (milk carafe) models show it.

“A milk-based drink has been prepared and the milk carafe is still on the machine”

— De’Longhi, Rivelia LatteCrema EXAM440.55 and the other EXAM44X.5Y models (milk carafe)
Which light
Icon on the display screen
Colour
Colour not named by the maker
Steady or flashing
Steady

What De’Longhi says to do

  1. Remove the milk carafe and put it in the refrigerator.

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 De’Longhi Customer Services and/or an approved Service Centre (the manual’s wording).

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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