ECM Synchronika II Espresso Machine: Setup Guide

Congratulations on your new ECM Synchronika II Espresso Machine! In this guide, you should find everything you need to set up and operate your dual-boiler espresso machine.

Please read through the entirety of the setup guide before following along. If you have any questions, contact our team at Clive Coffee. Additional information can be found in the ECM Synchronika II User Manual.

Remove the machine from the box and place it on a stable, level surface.
Before adding water and turning on the machine, inspect for damage that may have occurred during shipping. If you notice any damage, contact us immediately.
Save all packaging in case of returns and repairs.

Before introducing water to your machine, it's essential to test it to ensure it's adequately soft, around 50 ppm (parts per million). Use the included water test strips to verify the hardness of your water. To learn more about our recommendations for water quality, check out our blog post, The Importance of Water and Your Espresso Machine. Do not use distilled or Zero water in your espresso machine, as the machine will not register that the reservoir has been filled.
Lift the reservoir door to fill it with water from the top. Fill the water tank with filtered, softened water and close the reservoir door.
Please note that you may have to fill the reservoir once more after the initial boiler fill phase.

Your machine is set for use on a 110v outlet. Prior to starting the machine, check if the steam valve is closed. Check to ensure the machine is off (the power button is not pressed inward) and the drip tray is inserted accurately.
The machine is defaulted to reservoir mode. See step 6 for changing your water source to plumb-in mode.
Plug your machine directly into a grounded socket (do not use an extension cord) and turn it on by flipping the main power switch upward on the front panel. The green lamp will illuminate.
Fill mode will now commence. Lift the brew lever and allow water to run from the group head for at least 35 seconds or until water begins flowing from the group head. Lastly, lower the brew lever to the fully closed position. Once this process is complete, the "fill" message on the PID display will disappear, and your machine will begin heating.
Note: You may need to refill your water reservoir during or immediately after this process.
After the brew boiler has been filled, the steam boiler is automatically filled with fresh water. As soon as the steam boiler filling is finished, you no longer hear any pump noise. After the boilers are filled, the machine starts heating.
Place the portafilter into the group head to ensure maximum temperature stability.

The fast heat-up mode uses an integrated electronic heating element in the E61 grouphead. This allows the group head to stabilize in temperature in around 6 and a half minutes.
The Synchronika II is ready to make espresso once the pre-set temperature on the PID display is reached.
At this point, your machine is ready to pull your first shots. With coffee in your portafilter, lock it into the group head and lift the brew lever all the way up to begin pulling espresso. Flip the brew lever all the way down to stop your shot once you reach your desired liquid yield within your desired timeframe.
Fast heat-up can be disabled in the advanced PID settings.

After about 15 minutes, the Synchronika II's steam boiler is pressurized and ready to steam milk and purge hot water from the hot water spout.
To activate the steam wand, move the joystick down until it clicks into place.
You’re now ready to steam milk!
You can turn the steam boiler on/off in the basic PID settings.

Ensure that you use the provided braided water supply line.
We provide a 3/8 MPT x 3/8 push-connect fitting that threads onto the water supply side of the braided plumb-in line and accepts 3/8" tubing.
We highly recommend using filtration and softening with a pressure regulator between your machine and your water source. For most home users, the single-stage filtration and softening system is sufficient. For home users with very to extremely hard water, the two-stage commercial water softening and filtration system is a better choice.
Follow the below steps to use the Synchronika II in plumb-in mode.

If you have the previous iteration of the ECM Synchronika, please refer to the ECM Synchronika version 1 setup guide.

If you need help dialing in your equipment or pulling shots, check out the articles below or contact our team of coffee experts and technicians.