Black and Decker coffee maker reset, is it really this simple?

[Thomas Martinez]

Found a few posts discussing the reset procedure for Black and Decker coffee makers. Thought I'd share this as the procedure is rather simple compared to what is shared in most posts on the subject.
To reset the machine, unplug the machine from the wall, press the on/off button once while it is unplugged from the power source, then re-plug the machine into an available power outlet. The display should initiate a countdown once it is re-plugged into the outlet. The reason for this procedure is that pressing the on/off button while the machine is unplugged drains any residual charge still held within the control board's bulk capacitor. This ensures that when power is restored to the machine that the microcontroller (MCU) within the machine is initiated in its initial state.
This procedure will work for the majority of Black and Decker drip coffee machines but only if they has a digital display and clock. For model numbers that use only a switch to control the heating element, there is no reset procedure for those models since they do not have the same digital components. Furthermore, has this trick cleared up any other issues with the coffee makers beyond the stuck clock display?

 

[Mist]

yeah the cap drain explanation is right on the money. Any device with a microcontroller and even a small bulk cap on the rail can hold state for a few seconds after unplug. Pressing the button bleeds it through whatever input circuitry is still alive. Same trick works on a ton of stuff, not just coffee makers.

 

[Mic]

tried it on my CM1160 last month when the clock was stuck on 12:00. Worked on the first try. Countdown started like you described.

 

[Tender Trout]

does this work on the older ones that do not have a digital display and clock? I have one of those models with a switch but it will not heat past lukewarm.

 

[M.C. Escher's]

does this work on the older ones that do not have a digital display and clock? I have one of those models with a switch but it will not heat past lukewarm.

lukewarm means either the heating element is scaled down to hell or the thermal fuse is on its way out. Nothing pressing a button does fix that lol

 

[Mist]

does this work on the older ones that do not have a digital display and clock? I have one of those models with a switch but it will not heat past lukewarm.

basic switch models have no reset procedure. Its a SPST switch that just turns on the heating element and the brew pump. If its not heating right, its descaling time or the heating element is broken.

 

[Important Iguana]

Black and Decker coffee makers are garbage anyway. Get a Bonavita and be done with it

 

[Inc]

so the countdown is the indicator that the machine has been reset? Does the countdown go until the clock sets to the selected time?

 

[Mic]

so the countdown is the indicator that the machine has been reset? Does the countdown go until the clock sets to the selected time?

its the brew delay timer initializing. It counts down for a few seconds then defaults to 12:00. Once you see the countdown, you know the MCU rebooted.

 

[Breakable Baboon]

as someone who works on small appliances semi professionally, this trick is not exclusive to Black and Decker coffee makers. Mr Coffee and Hamilton Beach brands use the same type of reset buttons and digital displays. Furthermore, they utilize the same 8 bit MCUs from the same suppliers. The idea behind the unplug and press trick is due to the bulk capacitors placed on the 5v power supply to the coffee makers that hold the charge for the MCU for a few seconds after unplug. When any button is pressed while the coffee maker is unplugged, the charge is released through the input button switches which forces the MCU to reboot when the coffee maker is plugged back into power. Essentially the same as removing the clock battery which is the harder way of performing this task. Furthermore, pressing the brew and program button combination is another documented way to reboot the MCU as it is a soft reset which tells the MCU to start over. However, unplugging and pressing a button is the nuclear option.