My Bunn does not get hot enough to boil the water out. It gets hot and steams but no hjot water comes out. I had the unit apart and it is very clean inside and even the boiler is clean. I put a thermomete to the elements and the wrap around element got to 130 degrees F and the main element was over 500 degree's. It also shuts off automatically and comes back on. I cleaned everything and it still does not boil out the water. ????? The copper pipe is clean that goes from the boile to the pot.

Over Boiling or constant heating of tank water is an indication of a shorted thermostat (or out of calibration). Call your vendor for service. (especially if this equipment is on loan.)
*** the following is for information only. Repairs should be performed by a qualified Bunn Tech. ***
* VPR's and similar machines REQUIRE a pre-fill and heating period prior to brewing. This means it's sitting on a level table and filled with water until water sprays from the brew head. At this point the unit is plugged in and the heater is turned on (there may be some water discharge from brew head as the water expands). Ready light will come on in about 15 mins.
* To Brew; Place coffee grounds in filter, place in funnel and brew head, clean empty decanter under funnel, slowly pour one full decanter of water (cold or hot) into brew tray. Do not overflow tray. Allow water level to sink before adding more water. Only fill with one pot as an equal amount will come out the brew head and funnel.
* Make sure the decanters are all the same size. do not mix a 12 cup pot with a 10 cup pot. One will over fill and the other will under fill. Make sure they match (in cup volume) FYI; Thermo Air pump pots are usually bigger than one pot. Typical filling only to 3/4th of the container. (I think most are in 2.5 to 3 liter sizes)
* If your not getting a full pot then the brewer was partially empty. The second brew (if done within the next hour) should come out full.
* If your still not getting a full pot then the water is leaking or is boiling off. Does it always steam from the top? Thermostat is shorted. Unplug the brewer and call vendor for service.
* Final; Follow the Bunn set up and care instructions (manuals from Bunn.com for down loading. *FREE*)
Aloha, ukeboy57

PS; There is a slight chance that your thermostat is set too high. There is a dial on the thermostat that can be turned counter clockwise to lower the temperature of the brewing water. Water should be about 190-205 F for coffee. Tea drinkers want 210 F which is too close to boiling point of water. If your in the mountains (+2000 feet) then the boiling temp will lower. Was it possible the brewer came from a low (sea level) location and moved to higher altitude? Then the setting is off and must be set lower (a fine adjustment). But note that if your on the top of a high mountain (like Haleakala, Hawaii) then it has to be set a lot lower and you will only get luke warm brews at 9,000 feet!. Adjust the knob clockwise to get it to boil. Then back it off counter-clockwise a bit till it stops boiling. Make another brew to check if the reheat comes to a boil but stops after a minute or so. It should not boil on longer than 2-3 mins. Back it off a bit more if it does. Brew again to check. If none of this works then you will need to replace the thermostat. If your at a really HIGH altitude location, then you will need a specially adapted high altitude brewer. Call your coffee vendor for advice.

Bunn machine smells hot
* Check for unusual sounds from brewer (other than sizzling from warmer plates). There should be a gradual boiling sound accompanied by some steaming at the top of brewer. This will turn off and ready light indicating the brewer is ready to brew.
* You may sometimes hear a slight boiling sound from time to time (about 15-30 mins apart). Notify your vendor as the warmer blanket may be out. (your brewer will still work but call them anyway.)
* Check your manual for setting up procedures and checks. It's available on line: http://www.bunn.com/product-manuals
* Constant boiling (more than 15 mins) with lots of steaming is a sign of an electrical problem. Unplug machine and call vendor for service.
* Final; Unplug unit and check for 'stuff' in pour over tray. I've found Chocolate, Cream, Milk, powder, sugar, honey, and a dead rat in the tray. Crew will repour old coffee or beverages into brewer to 're-heat' them. Notify vendor for cleaning or replacement (it happens all the time.)
Aloha, ukeboy57

Have you cleaned lately, put in an empty filter and fill with cold water with a tablespoon of white/clear vinegar. Run the brew cycle, empty pot and while still worm fill with cold water again with out vinegar. Than check filter to see how much hard water chunks are in the filter. Repeat with and without vinegar tell filter is clean. One question though is there a lot of steam coming out of the top during the brewing cycle if so inside there is a tube that may be cracked, broken or came loose, have to look inside. requires opening or disassembling unit to check. REMEMBER when taking apart UNPLUG unit first.

It may be that the heater element has burned out. Is it not not hot enough or just cold. Elements get coated from lime deposits, especially from well water. There are products to clean it. But if its cold, Its time for the trash. I miss mine. Im using a Hamilton Beach cheap unit but its not STEAM

Fill water tank until water comes out from sprayhead, THEN plug it in it should be OK.

IF the machine keeps blowing steam/keeps boiling the water, The thermostat is defective and must be replaced.

NOTE: If you don't use the machine for a couple days, UNPLUG IT. The water will evaporate if you don't unplug it.

Thermostat adjustment is behind front panel (behind brew basket) on the left-hand side (usually) Work it up gradually otherwise you may risk boil over.

Hello, yes you are correct, it's due to the water boiling in the tank. take 2 screws out of the top panel, just under this panel you will find the thermostat (it's ajustable) turn the temp down on the thermostat, if this does not solve the problem your thermostat may be bad and you will have to replace it. You can purchase new parts from either bunn direct or from holiday house in california. if you have any additional questions please feel free to comment again. Good Luck! Mike

The thermostat or tank heater is not working properly. Please get the model and date code located on the bottom of the machine and contact customer service. If your machine is 3 years old or less, it will be replaced free of charge. If you machine is over 3 years old, it will be replaced at a reduced price.

It's my opinion that the tube goes in the boiler so that when the water boils, the steam will push the water up the tube and to the brew head. Without the tube, you will just get steam through the grounds.

Good luck!

The pour-over type of Bunn coffee brewers require several pots of water to fill an empty tank.
1. While unplugged, pour in two and a half to three pots of clean water (put an empty pot underneath the brew basket). When the tank is full, water will come out of the brew basket.
2. Plug the unit in and wait for it to heat - about 5 to 7 minutes. These brewers are meant to be left plugged in all of the time to keep the tank water hot. You will probably heat some rumbling noises which is normal as the water heats.

If for some reason the water isn't hot after 10 minutes you will need to check the thermostat. Unplug the machine and take the screws out of the top. The thermostat has a little dial or a t-bar that you can turn. All the way left is off and all the way right is boiling. Turn this up about 90% of the way and put the top back on the machine and plug it in. If it gets hot, you are ready to brew. If it doesn't get hot, you may have blown the limit thermostat and will need to replace it.

The limit thermostat isn't the same as the thermostat. It is a ceramic and metal item that senses if the tank gets too hot from having the unit plugged in without any or enough water in it. It is inexpensive and relatively simple to change.