Don't want to hazard a guess without seeing the insides of the machine (wiring), but it does look, suspiciously, like a float style level sensor mounted in that little well area.
Thanks for the explanation, Mike. You filled in details I had no idea of.
On another note...We look at weather maps on TV when the weather guessers say a front is coming through. The front is, generally, defined as a line but in reality the weather rarely changes like that. Then we had a front come through this morning. Here's the temperature and wind graphs from my weather station. Sure looks like a definitive line went right over us at about 8:30 this morning. We had snow by noon time.
On another note...We look at weather maps on TV when the weather guessers say a front is coming through. The front is, generally, defined as a line but in reality the weather rarely changes like that. Then we had a front come through this morning. Here's the temperature and wind graphs from my weather station. Sure looks like a definitive line went right over us at about 8:30 this morning. We had snow by noon time.
I went to flip over the coffee maker and I grabbed a phillips driver and it didn't fit. Looked closer and I have nothing that fits this. Well they have a 800 number and supposedly a 3 year warranty. I hate to send it in as I probably have to pay for shipping and it would probably work for 3 more months and then act up again. While my repairs should last 10 years or more. 
I does look like it could be a float switch. Does it move at all if you pour a little water in there? Can you press it with a paperclip through the holes and make it move? If it is stuck, it would have to be stuck in the down position to be cutting off the brew cycle.
Another type of level switch wont move at all. It has 2 contacts that will measure conductivity and sense level on/off that way. Conductivity means it is submerged, no conductivity means it is above the water level. If one or both of the 2 contacts have a scale buildup on them it could fool the machine into thinking its empty.
https://www.amazon.com/ARES-70009-3...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=I went to flip over the coffee maker and I grabbed a phillips driver and it didn't fit. Looked closer and I have nothing that fits this. Well they have a 800 number and supposedly a 3 year warranty. I hate to send it in as I probably have to pay for shipping and it would probably work for 3 more months and then act up again. While my repairs should last 10 years or more.
View attachment 851575
When I first saw it, that is what I thought it was, but under further investigation, it is not.
Yup, it is a float. Moves up and down freely and raises and lowers with the water level. Can't really see any sort of switch though. It also might be some sort of valve. But the way the machine acts, it really seems to be heat related. Maybe it uses both level and temperature to tell it to stop. And if one or the other trips, it ceases. I think it is a heat sensor since starting the machine at room temperature it will run for 55 seconds. The less time before you try it again, the less time it will brew for.
Might have a bottom mount reed switch in the middle of the float, and a magnet in the float triggers it.
With working 7 days a week especially with a holiday I at times lose track of what day it is.
This had me going for a few minutes.
This had me going for a few minutes.
I had a coffee machine that acted similar, old unit so I opened it up and what I had was coffee grounds clogging a valve before the heating element / tank. Enough water seeped through to allow it to start but didn't last long enough to brew coffee. After research I bought the low end Bonavita. Seems to do coffee very well for my taste. Unit is nothing fancy, pour water, scoop coffee and hit the switch.
I went to flip over the coffee maker and I grabbed a phillips driver and it didn't fit. Looked closer and I have nothing that fits this. Well they have a 800 number and supposedly a 3 year warranty. I hate to send it in as I probably have to pay for shipping and it would probably work for 3 more months and then act up again. While my repairs should last 10 years or more.
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I'd try a small straight blade screwdriver, even if you have to file or grind to fit and grab the head like this.
ETA: If you get them out I'd replace them with Phillips headed screws, save the originals in case you have to send it back for warranty.
The Bonavita is one of the few machines that maintains the correct brewing temps. It is SCAA certified. They are expensive but they make good coffee.
Try an allen wrench, imperial or metric, whichever fits tighter. Three of the six flat sides of an allen should grip the 3 points of that screw head.
If not then try a Torx bit.
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Too soon to tell yet, but I think about 3 of them are like 12 inches long and go from the bottom to the top.
But not everyone likes their coffee brewed to SCAA standards. I personally prefer a brew using 183°F water. Which gives it a sweet and malty taste to the coffee. Above 185°F, the water starts to extract the acids out of the coffee and the sweet and malty taste diminishes. SCAA made coffee isn't bad, but I had better.
As in all things YMMVBut not everyone likes their coffee brewed to SCAA standards. I personally prefer a brew using 183°F water. Which gives it a sweet and malty taste to the coffee. Above 185°F, the water starts to extract the acids out of the coffee and the sweet and malty taste diminishes. SCAA made coffee isn't bad, but I had better.
Wouldn't surprise me, they don't want you to take it apart. Those holes might be too small to use a screw driver that takes a bit, the outside diameter of those drivers are on the fat side.
awsum140 and others might be interested in Best Buy's sale of WD - Easystore 8TB External USB 3.0 Hard Drive - Black for $119.99 today. Seems like a good deal to me.
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