Eversys Coffee Machine Error Code S-038: Empty Waste Water Tank

What does Eversys error code S-038 mean?

S-038 is an operator stop message on the Eversys Cameo, not a breakdown code. The machine collects rinse water, cleaning water and drips in a waste water tank, and when that tank needs emptying the control shows the text "Please empty waste water tank." The table in Eversys' e'Support article gives one plain meaning: the waste water tank needs emptying. It lists no separate causes and the only action it states is the one in the message itself, so there is nothing hidden behind the number. The point of the message is protection. A tank that is allowed to overfill would spill onto the counter or the floor, so the control asks the operator to deal with it first. The manual does not say how the machine knows the tank is full, and it does not say what happens to drink orders while the message is up. What we can say from the table is that the message clears once the tank is emptied and refitted. Because this is a routine prompt, the first job belongs to the operator at the counter, and a service call is only needed if the prompt keeps returning right after the tank has been emptied.

Affected models and control systems

Eversys Cameo range (Cameo/Core, Classic, ST and in-box versions). The message is listed in Eversys' e'Support table of operator stop messages for Cameo, and the table gives no board revision or model limit.

Code numbers and their meaning can change between control generations. We match the full model and control before acting on a code.

What you may notice

• The screen shows "Please empty waste water tank."
• The machine stops offering drinks until the tank is dealt with
• Rinse or cleaning water has been going to the tank all day

Possible causes

Likely causes — what usually sits behind error code S-038 on this control. A technician confirms which one it is before any part is replaced.

• Waste water tank has filled and needs emptying
• Tank was emptied but not pushed fully home, so the machine still treats it as full
• Residue from milk or coffee on the tank's level contact keeps reading as full after emptying
• Heavy rinse and cleaning routines in a busy cafe fill the tank faster than the staff expect

Safe checks before calling for service

How a technician diagnoses error code S-038

1. Read the stop message and confirm it matches S-038 in the Cameo operator stop message table.
2. Ask when the tank was last emptied and how much liquid came out.
3. Check that the tank seats correctly and that nothing blocks the area where the machine detects it.
4. Inspect the tank's level detection for residue or damage and clean it.
5. Run a rinse and confirm the message stays clear; replace a level part only after it fails a test.

Technical reference

Document

Operator stop messages for Cameo (S-XXX)

Models / control

Eversys Cameo range (Cameo/Core, Classic, ST, in-box), e'Support article

Section

Web page table of S-numbers, Infos messages and Explanations / Remedies (no page numbers)

Checked

October 2026

We use the maker's document to read the code and do not reproduce it. Always confirm the complete model and control before applying these steps.