FETCO Coffee Brewer Error Code 100: Initial Fill Too Long
Code 100 on a FETCO XTS brewer means the initial fill took more than 4 minutes after power-up. The manual points to a water supply flow rate that is too low, such as a clogged filter. The code does not clear by power cycling; reset it in the menu.
Medium: the brewer cannot begin a cycle until the tank fills, but the cause is usually in the water supply.
- Code
- 100
- Maker
- FETCO
- Equipment
- Coffee brewers
- Applies to
- CBS-2150 XTS series (2151XTS and 2152XTS)
What does FETCO error code 100 mean?
When the brewer is switched on, it has to fill an empty tank before it can heat. The control gives that initial fill a limit of 4 minutes after power-up. If the tank is not full by then, the control posts 100. The manual lists one cause, a water supply flow rate that is too low, and it advises watching for short potting during the brew cycle and investigating the cause of low flow, such as a clogged water filter. The difference from 101 is timing. Code 101 applies to the refill after a brew and has a 3 minute limit, while 100 applies to the first fill after power-up. A brewer that has just been installed, moved, or reconnected after plumbing work is most likely to show it. As with the other fill and heat errors, it is not erased when the power goes off and on. Once flow is restored, use PROGRAMMING, OTHER, ERROR CODES, Display Errors, and Reset Errors. Do not keep switching the brewer off and on in the hope the tank will fill, because the limit will simply trip again.
Affected models and control systems
This covers the FETCO CBS-2151XTS, CBS-2152XTS and CBS-2152-2XTS brewers, per the User's Guide for those models. Leaks and unwanted fills are code 102; level probe codes are 103 and 107.
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
- 100 appears in the error list
- The tank takes a long time to fill after switching on
- Brewing does not begin after power-up
- Short potting if the brewer does start
Possible causes
Listed in FETCO's documentation
- Water supply flow rate too low
Other likely causes — what usually sits behind error code 100 on this control. A technician confirms which one it is before any part is replaced.
- The water line shutoff was left partly closed after installation or plumbing work
- A new or clogged water filter cartridge is restricting flow
- Air trapped in a newly connected supply line is slowing the first fill
Safe checks before calling for service
- Check that the water shutoff is fully open and the supply hose is not kinked.
- Look at the water filter and note its age; replace it as the filter's instructions say.
- Switching the power off and on will not clear 100, as the manual states for all errors on this model.
- Reset errors in PROGRAMMING, OTHER, ERROR CODES, Display Errors, Reset Errors after flow is restored, and tell the technician whether 100 comes back.
How a technician diagnoses error code 100
- Read the error list and confirm 100, not 101.
- Measure flow and pressure at the brewer inlet.
- Check the filter, shutoff, strainer and hose for restrictions.
- Test the fill valve operation during an initial fill.
- Reset errors and power the brewer from empty to confirm it fills within 4 minutes.
- The fill valve and level sensing are inside the brewer
- Low flow may be in the building plumbing, not the brewer
- The limit trips again unless flow is actually fixed
How error code 100 differs from similar codes
100 times the first fill after power-up at 4 minutes; 101 times the refill after a brew at 3 minutes.
Technical reference
- Maker documentation
- FETCO owner support
- Edition
- May 2015 P129 rev 002 (also issued as October 2014 P129 rev 001)
- Models / control
- CBS-2150 XTS series (2151XTS and 2152XTS)
- Section
- Error Codes table, p. 13
- 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.
Related FETCO coffee brewer error codes
Why does 100 appear after installation?
A partly closed shutoff, trapped air or a new filter can slow the first fill beyond the 4 minute limit.
Is 100 the same as 101?
No. 100 is the initial fill after power-up, and 101 is the refill after a brew.
Can I just keep restarting?
Restarting does not clear the error, and the limit will trip again if flow is still low. Fix the supply first.
Need help with FETCO error code 100?
A technician confirms the cause on site and gives you the price in writing before any work starts.