Desperately craving coffee

How old is it? Are you in a 'hard water' area? Has it ever been descaled?

VPS/VPR are pour over brewers. Like the 12 cup brewers you find at home, they need to be filled with 12 cups of water (a full pot), heated and then peculated over the coffee grounds and collected in a decanter.
BUT there is one main difference! The VPR and similar COMMERCIAL coffee machines are quick brewers. They usually have a pre-heated pot of water stored inside the machine.
* 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; If your unplugging when not in use. Then follow the Pre-heat instructions mentioned above prior to plugging the brewer back in. If the tank has been emptied at night or dried up after an idle week. Then there is a chance you may over heat and blow the thermal fuse. Or at best have a half pot short brew as the water dried up.
* Note leaving the brewer plugged in without brewing daily is not a good idea. The water evaporates and eventually drys out the pot. Takes about 1-2 weeks but it does blow the fuse(s) and the unit will need service.
* Final; Follow the Bunn set up and care instructions (manuals from Bunn.com for down loading. *FREE*)
Aloha, ukeboy57

It is not any more dangerous than any other coffee maker. Every coffee maker needs to be kept clean and descaled regularly to keep them safe. If you want to be "squeaky clean" use something like a one cup at a time drip coffee maker (Melita) and always use boiling water.

I'm assuming you've got a coffee filter pot as this is the most common kind (especially as wedding gifts).

1. Boil the water.

2. Put the filter (should come with the pot) into the filter holder.

3. Add 2 level tbsp. of ground coffee per 6 oz of water.

4. Pour some of the hot water over the coffee grounds, giving them a few seconds to swell.

5. Now add the rest of the hot water and allow the coffee to slowly drip through the filter.

6. Remove the filter with the coffee grounds in just before the final drops of water go through.

7. Now sit down and enjoy!

I will assume that it is a pour over brewer from your statement, so the only thing that comes to mind is the thermostat not turning off the elements and the water is boiling and coming out the brew tube. You can try to adjust the thermostat first if that does not help then you might have to replace it.

Not to sound like a knw it all, but we have a pot just like this. You have to boil the water in a seperate kettle and pour it in the pot. This is a drip pot, not a perculator. It will make the best coffe you've ever had.

This coffee maker has a hot water reservoir that heats and stores hot water so it can brew coffee faster. Once you fill the reservoir by pouring a potful of cold water into the top, you can turn on the switch at the side of the unit and in about 10 minutes the water in the reservoir will be hot. I usually leave this switch turned on to keep the water in the reservoir hot. The front switch turns on the pot warmer at the front of the unit, so it should be turned off unless you are making coffee or keeping a pot warm. To make a fresh pot, put a filter and ground coffee in the removable filter basket, slide the basket into the unit, place an empty carafe on the warming burner and using a separate container pour fresh water into the filler at the top of the unit. The fresh water displaces the hot water in the reservoir and voila, the coffee carafe starts to fill. The amount of fresh water you added is the amount of coffee you will end up with, less a little bit that might have evaporated if you only make coffee every morning or less often. Most units have a plunger under the filler lid that keeps the fresh water from going in to the hot water reservoir until you close the lid, so close it after pouring in the water. Also, turn off the front switch if the carafe is getting low or empty, as it can get hot enough to crack the carafe. If you're not going to be using the coffee maker for several days, turn off the side switch or unplug the unit to save energy and reduce evaporation from the reservoir. I love mine. It makes great coffee and is much quicker than the drip type.

Barbara,
Coffee grounds go in the top. (i use a filter paper also.) Install baffle with stem up. Assemble top to empty bottom section. pour boiling water into top. I use 4 cups water, 2 scoops chickory coffee. Let water trickle down into bottom. I put mine back through 3 times, black as tar. That is the advantage of this machine. I will never use another.........

Make sure you are using the type of commercial coffee pot like the one in the picture. They don't have to have to be plastic with the metal bottom, they can be all glass. The commercial pots are heavy duty and usually disperse the heat well.

If you are using commercial pots the only solution without replacing the warmers is to put three pennies on the warmer and to put the pot on top of them. The pennies will get hot so don't forget and grab them but the pennies help to move the pot just a little way away from the direct heat.

The Bunn coffee machine has an internal tank used for holding approx three potfulls of water at just below brewing temperature. When you add water for a potful, the thermostat senses cold water and starts the brew heater. The water level inside the tank comes up and goes through the sprayhead. This "surge" of water, that you call drips is normal. The hot water stratifies to the top of the tank, just like an electric water tank in a house. The internal pot heater kicks in and boils the water already in the tank, raising the water level in the siphon pipe to the sprayhead until the reservoir under the add water opening is empty.