I am contemplating fitting a water hammer arrestor mod to my espresso machine so i will get a pre-infusion. Just wondering if anyone recommends it and will it make much of a difference in the espresso?
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Should i fit pre-infusion chamber?? Does it make much of a difference ?
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I have a sunbeam 4800c that i fit an opv valve and pressure gauge and it tastes so much better than the standard set-up and I am thinking of fitting this mod so the extraction will be more uniform and hopefully get a better extraction overall as almost all of the modern machines have pre-infusion so i'm thinking it must be better than not having it? Only i read one posts that said it may actually be worse, http://www.home-barista.com/espresso...ots-t1317.html depending on the type of coffee beans i use ??so not sure. I got an arrestor for cheap on ebay and i can get the pipes for cheap and it will be an easy mod to do. Just wondering if it will make a difference and will i notice anything. I'm also thinking of fitting a valve in between so i can turn it off and on at will. Can i make my machine better ??Originally posted by jamespbeasley View PostWhat machine do you have, and what are you hoping to achieve?
Have you tried with/without pre-infusion and noticed any difference ? Does it make a better more uniform extraction ? Also the arrestor looks like it creates a steady flow from the vibe pump which will also help the extraction.
Also when i look on youtube of machines fitted with preinfusion or arrestors the extraction looks more oily and more crema forming !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqJGe00Tuag
Then i watched a video on the slayer and how pressure profiling can change the flavour (not saying my machine is anything like that)
http://vimeo.com/36724424
Or should i just focus on getting the grinding and tamping etc right and not worry about the pre infusion. Don't know what to do. Am i overthinking ??Last edited by karl_2020; 6 November 2012, 11:56 AM.
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Originally posted by karl_2020 View Post........Just wondering if it will make a difference and will i notice anything. Can i make my machine better ??.......
.......Have you tried with/without pre-infusion and noticed any difference ? Does it make a better more uniform extraction ?.......
.......Or should i just focus on getting the grinding and tamping etc right and not worry about the pre infusion. Don't know what to do. Am i overthinking ??........
I think not on the first two counts, and I think yes, on the last count.
But I also think you should do whatever you want and if you subsequently think whatever you did made a positive difference, then it will have been worth it for you.
Hope that helps.
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Thanks for the advice Fresh Coffee. It seems to be the general way of thinking from what i hear.Originally posted by Fresh_Coffee View PostI think not on the first two counts, and I think yes, on the last count.
But I also think you should do whatever you want and if you subsequently think whatever you did made a positive difference, then it will have been worth it for you.
Hope that helps.
Cheers !
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Actually, if i may add,
I have been playing around with a vibe pump that has pump speed control and water pressure control mods.
I can make the ramp-up to pressure as slow or fast as I want as well as pressure profiling anytime during the shot.
seems pre-infusion helps with some beans and makes it worse with others
so, if you had the kind of mod you are suggesting then you would need to be able bypass it sometimes.
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