Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

[Dennis]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

an interesting post Robusto - Im wading through the posts on these beastie machines and hopeflly learning along the way.

With your hankering for tinkering...did you happen to cut down the existing boiler?

[robusto]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

  ------ Powering Down-----

After consulting JavaB on the process involved,  Ive downsized from a 3200W boiler to a 2200W.

Ive disabled one of the three elements.  Why?  Another excuse to tinker primarily.  

And so that I can try plugging it into a timer.  Since all the ones I have here are 10 Amps, and the Grimac draws 13 Amps, disabling one of the elements brings the draw down to  a nominal 8.8 Amps.

So it gets to sleep between 8.30 pm and 6 am when it switches on, and an hour later is at operating temperature.

Incidently, as JavaB pointed out in another post, powering down the boiler does not save electricity consumption.

Instead of the heater going on for 20 seconds, its now 26 seconds. And the idle part of the cycle is 205" instead of 230 or more.  

So having it run all day 24/7 at 3200Watts =$1.08  per day, while at 2200Watts its $1.05.   (At current autumn ambiant temperatures).

Having it off overning does cut this down to about 60cents, but frugality is not my motivation.  More tinkering is.

-Robusto

PS: reducing the current draw was very simple: I removed a jumper lead with spade terminals at both ends.

[Dennis]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

hmm - good old user error!

Have posted re caprice here...
http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1175511560/30

[robusto]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

That one wasnt one of my best efforts -- nor was it the worst. Probably not as good as the toothpick wand tip -- but I had had a little more practice on that state-of-the-art device.

How is your Caprice going, Dennis?

-Robusto

[Dennis]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

Have only steamed one latte so far, so too early to critique the performance.

--Robusto

Well, you could let us know how that one turned out???

[robusto]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

Not sure whether steam tips qualify to be in the extreme machine catagory.....but I supposed drilling into shiny new things may well be an extreme measure.

Ive drilled out the coffeeparts 2-hole tip, with a 1.6 ml bit. I had trepidations about whether the angle was going to be right, and whether the tip would slip off the existing hole, etc.

But Id barely rested the drill bit on, and it poked right through. Ditto for the second hole. About the easiest metal drilling Ive ever done.

Have only steamed one latte so far, so too early to critique the performance.

--Robusto

[robusto]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

Um, I dont think Im funny enough. And two comedians might be overkill. Besides, youve got that crucial desire to be an entertainer.

--Robusto

[Dennis]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

True Dennis. The tyranny of distance. But if I rush from one to the other, the cooling air currents that creats only exacerbates things. Perhaps a portafilter tea-cosy is the go.

(Posted deadpan: no smilies or indicative punctuation to relay irony, humour or other mood)

-Robusto

Im starting to think you and I would make a great comedy team at the CS Christmas Party. Hmm, now theres an idea! What about a national CS convention - what a hoot that would be!

Sorry, back on topic...it would be nice if grinder/machine could hold hands like those otters.

[robusto]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

True Dennis. The tyranny of distance. But if I rush from one to the other, the cooling air currents that creats only exacerbates things. Perhaps a portafilter tea-cosy is the go.

(Posted deadpan: no smilies or indicative punctuation to relay irony, humour or other mood)

-Robusto

[Dennis]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

Im not usually a fan of island benchtops, but when you are talking about a nice coffee machine, it makes good sense to me.

Plumbing and dedicated coffee item storage underneath, an opportunity to admire the machine as it was intended...360* as per a sculpture, and a few chairs to sit around the bench and chat.

Oh and Robusto, dont you think your grinder is way to far away from the machine? Coffee will go stale by the time you get there!!!

Please note I have refrained from using smileys and only a modicum of exclamation marks.

[robusto]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

I guess JavaB that 100 years ago architects paint scant regard to the  problems of where to place the La Cimbali.         And ditto 20, 10, 5 years ago.   >

The situation is beginning to change ever so slightly now.  

We have a large kitchen but the layout has never appealed -- broken up bench spaces.  Were thinking of  rearranging it.

Between the sink and the pantry sits the fridge.  To me, that reads "ideal place for coffee machine and grinder."  Problem is where to put the fridge.
(Do we really need a fridge? Cant store coffee beans in it)



-Robusto

[JavaB]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

Robusto,

Looks really "at home" there.....

Once plumbed in you can loose the water container - and no need for the electric kettle when you have boiling water on tap...... So should look really neat and be a real asset to the kitchen.

My two group fits snugly into an alcove - there was an old wood stove installed in that space - (the house is > 100 years old).... the stove was removed some time ago, a cupboard unit was installed below and the microwave sat on the shelf... and is there no more....

Unlike your installation, it was a PITA to get plumbing and power to the location (the alcove is all brick with a concrete slab - because of the heat from the old stove).

[Thundergod]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

Very similar positioning to mine.
Except I dont have a 2nd group taking up the extra space I use for all my coffee paraphernalia.

If the overhead cupboard hadnt looked slightly different I was about to check that you werent in my kitchen.

[wattgn]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

Looks very nice. His and Hers groups

[robusto]

Re: Upgraditis: 2-group Grimac Commercial

Location...location....location.

Even before the Grimac 2-group arrived, we anticipated locating it in the kitchen corner between the hotplates and the sink. Handy to power, water and drip tray waste disposal.

But the breakfast bar opposite was much more roomier, and thats where the machine has remained, complete with temporary water tank.

Now its edged closer to its destined position.  




Well trial it there before taking the hole saw to the benchtop and later  perhaps changing our minds.

Plumbing in will be a breeze -- Under the sink theres a hot and a cold water tap for the dishwasher.  Only the hot has been utilised, leaving the cold tap ready to screw the Grimacs water hose into --- via a softenener cartridge, of coure.


--Robusto