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  • #31
    To update this thread, Phil is planning to make available for purchase a remanufacture kit of bits and pieces used and instructions. He plans to have it available for purchase at a fair price which covers bits and in some way provides a him return for his sweat and I.P.

    I'll update once I have further information to add.

    Chris

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    • #32
      Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
      To update this thread, Phil is planning to make available for purchase a remanufacture kit of bits and pieces used and instructions. He plans to have it available for purchase at a fair price which covers bits and in some way provides a him return for his sweat and I.P.

      I'll update once I have further information to add.

      Chris
      Phew. I was getting a bit worried there about playing a game of "Where's Wally" with photos, especially where 240V is concerned (that and my local coffee tech laughing at me). Thanks to Phil for making this kit available, it sounds like a great way to tweak our early adopter machines and reduce the noise.

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      • #33
        Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
        To update this thread, Phil is planning to make available for purchase a remanufacture kit of bits and pieces used and instructions. He plans to have it available for purchase at a fair price which covers bits and in some way provides a him return for his sweat and I.P.

        I'll update once I have further information to add.

        Chris
        Thanks Phil and Chris....I would be keen to follow up on this.

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        • #34
          Ours is back on the bench and is a totally transformed machine.

          It's not quieter, it's actually near silent. Must be shot time!

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          • #35
            Updating this thread. Phil had a go at the machine of SniffCoffee this week and again achieved an excellent result. The gotcha is that it seems that there is enough variation between machines to be irritating- so we're in a holding pattern at this stage...

            We are not finished with ours. Another set of tests points to the heavier spring in ours and I think that this is contributing to a tendency to channel unless great care is taken. Our plan is to have a go with a softer spring.

            I prefer shots from the the espressoparts triple and have ditched the standard double we received. We're getting very close to a great machine.

            The biggest improvement is the placebo effect of a near silent machine. Biggest frustration is that the anatomy of the drip tray means that you remove the cover and then tilt the tray backwards towards the machine to remove it. Overfill the tray and you then tip coffee back into the chassis of the machine. For me, this is a what were they thinking moment. This would be a source of frustration to those who cannot drain the drip tray and I can't see how a pull out tray would do anything other than improve the design.

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            • #36
              Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
              We are not finished with ours. Another set of tests points to the heavier spring in ours and I think that this is contributing to a tendency to channel unless great care is taken. Our plan is to have a go with a softer spring.
              Why don't you just take the second smaller spring out? That would make it the same as the Londinium I spring wise.
              Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
              I prefer shots from the espressoparts triple and have ditched the standard double we received. We're getting very close to a great machine.
              I've been using the triple basket for a few weeks now after receiving my nakid handle. Works very nice, and the triple fits the standard portafilters nicely.
              Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
              Biggest frustration is that the anatomy of the drip tray means that you remove the cover and then tilt the tray backwards towards the machine to remove it. Overfill the tray and you then tip coffee back into the chassis of the machine. For me, this is a what were they thinking moment. This would be a source of frustration to those who cannot drain the drip tray and I can't see how a pull out tray would do anything other than improve the design.
              You must have a different machine to me Pull the drip tray forward, then you can prise it up with your fingers and lift it right out flat. I've had mine nearly to the brim and got it out without spilling a drop.

              Has there been any feedback to Jack yet? I would like to remove the vibration that the pump is causing fixed. Then I'll be happy. I'll probably get a local coffee tech to sort it out if I can get an idea on what needs done, so that I don't have to ship it to Melbourne and back.

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              • #37
                Originally posted by Lacehim View Post
                Why don't you just take the second smaller spring out? That would make it the same as the Londinium I spring wise.
                Because I like the profile of the Pompeii and to this point, I prefer it to the Achille. The goal is to replicate what we know works well with our coffee and to provide an optimised machine with an Australian support and service network. We need to be mindful that with autofill, pump and motor etc, these machines are every bit as complex as other HX machines. Not much value in locating the expertise 10k km away when something goes pop here.

                I'll leave the Londinium for Londinium fans.

                I've been using the triple basket for a few weeks now after receiving my nakid handle. Works very nice, and the triple fits the standard portafilters nicely.
                Agreed.

                You must have a different machine to me Pull the drip tray forward, then you can prise it up with your fingers and lift it right out flat. I've had mine nearly to the brim and got it out without spilling a drop.
                Probably the same, but the anatomy of the Achille is different to most. I have to remove top of the drip tray and then tilt the inner up to remove it. Must try a little more force to see if I'm missing something!

                Has there been any feedback to Jack yet? I would like to remove the vibration that the pump is causing fixed. Then I'll be happy. I'll probably get a local coffee tech to sort it out if I can get an idea on what needs done, so that I don't have to ship it to Melbourne and back.
                Yes, plenty of feedback to Jack.

                The key issues are to remove the vibration and to make the machine electrically safe. Ours had live, unshielded element terminals no more than a couple of mm away from the stainless cover and this would be an instant electrical fail- so that was a first priority fix.
                Last edited by TC; 10 December 2012, 09:24 AM.

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                • #38
                  Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
                  I'll leave the Londinium for Londinium fans.
                  I only mentioned it because they share the same group, but the L1 has 1 spring, the Achilles has 2 springs. I'm not sure trying to replicate the Izzo on the Achilles is a worth while effort myself. Surely have the fun is having 2 machines that differ in their profiles etc.

                  Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
                  Probably the same, but the anatomy of the Achille is different to most. I have to remove top of the drip tray and then tilt the inner up to remove it. Must try a little more force to see if I'm missing something!
                  Pull it forward, flick it up at the sides with your fingernail and it slides even further forward. You can then lift it out in one go. I agree a slide out on would have been better.

                  Regarding the electrical issue, can you PM me some details so that I can have a coffee tech fix the issue asap.

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                  • #39
                    Hi Lacehim,

                    Phil has moved the boiler slightly to create a little more clearance. He found some insulative end caps for the wires to the element.

                    Cheers

                    Chris

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Lacehim & Paolo

                      I'll PM you a photo of the offending terminals. Crucially whomever works on the machine for you must have it switched off and unplugged!

                      I've had the machine at home for a week now since Phil finessed it. He covered the offending exposed terminals, and also finessed the internal piping, to a more stable configuration. The machine is a lot more sensible inside now. The noise is much reduced, however the rotary pump itself makes a fair noise in 'tank' mode as it appears the flow restrictors and solenoid that switches the inlet to the tank combine to cause the pump to cavitate. However, when in plumbed in mode the machine is much quieter. So after telling Phil I'll never plumb it in, I thought on the way home - "Why not plumb it in?"

                      Re dose - I'm weighing 16g and using the espresso parts double basket, and getting consistent pours.

                      Re the drip tray - mine is like Chris' - you have to tilt it to get it out. I think it's the lip on the bottom of the front panel of the machine.

                      Thanks to Phil and Chris for their time and expertise - I'm pretty sure I've been cured of upgraditis.

                      As to the spring - Chris, why not try taking one spring out first, comparing, and then changing to the softer spring - it may be the Lacehim idea is a quick shortcut?

                      Cheers

                      Sniff
                      Last edited by SniffCoffee; 10 December 2012, 11:02 PM. Reason: adding extra info

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                      • #41
                        Originally posted by SniffCoffee View Post
                        ....As to the spring - Chris, why not try taking one spring out first, comparing, and then changing to the softer spring - it may be the Lacehim idea is a quick shortcut?

                        Cheers

                        Sniff
                        One of each Sniff....That way I get to try all of the combos.

                        As for the lip, I do need to tilt mine as like your machine, there is a pout!

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                        • #42
                          I had the pleasure of visiting Lacehim and we pulled a few shots on his machine,

                          he did a naked triple basket shot that left me speechless!

                          I later had a pull on the lever and had to brace myself with a solid stance to do it, and I am a big strong guy.

                          Seems like a lot of spring it there, that's for sure,

                          I was surprised it did not tip over from all the force!

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                          • #43
                            As of today, the 11 bar spring is out and the 9 bar one is in.

                            Will be interesting to see what happens with channelling now...

                            FYI owners....Some of the funkiness we had experienced was due to significant quantities of food grade which were found residing under the shower screen. This however was nothing compared to what Rick and Phil found when the group was disassembled to work on the springs. It looked like 1/2 tub of margarine was in there.

                            The lever action with the 9 bar spring is beautiful and much, much easier.

                            More experimentation.....

                            Chris

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                            • #44
                              To update, we're close to a spec. which might displace my GS/3 at home (even if not permanently)...

                              The single is now a naked and it's far, far less inclined to channel now that we are closer to 9 bar (one spring).

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                              • #45
                                Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
                                To update, we're close to a spec. which might displace my GS/3 at home (even if not permanently)...

                                The single is now a naked and it's far, far less inclined to channel now that we are closer to 9 bar (one spring).
                                Thanks for the update Chris - so the new config is a single 9 bar spring? Has the change made a change 'in the cup'?

                                Sniff

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