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BFC / Royal Vallelunga Leva Two Group Espresso Coffee Machine

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  • #16
    Bosco_Lever, thanks for clearing that up. Some of the info in that table may be a bit out of date. My interest was trying to find out more about the Condor Group and who used it.

    I have just read a post on HB that suggests there is an 'old' and 'new' CMA / Brasilia Lever Group. Can anyone show any light on that. My interest came from Coffee Parts having spares for the Brasilia Lever Group. I was wondeing if the seals also fit the Condor Group which is the 'new' CMA Group?

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    • #17
      I have some new information on BFC / Royal Vallelunga Leva Two Group. Firstly spoke again to Cosmorex who advised me they believe this unit and a similar 3 Group Vallelunga Leva were shipped to Australia for a Coffee Expo around 2014 and then disposed of rather than be shipped back to Italy. It does not look as if any other units were sold in Australia.

      I then contacted the manufacturer in Italy who kindly sent me a Parts manual. I attach a copy here so members can comment on the design but have asked Javaphile for help to include it in the Document Section.

      I would like to further contribute to a more general discussion on Brasilia/ CMA/ Condor/ Bosco/ Londinium Lever head machines that is not specific to any one of those brands but not sure if one already exists. Could not find one by searching.

      I did find one on HB entitled "The new lever group thoughts" which interestingly had a link back to the CS Thread - Rick Bond's "Londinium L1 luxe Edition – Evolution" which covers his work on Andy's early Londinium L1.

      All very interesting for someone who knew virtually zero about Lever machines a week ago
      Attached Files

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      • #18
        The above file has now been added to the existing Documentation post.


        Java "Another doc added" phile
        Toys! I must have new toys!!!

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        • #19
          I done some more reading and examined the parts book in detail. I now have a better understanding of how this machine is contsructed and operates.

          1. The Pressurestat can be adjusted from outside the machine if you remove the small yellow plug on the lefthand side panel.

          2. The double pressure gauge on the front panel measures boiler pressure and inlet mains pressure.

          In concept I believe this means the Vallelunga Leva Two Group operates much like Londinium LII though the implemention of the Hx Thermosyphon appears different.

          Will address the Hx Thermosyphon details in my next post
          Attached Files

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          • #20
            Being more familiar with normal Hx Thermosyphons as used in typical E61 pump machines where the HX is based on a copper tube fed by cold water that passes through the steam boiler, I had trouble understanding this unit uses a sort of Hx Thermosyphon. Here is apic of the top of the boiler which shows the Hx connections to the boiler.
            Attached Files

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            • #21
              Now the sort of dipper tubes that enter the boiler are both 200 mm long according to the Parts Book but as they enter the boiler at an angle to the top, one tube terminates higher in the boiler than the other thus providing a TS to transfer heat to the Lever Group.

              I read Rick The Coffee Machinist's report on Andy's early Londonium L1 that he modified and noted that Londonium have also subsequently modified their design. I noticed the original Londonium Hx TS plumbing seems different to that used on the Vallelunga Leva.

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              • #22
                The mains fixed water regulator I have fitted has an output pressure of 350 KPa which translates to 3.5 bar which is exactly what one side of the Vallelunga reads. The other side builds up to about 1.1 bar when the machine warms up. Confirms it is reading boiler pressure. So it is very similar to a Londinium L2.

                I have a variable mains regulator on the way so I can try Reiss Gunson's advice on varying the mains input pressure over the range of about 1 - 3.5 bar depending on the roast. Seeing I do mmainly light roasts I will probably leave at 3.5 bar most of the time.

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                • #23
                  Well I found out my Vallelunga Leva is a double dipper thermosyphon (not a Hx) and while functionally somewhat like a Londinium L1 it is unlike all the later Londiniums which are Hx. That means I cannot adjust mains inlet pressure to play with pre infusion as I had hoped.

                  Anyway I gradually adjusted the Sirai Pressurestat and finally increased the boiler pressure to 1.2 bar.

                  I now find I can now get consistent really good shots though I need to make micro adjustments to my Niche grinder. The Vallelunga seems more sensitive to grind settings than conventional pump machines I have used. I am using 4 different types of coffee at present - An ONA Raspberry Candy that I wanted to compare with one made in the local ONA Cafe, a Uganda Rwenzori Organic, a WOW Decaf and a Repubika Sydney Doubleshot. I roasted the Uganda Rwenzori Organic, and the WOW Decaf both of which came from the Snobbery.

                  ​As you would expect the Uganda Rwenzori Organic and the Raspberry Candy were the best but the others were more than acceptable.

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