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BFC / Royal Vallelunga Leva Two Group Espresso Coffee Machine

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  • Ted2013
    replied
    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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  • Ted2013
    replied
    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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  • Ted2013
    replied
    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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  • Ted2013
    replied
    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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  • Ted2013
    replied
    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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  • WhatEverBeansNecessary
    commented on 's reply
    Maybe the 'fixed water' is slightly confusing as the Pro 800 can be either plumbed or run from a tank. Where as some of the others can only be plumbed. Not sure if any can ONLY use a tank instead.
    Either way super useful table to compare, cheers!

  • Ted2013
    commented on 's reply
    Fixed water = Plumbed in

  • amberale
    commented on 's reply
    Pretty little thing.

  • Javaphile
    replied
    The above file has now been added to the existing Documentation post.


    Java "Another doc added" phile

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  • Ted2013
    replied
    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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  • Ted2013
    replied
    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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  • Barry O'Speedwagon
    commented on 's reply
    My Achille has a water tank, and I don't 'think' it can be plumbed in. I do have a kit for plumbing in the drip tray, but that's obviously not the same thing.

    EDIT: Nah, I went out to the possum shed where the Achille lives, and the water supply can definitely be plumbed in.

  • Bosco_Lever
    replied
    Fixed water may mean connected to a tap or water source, plumbed in. The Bosco does not have a water tank, and I believe many of the others do not as well. You can get a PID for the Bosco as well. Each of these machines have its own design quirks that the manufacturers have fine tuned over the decades.

    Leave a comment:


  • Ted2013
    replied
    I assume fixed water means its own water tank and "no" means plumbed in. I particularly found articles on the Londinium which seems to attract more DIY interest particularly helpful including Utube videos on how to remove the piston and service the Group.

    The Vallelunga clearly does not need a pump if operated on mains pressure. It also has a small hole in one side filled in with a small yellow plug and + & - arrows either side suggesting the pressure stat can easily be adjusted. It also has a dual pressure gauge on the front panel indicating I suspect boiler and group pressure. Can anyone advise me if that is correct? The manual is no help on this.

    I would appreciate any advice fine tuning which can be achieved by adjusting the pressure stat

    Leave a comment:


  • Ted2013
    replied
    I found a good article on Hand lever brew groups on the German .kaffeewiki site at https://www.kaffeewiki.de/wiki/Handhebelbr%C3%BChgruppe

    I have taken the liberty of translating this table and related text

    The starting point for this type is the Brasilia/Rossi group. It was and is used by several manufacturers, including CMA/Astoria, as the basis for their modifications.
    A special design feature of the group is the cylinder liner. Between the cylinder liner and the cylinder there is a circular ring channel through which the incoming water is cooled and fed in from four sides. In addition to CMA/Astoria (with the characteristic black cap), the group type is also manufactured by Rubinetterie Condor, which in particular manufactures the design with a metal upper part and internal bearings, which is often referred to as the "Bosco group" and sells it in several variants. According to Reiss Gunson's (Londinium) blog, the following variants are available:
    heating over
    boiler flange or
    thermosiphon

    upper part
    with external bearings and cover (similar to Astoria, Wega)
    . with internal bearings, called "testa pesante" (like Bosco, Londinium, Quick Mill Achille, new Victoria Arduino, new KvdW), manufacturer Rubinetterie Condor
    . with one (Londinium, KvdW Idro) or two springs (QM Achille)

    CMA hand lever group
    diameter Stroke Stroke volume mass in the cup special feature
    51 mm 29 mm 60 ml 40g ring canal

    List of machines with CMA brew group
    Manuf. Type pressure buildup. Brew Vol Steam Vol Temp-Regul Brew Heating BG PI Heating BG fixed water
    Astoria Perla Al 1GR Astoria Single circuit hand lever 6 Pressostat Boiler HH CMA(Rossi) boiler pressure boiler flange y
    CMA Astoria Sonia AL Astoria Single circuit hand lever 5 Pressostat Boiler HH CMA(Rossi) boiler pressure boiler flange y
    Bosco Sorrento Bosco Single circuit hand lever 6 Pressostat Boiler HH CMA(Rossi) boiler pressure boiler flange y
    Fiorenzato Piazza San Marco Fiorenzato Single circuit hand lever 4,7 Pressostat Boiler HH CMA(Rossi) boiler pressure boiler flange y
    Londinium I Londinium Espresso Single circuit hand lever 2,3 Pressostat HX offen (nur EK) HH CMA(Rossi) boiler pressure Thermosiphon y
    Profitec Pro 800 Profitec Single circuit hand lever 3,5 PID Boiler HH CMA(Rossi) boiler pressure boiler flange y
    Quick Mill Achille Quick Mill Single circuit hand lever 4,5 Pressostat HX offen (nur EK) HH CMA(Rossi) boiler pressure Thermosiphon y
    Quick Mill Veloce Quick Mill Single circuit hand lever 2 HH CMA(Rossi) boiler pressure Thermosiphon no
    Victoria Arduino Athena Leva Victoria Arduino Dual Boiler hand lever l 15,2 HX HH CMA(Rossi) line pressure boiler flange y

    Leave a comment:

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