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  • AtomicGrog
    replied
    Re: Joined the ranks...

    Bit of an update... ordered (and been delivered) some parts from CoffeeParts, wand  holders so i dont burn my fingers and some new knobs for the steam/water. They dont quite fit (Square vs. D) but i can work on that

    Have noticed a problem though... have the device about 10 days now and following forum advice ive essentially backflushed it twice. After doing so on both occasions ive noticed issues with pressure management afterwards. Maybe this is the reason it was sold but ill need to get to the bottom of it.

    Two symptoms occur... (1) sometimes - twice so far the pressure builds to around 1.7 bar and something inside vents and (2) once of twice after a flush producing a shot sees the pressure raise upto the same kind of level as (1). It looks like theres some kind of back valve not quite working.

    Ive contacted the manufacturer to see if I can get a response... hopefully google translator will do its job.

    Its rather odd though... give it a day, a few shots and it all settles down again...

    Ive also got a decent tamper - a Jetblack model... made a huge difference and now have some decent beans. Its amazing how much coarser i can run the grind compared to the crappy stuff and the crema is much much better.

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  • KJM
    replied
    Re: Joined the ranks...

    Originally posted by 280D0C161B620 link=1327208219/8#8 date=1327392202
    KJM,  I just need a decent machine to use that sort of power    Why dont you start your warm up in off peak period (before 7am) for around 11cents/kw.  I pay 26cents/kw peak but then my solar system down in sunny Warrnambool just pumped out 20kw today and counting . Gotta love 60 cents for every kw I put to grid 
    We do have solar power I just cant bring myself to waste that much power per day. I did some testing when I got the machine before Christmas - 25mins warm up is absolutely identical to leaving it on for 1 hour which is the same as 2 hours... The thing heats up to stable operating temperature in <30mins. So there is no need to leave it on.

    Interestingly, I did the same measurements with Ms. Silvia when I put the PID in. She needed about the same warm-up time, and only 10 mins if you ran a dead shot through. Once youve done that - it is at the right temperature. That comes from actually measuring, as opposed to believing the net.wisdom on how long you "have" to warm it up for...

    /Kevin

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  • Jonty
    replied
    Re: Joined the ranks...

    KJM, I just need a decent machine to use that sort of power : Why dont you start your warm up in off peak period (before 7am) for around 11cents/kw. I pay 26cents/kw peak but then my solar system down in sunny Warrnambool just pumped out 20kw today and counting . Gotta love 60 cents for every kw I put to grid 8-)

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  • KJM
    replied
    Re: Joined the ranks...

    OK - Ive found my note on this. Interesting to re-visit this!

    The Expobar Minore III that I have doesnt have 2kW heaters - it has 1.8kW ones. I suspect this is universally the case, and the specified "2kW" is marketing largesse... Anyway - to warm the machine up (20 minutes) chews through 0.3527kWhrs of electricity.. I tend to run the shots after 30 minutes though, and 2xlattés - a double shot + stretch 200ml of milk - backflush with water comes in at a grand total of 0.3997kWhrs (including the warm up)...

    So if we assume electricity is $0.30/kWhr (it is cheaper than that right now, but soon it wont be ) then it costs about 12 cents for my two lattés.. Of course, if youre doing a whole bunch of shots the unit cost comes down since the bulk of that price is the 30minutes of sitting idle heating up.

    If I was to leave it on all the time, it looks like it chews about 0.28kWhr per hour (but that includes the two coffees - Im not going to leave it on and measure - sorry). I suspect the actual figure is a fair bit shy of that though - since it does take some juice to run the shots, steam and flush. Even if it was 1/2 that just sitting idle - it means it is about 3.5kWhrs/day and our rather frugal electricity usage in this house sits at 11kWhrs/day right now. So you can see why I dont leave it on 24x7!

    I cant see that figure varying a huge amount for a well designed machine. It should be independant of boiler size (to a degree - once youve heated the water up and assuming the boilers arent 100x bigger...). The main thermal loss will be the thermosiphon loop through the grouphead (assuming the boiler is insulated, of course).

    It is always interesting to apply actual measurement to systems - even if it is just to check that what it says on the label is right!

    Cheers
    /Kevin

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  • KJM
    replied
    Re: Joined the ranks...

    Originally posted by 4D7B746E487B7479737673752B2A1A0 link=1327208219/3#3 date=1327222910
    at least 40 if youre serious otherwise run a few blank shots to speed things up. 20 minutes is not enough for most proper machines
    No - it depends a lot on how the machine is built. My recently acquired Expobar Minore III achieves equilibrium in 25 minutes. Possibly less - finding the point at which the brew head and all the hidden guff reaches the right temperature for a shot is a bit tedious. 25 minutes is the (so far) shortest time Ive tried that gives perfect shot stability - identical to the 1 hour performance.

    Im actually suspicious that the actual minimum is about 15-20minutes. It does heat up very quickly - the thermosiphon works from a quite low boiler temperature on the Minore.

    Originally posted by 5B6E757773795D68757D1A0 link=1327208219/4#4 date=1327229359
    How do you cope with a multi coffee day... morning, lunch etc. do you leave the machine running?
    I put up with switching it on 1/2 hour before I need it. I cant stand wasting energy > Ive got some data on how much energy it takes to heat up somewhere. Ill find it or re-acquire it and post it.

    /Kevin

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  • WantRancilio10
    replied
    Re: Joined the ranks...

    I do use a timer.

    Timers are a risk for machines without built in safety cutouts for low water etc. Having said that, Ive taken that risk without repercussion, with my Isomac Venus and it never looked like having a problem.

    the risk is a small leak will eventually develop around a seal somewhere - say steam wand valve or something. If using a timer to turn it on, it will turn on, heat up, start leaking water out as it heats, boiler empties, element keeps on going, bang! Element dead.

    I use the timer for breakfast and post dinner. For weekend lunches theres generally no rush.

    Leave a comment:


  • AtomicGrog
    replied
    Re: Joined the ranks...

    Originally posted by 12242B3117242B262C292C2A7475450 link=1327208219/3#3 date=1327222910
    Originally posted by 54617A787C7652677A72150 link=1327208219/0#0 date=1327208219
    Doesnt really pull a decent shot for a good 20 mins
    try at least 40 if youre serious otherwise run a few blank shots to speed things up. 20 minutes is not enough for most proper machines
    Interesting comment. How do you cope with a multi coffee day... morning, lunch etc. do you leave the machine running? I was tempted to put mine on a timer to be honest.

    Leave a comment:


  • WantRancilio10
    replied
    Re: Joined the ranks...

    Originally posted by 54617A787C7652677A72150 link=1327208219/0#0 date=1327208219
    Doesnt really pull a decent shot for a good 20 mins
    try at least 40 if youre serious otherwise run a few blank shots to speed things up. 20 minutes is not enough for most proper machines

    Leave a comment:


  • KJM
    replied
    Re: Joined the ranks...

    Originally posted by 685D4644404A6E5B464E290 link=1327208219/0#0 date=1327208219
    but ive pulled put plenty of crap from inside the head and the level was a more than a little stiff going into the complete off position - in fact at first I didnt realise the lever went all the way down until I watched a back-flush video on youtube.
    Check out the information on servicing e61 groups. Stiff means lack of lube. Very easy job.

    Originally posted by 685D4644404A6E5B464E290 link=1327208219/0#0 date=1327208219
    1. Doesnt really pull a decent shot for a good 20 mins.
    There is a lot of brass to heat up. 20 minutes sounds about right.

    Originally posted by 685D4644404A6E5B464E290 link=1327208219/0#0 date=1327208219
    3. The wand gets fekking hot
    Have a squiz at the Coffee Parts website and look for the little rubber sleeves. Might save you some skin The Expobar Minore I now have has a "cool touch" wand - which is nice, but when I use the machine in the tea room (which is not cool touch) I tend to burn myself : So Im pretty sure you cant win (or even come second) on this issue!

    /Kevin

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  • Stan
    replied
    Re: Joined the ranks...

    A new grinder will help with the pour time as well fresh coffee. 

    It sounds like it need a good clean and service.  Enjoy your coffee journey it is just beginning [smiley=cool.gif]

    Leave a comment:


  • AtomicGrog
    started a topic Joined the ranks...

    Joined the ranks...

    Been looking around for a few weeks now and managed to pick a used Magister over the weekend.

    Looks like it needs a decent clean - cosmetically its nice and shiny but ive pulled put plenty of crap from inside the head and the level was a more than a little stiff going into the complete off position - in fact at first I didnt realise the lever went all the way down until I watched a back-flush video on youtube. I also want to get some replacement knobs, ones been over used by the looks of things and the D shape internally has started to turn a little.

    Few things ive noticed already...

    1. Doesnt really pull a decent shot for a good 20 mins.
    2. Seems to get through water like theres no tomorrow - not a leak just my over exuberance in terms of practicing.
    3. The wand gets fekking hot

    Ive still got a way to go - like getting a decent grinder (Using a modd Breville 450 at present...), tamper etc. and not to mention some decent coffee - the guy ive been using has been on hols for the last 4 weeks :|

    Wife thinks im having a laugh... not sure how much of a problem that will be :|



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