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  • #16
    Surprised no one has mentioned channeling. If the shot starts off ok and then gushes this is usually the problem, in which case you may be grinding fine enough, but the issue is distribution/clumping, which can be a problem with Rocky.

    I suspect the place you did the course didn't do you a favour by letting you train on top-end equipment either. Rocky and Silvia are fine, but would need adjustments in your technique.

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    • #17
      Originally posted by habahabanero View Post
      Surprised no one has mentioned channeling. If the shot starts off ok and then gushes this is usually the problem, in which case you may be grinding fine enough, but the issue is distribution/clumping, which can be a problem with Rocky.

      I suspect the place you did the course didn't do you a favour by letting you train on top-end equipment either. Rocky and Silvia are fine, but would need adjustments in your technique.
      I had a few gushers this morning and in the end couldn't be bothered. Definitely put it down to channeling and the older beans didnt help.

      @Chris, could the OPV be set way too high, and hence allowing a ridiculous amount of pressure to push more water through, or even make channeling worse??

      Comment


      • #18
        Originally posted by Talk_Coffee View Post
        I suggest you have a tech look at your Rocky. It may require adjustment of the zero point or alternately, the burrs may be shagged.
        You're probably right. Any recommended places NoR?

        Originally posted by habahabanero View Post
        Surprised no one has mentioned channeling. If the shot starts off ok and then gushes this is usually the problem, in which case you may be grinding fine enough, but the issue is distribution/clumping, which can be a problem with Rocky.

        I suspect the place you did the course didn't do you a favour by letting you train on top-end equipment either. Rocky and Silvia are fine, but would need adjustments in your technique.
        Surely that wouldn't be the case for every shot I would have though? I've also experimented with the WDT and get more or less the same results (although the extraction is more even).

        Originally posted by nicovington View Post
        I had a few gushers this morning and in the end couldn't be bothered. Definitely put it down to channeling and the older beans didnt help.

        @Chris, could the OPV be set way too high, and hence allowing a ridiculous amount of pressure to push more water through, or even make channeling worse??
        I've actually lowered the pressure on my machine (although I don't own a gauge so bit of a guessing game), I've been wanting to order a gauge online but haven't bitten the bullet because I'm saving for a holiday at the moment.

        Comment


        • #19
          Not sure how much luck you'll have with finding a tech, I think if you were to take it to someone they'll suggest/sell new burrs before proceeding with any other troubleshooting. From what I hear/read it's not easy to tell good from bad burrs by sight/touch alone, only really by performance.

          Maybe just buy new burrs, if they don't help then at least you've got new burrs for later and they'll hold up the resale value of your grinder eventually as you can throw in brand new burrs

          I assume at this stage you're sure the issue is the grinder anyway.

          Good luck

          Comment


          • #20
            Also, where abouts are you located? If you're in Perth, I'd be happy to let you try with my grinder (Anfim KS) and at least isolate it as being a rocky problem or a technique problem.

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            • #21
              Hello kyler.

              I've read a few times in the thread that "....the burrs are as close as they can be together before they touch....".

              The plates (burrs) cant touch if the stop is fitted in the bottom of the hopper as per factory.

              Are you able to adjust the plates down to the point where they actually touch and lock up together?

              Or are you just saying you are turning the hopper until it wont go any further?

              Have you removed the hopper and checked the stop is in place or not (check back to post #9)?

              **************

              In post #19 hamm wrote "...Not sure how much luck you'll have with finding a tech, I think if you were to take it to someone they'll suggest/sell new burrs before proceeding with any other troubleshooting...."

              Not sure what kind of service technicians you are used to, but professional service businesses wouldnt do that. If you take in a grinder that you say is not grinding fine enough, then....the serviceman will firstly check to see whether the grinder is or isnt grinding fine enough. If the reason for not grinding fine enough is found to be that the plates need replacement, then so be it, but you (they, whoever) dont just replace plates willy nilly without finding the fault first...unless they arent really a professional service tech.

              As an aside. In my experience when plates are genuinely worn and need replacing they usually grind too fine as in, the quantity of fines in the total run of particle sizes is vastly increased over normal. And there is increased friction and heat, and the cuppas are nasteeee. And yes, in that case the adjustment brings the plates closer and closer together. This is genuinely rare in household use because home use situations dont grind the volume of beans that are ground in commercial situations, and a set of plates will usually last for years unless some other problem occurs.

              Hope that helps.

              Comment


              • #22
                Originally posted by hamm View Post
                Not sure how much luck you'll have with finding a tech, I think if you were to take it to someone they'll suggest/sell new burrs before proceeding with any other troubleshooting. From what I hear/read it's not easy to tell good from bad burrs by sight/touch alone, only really by performance.

                Maybe just buy new burrs, if they don't help then at least you've got new burrs for later and they'll hold up the resale value of your grinder eventually as you can throw in brand new burrs

                I assume at this stage you're sure the issue is the grinder anyway.

                Good luck
                If after testing with some good grinds tomorrow and confirm it's the grinder I might do that. Can imagine a tech will cost me a small fortunate and the burrs will only cost $75 or so with shipping.

                Originally posted by hamm View Post
                Also, where abouts are you located? If you're in Perth, I'd be happy to let you try with my grinder (Anfim KS) and at least isolate it as being a rocky problem or a technique problem.
                Appreciate the offer but I will just pop by my local cafe tomorrow, it's just around the corner cheers!

                Originally posted by TOK View Post
                Hello kyler.

                I've read a few times in the thread that "....the burrs are as close as they can be together before they touch....".

                The plates (burrs) cant touch if the stop is fitted in the bottom of the hopper as per factory.

                Are you able to adjust the plates down to the point where they actually touch and lock up together?

                Or are you just saying you are turning the hopper until it wont go any further?

                Have you removed the hopper and checked the stop is in place or not (check back to post #9)?

                **************

                In post #19 hamm wrote "...Not sure how much luck you'll have with finding a tech, I think if you were to take it to someone they'll suggest/sell new burrs before proceeding with any other troubleshooting...."

                Not sure what kind of service technicians you are used to, but professional service businesses wouldnt do that. If you take in a grinder that you say is not grinding fine enough, then....the serviceman will firstly check to see whether the grinder is or isnt grinding fine enough. If the reason for not grinding fine enough is found to be that the plates need replacement, then so be it, but you (they, whoever) dont just replace plates willy nilly without finding the fault first...unless they arent really a professional service tech.

                As an aside. In my experience when plates are genuinely worn and need replacing they usually grind too fine as in, the quantity of fines in the total run of particle sizes is vastly increased over normal. And there is increased friction and heat, and the cuppas are nasteeee. And yes, in that case the adjustment brings the plates closer and closer together. This is genuinely rare in household use because home use situations dont grind the volume of beans that are ground in commercial situations, and a set of plates will usually last for years unless some other problem occurs.

                Hope that helps.
                I meant that when I take the hopper off and adjust the burrs they are as close to each other as they can go. When the hopper is off I can continue screwing the plates another few degrees and they would start moving together. As far as I can tell it's set the same way as factory, the stopper is touching the plastic and can't go any further. If I were to remove the stopper and move the hopper to a finer setting they would lock up almost immediately as far as I can tell.

                Will test with the grinds tomorrow and update the thread.

                Comment


                • #23
                  My rocky will easily grind fine enough to choke if I tamp hard even with my grind setting about 5 clicks up from it's zero. If you are getting a gush pour with what you think is your finest grind you definitely have an issue with your rocky.

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Just poured 5 shots with 18g and all of them took under 13 seconds. Quite frustrating. Perhaps the pressure is set too high?

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Don't recall if you said where you're located but a tech wont be as expensive as you think, if you're in WA give Dimattina in Osborne Park a call and talk to Steve he's very fair and an extremely nice guy to deal with.

                      Having said that, replacing burrs is dead easy you could definitely do that yourself.

                      Have you tried the 'white paper test'? Look that up and just see how the grinds are looking if there's a hugely obvious disparity in grind size that might indicate its your grinder

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Originally posted by kyler View Post
                        Just poured 5 shots with 18g and all of them took under 13 seconds. Quite frustrating. Perhaps the pressure is set too high?
                        You said earlier that you adjusted the pressure and just guessed.

                        Did you use the backflow method, or literally just guess it? My machine was a bit funny for ages until I found out you could adjust the OPV, and after using the backflow method I found it was off by quite a bit and after adjusting it there was a huge improvement in my coffee!

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Out of interest...

                          When you purchased your Silvia, do you know whether the machine had been properly setup and tested before you took it home? If the Brew Pressure is set way too high, you may never be able to grind fine enough...

                          Mal.

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Originally posted by hamm View Post
                            Don't recall if you said where you're located but a tech wont be as expensive as you think, if you're in WA give Dimattina in Osborne Park a call and talk to Steve he's very fair and an extremely nice guy to deal with.

                            Having said that, replacing burrs is dead easy you could definitely do that yourself.

                            Have you tried the 'white paper test'? Look that up and just see how the grinds are looking if there's a hugely obvious disparity in grind size that might indicate its your grinder
                            Thanks for the recommendation I had a look at the particle sizes today and there wasn't that great of a difference.

                            Originally posted by nicovington View Post
                            You said earlier that you adjusted the pressure and just guessed.

                            Did you use the backflow method, or literally just guess it? My machine was a bit funny for ages until I found out you could adjust the OPV, and after using the backflow method I found it was off by quite a bit and after adjusting it there was a huge improvement in my coffee!
                            I guessed (regrettably?), can you link me to the backflow method?

                            Originally posted by Dimal View Post
                            Out of interest...

                            When you purchased your Silvia, do you know whether the machine had been properly setup and tested before you took it home? If the Brew Pressure is set way too high, you may never be able to grind fine enough...

                            Mal.
                            I bought it second hand from these forums, I never saw it used before I took it home.

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Originally posted by kyler View Post
                              I bought it second hand from these forums, I never saw it used before I took it home.
                              In that case mate, I'd make an approach to your nearest reputable specialist coffee equipment retailer, and ask them to give it a close going-over including Brew Pressure Setup and Test...

                              Mal.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Originally posted by Dimal View Post
                                In that case mate, I'd make an approach to your nearest reputable specialist coffee equipment retailer, and ask them to give it a close going-over including Brew Pressure Setup and Test...

                                Mal.
                                Thanks for the advice, will organise it tomorrow.

                                Comment

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