VBM Jnr pre infusion

[mmmcoffee]

Hi all was just talking with a guy about pre infusion on a VBM Jnr. I just got my Jnr a couple months back to still new to her. How do I pre infuse? It this lifting the level to the set half way point where it naturally stops, leave there for 5 seconds then lift leave all the way up to pull shot??

Thanks all!!

[TOK]

Hi.

the group on your machine has a mechanical pre infusion chamber built in and pre infuses everytime you make coffee, so there is no need to try and do something manually yourself. The lever should be moved through the range fom start to finish without stopping in the middle anywhere. Doing what you describe just activates the pump but doesnt open the group valve, ie...not doing anything, and no preinfusion...

I have had instances where clients have done that (placed the lever in the mid way position) and then been distracted eg the telephone rings. They have gone to answer it and forgotten about the lever in mid way position on the machine. They later find the pump has failed and requies an expensive intervention...

Hope that helps.

[mmmcoffee]

Thanks TOK I didn't think it did anything half way as I tried it with now group head in but the pump started but little/ no water.
Just wanted to check with the new machine.

[javatime]

hmm... I just get very little water out of the group head but it doesn't sound as if the pump has started at all... I've left it there for a few seconds just to wet the coffee using pressure in the boiler but never heard the pump kick in ever. The pump only ever kicks in once it is lifted above the middle position on my VBM. My VBM Jnr is about 1 year old tho..

[TOK]

will be dependent on the adjusted position of the pump microswitch...regardless, the group has a preinfusion built in and manual intervention is
a) not required and
b) most often useless because it is not doing what you thought it was doing (preinfusing).

[alexcs]

interesting, I just bought one of these, it would appear the middle setting does nothing. I have read elswhere that if it is the non-pump version the middle setting wont do anything.

Either way, bloody great coffee!! very impressed coming from a 6910.

[jbrewster]

interesting, I just bought one of these, it would appear the middle setting does nothing. I have read elswhere that if it is the non-pump version the middle setting wont do anything.

That's correct, the only reason that the "middle setting" does anything on any E61 machine is that there is line pressure behind it (i.e. it's plumbed in to mains).

[alexcs]

jbrewster, so is this a legacy feature when e61's needed to be manually infused with line pressure before pouring, or does it still serve a purpose?