ACS Minima DB

[davec]

davec Hi Dave, as requested, please see below links to the ACS Minima videos with the comments turned off (not sure if admin will delete the below links …)


BTW, what’s your coffee engineering opinion on Heat Exchange vs Saturated Head?

Thanks for that, I have enabled comments on all of the videos. They didn't delete the links because they probably realise the channel is non commercial and not monetised.

As for the question, I am not sure I quite understand it?

• HX is a separate pipe in the main boiler which feeds the group and the group thermosyhon, by definition with water is a steam temp or around 125C. HX units have to be flushed down to brew temp.
• Dual Boiler is a separate brew and steam boiler, the brew boiler only runs the thermosyphon. Am offset is used so the brew boiler is hotter than the brew temp by a calculated amount to allow for cooling by the group. No flushing is required.
• A saturated group is, strictly speaking a part of the boiler...where the boiler water and group are "together". Often the term is used to describe a group where there is a very very close coupling and the major part where the PF locks in is hollowed with boiler water inside
• Lastly the ring group, is directly attached to the boiler and heated by direct conduction
• PID controlled heated group. The group has heater cartridges controlled by a PID, these can be fed by a thermosyphon, or completely decoupled from the boiler.

Dual Boiler machines work well if they are well-designed and set up...whether the group is saturated or not. Most well designed machines are more accurate with brew temperature than the user can taste

[San]

davec Hi Dave, as requested, please see below links to the ACS Minima videos with the comments turned off (not sure if admin will delete the below links …)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5GsCetwYxA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCx-p2PdKig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE1DkEYqmMc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCqT-JPgpQQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V8CTF5Y2dg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kF2NsGr8e0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCTmU777ORI


BTW, what’s your coffee engineering opinion on Heat Exchange vs Saturated Head?

[cuprajake]

They ramp up nice due to the vibe pump.

My old monima
https://youtube.com/shorts/KaH70PoRIHw?feature=share

[davec]

davec hi Dave, thank you very much for replying to my post. Perhaps, it was misunderstood what I was trying to say so I’ll try to clarify. I know that you don’t work for ACS nor for Bella Barista. You did quite few YouTube videos for few ACS machines such as Minima, Vostok and Versuvius. On Versuvius videos, comments section is turned on however on Minima the comments section is turned off. Bella Barista has turned off comments off on Minima review too. So it looked a bit odd, especially that UK ACS Minima thread, that ran over a year, suddenly stopped without any comments from few concerned members about the solutions for their boiler over filling issue. There are couple of videos posted by Franco C 4 months ago showing the water over filling issue - perhaps he got an early manufactured machine (?).
So I wanted to check with the local distributor the manufacturing date of the machines they have in stock to see if they’re the early manufactured version or the latest manufactured version.

If you can post the Video links where comments are turned off...I will check and make sure comments are turned on. It might be that it was the default setting for my reviews, without me realising it. I want to change it because without comments, I can't respond to peoples questions.

Someone posted about no mechanical preinfusion on the solenoid group....it's really not needed with Vibration pump machines, the pressure ramp up is much more gradual. It's part of the reason why back in the day the Expobar Brewtus produced such a good shot. For Rotary pump machines, it adds a slight pause for half a second as the pressure ramps much faster. With the current crop of pressure profilers, I think a solenoid group would be far more suitable. I would even like to see the Vesuvius move to one eventually.

[level3ninja]

saeco_user][/URL]do any modern E61 "type" groups not have a 3-way solenoid?

All the ones that are direct lever operated (the valves are still 3-way, just not solenoid operated)

[level3ninja]

solenoid group means you'd lose the mechnical preinfusion?

No, it means you lose the manually operated "prewetting" which is lifting the lever halfway to open the chamber to the water without engaging the pump.

The mechanical preinfusion comes from all the space inside the E61 group head that must fill with water before full pressure is delivered to the top of the puck. A solenoid operated E61 still has that, though possibly to a lesser degree.

[saeco_user]

sacsnob do any modern E61 "type" groups not have a 3-way solenoid?

[sacsnob]

solenoid group means you'd lose the mechnical preinfusion?

[San]

davec hi Dave, thank you very much for replying to my post. Perhaps, it was misunderstood what I was trying to say so I’ll try to clarify. I know that you don’t work for ACS nor for Bella Barista. You did quite few YouTube videos for few ACS machines such as Minima, Vostok and Versuvius. On Versuvius videos, comments section is turned on however on Minima the comments section is turned off. Bella Barista has turned off comments off on Minima review too. So it looked a bit odd, especially that UK ACS Minima thread, that ran over a year, suddenly stopped without any comments from few concerned members about the solutions for their boiler over filling issue. There are couple of videos posted by Franco C 4 months ago showing the water over filling issue - perhaps he got an early manufactured machine (?).
So I wanted to check with the local distributor the manufacturing date of the machines they have in stock to see if they’re the early manufactured version or the latest manufactured version.

[davec]

JetBlack_Espresso Hi Charlie, I was looking at ACS Minima for a while and seen few concerns raised about the machine issues between ‘19 and ‘20 and then all stopped. There are statements on various forums that Bella Barista UK stopped stocking them because 8 out of 10 machines have been returned due to faults; Bella Barista and David C (who was an active advocate for the machine) stopped and deleted all comments on their YouTube reviews. What is your experience with ACS Minima: have the previous issued been resolved? How reliable the machine now? Have the spare parts (especially controller and boiler) are readily available (can’t find them anywhere in spare parts)? Will much appreciate your response.

I didn't delete all, or any comments on my YouTube videos and I don't work for Bella Barista or ACS? In fact the YouTube videos are not reviews, they are the evidence to prove what's being said in my written review. I still think it's a great machine. The early day problems were wires getting pinched between Gicar Boxes and the frame, when they passed under the box and the box was snugged down. That was solved ages ago. There have been some improvements in low water detection, and of course more experience in the factory for assembly/QC processes after the first few production runs. Other than that the machine is unchanged, and by now a mature product.

The Minima concept was great performance for a low price. With a 0.8l brew boiler and 2.3l steam boiler it delivers that....and the solenoid group ensures minimal maintenance.

[San]

Minima does look funky: love it or hate it.

@JetBlack_Espresso hi Charlie, what year your stock was manufactured? Is “minima” logo laser cut or a sticker?

also, from what I can understand, there was an issue with Gicar attachment to the boiler: the spacers were too thin which created problem of the boiler being overfilled and leak Ingall. I guess, based on what you previously said, your stock doesn’t have this issue?

[JetBlack_Espresso]

Definitely unique! But great space for steaming milk.

charlie

[sacsnob]

I have to admit, I don't understand the aesthetics of this coffee machine.

[Caffeinator]

Seen a couple now with Autofill errors. Both were a simple fix- Poor earth to boiler.

[JetBlack_Espresso]

Hi San,

We haven't had any issues with the Minima. Regarding spare parts, for all the brands we represent (and for most others) we build and maintain a spare parts inventory in Sydney. Also, if there's a part we need that we don't have in stock we'll air freight it. This is to ensure our customers machines keep running without extended delays.

FWIW, I'm impressed with the performance of the Minima and Vesuvius from ACS. The Vesuvius in particular with digital pressure profiling has been on staff coffee duties for most of this year and hasn't skipped a beat.

charlie