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BZ10 owners - request for information on steaming performance
There are several metric standard threads: the one designated with an M (eg M10) is usually ISO Metric Coarse (eg 10mm major diameter x 1.5mm thread pitch).
ISO Metric Fine and Extra fine (both usually designated MF) have, logically, smaller thread pitches. For 10mm the common one is 1.0 mm pitch (used for bicyle derailleur mounts and for spark plugs) but 0.75mm and 1.25mm also exist.
You want a non-standard thread? Mavic decided to use 12mm x 1mm double lead (eg pitch = 1mm but lead = 2mm) on their through axle system. Try buying a tap for that off the shelf.
To be honest I've never noticed the issue with the steam pressures only if im doing a really big jug.
It's literally in the shop for a service right now, but i'll report back when i've got in back on the bench.
I'm running the stock tip and seems to be humming along okay.
Still disappointed/scratching my head over why the machine isn't grunty enough to maintain pressure with the two-hole tip. Heating element on the way out, perhaps?
Or maybe a de-calc is in order? I have the gear to descale but never been game to try - the manufacturer doesn't recommend.
You could always get in contact with the Australian Distributor Barazi Bezzera Coffee Machines and discuss your concerns. They seem to be very good at addressing Bezzera owners queries.
On my Bezzera (Domus Galatea, 2L HX), the steam is very 'blasty.' It starts at 1.35 and goes down to ~1 straight away. Usually the steaming happens very quickly and is done before it goes much lower than that. One thing I notice is it 'recovers' to 1.35 almost instantly when I turn the steam off. If anything the issue I have is 'wet' steam. I've wondered recently if there might be an advantage in lowering the water level slightly.
I'm not sure what the thread is like on the BZ10 arm, but I had some joy with the Profitec tips that Jet Black espresso sell. If I use the Prof fine two-hole it maintains higher pressure, the only thing is I had to take out the non-burn tubing on the Bezzera arm, because the Profitec tip is slimmer on the inside. If you decide to buy a different tip to the default one I would be wary of the seal around the non burn tubing if yours has that.
Last edited by liberdade; 15 September 2019, 12:18 AM.
392392: I'm using a 22g basket in the stock portafilter with 21g of coffee no problem at the moment, though it does seem to take a little bit of extra time for the water to make its way through the puck and the pour to start. If filling with 22g of coffee I hit the showerscreen.
robusto: Thanks for the tip about food safe solder, I didn't know that even existed. I'll check it out!
392392: Yes, confirming my BZ10 wand does appear to be 10mm male. The 10mm female tip from Jetblack does fit diameter-wise, just not pitch-wise. Wonder if Bezzera changed wands at some point...
Lyrebird: By rough count and measurement, the thread pitch for the BZ10 seems to be 1.0mm
The folks at Jetblack espresso kindly got in touch with me about alternative tips to try, which might fit the BZ10.
In the meantime I have two tips that aren't compatible with my machine, happy to give away to anybody who can make use of them. Both tips are unused, female thread, 10mm, coarse pitch.
Thanks to a staff member from Jetblack Espresso, I've been able to try three (!) different ECM 10mm female tips with fine threads. They all fit the stock wand on the BZ10 perfectly. Here are the results (450ml Motta jug, 1/3 filled):
ECM 10mm 1-hole tip
Hex profile, long, with a conical end, hole looks about 1.5 mm dia
Retains boiler pressure nice and high, still at 1.1-1.2 bar after 30 seconds.
Excellent microfoam results
About half the speed of the stock tip
ECM 10mm 2-hole tip
Tapered cylindrical profile with a spherical end, holes look about 1.0 mm dia
Retains boiler pressure at 1.0-1.1 bar after 30 seconds.
Excellent microfoam results
About half the speed of the stock tip
ECM 10mm 4-hole tip
Tapered cylindrical profile with a spherical end, holes look about 1.2 mm dia
Boiler pressure drops to 0.7 bar after 30 seconds
Microfoam is a bit coarse (at least with my technique), produces similar result to stock tip
About the same speed as the stock tip
The 1-hole and 2-hole ECM tips were certainly much gentler than the stock tip, producing less tumbling and whirlpooling. But it seems the higher back pressure and slower heating provided by the ECM tips is a more important factor, and the foam just turned out much better. And for home use the slower texturing doesn't matter.
So there ya have it! Thanks again to Jetblack staff and I hope this info helps out someone else heading down this path in the future ...
Thanks to a staff member from Jetblack Espresso, I've been able to try three (!) different ECM 10mm female tips with fine threads. They all fit the stock wand on the BZ10 perfectly. Here are the results (450ml Motta jug, 1/3 filled):
ECM 10mm 1-hole tip
Hex profile, long, with a conical end, hole looks about 1.5 mm dia
Retains boiler pressure nice and high, still at 1.1-1.2 bar after 30 seconds.
Excellent microfoam results
About half the speed of the stock tip
ECM 10mm 2-hole tip
Tapered cylindrical profile with a spherical end, holes look about 1.0 mm dia
Retains boiler pressure at 1.0-1.1 bar after 30 seconds.
Excellent microfoam results
About half the speed of the stock tip
ECM 10mm 4-hole tip
Tapered cylindrical profile with a spherical end, holes look about 1.2 mm dia
Boiler pressure drops to 0.7 bar after 30 seconds
Microfoam is a bit coarse (at least with my technique), produces similar result to stock tip
About the same speed as the stock tip
The 1-hole and 2-hole ECM tips were certainly much gentler than the stock tip, producing less tumbling and whirlpooling. But it seems the higher back pressure and slower heating provided by the ECM tips is a more important factor, and the foam just turned out much better. And for home use the slower texturing doesn't matter.
So there ya have it! Thanks again to Jetblack staff and I hope this info helps out someone else heading down this path in the future ...
Oooh thanks for this, may consider getting the same from jetblack
So..... not sure if anyone still cares,
but i went on a mission trying to improve the quality of the steamed milk this machine can make.
I was getting decent steamed milk, but was not quite happy with the quality of it.
Deduced that the boiler couldn't keep up with tips flow, so there isn't enough steam pressure to fold and create good microfoam.
My machine was produced in 2016, so it uses the 8.2-8.5mm male steam tips (these are considered universal steam tips, as they actually are used in a very wide variety of machines)
Stock tip is a 2x 1.5mm tip
Steam enough milk for 2x180ml caps in about 30-35s (say 200ml of milk), 1x180ml cap (say 100ml of milk) in about 20seconds.
Started off with a Rocket steam tip set,
2x 1.0mm
3x 1.5mm
4x 1.5mm
4. 1.2mm
since the 3 and 4x 1.5mm tips are larger than the stock, i didn't really bother much to try them. I did give the 3x1.5mm tip a go, but no way the boiler is going to keep up with that.
2x 1.0mm tip, produces ultrafine microfoam, but it is a fair bit slower. Great for latte art, but can be annoyingly slow. (200ml @ 45-55s, 100ml @ 30-35s)
4x 1.2mm tip, produces slightly better microfoam than the stock tip, but at the same speed as the stock tip, small variances in timing, (im talking 1-2s, so it isn't noticeable unless you time it)
Finally after scouring everywhere and with some dramas, i had managed to procure a 4x0.9mm tip and a 3x1,2mm tip. (drama = both those tips didn't get sent and had to be refunded).
Managed however, to get a 3x1.2mm tip from a different source.
Produces really good microfoam (still slightly courser than the 2x1.0mm tip, but miles better than the stock and 4x1.2 tip), and almost the same speed as the stock tip.
Pressure figures below
Steam pressure (without pulling shot)
2x1.0mm (1.4bar start, valve fully open, pressure drops to 1.2-1.3bar and pretty much holds it there)
3x1.2mm (1.4bar start, valve fully open, pressure drops to 1 bar after 30-35s, 0.9 bar after 35s and pretty much holds it there)
3x1.5mm (1.4 bar start. valve fully open, pressure drops immediately to 1bar, 0.6bar after 10-15s, 0.5bar after 15, most times, too hot to continue timing)
4x1.2mm (1.4 bar start, valve fully open, pressure drops immediate to 1.1/1.2 bar, 0.8 bar after 10-15s, 0.7 bar after 20-25s)
2x1.5 (stock tip - 1.4 bar start, valve fully open, pressure drops immediate to 1.0/1.1 bar, 0.8 bar after 10-15s, 0.7/0.6 bar after 20-25s)
Steam pressure (while shot running)
2x1.0mm (similar to above, as the boiler is able to keep up the steam output)
3x1.2mm (similar to above figures, but pressure drop comes earlier 1 bar at say 25s and it doesnt drop below 0.8/0.9bars
3x1.5mm (not really worth mentioning, boiler struggling at near end of shot at 0.4bar)
4x1.2mm (shot starts @ 1.4 bar, valve opens, pressure drops to 0.9 bar immediately, 0.7bar after 10-15s, 0.6 after.
2x1.5mm (similar figures to 4x1.2mm, but loses boiler pressure slightly earlier)
Verdict
2x1.0mm - very forgiving, boiler is able to fully maintain pressure, so as long as you fold enough air in, you will get very very good microfoam. Slow though.
3x1.2mm - good balance, speed and results. My fav of my tips atm.
2x1.5mm (stock) - decent, but could be a lot better.
4x1.2mm - better than stock, but that's about it.
3 and 4x1.5mm - not suitable for BZ10
Wishlist
Am still trying to find a 4x0.9/1.0mm tip. Let me know if anyone has any?
P/s, all above alternative steam tips lack a secondary o-ring in the tip, so the back pressure will cause the wand to be a burn-me wand. I teflon taped the tube, so it works similarly to the o-ring.
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