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Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

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  • Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

    Hi everyone,

    Great site and forum. Ive referred to it in the past before deciding on my first espresso machine setup and am quite happy with the choice.

    I ended up getting a Gaggia Classic & Sunbeam EM0480 grinder. I was pretty tempted by the Rancillio Silvia and Rocky but found myself looking at better and better machines till I was over the $2500 mark!

    The combo makes awesome coffee (my current coffee of choice is DiBella Felici) but cant get the shots to be long enough ie 30sec, and this is even with hard tamping & grinder on the finest setting most of the time).

    Ive heard there is some kind of mod you can do with a thin plastic washer somehow but cant find any information. Was hoping someone here may be able to shed some light on it.

    A mate mentioned he bypassed the safety interlock that stops it operating when the hopper is off - meaning it worked when it was off the scale.

    Thanks,

  • #2
    Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

    Welcome to CS.

    The washers are metal not plastic.

    If the grinder is still under warranty ring Sunbeam and ask them for some.

    If not, pull the grinder apart and find the existing washers, under the top burr, and go to a hardware store and buy some identical ones.

    Youll need to add a washer or two to achieve a finer grind.

    How long are your shots?
    Single or double basket?

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

      Originally posted by 0D6738232D4A0 link=1256346023/0#0 date=1256346023
      Ive heard there is some kind of mod you can do with a thin plastic washer somehow but cant find any information.  Was hoping someone here may be able to shed some light on it.  

      Just do some searching in teh grinder section..

      http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1138058473

      and

      http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1183436456

      AND

      http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1207446286/6#6

      As starters.. There is even a SB document / attachment as to replacing teh washers... See here; http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1244882145/4#4


      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

        Thanks guys, will try that out. Didnt realise there were a few replies here.

        The shots are double basket (i have had zero luck with the single basket as i can never get the handle in place and seems you have to have a bigger gap at the top than with the double).

        Shot time seems to vary maybe 10-20sec. Not overly concerned if they are not exactly 30, but if i go finer Im hoping i dont need to tamp it as hard as it will just used more coffee?

        THanks for the tips!

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

          Originally posted by 69035C47492E0 link=1256346023/3#3 date=1256849156
          Thanks guys, will try that out.  Didnt realise there were a few replies here.

          The shots are double basket (i have had zero luck with the single basket as i can never get the handle in place and seems you have to have a bigger gap at the top than with the double).

          Shot time seems to vary maybe 10-20sec.  Not overly concerned if they are not exactly 30, but if i go finer Im hoping i dont need to tamp it as hard as it will just used more coffee?

          THanks for the tips!
          At the bottem of ya post / reply you can tick the option to be notified...

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?


            There is even a SB document / attachment as to replacing teh washers...  See here; http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1244882145/4#4
            I had a look at the last link and seems like its a newer fix than the DIYs above?

            Called Sunbeam today however the customer service rep was pretty short in saying that its because the basket isnt in place properly but find that hard to believe, but then said theyd send out the washers anyway.. He also said newer machines would have the washers in (since a few years ago) so hard to know but wll put some in when they show up.

            Cant really complain for the money but could have been a lot better machine with a bit more attention in the design. I suppose they manufacture to a price, and it does give machines 2-3x the price a bit of an upset.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

              Originally posted by 7C1649525C3B0 link=1256346023/5#5 date=1257163859
              I had a look at the last link and seems like its a newer fix than the DIYs above?
              No; its identical.
              Sunbeam produced the document long after we worked out what the problem was.

              I have one of those grinders but mine was made a few years ago when the quality control was better.

              These days you might get one or two or even no washers with one.

              Originally posted by 7C1649525C3B0 link=1256346023/5#5 date=1257163859
              I suppose they manufacture to a price, and it does give machines 2-3x the price a bit of an upset.
              I disagree.
              I have several other grinders.

              Have you compared the 0480 side by side with another grinder?

              Even though CSers will say its the cheapest acceptable espresso grinder, its still noisy, messy and the grind can be uneven.

              I bought another grinder fairly quickly after using it for just a few weeks as my grinder at work.

              I recently bought a Kyocera hand powered grinder and it does at least as good a job as the Sunbeam.
              However its quieter and not messy.

              If you dont mind taking a bit longer to grind by hand its an option at the cheap end of the grinder market.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

                Originally posted by 7F154A515F380 link=1256346023/5#5 date=1257163859
                Called Sunbeam today however the customer service rep was pretty short in saying that its because the basket isnt in place properly
                Not sure what they mean... But if ya not using fresh beans etc and using supermarket beans or beans from other so called franchises... They that will also be a cause... They are often stale and thus rip rather than grind and you have to go super fine to get close... Not the grinder but the beans...

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

                  Originally posted by 013D203B313027323A31550 link=1256346023/6#6 date=1257165432
                  I disagree.
                  I have several other grinders.

                  Have you compared the 0480 side by side with another grinder?
                  Hi, no not with this machine.. I had a small delongi grinder which i sold as apparently it wouldnt have been good enough.

                  I do agree it is messy, but still prefer doserless as I only use the machine once a day in the morning (or a couple of times on the weekend.

                  Originally posted by 143B32302718343B34323038303B21550 link=1256346023/7#7 date=1257165450

                  Not sure what they mean... But if ya not using fresh beans etc and using supermarket beans or beans from other so called franchises...  They that will also be a cause...   They are often stale and thus  rip rather than grind and you have to go super fine to get close... Not the grinder but the beans...
                  I have noticed it comes out better with real fresh beans but still isnt too bad with beans a few weeks old. I am using DiBella beans from the main roasting house up here..

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

                    Originally posted by 09633C27294E0 link=1256346023/8#8 date=1257193849
                    I do agree it is messy, but still prefer doserless as I only use the machine once a day in the morning (or a couple of times on the weekend.
                    I grind into an old metal jug and now have almost zero mess (helped reduce clumping as well).

                    This solution works well for me beacuse I only put the amount of beans in the hopper that I want to grind at that time. If you were using a full hopper it would be a guess as when to stop grinding.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

                      I got the washers from Sunbeam and put an extra one in.

                      However for some reason its very very course now (worse than salt), wondering what went wrong.

                      Cheers,

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

                        Originally posted by 006A352E20470 link=1256346023/10#10 date=1257456201
                        I got the washers from Sunbeam and put an extra one in.

                        However for some reason its very very course now (worse than salt), wondering what went wrong.

                        Cheers,
                        With an extra washer placed under teh bottom burr - It should not get courser .... Pure physics.

                        However if you have not re seated the bottom or top burr correctly then it can cause problems..

                        Always start course and slowly go finer... If you start fine and teh burrs touch you can stuff them.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

                          Originally posted by 09262F2D3A052926292F2D252D263C480 link=1256346023/11#11 date=1257459927

                          With an extra washer placed under teh bottom burr - It should not get courser .... Pure physics.

                          However if you have not re seated the bottom or top burr correctly then it can cause problems..

                          Always start course and slowly go finer... If you start fine and teh burrs touch you can stuff them.
                          I know what you mean, it should be finer but dont know why its stuffed.

                          Is it normal for the coarse adjuster to be off the scale on the course end when you turn it? i thought it stopped at max so perhaps something isnt put back properly but need to sort it out!

                          should have spent a bit more and got a rocky.

                          Thanks again!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

                            Originally posted by 442E716A64030 link=1256346023/12#12 date=1257501717
                            Originally posted by 09262F2D3A052926292F2D252D263C480 link=1256346023/11#11 date=1257459927

                            With an extra washer placed under teh bottom burr - It should not get courser .... Pure physics.

                            However if you have not re seated the bottom or top burr correctly then it can cause problems..

                            Always start course and slowly go finer... If you start fine and teh burrs touch you can stuff them.
                            I know what you mean, it should be finer but dont know why its stuffed.

                            Is it normal for the coarse adjuster to be off the scale on the course end when you turn it?  i thought it stopped at max so perhaps something isnt put back properly but need to sort it out!

                            should have spent a bit more and got a rocky.

                            Thanks again!
                            They are all different... tow of mine were such that I was 5 clicks above the course MAX for plunger and at about 20 for a great espresso..

                            It does not matter a hoot...   It is about getting the grind size right and that takes a little skill as it depends on the beans, how fresh / stale and the way you tamp and dose......  2 + 2 = 5 where 5 = great coffee...

                            PS. Update ya location profile.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Sunbeam EM0480 grinder not fine enough - possible to mod?

                              Ill have to take a photo, its not a matter of too fine or course i know how to adjust that for the time, but im getting massive grinds and there is something wrong (not just the normal adjustments).

                              Cheers,

                              Comment

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