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First time Sunbeam grinder problems

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  • First time Sunbeam grinder problems

    i picked up my Sunbeam EM0480 yesterday, and have had several attempts using it this morning with not much success.

    Just as background, i was previously using pre-ground coffee from woolies, and was pulling a double in about 20 secs from an el cheapo sunbeam machine.

    the issues are as follows:

    1. on a grind setting of 16-20 it is taking approx 45 secs to pull a double. the machine is struggling to pass any water through the PF, and im getting mostly crema rather than espresso.

    2. even with the lightest of tamps im still having problem 1. am i supposed to fill half the basket, light tamp, fill remaining half, light tamp, or just a single tamp at the end?

    3. the coffee puck is very wet and crumbly, and there is slight channeling. with the pre-ground stuff i was previously using, i always had a dry puck which came out as one piece. oddly, i had to really tamp the pre-ground coffee hard to get a decent shot, and now im at the other end of the scale...confused??

    4. i am using a cut milk carton to catch stray grinds, but how do you overcome the static problem? a real pain!

    5. i remove the hopper and put unused beans back into my air tight container, but there is always half chewed beans/grind leftover in the actual grinding chamber. now i know i can run the machine for a couple of seconds to clear this, but it seems like a fair amount of wastage each time. at $19 / 500g i dont really want to be wasting too much any ideas?

    even with all these issues, the coffee is already better

    thanks in advance!

    Joe.

  • #2
    Re: First time Sunbeam grinder problems

    The basket should be packed full enough that the shower screen screw leaves a light impression on the puck. Adjust the grind until when tamping with 25-30lbs of force it takes 30 seconds for the stream to start blonding. Adjust the grind/time from there according to your tastes.


    Java "What a grind!" phile
    Toys! I must have new toys!!!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: First time Sunbeam grinder problems

      javaphile,

      yep, i am getting the screw impression, and as for tamping with 25lbs pressure, well i cant even get the espresso to flow with the lightest of tamps. if i tamp any harder i think the machine will blow!!

      normally with my thermoblock machine i hear the thump thump sound of the pump during extraction, but since switching to the grinder, the machine seems to stall as it cant force the water through, and there is heaps of pressure building in the group head.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: First time Sunbeam grinder problems

        It sounds to me like the main problem at the moment is the grind is too fine.

        I dont understand the grind settings on your EM0480 but if the pump is struggling and a firmer tamp threatens to blow the machine, then change the grind setting to a courser one.
        If the shots start to run too fast work your way back.

        I dont know why youve decided to start at 16 - 20 but you now just need to keep adjusting to find the right mark.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: First time Sunbeam grinder problems

          Originally posted by Thundergod link=1165035847/0#3 date=1165041008
          It sounds to me like the main problem at the moment is the grind is too fine.

          I dont understand the grind settings on your EM0480 but if the pump is struggling and a firmer tamp threatens to blow the machine, then change the grind setting to a courser one.
          If the shots start to run too fast work your way back.

          I dont know why youve decided to start at 16 - 20 but you now just need to keep adjusting to find the right mark.
          the sunbeam instructions recommend a setting of 12-16 for espresso, so i went 16

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: First time Sunbeam grinder problems

            Originally posted by SLUGGO33X link=1165035847/0#2 date=1165039992
            javaphile,

            yep, i am getting the screw impression, and as for tamping with 25lbs pressure, well i cant even get the espresso to flow with the lightest of tamps. if i tamp any harder i think the machine will blow!!
            Then the other remaining variable is to adjust the grind, and keep adjusting it, until you get the correct extraction time.


            Java "Its in the grind" phile
            Toys! I must have new toys!!!

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: First time Sunbeam grinder problems

              Regarding pts 1-3.
              Sounds exactly like the experience I had when I tried grinding for my old Breville machine to give it a final test run before selling it. Basically, youre grinding FAR too fine for what the pressurized filter baskets require. Set it to 25 and work from there (if you need coarser, remember there are hidden steps that go beyond the marked range). When I had been using that my old machine with preground (wayyy back :P) I also found a very VERY hard tamp yielded the best results, try find a grind that allows you to do that again.

              4. Doserless grinders are messy! But using a glass catching container to grind into (instead of the PF if thats what youre doing) can help. Hell, I grind into the plastic thing they include

              5. For someone who had been using pre-ground, Im suprised something so minor would worry you! My advice: Just leave them there! Hopefully youre grinding often enough so that the remnants dont get a chance to go _too_ stale in the air. They wont noticeably affect the quality of your shot (especially considering the calibre machine you have).

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: First time Sunbeam grinder problems

                Yep, sounds like you need to head into to 24 area of the grinder... You machine is choking from too fine a grind... juet keep going courser until you get the require result.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: First time Sunbeam grinder problems

                  check out the static in an EM0480 thread, to see what i (and others) are using to catch the grinds. basically just a cup of some sort, with the bottom cut out, and wedged into the portafilter.... does the trick.

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