Issues with K3 Touch

[GCC]

I've had my K3 touch for over a year, and use it with a roughly 5 year old Rancilio Silvia.

For most of that time there has been little variation needed to keep my shots in a range of 20 - 30 seconds for a 60 ml double.The little silver knob sits at about the "6 o clock" mark, and I've only moved it few steps coarser or finer for fresher / older / different beans. Always use it on manual not "touch".

Over the past few weeks I've been having a lot of problems getting the grind right. It seems to be grinding way finer than before, but really the issue is more that the consistency of the grind seems to be all over the place.

I've had the machine choke several times and so had to move the silver knob to about the "8 o clock" mark. Then I might get 60ml in 35 seconds, but next day with the same beans I'll be getting 60 ml gushing out in 15 seconds.

I always use fresh bean and have been buying the same blend from the same place for years. i expect to have a few issues getting the shot right with a new blend, but haven't experienced problems like this before.

Any thoughts on what might be going on?

[hamm]

Sorry this might not be helpful, but...

Same blend from the same place for years? DAYUM. That's commitment!

Tried popping it open and give it a good clean out and examine to a) remove old coffee and b) just incase there's something obvious?

Maybe your burrs are starting to wear out? How many coffees a week do you think the grinder does?

Hopefully someone with a K3 has some more insightful thoughts, but good luck.

[GCC]

Thanks. My office is around the corner from Forsyths coffee in Sydney, so each week I buy their top blend, plus try out various single origins every second week or so.

I've given the grinder a thorough clean and vacuum, so no issues there. And I make a max of 10 coffees a week so disappointing if the burrs are wearing out. I really chose the K3 (upgraded from Smart Grinder) because it offered simple design and solid looking engineering. Might be an issue with Miss Silvia I guess but the K3 seems the more likely culprit.

[blend52]

....... Might be an issue with Miss Silvia I guess but the K3 seems the more likely culprit.

.?..I would not be so quick to make that call !
try a few consecutive shots on the same grind settings and see if there is any variation .

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

When you say that you cleaned the K3, do you mean that you took the top burr off and cleaned each burr and surrounds? If so, did you have any problem re-fitting the top burr?

Moving from 6 o'clock to 8 o'clock on the K3 is a pretty significant variation in grind.

[GCC]

When you say that you cleaned the K3, do you mean that you took the top burr off and cleaned each burr and surrounds? If so, did you have any problem re-fitting the top burr?

Moving from 6 o'clock to 8 o'clock on the K3 is a pretty significant variation in grind.

My cleaning isn't that intensive, I remove all the beans, brush every area I can get to with the Breville brush, vacuum out the burrs and the chute and run through some "grindz" every few months. I haven't felt that pulling apart the burr assembly was really necessary or desirable.

[rmchenry]

Hi,
With regard to cleaning have you watched this?:
Tech Tip: How to Clean your Compak K3 Touch Coffee Grinder - YouTube

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

My cleaning isn't that intensive, I remove all the beans, brush every area I can get to with the Breville brush, vacuum out the burrs and the chute and run through some "grindz" every few months. I haven't felt that pulling apart the burr assembly was really necessary or desirable.

So have you run grindz through it since the problem started?
Taking the burr assembly off is no big deal (you do need to be careful replacing it), but to each their own.

[GCC]

Thanks for the video, will get onto it. Interestingly the "knob" that I refer to as being around the 6 o'clock mark is actually the screw that stops the collar rotating too far. In the video they start with a knob facing them at 6 o clock and the screw around 9 o clock. In my case the "knob" is set around 3 o clock and the screw is at 6. Don't know if this is an issue.

Yes, have run grindz through recently, but I think I need to do the whole disassembly and clean routine next and see what difference that makes. Then if needs be I'll take the K3 back to the seller on Saturday.

Thanks for all the posts, much appreciated.

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

In my case the "knob" is set around 3 o clock and the screw is at 6. Don't know if this is an issue.

That is similar to where mine has always been set for espresso.... typically a few degrees either side of 6 o'clock.

[tayal01]

I've got the K3 Push (no timed delivery) with a Saeco Via Venezia and the screw sits a around half past 6. I usually buy a different bean each week or two and always have to fine tune it to suit. Anything close to 6 or below clogs up the brew.

[mds]

GCC

I've just cleaned my K3, too easy, and it does make a difference

Mel

[frasertr]

GCC, similar for me. Knob is at 3 and screw at 6 for espresso shots