Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

[A_M]

Well, I got mine a month or so ago from a fellow CS member.

1: Fan was flaky and as yet have not obtained a NEW 12 Volt one...

Thus, using a 24V fan (High flow rate) with a reduced filter to obtain a reasonable air flow...


Today, the unit started dropping beans during the roast... I got pissed off at collecting and putting them back in...

So I did a strip down to the raw basics and a clean and rebuild...

A: The eject draw was loosing spring tension, so a little tweak and that was fine..

B: I also believe it was allowing chaff to be drawn through teh system.. FIRE warning..

C: The main body was black and significant build up of Oils and etc etc potential for FIRE.


So a 20L drum and plenty of coffee cleaner... Soak every thing in warm water and 3 different scrubbing brushes, and some solid elbow grease...

A: My drum is 75% SS again... Every thing else came up to between 80% and 100% clean... Other than where previous scouring, had allowed oils to bed in and really stick..

B: I even washed down the motor that was coated in gunk....

WARNING....

A: With a clean system, temp and performance changes slightly...

B: Coffee cleaner also strips off the nice big RED warning / caution Hot surface... Do not touch decal.

Things to do:

A: Data logger ( ANDY )
B: 12V fan
C: Higher air flow required by the small cooling fan - Pull apart and inspect.
D: Metal Air filter for rear.
E: Replace warning decal
F: Find a 240V B upgrade going for a song...

If any one can assist, with info or upgrades... Feel free...

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

Sorry AM cant help with the hot top
I do however have access to roast profiles for the Gene Cafe

KK

[A_M]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

Sorry AM cant help with the hot top
I do however have access to roast profiles for the Gene Cafe

KK

I am assuming that your system may not be so hard to keep clean either... Then again, I can see why and understand that why bring work home.

PS. Eyes open on paperwork for you...

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

Eyes open on paperwork for you...

Thanks AM thats very good of you

I will transfer the word docs of 30 + roast profiles with cupping notes to a USB stick and bring it on Saturday at the cupping
You may have a use for them

KK

[gregpullman]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

So a 20L drum and plenty of coffee cleaner...  Soak every thing in warm water and 3 different scrubbing brushes, and some solid elbow grease...

A: My drum is 75% SS again... Every thing else came up to between 80% and 100% clean...  Other than where previous scouring, had allowed oils to bed in and really stick..

B: I even washed down the motor that was coated in gunk....

WARNING....

A:  With a clean system, temp and performance changes slightly...

B:  Coffee cleaner also strips off the nice big  RED warning / caution  Hot surface... Do not touch decal.

Things to do:

A: Data logger ( ANDY )
B: 12V fan
C: Higher air flow required by the small cooling fan - Pull apart and inspect.
D: Metal Air filter for rear.
E:  Replace warning decal
F:  Find a 240V B upgrade going for a song...

If any one can assist, with info or upgrades...  Feel free...

Yep caffetto works wonders! And yes it strips off the red paint but only if its been heat affected. Mine came off on the rear side of the unit where the heating element is located, but stayed on the front.

In regards to your upgrades:
A: Data logger ( ANDY )
Definitely worth it. You may have difficulty with the D control system but at least youll have an accurate idea of temps. I use one on my B/P and am increasingly relying on that rather than the environmental sensor output shown on the control panel.

B: 12V fan
Would think any electronics or PC shop should be able to help out - http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=YX2518&CATID=45&form=CAT&SUBCAT ID=725 for starters, presumably would fit

C: Higher air flow required by the small cooling fan - Pull apart and inspect.
If youre after higher air flow, you could increase the number of air holes at the top of the bean insertion chute; or run it without the filter. Ive used this latter option a few times (at my own risk) but you really need the B controller to compensate for the heat loss with higher heater power, and a bean mass probe to show you what the bean temps do. Its probably not ideal for the beans to be sitting in such cool air, but when you dump the beans theres no smoke at all left in the chamber which I would think is a good thing for the beans.

D: Metal Air filter for rear.
If you insist... just have to take into account the resistance as above

E: Replace warning decal
Why...? Mine works just as well without it there... :-?

F: Find a 240V B upgrade going for a song...
Good luck! ;D Im not sure youll find too many people whove upgraded their B and decide they want to put the old D kit back in! Considering the B can run as a D anyway. Unless our dollar does a sharp turnaround the only way theyre probably only going to go is up unfortunately. Even at our present new price were not making an awful lot of profit on them. However when you do bite the bullet youll take things to a whole new level altogether. Robin used a D for a while and upgraded to a B several months ago; Im sure hed be happy to share his experiences of the two if you were interested as to the worth of the exercise.

Greg

[PeteF]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

If youre using a 24V fan on a 12V supply I would think LOW flow rate would be more the issue.

[A_M]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

Definitely worth it. You may have difficulty with the D control system but at least youll have an accurate idea of temps. I use one on my B/P and am increasingly relying on that rather than the environmental sensor output shown on the control panel.

Yes, with out the bean probe... Many of the temps being posted else where do not match whit I am seeing.. However the actual temp is less of an issue other that being consistent

After all there is conduction, convection and radiation at work here... So bean mass is important.

If youre after higher air flow, you could increase the number of air holes at the top of the bean insertion chute; or run it without the filter. Ive used this latter option a few times (at my own risk) but you really need the B controller to compensate for the heat loss with higher heater power, and a bean mass probe to show you what the bean temps do. Its probably not ideal for the beans to be sitting in such cool air, but when you dump the beans theres no smoke at all left in the chamber which I would think is a good thing for the beans.

Some good points and the actual reason behind small group of holes in the bean chute escaped me... I was looking every where but at that which was in my face...

I was in fact referring to the fan in the cooling tray.. As also being up for an upgrade...

Unless our dollar does a sharp turnaround the only way theyre probably only going to go is up unfortunately. Even at our present new price were not making an awful lot of profit on them. However when you do bite the bullet youll take things to a whole new level altogether.

I was not attempting to put pressure on a sponsor... but rather being a tight ass; as while I can understand some of the issues in the upgrade. I do think the US price is still a bit out there....

A trade in / exchange on the old board would be great... But then they would be accepting an unknown...

[gregpullman]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

Yep the sooner those new multimeters arrive the better. Interesting you talk about better air flow in the cooling tray... you havent been reading the latest issue of BeanScene have you? :-? I had that same thought and had thought of a mesh cooling tray rather than a steel plate. But the issue then would be whether the tiny fan has enough flow to utilise the lower resistance.

Yeah Hottop gear sure isnt cheap, but having seen more than most I can see where the money goes. It still irks me that the US ones are still notably cheaper in $US than the Australian ones are in $US. Perhaps if we got 500 people to all their hands up for a Hottop wed get a good group buy! ;D

[A_M]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

ou havent been reading the latest issue of BeanScene have you?  I had that same thought and had thought of a mesh cooling tray rather than a steel plate. But the issue then would be whether the tiny fan has enough flow to utilise the lower resistance.

I did and went back but can not find any reference???

Like any number of cooking principles... Quite often after removal from the heat, the product still cooks... While the cool down runs for 5 min on the HT... The beans are quite hot for some time....


I also thought that with a stronger fan, the beans may come off the boil (so to speak) a little quicker and that any stray chaff might also be ejected The fact that it ends up on the floor etc is not my problem!!! Well it will be but only when I am found out.

Mark

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

AM
I will give you some extra fine S/S mesh (the holes are 1/2 the size of the shaft of a pin)
Give me the size you require and I will cut it out

KK

Edit 4.3.09
Having had a closer look today
The mesh I have is finer than I indicated and is by eye closer to 1/4 size of the shaft of a pin :-/

[gregpullman]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

ou havent been reading the latest issue of BeanScene have you?  I had that same thought and had thought of a mesh cooling tray rather than a steel plate. But the issue then would be whether the tiny fan has enough flow to utilise the lower resistance.

I did and went back but can not find any reference???

Ross Quails article on page 65.

Like any number of cooking principles...  Quite often after removal from the heat, the product still cooks...   While the cool down runs for 5 min on the HT...  The beans are quite hot for some time....

Really?? Cooling is one of the great positives of the Hottop. Unless perhaps yours is one of the really old ones with the original cooling tray that apparently didnt do as good a job. On mine (and all the units we sell), the beans are only warm at two minutes out of the roaster, and room temperature four minutes into the cooling cycle. Maybe post a photo of your tray so we can compare?

[A_M]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

Really?? Cooling is one of the great positives of the Hottop. Unless perhaps yours is one of the really old ones with the original cooling tray that apparently didnt do as good a job. On mine (and all the units we sell), the beans are only warm at two minutes out of the roaster, and room temperature four minutes into the cooling cycle. Maybe post a photo of your tray so we can compare?

1: Had a look and found it as you said page 65... Um mm must have missed that page in my initial read...  Interesting

2: As to the tray it looks OK... Will try for a pic in the morning as I am going to put in another spoke of holes...

Currently one spoke goes all the way from out to in and the second spoke goes all but about 4 holes...

Am looking to add another spoke of about 4 to 5 holes per spoke..

Thats a lot of little holes in SS and I have lent my bench drill out to my old man... :

[A_M]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

Maybe post a photo of your tray so we can compare?

OK... Lets see if this explains what I have done..




I added a section of extra holes...

I did it this way, so that I actually end up with TWO potential options... As I only have one tray to work with  :  ( Spare parts R 2 $$$)

  When the tray is placed on the HT...

A: These holes go at the back and directly over the main fan outlet.

Thus the increase in bean surface and air flow should have some impact...

B:  Safety -  If the extra holes directly over the vent impact too much on the system, I only have to rotate by 180 and thus any negative impact will be reduced.

Still looking for a higher air flow fan for the bottom unit..  Considering when the HT was released and the advances in fans and Air flow... One of the internet sellers is bound to have a high flow unit...  Might even help to blow chaff up and onto the floor  




In line with of some other posts / info available; I wanted to put in a fines filter, as there are air holes at the back of the bean chute.   However I have roasted and with my workup mod ( Thanks KK for the mesh)....  Did not see many fines etc.

I suspect that in fact most of the chaff in the rear of the unit come at eject / dump time...   The FAN is at MAX, the beans are moving to the rear,  mixed up and when ejected, have further option to release more chaff.   Thus some of it is sucked back, into the rear of the system..  Future FIRE hazard.

When next I pull my system down...  I will be looking at how this can be reduced...  I do not want to put in some mesh at the rear of the bean chute flap, only to have it collect chaff and generate a nice little pile..... All ready to burst into flames..  

Risk management say... Do not rush in, until you have considered the outcomes..  Measure, check, measure again and then implement... Then measure and monitor..

[fishinglizard1972]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

i stuck the bean barrell in the dishwasher the other night on pots and pans, came out like brand new, that was after 30 roasts. The cooling tray seems to work really well, the only down side on the HT i think is the volume, I would like a similar thing that would do 500 or 1 kg.

[newbiesnob]

Re: Hottop Model d - Cleaning and Maintenance

I was thinking of doing the same. Do you think its possible to put the drum cover (the front part with the viewing window) in the dishie too?