andrewf007 Junior Member Joined: 5 Mar 2013 Posts: 3 Location: montreal Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Tue Mar 5, 2013, 9:50am Subject: vibiemme domobar temperature problems
I recently upgraded from my Silvia to an older Vibiemme Domobar e61 single boiler machine. I'm finding the temperature of my shots too cool. The shots are flavourful and full of crema but are way too cool. Without measuring the temp I've drunk enough coffee in my life to know that the espresso is below the normal range. I backflushed and descaled the machine, no change. I changed the thermostat for a 100c (the old one was 95c) no change. I think the heating element is ok because when I first put the machine back together I reversed the themostats and got steam in the coffee setting. What else can I do? Should I descale again and let the dezcal sit in the boiler for a couple hours or more (I did it for a half an hour as directed)? I'm at a loss here. cheers
DavecUK Senior Member Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 920 Location: UK Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Tue Mar 5, 2013, 11:19am Subject: Re: vibiemme domobar temperature problems
andrewf007 Said:
I recently upgraded from my Silvia to an older Vibiemme Domobar e61 single boiler machine. I'm finding the temperature of my shots too cool. The shots are flavourful and full of crema but are way too cool. Without measuring the temp I've drunk enough coffee in my life to know that the espresso is below the normal range.
I backflushed and descaled the machine, no change. I changed the thermostat for a 100c (the old one was 95c) no change.
Hopefully the last sentence is your problem. You don't detail the exact machine, so I am assuming it's a non HX single boiler machine similar to an Isomac Zaffiro? If it is, then 95C would not be hot enough in the brew boiler to give you the right temperature at the group. It sounds like the temperature is fixed, the original Isomac Zaffiro had a variable temperature stat, but it was difficult to adjust and the mecury bulb thermostat was quite innacurate. If it is fixed then you need to use a thermostat of 103-104C for a decent all round espresso range....personally I would go for a 103C stat. This will give you around 93C at the group. Just make sure it's a very good quality stat.
The reason for this is because of the 10C offset between the boiler and the group as the water cools.
Now if you cannot get a stat of the right value and I suspect you might not be able to.....you could convert to a PID.
andrewf007 Junior Member Joined: 5 Mar 2013 Posts: 3 Location: montreal Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Tue Mar 5, 2013, 12:10pm Subject: Re: vibiemme domobar temperature problems
Thanks Dave....the machine is indeed a non hx machine....you may be right - I may need an even hotter thermostat but I'm still confused as to how a 5c boost gives no appreciable increase at the group.....do you know anything about descaling - can I leave the dezcal liquid in for hours as some have suggested?
DavecUK Senior Member Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 920 Location: UK Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Tue Mar 5, 2013, 2:50pm Subject: Re: vibiemme domobar temperature problems
andrewf007 Said:
Thanks Dave....the machine is indeed a non hx machine....you may be right - I may need an even hotter thermostat but I'm still confused as to how a 5c boost gives no appreciable increase at the group.....do you know anything about descaling - can I leave the dezcal liquid in for hours as some have suggested?
It will work fine, just try it. I personally see every descale as a little death....so the minimum possible, a light touch so to speak. Even better use water that won't scale. In fact I advocate NOT scaling every last piece of limescale off of a boiler, far better to descale enough to stop it building up, but not trying a "bare metal" descale.
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