Coffeenoobie Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 2,313 Location: PNW Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: N S Oscar Grinder: Vario W
Posted Mon Mar 19, 2012, 7:12pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Oscar - Brewhead Problem
Wow, I have never ever seen mine pulse like that. I guess maybe I am not that far off. I plan to make one that just as a gauge on a blind filter just to get ball park pressure. I was fine with the counting,
Coffeenoobie
Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)
germantownrob Senior Member Joined: 2 Dec 2007 Posts: 2,013 Location: Philadelphia Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Duetto 3, A Dead Oscar Grinder: Vario-W, Preciso w/Esatto,... Drip: Brazen Roaster: Diedrich IR-1, HT B
Posted Mon Mar 19, 2012, 9:36pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Oscar - Brewhead Problem
Coffeenoobie Said:
Wow, I have never ever seen mine pulse like that. I guess maybe I am not that far off. I plan to make one that just as a gauge on a blind filter just to get ball park pressure. I was fine with the counting,
We don't really have a good opv with our Oscars, it is on the hot water side of the brew group. Factory pressure is probably in the ball park of 12-13 bar before the opv let's off pressure. If you do adjust the opv on our machine in will divert into the drip tray instead of the reservoir, lots of water waste from my experience, and it it is the hot water feeding your shot that is being diverted so cooler and cooler water is replacing what is being going to your puck, not a good thing.
I have spent three years with this machine and it is capable of doing great shots darn consistently when you are in tune with it. There are upgrades you can do with Oscar, like changing the opv and position plus routing overflow back to the tank, adding ( crap name slips me but so we can put it on a timer and not purge the steam wand on start up), and we don't have a hot water wand and boil water like we always did. I have done nothing but maintain it and leave it on 24/7.
I trust Oscar to make very good to great shots consistently. My next machine will more then likely be a commercial HX machine, but i am still happy with Oscar after as this time.
Coffeenoobie Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 2,313 Location: PNW Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: N S Oscar Grinder: Vario W
Posted Mon Mar 19, 2012, 10:53pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Oscar - Brewhead Problem
I think you are looking for vacuum breaker. I plan to do that and the musicia restricters and I think it will be an awesome machine that I will be happy with a long time.
Coffeenoobie
Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)
Coffeenoobie Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 2,313 Location: PNW Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: N S Oscar Grinder: Vario W
Posted Tue Mar 20, 2012, 1:57pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Oscar - Brewhead Problem
I turned my Pstat down again. I think I have done it 1.5 full turns from factory. (it was used but I am sure they never opened the machine up)The cooling flush was still really long but my foam, oh the foam was the best micro foam I have made on the Oscar. I even made a passable heart. It made a nice mushroom when I swirled it and it poured out the way you want it too... I am so jazzed about the foam. I would write sonnets.
Coffeenoobie
Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)
Rob suggested that my pressurestat my be set too high. If so, (with the machine unplugged) would I take a screwdriver and screw that middle screw to the right until the water flow looks like this?: http://youtu.be/dn5-qWeglIs edit:: via cdienzo's post here: Click Here (coffeegeek.com) I know how to adjust the pstat which I assume adjusts the brew temperature
I also noticed another odd thing in that when I tried backflushing, there would be no water returning into the drip tray. I tried backflushing with the cover open and I noticed that the clear tube connected to the brewhead would inflate like a water balloon in one spot by the brewhead but wouldn't deflate until I removed the portafilter. I tried straightening the tube but the bubble won't budge: http://i41.tinypic.com/25q6k5t.jpg
Also, I have no idea what the red tube to the left of the brewhead is for, but I see it going down to the drip tray as well. Nothing comes out the bottom of that tube either...
Thanks!!! I really hate to bother the forum with these types of questions and I truly appreciate the support!
Rob suggested that my pressurestat my be set too high. If so, (with the machine unplugged) would I take a screwdriver and screw that middle screw to the right until the water flow looks like this?: http://youtu.be/dn5-qWeglIs edit:: via cdienzo's post here: Click Here (coffeegeek.com) I know how to adjust the pstat which I assume adjusts the brew temperature
I also noticed another odd thing in that when I tried backflushing, there would be no water returning into the drip tray. I tried backflushing with the cover open and I noticed that the clear tube connected to the brewhead would inflate like a water balloon in one spot by the brewhead but wouldn't deflate until I removed the portafilter. I tried straightening the tube but the bubble won't budge: http://i41.tinypic.com/25q6k5t.jpg
Also, I have no idea what the red tube to the left of the brewhead is for, but I see it going down to the drip tray as well. Nothing comes out the bottom of that tube either...
Thanks!!! I really hate to bother the forum with these types of questions and I truly appreciate the support!
Glad you found a link to help with the PSTAT. Check changes out against a fully heated machine, 45min in between adjustments and checking the flush.
Sounds like you have a clog in the line on the right, that needs to be unclogged to let the pressure off after a shot and for back flushing. I don't think it would be your three way valve since water is getting to the tube to make it bulge.
The tube on the left is for Oscars OPV valve and the tube releases pressure to the drip tray if the pressure goes above what it is set at. I believe it is set at 12-13bar, if you use the back flush insert you should see some flow through this tube. Doing back flush cleaning chemicals helps to keep these pathways clean.
ShooterMcGavin Senior Member Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 53 Location: SoCal Expertise: Just starting
Espresso: N.S. Oscar Grinder: Preciso
Posted Tue Mar 27, 2012, 9:20am Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Oscar - Brewhead Problem
thanks again for the reply Rob! when I use the backflush insert and attempt a backflush, it creates that bulge in the right tube. any ideas how to unclog it? pushing it with my finger doesn't seem to move it and I'd hate to accidentally pop it. As for the left red tube, nothing seems to be going through it, even when I attempt a backflush
as for the previous brewhead problem, the stream is looking I guess more "normal" now with a main single stream coming down the center with maybe another stream sometimes coming down elsewhere on the screen. there is definitely hot steaming bubbly water for the first 2-3 seconds but then it normalizes itself and the steamy bubbles subside. definitely no more pulsing water :D
germantownrob Senior Member Joined: 2 Dec 2007 Posts: 2,013 Location: Philadelphia Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Duetto 3, A Dead Oscar Grinder: Vario-W, Preciso w/Esatto,... Drip: Brazen Roaster: Diedrich IR-1, HT B
Posted Tue Mar 27, 2012, 10:37am Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Oscar - Brewhead Problem
ShooterMcGavin Said:
thanks again for the reply Rob! when I use the backflush insert and attempt a backflush, it creates that bulge in the right tube. any ideas how to unclog it? pushing it with my finger doesn't seem to move it and I'd hate to accidentally pop it. As for the left red tube, nothing seems to be going through it, even when I attempt a backflush
as for the previous brewhead problem, the stream is looking I guess more "normal" now with a main single stream coming down the center with maybe another stream sometimes coming down elsewhere on the screen. there is definitely hot steaming bubbly water for the first 2-3 seconds but then it normalizes itself and the steamy bubbles subside. definitely no more pulsing water :D
Sounds like we have our PS set around the same now. Now if I am have a bunch of guest over I will turn the PS up 3/4 to a full turn hotter.
For the tube on the right I would take the front cover off and try my best to get the tube out with out damaging it to check for a clog and to clear it.
The tube on the left may have a clog or the opv is stuck shut or you just never built up enough pressure to make it flow. I just checked on mine and the first clean water back flush and letting the pump build for 10sec did nothing, then 10 sec later I turned the pump back on and excess water was exiting the tube on the left. When the pump was off and I took the PF out is when I see the most flow from the tube on the right.
Coffeenoobie Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 2,313 Location: PNW Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: N S Oscar Grinder: Vario W
Posted Wed Mar 28, 2012, 5:10pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Oscar - Brewhead Problem
Now mine is doing the pulsing thing. I am letting it cool off then I am going to lower the pstat again. But it was fine for days before, leaving it on all day. Now it seems mega hot.
Coffeenoobie
Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)
Coffeenoobie Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 2,313 Location: PNW Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: N S Oscar Grinder: Vario W
Posted Wed Mar 28, 2012, 9:23pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Oscar - Brewhead Problem
I let it cool down and adjusted it down a full turn. Now the flushes are back to normal and I will find out tomorrow if my resent channeling problem goes away. What are the signs of the pstat going out?
Coffeenoobie
Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)
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