Lever pull to volume of liquid

Gene Flynn

All things remaining constant ie: coffee, grind and tamp and 5 second hold of lever.
Lets just say for sake of this post, handle straight up is 0 degrees and full down os 90 degrees. How come "sometimes" when I let the lever go from 90d it catches right away, say 85d and I get more volume of liquid verses sometimes it will catch at say 50d and obviously get less volume. I have tried this at 1.4 bars and at 1.2- same thing. Usually this will happen immediately following the first cup. Although it has happened right out the gate on the first cup..
Just wondering if any of you all experience this.
Thanks
Gene

Reiss Gunson

hi gene
thanks for posting
I'm really surprised that the L1 is grabbing at 85 degrees below vertical to be honest as the pre-infusion is occurring at boiler pressure
in my experience the lever catches at 45 degrees on the L1 - can you explain how you are getting the L1 to catch so low, as I've never managed it
best
reiss

Gene Flynn

Reiss, it was just an approximation. I just pulled a shot and its right at 45d, however sometimes it catches higher? Just wondering why sometimes it catches higher..
Thanks

Reiss Gunson

one of two explanations

1. seals. we use good, durable seals. however the low pressure pre-infusion seems to result in there not being enough pressure beneath the seal to flare it against the sleeve and in doing so create an air tight seal if the seal is even slightly off perfect in its formation (the 2016 enhancement kit eliminates this issue)

2. if you use a large dose, grind it fine, and tamp it hard the low pressure pre-infusion will mean that the water sits on top of the puck, rather than soak into the coffee and saturate the puck during pre-infusion. this means that when you take the lever up and the greater pressure from the spring comes down, the water that is sitting on top of the puck is suddenly driven into the dry puck and largely absorbed by the coffee and very little coffee comes out the bottom (the 2016 enhancement kit eliminates this issue)

recommendation: try replacing the group seals

kind regards

reiss.

Gene Flynn

I have noticed that liquid is dripping from the side of the portafilter. Is that the gasket your talking about where the pf goes into the head?
Thanks

Reiss Gunson

this kit contains the 3 piston seals and the portafilter to group seal

if you have a leak there check that the face of the seal is clean and isn't coated with crusty old coffee grounds

an excellent tool is the Cafelat group head brush

an old wet face cloth soaked in coffee machine cleaner can also be used

Gene Flynn

Thanks Reiss. I will order that.. I will take the filter out and clean it for now. I only took it out once since I bought the machine in Feb.of this year.
Im going to pull a shot of Burundi.. heehaw..
Have a great day and Thank you for your expedience!!
The support on this site whether from you or others is first class