coffee touches screen & pressure drop at start

Alejandro Erickson

Hi All,
2 troubleshooting questions.

1. The coffee touches the screen in the group head. e.g. if I fill the portafilter with coffee (18g or 16g), attach and remove portafilter from the GH without pulling the shot, a bunch of dry coffee is stuck to the screen in the GH. Is that normal?

2. When I first start up, it heats, but then if I open the steam valve it loses pressure right away, even before drawing my 450ml. After that the pressure builds up again and the problem doesn't happen until the next start up. Is that normal?

Frans Goddijn

Alejandro Erickson post=563 wrote: 1. The coffee touches the screen in the group head. e.g. if I fill the portafilter with coffee (18g or 16g), attach and remove portafilter from the GH without pulling the shot, a bunch of dry coffee is stuck to the screen in the GH.

What do you mean with "GH"? Sorry if I miss this, it's maybe obvious.

If you over-fill a 14g basket, it's maybe too much coffee or too coarsely ground. After tamping, is it above the ridge?

Alejandro Erickson post=563 wrote: 2. When I first start up, it heats, but then if I open the steam valve it loses pressure right away, even before drawing my 450ml. After that the pressure builds up again and the problem doesn't happen until the next start up. Is that normal?

If you take the top panel off at start up and you watch the anti-vac, does it come up and let out some steam/water, then close, remaining up (it's closed when up on a hot boiler, open when down on the cool machine)?

I always start up with the steam valve open, then close it when it starts to blow steam. This way the start up is a little faster and I made it a habit.

Kfir

Frans I think GH = Group Head.

Did you wipe the group screen before locking the PF ?
Maybe your group screen is not properly in place ?

Regarding the pressure drop, your boiler vacuum breaker is probably sticking so you are seeing false pressure.
Open the top cover when the machine is cold, try to pull that small pin on the vacuum breaker and see if it moves freely and verify that it falls down when you leave it.
Turn on the machine and watch what happens as Frans suggested.

Kfir.