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Date: 30 Sep 2006 08:21:36
From: Tim Mckenzie
Subject: Tuning a LaCimbali Junior S
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I have owned a Junior S for a little over a year now and over time have
begun to improve both my espresso and milk skills while getting used to
it's eccentricities.
Generally, I have been delighted with it's performance, but like
anything, you always start to see the greener grass in the next pasture
after a while.
One thing I would like to be able to do is tame it's rather feisty heat
which tends to require fairly regular flushing unless you are knocking
out coffees continuously.
Anything longer than 3 minutes idle requires a 150-200ml flush lest you
get a nasty, burnt shot.
I don't know how this compares with other "prosumer" machines as this is
the only decent machine I've ever owned or had much experience with
(previously a Sunbeam thermoblock).
Has anyone had much experience taming or hot-rodding these beasties?
Tim
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Date: 29 Sep 2006 22:56:58
From: I->Ian
Subject: Re: Tuning a LaCimbali Junior S
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On Sat, 30 Sep 2006 08:21:36 +1000, Tim Mckenzie
<tim_mckenzie@netspace.net.au > wrote:
>I have owned a Junior S for a little over a year now and over time have
>begun to improve both my espresso and milk skills while getting used to
>it's eccentricities.
>Generally, I have been delighted with it's performance, but like
>anything, you always start to see the greener grass in the next pasture
>after a while.
>One thing I would like to be able to do is tame it's rather feisty heat
>which tends to require fairly regular flushing unless you are knocking
>out coffees continuously.
>Anything longer than 3 minutes idle requires a 150-200ml flush lest you
>get a nasty, burnt shot.
>I don't know how this compares with other "prosumer" machines as this is
>the only decent machine I've ever owned or had much experience with
>(previously a Sunbeam thermoblock).
>Has anyone had much experience taming or hot-rodding these beasties?
>
>Tim
trundle over to http://www.home-barista.com and search for 'pid
cimbali', authour 'Ken Fox' and return as Topics [ leave off the ' in
your search terms]
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Date: 29 Sep 2006 22:57:42
From: Ken Fox
Subject: Re: Tuning a LaCimbali Junior S
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"I- >Ian" <someone@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:139rh29dkm6o4at0n50qil6mj6eiqq1v0k@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 30 Sep 2006 08:21:36 +1000, Tim Mckenzie
> <tim_mckenzie@netspace.net.au> wrote:
>
>>I have owned a Junior S for a little over a year now and over time have
>>begun to improve both my espresso and milk skills while getting used to
>>it's eccentricities.
>>Generally, I have been delighted with it's performance, but like
>>anything, you always start to see the greener grass in the next pasture
>>after a while.
>>One thing I would like to be able to do is tame it's rather feisty heat
>>which tends to require fairly regular flushing unless you are knocking
>>out coffees continuously.
>>Anything longer than 3 minutes idle requires a 150-200ml flush lest you
>>get a nasty, burnt shot.
>>I don't know how this compares with other "prosumer" machines as this is
>>the only decent machine I've ever owned or had much experience with
>>(previously a Sunbeam thermoblock).
>>Has anyone had much experience taming or hot-rodding these beasties?
>>
>>Tim
>
> trundle over to http://www.home-barista.com and search for 'pid
> cimbali', authour 'Ken Fox' and return as Topics [ leave off the ' in
> your search terms]
If you want to try something short of PIDing, I would suggest that you
reduce your pstat setting. Since I don't know what vintage is your "S" I
don't know if it is the current model with the Cimbali OEM pressurestat or a
Sirai, which are adjusted differently.
In any event, if you seldom make milk drinks, try setting the lower end of
your pstat cycle at around 0.75 to 0.8 bar, with the upper end around 1.0
bar or less, depending upon your pstat's deadband. If you make a lot of
milk drinks, set the upper limit at 1.1 bar. You should be able to get by
with a lesser flush, maybe 75-120ml. Your front panel gauge may not be all
that accurate so you may need to play around with the pstat setting until
you find something that works.
Putting in a PID is an approach that has worked for me on two different
Cimbalis (a current "D" model and an older "S," both of which I still own);
it also allows me to easily change shot temperatures on the fly while
leaving the flush volume more or less the same at around 50ml. In order to
do a nice installation, however, it will take time, care, patience, and
maybe a little bit of skill in working with such things as electrical
wiring, enclosures and a drill. I'm not very good at this sort of stuff and
basically substituted extra time in lieu of my absent talent.
Most probably you can get acceptable results with just reducing your pstat
setting. If you can't get your deadband to 0.2 bar or less, then you should
either replace the pstat membrane or the pstat itself, depending upon the
model of pstat in your machine.
ken
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Date: 30 Sep 2006 05:49:10
From: daveb
Subject: LaCimbali Junior B.S.
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why should people have to put up with this B.S. from a $3,000
machine??
Get it to me, Tim.
I'll 'pid' it for $125.00 plus shipping. -- one time offer.
Dave "120" b
Tim Mckenzie wrote:
> I have owned a Junior S for a little over a year now and over time have
> begun to improve both my espresso and milk skills while getting used to
> it's eccentricities.
> Generally, I have been delighted with it's performance, but like
> anything, you always start to see the greener grass in the next pasture
> after a while.
> One thing I would like to be able to do is tame it's rather feisty heat
> which tends to require fairly regular flushing unless you are knocking
> out coffees continuously.
> Anything longer than 3 minutes idle requires a 150-200ml flush lest you
> get a nasty, burnt shot.
> I don't know how this compares with other "prosumer" machines as this is
> the only decent machine I've ever owned or had much experience with
> (previously a Sunbeam thermoblock).
> Has anyone had much experience taming or hot-rodding these beasties?
>
> Tim
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Date: 30 Sep 2006 05:47:58
From: daveb
Subject: LaCimbali Junior B.S.
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why should people have to put up with this B.S. from a $3,000
machine??
Get it to me, Tim.
I'll 'pid' it for $125.00 plus shipping. -- one time offer.
Tim Mckenzie wrote:
> I have owned a Junior S for a little over a year now and over time have
> begun to improve both my espresso and milk skills while getting used to
> it's eccentricities.
> Generally, I have been delighted with it's performance, but like
> anything, you always start to see the greener grass in the next pasture
> after a while.
> One thing I would like to be able to do is tame it's rather feisty heat
> which tends to require fairly regular flushing unless you are knocking
> out coffees continuously.
> Anything longer than 3 minutes idle requires a 150-200ml flush lest you
> get a nasty, burnt shot.
> I don't know how this compares with other "prosumer" machines as this is
> the only decent machine I've ever owned or had much experience with
> (previously a Sunbeam thermoblock).
> Has anyone had much experience taming or hot-rodding these beasties?
>
> Tim
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Date: 30 Sep 2006 18:30:56
From: I->Ian
Subject: Re: LaCimbali Junior B.S.
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On 30 Sep 2006 05:47:58 -0700, "daveb" <davebobblane@gmail.com > wrote:
>why should people have to put up with this B.S. from a $3,000
>machine??
Ever own a BMW?
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Date: 30 Sep 2006 13:25:12
From: daveb
Subject: Re: LaCimbali Junior B.S.
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Oh HELL yeah!
*$%*&^&*#&#&^%&I^$& !
dave
I- >Ian wrote:
> On 30 Sep 2006 05:47:58 -0700, "daveb" <davebobblane@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >why should people have to put up with this B.S. from a $3,000
> >machine??
>
> Ever own a BMW?
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