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pump pressure? perfect coffee ?

TonyTony
edited January 1970 in Espresso Machines
my friend and I are trying to make the perfect espresso

the pump pressure during the pour is 7 3/4       I have read it should be 9      the coffee has a crema on it, but not the 1 inch one i have seen in photos in some magazines etc.

if i take the cover off the machine and adjust it to 9 will I get more crema.


we have made the grind finer, and courser etc, and still the pressure reads 7 3/4             we have packed tighter as well but get about the same reading.

we get more crema depending on beans, fresher ones seem a lot better as you would all know.

is 7 3/4 pump preesure okay or should we adjust ??

technical gurus please help ??

its a giotto if that makes any difference.  maybe 1 1/2 years old.

everytime we try new beans the grind changes as well and we have to adjust the grind number.   it is enough to make to want you to stick to your favourite beans.   I am sure this is where cafes get it wrong.  I mean by that the grind as everything else seems straight forward.  

I just bought crema magazine and to whoever prints it... thanks it was a good read. Like to see more machines for home in there advertised/reviewed  if possible.  It is hard to find much about home pro machines in books, seems you have to look on the net.

tony
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Comments

  • johnjohn
    Tony Pump presure of 7 3/4, how did you measure this on the Giotto? I was not aware that the Giotto had a water-pump pressure gauge on it. Mine only has a boiler-pressure gauge. JD
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  • Unknown
    hey tony my machine has dual guages perfect coffee,  well...................................................... its a hit and miss thing...sometimes you pull great shots but even the masters have average ones,,,,,,well thats my opinion anyway my home/pro machine has normally around 8 bars during a pour,,,,i have also read it should be on 9 but it still seems great. i have no doubt tweaking it to 9 will make it taste different....same as grind etc but im unsure which knob underneath the covers does it so im not game to touch it, and dont think it is worth paying for a service call. i may seek help online also to see which knob to tweak 7 and a bit..........sounds a bit low but then again what do i know. most people dont have dual guages so maybe we know more than we should.... i have sent you an email offline which i see you got so hope that info helps also.   marc
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  • johnjohn
    Marc Not sure if I understood your comments. Do you have a Giotto? If so, I asume you are saying it has dual gauges. I am not aware of this model with dual gauges. Can you put in a pic!! John
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  • TonyTony
    thanks for email marc, handy info. JD  and John definately ECM machine..it has the logo on it...i thought it was giotto will post photo of guages in a few days...need my friends digital camera im helping set it up,or tweak i guess...   it was a gift from her father,,    he had it in his office but has gone overseas for a few years, big and chrome,,,,  electronic buttons.  very very nice, if i had the money i would buy one,   its on permanent loan fromn him. bought fresh beans this morning, lovely/ still 7 3/4 on pump pressure....but as i say lovely. got to run, im at work and not on a work approved web site.  coffee does not count sadly.   to all those who work in the coffee field and get paid for it you are lucky.    i think you are anyway.   is it a passion or is it work ?? tony
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  • johnjohn
    Tony Sound like it may not be a Giotto. Possibly a Veneziano A1 commercial machine. Look forward to the pics. Maybe go to the Crema For Sale site, there are pics of a Giotto and a ECM commercial Veneziano A1. John and JD
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  • TonyTony
    thanks john its a veneziano. im surprised how much it is.   My friend has done well,  we share the machine so we are both lucky we dont own it, but i guess you could say its on permanent loan is this a good unit ??  it sounds like it ? is 7 3/4 bars on a pour okay with this unit ?  anyone know ??   we put the blind filter on after another advice from someone else and got an 8. am i looking for 9 or is my range okay. my pours take 30 seconds I guess as I grind fine and like stong espresso, mainly lattes. will still send some pics later of our setup.   i see we have a bigger machine than giooto but wont want anything smaller now as its great for cups etc too. plus we love the light on the back..looks very classy my girlfriend thinks .  And I must agree. are these machines popular ?? well regarded ?? anyone know ??   regards to all tony
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  • johnjohn
    Tony You have a pretty good machine. I also have one sitting in the kitchen. Will get back to re the questions you asked. John
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  • FreshCoffee2FreshCoffee2
    Hello Tony. All you can do is try.... 1) Make sure the machine is properly fitted, ie with a 350kPa water pressure limiting valve and appropriate filtration for your area, and with properly fitted wiring, electrical cord and plug. 2) Make sure your technique for actually brewing espresso is spot on 3) find the water pump and it's adjusting  screw, if its the type with locknut, undo the locknut so the adjuster can be moved freely when you are ready 4) Using identical technique to "charge" the group handle as usual (same coffee, same grind, same dose, same tamping pressure), apply the group handle to the group ( purge water first as usual), activate the flow from the group, and while it's flowing, adjust the water pump up so the gauge reads 9 bars while it's brewing. 5) turf this coffee ( because it probably over extracted while you were adjusting the pump) 6) make another identical coffee, or two, or three, or more, and see if YOU think it made a beneficial difference or not to adjust the pump pressure up...decide whether to leave it there, or put it back! 7) IT IS EXTREMELY POOR FORM TO ELECTROCUTE YOURSELF WHILE DOING THIS SO PLEASE BE AWARE THAT STICKING YOUR ARM INSIDE THE BODY OF THE MACHINE, WHILE IT IS ALIVE AND RUNNING, WITH SCREW DRIVER IN HAND, MAY BE BAD FOR THE HEALTH... 8) For the benefit of the members, please report back with your view on whether you thought it was beneficial to adjust the pressure up...or not, or you couldn't tell the difference. Goodluck, FC. Please note, if you decide to do this, it is entirely upon your own responsibility. If you dont feel competent to do this, then please seek the help of an espresso machine technician rather than attempt to do it yourself.
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