Hi All,
This is my first post here. I have an Expobar Office Control and I would like to install a thermocouple in the group head as described by erics.

http://www.home-barista.com/espresso-ma ... t1352.html

Problem is, the GH on my machine does not have the extra orifice that exists on a true E61 head. So I need some help.

Has anyone done this mod to this machine and would you be willing to share a how to. I am able to drill and tap the GH myself but am a bit reluctant without a mentor so to speak.

I am a bit new to espresso and would like to be able to monitor the water temperature during a pull. I need to be able to predict my cooling flush process so I know where I am on the temperature curve. I like the way erics's thermocouple works when installed in a E61 GH.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Gary

it is there. its just inside where you cant see it. you will need a probe and a external reader like a fluke or something for the probe to plug into.

jon

This is the top of my group head from the brass nut down. I do not see any fitting or screw for the probe.



I hope that I am not out of luck on this modification,

Gary

Eric,
I have a pressure gauge that I can use but would need some kind of adapter to hook it to the steam wand.
I was going to try to construct a gage on the PF and measure the pressure there. I do have a bleeder valve to adjust for a 2 ounce per 30 second flow rate.

Which is the better way to go?

I also have a K type thermocouple and was going to measure the temp in the PF by using the dble shot spout and sticking the tip into the basket area without the basket.
I know the K type is slow so I am not sure if that will be much help or what that will tell me.

Thanks for all of the help here.

Gary

Looks like not all Office Control specimens have the tap.
For the record, if it did have it, would likely look like below, from S/N 1434,
with screw in:

with screw removed:

-Ed

The pictures in the last post are exactly how my recent Marcuzzi/Expobar Office Control looks, and I bet the M6 screw is a more recent addition. I have been trying to add a thermocouple to mine without much luck drilling a perfectly-centered hole all the way through an M6 bolt (I don't have any fancy machinery, just a small drill press). I wonder if connecting some sort of fitting in the copper line going to the group from the boiler would work just as well, maybe a compression fitting that might allow for a sensor to be added that way. Would that work for your situation? Just an idea.

Well, since my GH does not have the M6 screw orifice it looks like I have three options.
1. Drill & tap the GH for an M6 screw
2. Obtain a GH with the M6 screw
3. Find a different way to measure/predict the temperature at the brew head

I am not willing to drill and tap the GH unless I have a spare or it is done by someone who has done this before. I talked to the supplier about this option and they said they do not pimp out espresso machines. I am not sure where to locate a replacement grouphead with the M6 screw and how much it might cost. I bought this unit used so I am ok with investing in some modifications to provide some features that are common to the Anita. I had my eye on one of those but couldn't turn down this one at 1/3rd$.

I am the only coffee drinker in the house. My wife will drink some milk based coffee based drinks but does not drink coffee.

I have used the unit about one month. It took me a while to refurbish the Super Jolly. I am working on my routine for using the unit.

I have been a home roaster for many years and typically roast on the weekends.
Weekdays, in the past I either brewed with a FP or pour over. Made a travel mug for the 30-45 minute commute and a small thermos so I did not have to drink the office swirl.
Weekends, I usually brewed a FP for breakfast and maybe another in the afternoon.

Going forward, I will probably make an americano for the road and for the thermos. After I get the shot process dialed in, I suspect I will be enjoying dbls before I go and an americano for the road.
Weekends, who knows.

Regarding duty cycle and process;
from idle, pull cooling flush until bubbles/steam stops from bottom of naked PF, 6-8 oz, load Jolly 14g and grind into PF, WDT, tamp, 1m20s-1m30s, pull short cooling flush 1oz or so, lock PF, wait 10s, pull shot, 25-30s, get 2 oz with crema and no blonding or collapse of stream, love that naked PF.
I usually do two of these in a row so I can compare shot quality and flavor.
On the second shot, I knock out the puck, pull cleaning flush with PF in place maybe 2oz, remove PF, grind, WDT, Tamp, pull short cooling flush 1 oz or so, lock pf, pull shot. Times and such same as above.

Trouble is, I have no idea what temperatures I am pulling at or where I am on the temp curve. OK, I know, who cares, what do the shots taste like, ding, ding, that's what is important.

I don't know. I am a first time espresso student, maker & taster. I have had two shots of espresso from other home espresso set ups. Both were delicious and over three years ago. My tastes have not developed to be able to describe bitter or sour, etc., maybe only bad or good. I have pulled about 40 shots so far and only one was really good. Quite a few were not drinkable.

I was hoping to be able to isolate the brewing temperature at the head, adjust the process and see what the taste difference was and then adjust my technique. I was hoping to avoid a whole lot of trial and error without knowing any starting points on the temperature at the GH. I am looking for repeatability.

I will be setting up a gauge to test the boiler pressure and GH pressure. I have a Watts gauge and will assemble a DIY PF gauge. I will probably use a hose and clamp on the steam wand to get an idea where the boiler is at. If the steam wand process is a little shaky, I may install a separate gauge by splicing into the pressure line.

Sorry for the long post.
Any suggestions will be appreciated. I am traveling this week and plan on running the tests next weekend.

Thanks,
Gary