OK...was working on another issue (water flow), and while testing, I hooked up my Scace thermofilter (which I have not used in a long time) and found my Elektra A3 seems to be putting out a very low temp water.

After idle, I am still getting a fairly long cooling flush (lots of boiling/hissing) before the water flow settles, but the temp is REALLY low (92 c) after that ends. Even after letting the machine idle for a long time, connected up the Scace without a cooling flush, and am seeing no temps above 96 degrees (c).

I have noticed the coffee is "off" lately, and low temp could very well explain that too...that would explain a few other things....I pulled a shot after idle with no flush, and it tasted good again.

What are the primary reasons that would cause a low grouphead temps? Scale? Boiler water level?

I thought my thermofilter or meter could be off....I put it in boiling water on the stove, and it read 98.3c, and in ice water reads 0.4c, so it seems pretty accurate.

Thoughts/suggestions?

Just to confirm, checked again this morning....after a night of idle, with no cooling flush the Scace did not register above 96.4c after inserting and running pump.

So, definitely seem to have a temp problem.

Silly question, but are you sure you have your meter set for the proper thermocouple type. I have forgotten to change it more than once.

Dave brings up a VERY GOOD and often overlooked fact re making sure the meter and the thermocouple are properly set up. The thermofilter has a Type T thermocouple whereas the typical temperature meter is fixed to read Type K thermocouples.

I put it in boiling water on the stove, and it read 98.3c, and in ice water reads 0.4c, so it seems pretty accurate.

That is NOT a good method. Condensing steam temperature, corrected for your altitude and barometric pressure is far better. And while I'm at it, a well stirred, distilled water/ice mixture similar to a "slurppy" is preferred for the 0 C calibration point.

More stupid but not necessarily thermometer related tests: What's up with steam behavior? What does the boiler pressure gauge show? What's up with the hot water tap?

If you've got enough heat for good steam and enough boiler pressure to drive boiling water through the tap, ab definito you've got enough therms to heat the HX to brewing temps.

Nu?
BDL

Scale on or in the heat exchanger will also slow the rate at which the water is heated leading to cold temps through the heat exchanger.

erics wrote:Dave brings up a VERY GOOD and often overlooked fact re making sure the meter and the thermocouple are properly set up. The thermofilter has a Type T thermocouple whereas the typical temperature meter is fixed to read Type K thermocouples.

That is NOT a good method. Condensing steam temperature, corrected for your altitude and barometric pressure is far better. And while I'm at it, a well stirred, distilled water/ice mixture similar to a "slurppy" is preferred for the 0 C calibration point.

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Yes, I am using a T thermocouple (original model Scace thermofilter), and my meter is a dedicated digital thermometer calibrated for T thermocouples (Omega Engineering HH501AT). I was not looking for scientific level accuracy, so I think the boiling pot of water and ice/slush water was close enough to prove it was in the ballpark.

The boiler is showing "normal" operation...hovering around 1bar. Decent steam pressure appropriate for the Elektra A3.

I suspect Cannonfodder's suggest that scale may be causing low temps may be close to the mark. I have been neglecting my HX descaling, so I am currently in process of descaling the HX.

I ran out of citric acid mixing up a bucket of hot acid solution to pull through the HX, but I have ordered another kg, so when that comes in, I will descale the boiler as well. I have very soft water (ion exchange) going into the machine so it does not scale too quickly.

Will advise a bit later once the HX descaling is done...

Grant

Well, finally got around to a full descale after picking up some citric acid, and all my problems seemed resolved. After the complete descaling of the HX and boiler, back to normal temperature ranges....getting high temps during the flush, taking longer to flush, and returning to shot temp more quickly.

Also solved my problem from my original thread...the very aggressive water flow problem. After the descale, I am getting a much more even water distribution from the group as well. Not sure what the problem was there...

Anyways...all is good in espressoland once more.