Hello all,

Well I'm back in the espresso business after a loooooong hiatus. Got a great setup now downstairs at the bar(was in the kitchen before)which makes the wife VERY happy!

So I was thinking of trying to plumb in the Anita but not sure I want to drill holes in her. In the meantime I would like to use some sort of reservoir outside of her. I was wondering what others have done on this. I'm sure it doesn't matter what I use but I was more wondering how to lengthen the tubing lines and bypass the magnetic switch in the stock reservoir...

Thanks for any help

Ron

Sometimes when testing, I put a water jug next to the espresso machine and route the inlet lines to it. Works fine, but of course defeats the protection afforded by the reservoir's low water detection.

Some trade offs :

If not using a LOT of water, the reservoir should be opaque to retard growth.
The reservoir is cooler outside the machine, which has a very slight impact on temperature, particularly on short intervals.

Indeed, life is nothing but tradeoffs.

With water being pulled from a container next to the machine, the inlet temperature is always the same. For plumbed-in units, it's probably overkill, but I buffer incoming water temperature changes using an empty filter container in addition to the regular carbon filter (i.e., order is mains => carbon filter => empty filter container => espresso machine).

Why not relocate the pump while you're at it? In the base cabinet underneath the machine this would be the IDEAL time to set up a water filtration/softening system (about $125 from Chris Coffee) which could be rigged to manually discharge into a nearby holding tank - say one gallon. The pump could take suction from this tank and discharge up to the machine - about $15 worth of Swagelok fittings and 1/4" PFA tubing.

You could let the OPV remain in place and dump back to the existing reservoir knocking out the necessity to bypass the level switch. The little priming valve attached to the pump could simply discharge back to the nearby reservoir. The pump discharge tubing is M5x3 teflon and has some special fittings but using the Swagelok fittings and 1/4" PFA tubing is a perfect substitute.

But to answer your original questions - the wires to the level/float switch can be joined with a simple double male spade connector from Radio Shack and a little electrical tape or heat shrink tubing. The pump suction tubing, pump priming valve tubing, and OPV tubing is silicone - I BELIEVE it is M8x5.

Eric,

Not sure exactly what your saying with relocating the pump. What is the benefit of relocating the pump? Does this have to do with moving the reservoir outside? I've never had an espresso machine apart before(the Anita is my first machine ever). I'm not afraid to dive in and take things apart as I've always been pretty mechanically inclined. When it comes to espresso though I am still a huge noob.. Let me ask a few questions...

1. Should the water going to an espresso machine always be filtered/softened? I tested my water with one of those strips and it was so close to being ok I just left it alone. I just use water straight out of the tap.

2. What would be a good way to set up an outside reservoir? I have a sink very near the espresso machine that could be used for any type of a discharge/drain.

I guess what I need to know is if I should add the filter/softener system what parts would I need and how would I set it up to make it very user friendly.

Thank you all for your support!

Ron

I seem to remember reading in the forums at one time that Michigan water was "hard" but "remembering reading" something and actually being there testing the water - you can only imagine what bears the weight there. However, dipping a test strip every several months is not unreasonable.

Although the vibe pump is self priming, it cannot lift water more than a foot or two - this you could easily test. So my basis for relocating the pump would be to get it and the new water reservoir near each other. Getting the pump out of the machine dramatically reduces the noise level but, as you can imagine, that is a very subjective topic.

Where did you plan on putting this reservoir? There's all sorts of suitable containers that you would need to modify with a few fittings.

I guess now I'm not sure where I would put the reservoir. Before I posted I had planned on just putting right next to Anita but you have me intrigued. The way your talking seems like it may be a better way for me to go. It would keep things off the top of the bar and look cleaner if I could mount everything underneath. My setup is as follows: Anita sits on top of the bar with the back of the machine facing the 'customers'. Underneath Anita I have about a foot(the height) or so of space where I could put a reservoir and what not. The sink is a double sink about a foot and a half(maybe two feet) away from Anita. I tried posting a pic but it's too big and I don't know how to resize it.

Part of me likes the idea of having it next to Anita for ease of filling, but having it all out of sight would be nice too. Hmmmm....all about the tradeoffs...

As for a reservoir I would like to use a stainless container. I'm not a fan of these plastic/composite type containers. My Anita reservoir still has a funky smell, especially after it heats up.

Ron

Thank you all for your advice. I'm still not sure which way I'm going to go yet. I have decided I would like to add the filter/softener and was wondering how you go about doing that on a reservoir machine. Is it possible or must it be plumbed in?

Still thinking of plumbing it in, just wish they made a kit specifically for the Anita.

Decisions, decisions....
Ron

Edit: I answered this in your other thread... I thought they sounded similar...