Owner experience with Bezzera Strega - Page 88

Need help with equipment usage or want to share your latest discovery?
compliance
Posts: 214
Joined: 14 years ago

#871: Post by compliance »

After multiple emails to first line and no response I need some other options. Where can I buy a set of piston seals for the Strega? I took mine off during a deep clean and the top two were brittle and cracking. I want to put a new set on before putting her back together. Thanks!

edit - OK, found it on the first line site. Had to search through Google. I couldn't get there through their site but here they are https://www.1st-line.com/store/pc/viewP ... oduct=4716

samuelespresso
Posts: 2
Joined: 9 years ago

#872: Post by samuelespresso »

First of all, thank you for these fantastic postings.

I have two questions:

1) I tightened the OPV all the way, just to see the effect it would have before I adjust to the recommended 11bar. With the OPV fully tightened, the lever/springs do not seem to engage. One some shots, the lever will engage when I manually lift it up, on other shots the lever stays in the lowest position. Could anyone explain? (Just out of interest, in order to get a better understanding of the machine).
2) I find the screws inside the casing (located near the top of the casing on both sides, with the screwhead pointing to the interior of the machine) very hard to reach and it takes a lot of time opening them with the standard allen key I am using. Maybe someone can advise on a more efficient technique?

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another_jim
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#873: Post by another_jim »

I've never experienced the lift failure ... but, since the springs develop about 11 to 12 bar at their most coiled; then if the interior pressure exceeds that, they won't be able to push off. As the coffee trickles out, the pressure will drop and lever should engage. If it doesn't, this reasoning is wrong.

I find the screws a PITA too. Good news is that they do not have to be detached to open the machine, merely loosened. I use the long arm of a ratchet set; which is still clumsy.
Jim Schulman

samuelespresso
Posts: 2
Joined: 9 years ago

#874: Post by samuelespresso »

Jim,

Thanks for your reply. I think you are right about the springs, while playing around I noticed that the OPV setting directly affects how the lever engages once released, if the OPV is rather tight the lever will engage softly, when the OPV is loose the lever engages with violence.

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another_jim
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#875: Post by another_jim »

Good catch. That I have seen; and it does logically relate to lever not moving at all, i.e. overly extreme soft = not at all.
Jim Schulman

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JohnB. (original poster)
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#876: Post by JohnB. (original poster) »

If you are using a ratchet & an allen socket to remove the group bolts either a wobble extension or a swivel adapter makes the bolt removal much easier.

http://www.amazon.com/GearWrench-81004- ... B000NI938Y
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-DeWALT-3-PC ... 1641110144
LMWDP 267

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zara
Posts: 16
Joined: 9 years ago

#877: Post by zara »

skateboard tape safety mod. 10x better now even with wet hands. shots taste sweeter too :wink:


mjoets
Posts: 69
Joined: 9 years ago

#878: Post by mjoets »

I own a La Pavoni Stradivari lever machine. When raising the lever it causes a partial vacuum which could disrupt the puck. Has anybody found that a similar situation occurs with the Strega when pulling the lever down. I can pull the lever down for an Hx flush just short of activating the pump and the insert the portafilter and proceed moving the handle the last little bit to start the pump. This, in my opinion, ensures no puck disruption. However this finicky maneuver may be entirely unnecessary. Has anyone else given this thought/tests?

kofi
Posts: 83
Joined: 9 years ago

#879: Post by kofi »

I own a La Pavoni Stradivari lever machine. When raising the lever it causes a partial vacuum which could disrupt the puck.
Really?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uveo5dgU32c

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another_jim
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#880: Post by another_jim »

I've tried it, and not noticed a great deal of difference in the taste. On the other hand, I have never noticed the puck being sucked out of the basket or otherwise disrupted. One possibilty is that as the pressure builds, and the water bears down on the puck, it repairs any damage the initial vacuum caused. This repair may be less likely to happen with 1 bar boiler pressure than with 3 to 4 bar line pressure, or 8-10 bar pump pressure. Moreover, many Pavoni lever owners lower the boiler pressure even more to get better thermal management.

On the other hand, it does save one lever pulling cycle.
Jim Schulman

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