Hi Guys,

I'm a first time poster - but have recently stumbled across your site, and have picked up some great tips on this website - so thanks very much for the helpful information.

I've been a long time La Pavoni Professional user, and recently converted to a Rancilio Silvia Machine.

I absolutely love it and can get pretty much great shots every time. I recently bought another Rancilio Silvia machine, so that I could have two - one at home and one at work.

Here's where the problem starts. Although I can get great coffee from my first Silvia, I cannot for the life of me get a good coffee out of the second Silvia.

Here are the different combinations I have tried and still can't get a sweet spot: (I've easily made over 70 coffees trying different combinations)
- Changing my grind (using a Macap commercial grinder) I've tried 4 different settings ranging from choking the machine, to pretty much a massive under extraction
- Changing my extraction time from between 20 to 30 seconds
- Changing the amount of coffee in the basket from between 12 -16 grams
- I always tamp at a consistent 15kg of pressure (measure using scales) - I haven't changed that

P.S. I'm temp surfing both machines

Here are the differences I've noticed with the machines:
-With my first Silvia the boiler shuts off after 55 seconds. The second one switches off after 40 seconds.
-The sweet spot on my first Silvia is 14 grams of coffee in the basket (for a double) and I get the best on the second machine at 13 grams (and still isn't very good.)
-The pump on the second machine is noisier.
-I did a very basic test of temperature on both machines, and the second Silvia looked to put out slightly colder water. Not much colder - but def colder.

I bought both machines second hand - but both are mint, and I know the sellers personally and they didn't use them much at all before I bought them.

The second machine was not used for a while and had water left sitting in it. I thoroughly descaled/backflushed it and water coming out is clear and doesn't have a bad taste. I maintain both machines meticulously.

The thing that is so annoying is that I consistently get great coffee from one machine and the other one is terrible. If I got served the coffee I make from the second Silvia at a café - I'd return it for another. It has that bad aftertaste, that stays in your mouth for a while after drinking it.

I was wondering if the fact that I need to use less coffee in the basket to get a satisfactory volume of extraction, and that the temperature is colder - that I need to increase the boiler temperature in the second Silvia. What do you guys think? Also - is that something I can safely do myself? Is there anything else you guys can recommend doing? Any help would greatly be appreciated.

Thansk Danny

You might consider measuring the pressure coming from each machine. There are gauges you can adapt to fit the portafilter spouts, as a first approximation.

Yep, definitely check pressure. High pressure will make "sharp" tastin espresso with aftertaste. My palate is for some reason very sensitive to this and I taste it without fail...

Thanks for your help guys - I really appreciate it.

Rather than try and build the pressure gauge, I was thinking of adjusting the pressure valve myself, or else get a professional to do it. Is it safe to make very minor adjustments to the pressure gauge myself and measure the success by tasting the coffee?

I saw instructions here:

http://www.ranciliosilvia.org/rancilio-...lio-silvia

http://coffee.hastie.id.au/pressure-mod...for-silvia

A few more things to consider:

• Is the water different at work? I was surprised at the improvement in taste by using "custom blended" water.
• Have you tried swapping grinders?
• Exact same coffee?
• Replace the brew thermostat on the second machine. Cheap, easy. Sounds like the machine might be running cool.
• Remove dispersion screen, clean thoroughly. Backflush using Cafiza.

Jim

boar_d_laze wrote:You might well benefit from readjusting the pstat. But before jumping to conclusions... What are you doing to control the temperature of your shots?

BDL

Thanks for your help

what is the P-Stat? and what adjustment do you think I should make to it?

To control the temperature of my shots, I 'temperature surf' as outlined is this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7Bn5IjZht8

boar_d_laze wrote:Yes safe through nearly all of the range. You might well benefit from readjusting the p-stat. But before violating BDL's Second Law by performing unnecessary labor, what are you doing to control the temperature of your shots?

When was the last time you cleaned?

BDL

I gave both machines a backflush and descale about a week ago. I descale every months, and backflush every week. THe water tastes ok and is clear out of both machines. Both should be clean as - is there anything else I should be doing cleaningwise?

JimG wrote:A few more things to consider:

• Is the water different at work? I was surprised at the improvement in taste by using "custom blended" water.
• Have you tried swapping grinders?
• Exact same coffee?
• Replace the brew thermostat on the second machine. Cheap, easy. Sounds like the machine might be running cool.
• Remove dispersion screen, clean thoroughly. Backflush using Cafiza.

Jim

THanks heaps for your help.

I forgot to mention - I haven't taken the second machine to work yet. So I'm using same water, coffee, grinder. I'm also backflushing, and have removed the dispersion screen to clean it.

I'll check out getting a replacement thermostat. Should I try adjusting the pressure valve first to see if that helps? or just replace the thermostat anyway?