Vibiemme Domobar with high brew pressure

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denniskatinas
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#1: Post by denniskatinas »

Hello guys,

I'm trying to make a perfect ristretto with lots of crema, I don't know if it's the grind or the tampering, but most of the times, the machine brews at 16bar.... should that be possible? I mean... the machine can release/dump some pressure right to keep it at 9 bar?
Thanks!

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Randy G.
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#2: Post by Randy G. »

You need to get the pressure relief valve cleaned and lubed, and possibly replace the piston and spring. Early Domobar Super machines had an incorrectly spec'd spring which caused this. It should never be that high. Could be a bad gauge as well.
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HB
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#3: Post by HB »

Here's a photo of said OPV spring from the 2007 review:


From Buyer's Guide to the Vibiemme Domobar Super
Dan Kehn

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cafeIKE
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#4: Post by cafeIKE »

I'm the third owner of the machine but I bought it from a dealer who's put a new boiler in it and some other stuff, before that it hasn't been used and it's from 1996. I run it for a week now.
Probably doesn't have a 2007 Domobar Super OPV spring

denniskatinas (original poster)
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#5: Post by denniskatinas (original poster) »

Randy G. wrote:You need to get the pressure relief valve cleaned and lubed, and possibly replace the piston and spring. Early Domobar Super machines had an incorrectly spec'd spring which caused this. It should never be that high. Could be a bad gauge as well.
Thank you Randy! Going to check that out!

denniskatinas (original poster)
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#6: Post by denniskatinas (original poster) »

HB wrote:Here's a photo of said OPV spring from the 2007 review:

<image>
From Buyer's Guide to the Vibiemme Domobar Super
cafeIKE wrote:Probably doesn't have a 2007 Domobar Super OPV spring
Thanks guys, going to check this as well. It's from 1996 but it has been used by multiple users so who knows.

denniskatinas (original poster)
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#7: Post by denniskatinas (original poster) »

Ok I removed the drain valve and it looked clean enough, although not lubed. I screwed it down right to the raster of the drain bucket (is it called that? :P) and I got it to 12 bar max, so that's way better than the 16 bar. Yet, i've been hitting 12 bar three times, what can I do to get it to be 9 bar?

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Randy G.
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#8: Post by Randy G. »

Can you post a photo so we can be sure that we are talking about the same part?
EspressoMyEspresso.com - 2000-2023 - a good run, its time is done

denniskatinas (original poster)
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#9: Post by denniskatinas (original poster) »


This is a photo of the valve I lowered. :) As you can see it right down to the grid.
Thank you.

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erics
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#10: Post by erics »

Well . . . it is a good thing that Randy asked . . . and it is also good that you complied with posting a pic. You are "adjusting" the wrong item as that piece is the exhaust valve housing for the group and is meant to be screwed up tight. It is not a pressure adjuster.

Here is a pic of the OPV on the Vibiemme Domobar Super:



It is NOT your machine as you have a single boiler VBM but the part should look similar and is accessible after removing the top cover. Turning the screw about 1/2 turn counterclockwise should be just about correct.
Skål,

Eric S.
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E-mail: erics at rcn dot com

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