erics wrote:A potential solution to "long" hx machine flushes - this is the infamous Faema adjustable thermosyphon valve.

Eric, did you order a complete assembly? What did it it set you back?

Jeff -

About $127 but it is a rather nicely machined valve. Unfortunately, the only way the end user can buy this valve is as an assembly.

My naivete notwithstanding in this area, but it would seem to me that it would be a simple matter for the manufacturer to design in a wax pellet type thermostat (as in a car) or possibly a bimetallic spring that opens and closes a small shutter door in the brewhead to regulate the thermosyphon flow. An external screw would make it adjustable as well. This seems a better solution since it would be sensing the brewhead temperature itself.

Randy, that idea has really been intriguing me. It seems like you really ought to have your cake and eat it too, with an HX, with a valve on the thermosiphon that simply almost closes as the water in the pipe gets too hot, but opens all the way when the water is cool. This could, I would think, easily be designed so that your recovery is fast (the disadvantage to a restrictor), but also such that your grouphead idles as brew temperature, keeping the flushes short.

Honestly, though, my irritation with wasting water on big flushes notwithstanding, I care a lot less than someone that doesn't have a plumbed in driptray...

Connect a bimetallic spring (or perhaps a PID) to the copper of the HX loop. Use this to enable a relay to open/close a solenoid on the HX loop. Not as nifty as a saturated group or an actively heated group head, but there are a lot of thermosiphon systems out there.

Mark

shadowfax wrote:Honestly, though, my irritation with wasting water on big flushes notwithstanding, I care a lot less than someone that doesn't have a plumbed in driptray...

I don't need a plumbed drip tray. I have a wife. ..I hope she doesn't read this forum!