Leaks in portafilter-mounted pressure gauge

[skyryders90]

I have a sneaky feeling that the pump pressure on my Bric is set too high (I can flush 8oz in 18-20 seconds, and the temperature drops quite quickly after the sputtering stops). In order to verify this, I bought a pressure gauge and fitting from EPNW: http://www.espressoparts.com/product/V_512

I am having a devil of a time making it work. I flush the group just like I was going to pull a shot, lock in the portafilter, and engage the pump. Without fail, water leaks around the top of the portafilter, as well as around the fitting, and the gauge never shows more than 5 bar. I have sealed both thread joints with multiple layers of teflon tape, have tried it both with and without a filter basket in the portafilter, and have locked the portafilter in as hard as I dare - all with the same result.

Is there some trick to this that I'm missing??

[edited to correct misstatement about pump leaking - it's not]

[HB]

If it is leaking around the threads, I add more tape, usually around 4-6 turns will work (I'm surprised that it's leaking between the gauge and the elbow - I would expect it to come ready to go). Use the portafilter without the basket and confirm it has a nice even edge (i.e., some portafilters like the old Silvias have a little "notch" in their rim). Since there is no basket, it will lock in much further to the right than normal, but it should seal without excess force. Don't go too tight since the rim edge is sharp and can cut a groove in the portafilter gasket.

PS: The flow rate of a rotary pump is much greater than vibration pumps, so they'll flush much quicker. And unlike a vibration pump, you can't infer the pressure setting of a rotary pump by its flow rate.

[lino]

Did you say water leaks around the pump?!?!


Maybe I'm misunderstanding.

ciao

lino

[skyryders90]

Did you say water leaks around the pump?!?!

Nooo ... now THAT would stress me out.

I meant water leaks around the edges of the portafilter.

[malachi]

No basket for sure.
Check your gasket for any damage.

[OlywaDave]

You know if you still don't get it working you can contact us and we can help you get it figured out...

[skyryders90]

You know if you still don't get it working you can contact us and we can help you get it figured out...

I know - you guys have been great already. I did contact someone there, and you sent me a new gauge. But since I have essentially the same problem with the new one, it's obviously something on my end.

No complaints whatsoever about the product or the help from EPNW - just to be clear to anyone reading this.

[OlywaDave]

Oh I understood the post and didn't think you were complaining. I've been in Northern California and San Francisco the past 5 so I was just making sure you were taken care of by us.

[skyryders90]

After reading the replies here and chatting with Dan, I decided that there's just no reason why this shouldn't be working - so maybe it's the equipment. I have 2 gauges and 2 fittings that I've tried, so that really just leaves the portafilter. BINGO! These Bricoletta portafilters really are crappy. I switched to my other one and was able to get a much better seal between the threads and the fitting. And then I just cranked the portafilter in a good bit harder than I was before.

(I probably should have tried this before posting - oops)

Now I get a pretty good seal, with just a drop or two per second escaping from the joint between the filter and the fitting. It reads 8.5 bar, and I even put the other gauge on there and got the same reading. I have no way to calibrate them, but since both read the same thing, I'll take the odds that they're pretty close.

I THINK I'm gonna increase the pressure to 9.5 or so.