Rancilio S27 - how to adjust flow rate

[lisabeeen]

Hi~~
Hoping someone can help me tweak my S27 a bit---i got it used and have had it a few months and am trying to figure out how to adjust the amount of water flowing through the group...WITHOUT the portafilter in---i had read it should be around 78ml.....i get more like 125 mls. How do i adjust this?
Thanks!

[RapidCoffee]

Hi~~
Hoping someone can help me tweak my S27 a bit---i got it used and have had it a few months and am trying to figure out how to adjust the amount of water flowing through the group...WITHOUT the portafilter in---i had read it should be around 78ml.....i get more like 125 mls. How do i adjust this?
Thanks!

Hi Lisa. According to Alan Frew, the water debit on a typical home espresso machine should be 60-100ml in 10 seconds. The S27 is a small commercial unit, but that's still a good ballpark figure. If it took 10 seconds to pump 125ml, that's slightly high.

What you really need to do is check the brew pressure with a portafilter gauge. These are readily purchased from espresso supply shops, or can be made very inexpensively. If the brew pressure is much above 9 bars, it's on the high side and you should lower it.

Take the following instructions as a rough guide to adjusting brew pressure. (I've got an L7, the predecessor to the S27; perhaps an S27 owner can chime in.) The S27 is outfitted with a Procon rotary pump, which allows you to easily adjust the brew pressure. You'll have to open up the machine and locate the pump (a large gray cylinder with a brass fitting on the end, probably located at the bottom rear of the machine). There's an adjustment screw on the brass fitting. Run the pump with a blind filter in place and turn the screw until your gauge gives you the desired reading (IIRC clockwise increases pressure). Again, 9 bars is a good starting point.

Hope this helps - John

[lisabeeen]

John~~~
thanks so much--YES!!!!! at this point, ANY info i get on the S27 is illuminating!!!! I am learning a lot......

By any chance do you know a link to how to make a gauge inexpensively?

ALSO, since you have a similar machine: my steam wand recently began leaking----i want to take it apart and try replacing some of the gaskets ( i found diagrams on a few sites so figure i'll try this more inexpensive route before replacing larger parts)..... The problem is: i can't seem to get the knob OFF to remove the wand! The other day it CAME off just by pulling it----oooops! Maybe it wasn't supposed to?!? NOw i can't get it off by pulling it...............aaaagh....... DO you know how it is supposed to come off?


Thanks so much for your help!!!! And any other links for S27 info you may have would be GREAT!!!!
~Lisa

[jesawdy]

John-

Your advise is helpful, but I think she is asking how to program the volumetric dosage buttons, no?

For a brew pressure gauge, you could buy this:

http://www.1st-line.com/parts/oth...sure_check_kit.htm


Or make one of these:

http://www.home-barista.com/forums/post1012.html#1012

[jesawdy]

Based on parts catalogs, it looks like the S27 has the popular Gicar control unit. You program like this:

From Paul Pratt's Espresso Restorations site, this page is LM specfic, but instead of the swirl. you have a star (*)

To program you must hold the continuous brew (far right button with the red swirl) for about 5 seconds until all LED's flash. Press the button you want to program and again when you have reached you desired volume.

[RapidCoffee]

Your advise is helpful, but I think she is asking how to program the volumetric dosage buttons, no?

Oops, you could be right! It was the 78ml amount (among other things) that fooled me.

Lisa, perhaps you could clarify what you're after.
________
John