Pharos grind setting problem

December 2nd, 2012, 8:37 am

I received my Pharos yesterday. Set it up per instructions and dialed it back 1/4 turn. Choked my Europiccola. It was late so I didn't feel like having another shot. This morning dialed it back another 1/4. Took about 18 turns to grind about 13G of beans, which looked like they had been beaten with a hammer when they came out. After looking at it, trying to reset to the initial setting when it was delivered, I finally noticed that the center rod extends below the 4 rubber feet when I don't use the rubber mat that comes with it and even a little bit when the mat is used. Is this normal?

thanks in advance.

#2: Post by **asicign** » December 2nd, 2012, 9:09 am

For an espresso grind, the shaft on my Pharos extends down about 4mm: nowhere near the height of the rubber feet. I think you should contact OE.

December 2nd, 2012, 9:24 am

Thanks for the info. I wonder if something got out of whack giving it the usual shake to get the ground coffee out? I'll contact OE.

#4: Post by **uyeasound** » December 2nd, 2012, 10:19 am

When you say the grounds looked beaten, that sounds like they haven't been ground fine enough. How did that shot flow? If I had mine set up so that it ground very coarse, then my axle would probably extend a long way down, as you describe. Are you sure you are correctly dialling in a half turn off zero: the results should be really very fine; I am still breaking my pharos in, like you, and use 1/2 turn to grind 16.5g in my pavoni.
Sorry if I'm misreading your information...

December 2nd, 2012, 10:23 am

Let me ask a basic question: Does the higher the shaft sits in the housing make the grounds coarser or finer? I may have this whole thing bass-ackwards.

thanks

#6: Post by **Whale** » December 2nd, 2012, 10:28 am

The lower the shaft the coarser the grind!
When you tighten the collar (CW) you bring up the shaft burr toward the fixed outer burr.

December 2nd, 2012, 10:31 am

Thanks -- official hand slap to the forehead.

What puzzles me is I don't remember re-adjusting it after the first shot to when I dialed it back another 1/4 turn. When I thought I was setting it back to zero I was setting it to the coarsest grind possible. I guess the moral of this story is don't fiddle with your grinder until you've had your morning shot of espresso!

#8: Post by **Whale** » December 2nd, 2012, 10:48 am

I did a similar error this morning. After finding the zero (the right) I adjusted back and after the first shot wanting to adjust back a bit further, I went forward instead and choked the machine...
Had to find the zero again and went back.
FWIW, my Pharos is still no fully broken in and requires to be pushed back a bit more than 1/2 turn from Zero.

#9: Post by **uyeasound** » December 2nd, 2012, 10:57 am

How are you finding the euro with the Pharos?
I think they go together very well. I get wonderful crema. But also, I find that if I grind for a single dose, pull it and drink it, then grind for another, it gives the machine time to cool a degree or two whilst I'm working on the follow on shot. I just turn the machine off whilst i grind, then turn it back on whilst a prep the basket. It's a nice tempo to follow: a drink every two minutes suits both machines, and allows you to serve guests well.

December 2nd, 2012, 12:08 pm

I've only pulled one shot from it so far, which was the very first shot that choked it. I need to start over, now that I know what my errors were. I've already had some coffee this morning so I'll start back into this afternoon. Thanks for the advice.