Fan adjustment on newer Quest M3

Discuss roast levels and profiles for espresso, equipment for roasting coffee.
mfortin
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#1: Post by mfortin »

Hello,
In the newer Quest M3, the fan is always on even when the knob is at 0. Is there a way to readjust that knob so as to stop the fan when the knob is set at 0?
Thanks
Martin

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another_jim
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#2: Post by another_jim »

I'm not sure what you mean. If the fan turns off if you turn the knob all the counterclockwise, then just take it off and put it on so it shows zero at that point. If the fan never turns off at all (regardless of where the knob is pointing), I'm stumped -- it may be a safety measure or a problem in the SCR circuit.
Jim Schulman

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mfortin (original poster)
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#3: Post by mfortin (original poster) replying to another_jim »

Another_Jim,
Actually, with all the new Quest M3 (since summer of 2013) the fan is always on (never turn off) even if the knob is turned all the way counterclockwise. I was told by Molly that they did that so as to avoid burned flavor. My guess is it's a safety feature. So I was wondering if there is a way to stop the ventilation? Should I try to add a stop switch to the fan?
Regards
Martin

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another_jim
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#4: Post by another_jim »

If you want to stop the air flow in the drum, just raise the trap door where you put in the beans, or the back door, where you cool them. That short circuits the air flow.
Jim Schulman

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

Than you very much. That will be much easier that to install a switch.
Regards
Martin

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TomC
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#6: Post by TomC »

They might have caved to certain demands. I don't know. But the method Jim mentions is the easiest. It's also the method that I and Dan Wood of Sweet Maria use the most for tweaking a roast profile.

I've done roasts on hard, moist beans, and not even had the fan on AT ALL, until I was ready to suck the chaff out 20 seconds before dumping, and I guarantee you, there was no charred, smoky, or scorched taint to the roasts.

Turning off the fan drastically increases the MET, but its still somewhat an abstract value overall. You can create an impressive delta to ramp like hell by just lifting the rear door open, and letting heat escape slowly via a chimney affect. I run it right under my stove hood at full blast (which likely helps).

You begin to win on the Quest when you get the bean to bean heat transfer down, which is far more ideal and important on such a dynamic heat shifting environment as a thin metal Quest roaster. Drum to bean heat transfer is riskier than bean to bean. I can go on and on, but I'm tired.
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mfortin (original poster)
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#7: Post by mfortin (original poster) »

Tom,
I will try that.
Thank you for the tip.
Martin

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pShoe
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#8: Post by pShoe »

Tom,

I always find myself asking you questions that seem to specific, because I always know in the back on my mind that even identically roasters can be quite different. Anyway, I still feel compelled to ask these types of questions anyway. I keep the heat down to 6 when running with no fan. I've read that doing otherwise could be stressful to the elements. Do you run higher heat than 6 with no fan?

Thanks,
Paul

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TomC
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#9: Post by TomC replying to pShoe »


Yes, and have been for over 3 years now, with no adverse affects.

It might be in part of my black drum pulling that heat in quicker, I don't know. But I think it comes down to very early (first) Quest adopters having less than robust elements. I haven't seen or heard of any problems with Quest elements since.
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