redbone wrote:http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/m_arrarex_eng.htm

Click on the link above to confirm if you have a VAM or Caravel. If you do have VAM and don't have the lid with the lever it was swapped out at some point.

I checked the link. I have a Caravel, not a VAM, but what threw me was the embossing on the base where you click the boiler, which I thought were just three nubs on the Caravel and three letters V - A - M on the VAM models, but I also have the little caravel ship on the side, not the crowned head.

See this photo gallery: https://halmvos.smugmug.com/Other/Espresso/

Does anyone happen to have a 3D printing file handy for a Caravel drip tray?

Thanks!

This would be great in something like silicone. Just don't know if one can 3D print silicone.

It'll work with ABS plastic, like we're doing for La Pavoni Europiccolas.

Do you guys need some measurements ? Who can make the 3D file ? Same as La Pavoni ?

Measurements would be great. I can model it when I get some free time.

Any chance we can spin off this 3D stuff to another thread? Just me, the tech stuff doesn't jibe with the Vintage vibe of the Caravel.

It had its own thread but new posts are locked. Also, the thread was derailed into a discussion about 3D printing so it was never resolved.

Mods please move my inquiry to the appropriate thread ;^)

Hi folks. It's time for me to finally get in on this thread which I have been reading and referring to for just over a year now. I have two Caravels. A red 2.3 and and orange, maybe 3.0 with the gaskets in the cylinder wall rather than piston. Here they are, apologies not 100% clean this morning!

Yes, you will see I have pid'd one of them. More about that in another post, while I first see if this image posting is working ok.

Ok, the pid project. I am using the extremely cheap xmt7100 pid controller: purchase number one, US $21. I am using the internal mechanical relay rather than a Solid State. This is possible since I am in 240v, and the internal relay is rated 3amp. 3 * 240 is 720w. I have recorded my caravel as 500w using my multimeter. The downside is it is only good for 10,000 switches so at some stage I may have to see if I can either stockpile some more xmt7100s, or otherwise fit an SSR into my little box (I don't have much space in there though).

I am using the K type thermocouple: purchase two. The third purchase I made was for the thermocouple plug in connectors (the yellow things in the photo). Everything else is recycled and spare parts. The box I have mounted the pid in is a multipurpose insulated box for housing mains AC electrical joiners.

Sorry to horrify the collectors here, I did drill through the lid to mount the thermocouple. I was able to bring myself to do this as this is my second caravel, purchased specifically to 'play with'. It took a bit of pressure to drill the lid and I slipped once and put a little scratch on the steel.

I am happy with the result. I still have a little bit of cord routing to do to tidy things up on my bench but I think I have probably got the neatest best possible pid setup for this machine, so my research paid off to get me there. The Guatemala local roast had much better aftertaste pulled at 96 degrees Celsius so I suspect I have been letting the caravel get a bit too hot, without temperature control. The pid auto tune and functioning are excellent. It will take a few minutes longer to get up to temperature now but the temperature seems exceptionally stable, even immediately after I pull a shot. I suspect this is because the pid creeps up to the right temperature so it doesn't dump an excess thermal load into the metal parts of the boiler, ready to overheat your water as the water volume decreases.

The 3.0 machine I have pid'd came to me broken. I removed the thermostat (it is a newer type model so it didn't have the expanding spring thing like my other machine does). The light in the switch doesn't work so the wiring inside is now extremely simple. Power goes to the element - that's it. Hence the requirement for the pid, for safety if nothing else. I had to disconnect the earth temporarily and bake the moisture out of the element to get this machine to function initially.

Difficulties with the pid project: I had my wiring on the pid controller wrong so I had a few hours of frustration to work that out. The instructions are a bit hard to follow but the penny eventually dropped. Getting neat holes in my insulated plastic box, for the pid controller and for the thermocouple plug socket, was a big challenge. Drills, knives, hack saw blades and files eventually got me there.

Best bits: everything in the caravel is still removable and cleanable as before, and with the thermocouple plug fittings I can even still take the lid over to the sink when I need to rinse it. The lid still slides open and shut nicely - the careful placement of the thermocouple probe has allowed this. The 3.0 was already making slightly better coffee than my 2.3, and now expect it will be my regular machine. Finally, if the pid dies I can still plug this caravel straight into the wall and run the boiler with no temperature control, as before.

Final touch: find and cut a rubber mat to fit the base of the new pid.

Questions welcome.