I see where there is now a version of the machine that is plumb in and it also includes a tank and vibe pump.

I couldn't find any literature to tell me if the pump was a shot option on or off.

Ie

- can I run a shot with line pressure preinfusion (3-4 bar - no pump) like the plumb-in...

And/or

- can I run a shot with the pump-infusion like the tank based machime?

The question is it an "and". or an "or". .

Yes, it's The Strega Top.
It uses the pump to fill up the boiler and for pre infusion (the extraction itself is pressured by the lever spring), as it showed best results in the factory lab, further confirmed by several users.
This said you can easily control the pre infusion pressure by timing and disengaging the pump with the lever at will (look after another_jim review).
If you wish you may also (quite easily as reported by users), disable altogether the pump and use the machine exclusively with mains pressure, however it's not advised as you'll loose the pump's additional profiling capabilities.

Alternatively you can use a $5 dimmer switch to control the pump & pre infuse/fill the group at any pressure from 1 bar to 11 bar.

John,

Can you point me to any info on this mod.

Bob

I've used a Strega for two years.One year with the pump and one year plumbed in.Looking back in hindsight I wouldn't plumb it again.i've used it a short time before I sold it with the pump connected again and I liked the espresso better.

i think there's some good feedback here, but maybe I'm reading something in that wasnt intended, but it seems to me like the question the OP is asking is;

"Can the machine be plumbed in and be pump fed? Or is it an either/or setup?"

but to add more feedback;
I've only ever used a plumbed in model, since I would have no access to fill a tank with my standard height cabinets, but it seems like I have roughly the same capability to PI as was shown on jim's video reviews as I can get my lever to engage almost immediately (below or at 90*) if I allow the 4bar line pressure to fully saturate the puck (appx ~5-7s) so you see the first hints of beads forming on the bottom of the basket. Then slowly raise the lever so the cylinder pressure increases above line pressure, which closes the check valve, and allows a somewhat controlled PI from 4-9bar (or whatever the springs can deliver)

Having said all of this, I am extremely biased.
I wouldnt care if the espresso was better with the pump as I just cannot stand pump noise. I also dislike filling reservoirs\boilers, but thats not too big of a deal (but as I mentioned I couldnt do this with the strega due to cabinet height issues)

For me, personally, i'll take that taste compromise if that truly exists for silence.
And yes, I realize the pump ON time is significantly less than on a regular pump machine, but ANY on-time is enough to annoy me. The shots are still quite good in my experience.

Thanks pechelman, you were on the mark as far as what I was asking, but poorly expressed.

It would be interesting if having the plumb-in model (with pump) if you could choose not to use the pump on some coffees and choose to use the pump to experiment with other coffees.

I've been listening to a vibe pump for decades, not an issue to me.

I was concidering a L1 but find the Strega more interesting to how I approach the craft.

bob

bobmccarthy wrote:John,

Can you point me to any info on this mod.

Bob

Controlling the vibe pump with a dimmer switch is nothing new. I got the idea to try it on the Strega after reading through a thread on CG about using the dimmer control to allow pressure profiling with entry level machines. You can do the same with the Strega if you leave the lever locked down in the pump position throughout the shot.

As far as Strega specific info all that's out there are my posts in the Strega Owner's thread. I didn't post a separate thread on the mod as there wasn't any interest at the time. Wiring in the dimmer to control the pump is dead simple. If you buy a Strega & want to add the dimmer let me know.

I also added an external group pressure gauge so I can see exactly what pressure I'm filling the group at. The gauge will read as long as the lever is locked down & the water feed hole is exposed. Adding the gauge requires installing a tee in the HX to group feed line with a take off for the gauge line.

i listened to a pump for a while too and thought it was no big deal.
then i got my first lever

both are really interesting machines, each with their own quirks and fan clubs.
The strega is just so immediately versatile with its HX and stable group head temperature due to the heaters.
Nothing to change other than a very quick flush if you're wanting to pull a lightly roasted to a darkly roasted coffee back to back.

im not too familiar with the insides\plumbing of the machine, but I'm thinking what you'd like to do may not be possible without some significant modification and\or a change to a rotary pump.

But I think you would be able to run it plumbed with the stock pump if I'm looking at the schematic below correctly. Assuming you can tap line pressure into the "from reservoir" pickup.
If you were to disconnect the vibe pump in this stock setup, I think you'd just be dead heading line pressure into the pump I think since it acts as a two way check valve (i think).
But I feel like water can still flow through a rotary pump even when its shut off?
maybe with someone with more expertise and familiarity can take it from here.



maybe something in the schematics from the pdf on this page could help?
http://www.bezzera.it/index.php?option= ... 66&lang=en

Casabarista sells the Strega SE.Wth an aftermarket switch to use the pump if you like or not if you like to use the plumbed option.

http://casabarista.nl/espresso-apparate ... somachine/