Elektra-channeling

by **SmellMyCoffee** on Mon Nov 10, 2008 5:29 pm

Hi all,
My MicroCasa Lever make this channel in the surface of the coffee. See picture.
It proves either I tamp hard or less hard.
Are there other Elektra owners who have seen the same, and do you have an idea of why this happens?

Thanks in advance,
Regards Jannik

by **Nickk1066** on Tue Nov 11, 2008 9:35 am

I've had that before but I rarely get it now.

It could be touching the screen in the grouphead and leaving the missing grinds on it.

Tampwise I find that if I overfill and the top of the tamp side doesn't sit flush (Reg Barber EU curve) then I'll often get the dispersion screen contact like that. If you take out the portafilter at an angle then grounds stick to the top.

I normally have no coffee grinds on the side of the basket either.

Try a little less load.

by **SmellMyCoffee** on Wed Nov 12, 2008 7:45 pm

I think that the reason for coffee grinds on the side of the basket, is because I loosen the basket while there is still little pressure left. And it just shoots back leaving grinds up the side.

I find my shots taste better with a little overfill, underfill make my shots bitter.

I need to get myself a naked PF, maybe that will expose possible channeling.
Thx for your reply Nickk 1066 :wink:

by **IMAWriter** on Wed Nov 12, 2008 11:35 pm

Yes, a "bottomless PF" will really help 'diagnose" your channeling problems. If you get squirts, you'll know the distribution was probably not as good as could be.
Orphan Espresso sells the correct size. It's made by an HB member Richard Penney ("espressme")
http://www.orphanespresso.com

by **SmellMyCoffee** on Fri Nov 14, 2008 8:46 am

After I read in Scott Rao 's book "The Professional Barista's Handbook" I think I know why this channeling occurs... I think my coffee bed gets a broken seal when I tap my PF. Scott writes that this is difficult to repair with a second tamp.
So from now it is over with a tap on the side of the PF :wink:

by **IMAWriter** on Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:23 am

Oh, NOW you tell us you were doing the dreaded "tap the PF on the side" maneuver!! :lol:

Hope all works out now. Geesh, and I've been stressing out on this all week.

by **SmellMyCoffee** on Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:17 pm

Yes... little did I know!
I've had my Elektra in 4 months now and I learn something new every day.
My old electric pump machine didnt care about the tap :roll:

I've made a few shots without the tap, but still think there is little channeling.
Maybe it is my 49mm Reg. B. tamper which should have been + 0.1-0.2mm.
Think maybe this little gab is causing the problem...


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