Great pictures! But what are you doing with my machine?

It must be the 110 V version with that big start capacitor. Is there any other major changes in the machines headed for the US market?

My machine didn't have a thermosyphon restrictor, so I have now ordered one. I was getting tired of the long, long cooling flushes. But as someone, "I can't recall who!" , pointed out: "The importer/distributor is responsible for the its installation as well as the size of the restrictor".

Randy G. wrote:Your machine was made about one full year before mine and so I suspect production changes have taken place to cause this change. And maybe mine was made on a Monday after a Holiday week...

Nah, they'd just read your a.c posts

BTW, a few months a back, I was experimenting with flow restrictors and got some from Espresso Care

My test machine has the flow restrictor and the group idles at a nice 200F. After a long idle period, I flush around 5-6 ounces, prep my shot and pull. Subsequent pulls take no flush at all and the boiler is set at 1.1bar. My machine was shipped straight to me from the factory in Italy to my doorstep, talk about customer service.

As with anything, there are minor changes made over the year as parts run out or a design change is made. I am happy to see the rotary version. There nothing wrong with the vibe pump, but I like the convenience of a plumbed in machine and whisper quite operation. Other than that, I see no obvious changes under the covers.

Stefano, question for you. With the vibe pump the OPV fitting is under the water reservoir with a nice cutout for adjustment without removing the inner shroud. On the rotary, is there an inner shroud? I do not see the need for one since the water reservoir has been removed. To adjust the rotary pump, do you just take off the shell? From the photo, it looks like the adjustment is placed very conveniently pointing to the rear of the machine. No acrobatics or contortions would be needed to make an adjustment, I have stuck my arm against a hot boiler once or twice adjusting a rotary that was jammed into a frame.

I'm not Stefano. But since I have the rotary model, I can answer your question about the adjustment of the pump pressure. You don't have to take the frame off. It's possible, with a little effort, to reach and adjust the pump pressure from above, without taking the frame off. And no inner shroud, actually there isn't room for it anyway.

Regarding the restrictor. Since your machine has one, and was shipped straight to you from the factory, maybe mine also has one? I'l have to send Vibiemme a mail or maybe phone them just to be certain.

Right now I'm flushing about 5-6 oz before the flash boil ends. So that would mean there's no restrictor, or...?

Sounds like it does not have a restrictor. Unless my boiler gauge is off. I get next to no flash boil from my machine. I will have to see if I can botch together a steam wand mounted pressure gauge to check it.

Randy G. wrote: DOSE/TAMP/GRIND: I am using "Ken's" underdosing and have had excellent and consistent results. I am not weighing but simply dosing a bit less than full and tamping hard. It has allowed a one click finer grind iirc, and the flow is so think and dark and rich and delicious that it is bordering on espresso porn to watch the bottomless portafilter do its thing.

Randy,

Thanks for the scoop. I'll have to experiment more, as I'd gotten really used to weighing out the beans when I was using the Silvia. I'll try it ("dosing a bit less than full") and figure out how many grams it might be---though it sounds like 14 or so.

I agree--a users' thread for the VBM would be great. Despite my above problems, the espresso is pretty good after just three days with the machine. I really figured out how to pour great shots with my PID'd Silvia. The VBM has me on the steep learning curve again.

Cheers,
Paul

pauljolly65 wrote:The VBM has me on the steep learning curve again.

After years with a Solis SL-90, a machine of similar class to a Silvia, the Vibiemme is a doddle.

Two things to check:
Boiler should range from 0.9 to 1.1max. Adjust down if higher. If you don't steam a lot, 0.8 to 1.0 is ideal.
Brew pressure should hold steady. If the brew pressure varies more than ±1/2bar with the heater, it is likely the OPV has the wrong spring.

good coffee, 16g in 14g basket, side to side shake to distribute, light level tamp. Flush until steam stops, plus a second or two. Load and pull. Adjust grind to give 60ml in 30s. No need to flush again when pulling another shot within a few minutes.

Thursday, using the above, a fellow with his new Vibiemme pulled shot after shot of espresso porn.
Unremarkedly, tasty.

pauljolly65 wrote:Randy,

Thanks for the scoop. I'll have to experiment more, as I'd gotten really used to weighing out the beans when I was using the Silvia. I'll try it ("dosing a bit less than full") and figure out how many grams it might be---though it sounds like 14 or so.

Just for fun I tare'd out the PF and under-dosed as I usually have been. 14g it was.. My scale only has resolution to whole grams. I just added a chapter to my website on under-dosing. it does work- or at least to say, it is a good starting place when tuning things in.

The VBM has me on the steep learning curve again.

It shouldn't be terribly difficult to get things working well.

It is difficult to watch all what is going on, but give the brew pressure gauge a good look during the next few pulls. I think it should be at about 9.5 to 10 max during a pull- that gives a PF pressure of about 9 to 9.5. If it above that, or seems to not be consistent during the pull or from pull to pull (needle jumping around, and going quite high at times- like to 12 or more), look earlier in this thread for my post about the Over Pressure Relief Valve springs. It is easy to check... easier than with Silvia, anyway.

Once I changed that spring (I had the wrong one from the factory) and began under-dosing, everything fell into place.