pcrussell50 wrote:Ok, I have my BDB apart right now to change some of the old o-rings for the sensors and tubes on the tops of the boilers. While in there, I took note of the microswitch on the hot water knob. The one that turns OFF the brew pump if you turn it too far when trying to pressure profile. Turns out it's SUPER easy to simply remove the microswitch from the housing that holds it against the water knob. You don't have to cut any wires. Just remove it from it's mount and push it out of the way so the switch never gets closed by the knob. You can put it right back any time you want without cutting or splicing. This is good news. Very good news.

Here you can see the switch, sitting in it's mount with the two loose screws. I had taken it out, then put it back for the picture, so I could post it here for your edification:
<image>

This easy peasy mod should allow you to open the hot water tap as much as you want, while "pressure profiling" your extraction.

-Peter

Very cool! Thanks for the pics, that does look very easy to do.

pcrussell50 wrote:Ok, I have my BDB apart right now to change some of the old o-rings for the sensors and tubes on the tops of the boilers. While in there, I took note of the microswitch on the hot water knob. The one that turns OFF the brew pump if you turn it too far when trying to pressure profile. Turns out it's SUPER easy to simply remove the microswitch from the housing that holds it against the water knob. You don't have to cut any wires. Just remove it from it's mount and push it out of the way so the switch never gets closed by the knob. You can put it right back any time you want without cutting or splicing. This is good news. Very good news.

Here you can see the switch, sitting in it's mount with the two loose screws. I had taken it out, then put it back for the picture, so I could post it here for your edification:
<image>

This easy peasy mod should allow you to open the hot water tap as much as you want, while "pressure profiling" your extraction.

-Peter

I noticed this on my BDB too when I first got it.. I never got into pressure profiling with it, so I just put it back the way it was. Honestly though, I might do it again when I get a new BDB, as the water spigot is too slow to be useful as an actual water source anyways.

Bak Ta Lo wrote:Very cool! Thanks for the pics, that does look very easy to do.

Tested now with microswitch moved out of the way. Only did one shot, but big success. Full pressure control, very linear and easy. You can move the water knob as much as you like without shutting off the brew pump. Very happy with this.

And it does not disable the hot water tap service if you like to use it, though I almost never do.

-Peter

Hi. My "typical" e61 double boiler (brewtus 2) is 10 years old and showing signs of failure so I"m shopping around for a replacement to be ready when it completely dies. I'm looking at everything from b2b through the many e61s (rocket, brewtus, quick mill etc) and even having a drooling look at LM (gs3 & linea mini) and slayer - possible but not likely. (I started in espresso in the 1980s with a $300 Olympia Cremina - I also briefly considered getting one of those as they are making them again although the price has increased a tad...)

Quickly read through much of this thread and I have a few questions if anyone feels like answering....

1 - can i use my current LM 58mm naked portafilter and VST 20g basket? (will it fit and not have the puck stick to the shower screen??)
2 - is pressure profiling (with the hot water / bypass the switch method) required to get a good shot or are you guys just doing that for tweaking/ fun?
3 - is there just one wand that can do either hot water or steam?
4 - one should not run water while brewing unless they intend to pressure profile it seems. I assume (with double boiler) steam is no problem to run at the same time as brewing?
5 - seems to take a long time to steam a decent amount of milk - does anyone find this to be a problem or inconvenience? You steam while brewing I assume and maybe need to stop the brewing while you are still steaming...
6 - has anyone come from a good dual-boiler e61 to this machine and what's your opinion?
7 - does anyone use it under an 18" cabinet and do cups fit on top of it under the cabinet?
8 - Is it easy to pull out the water tank from front to fill it?
9 - any problem fitting a scale (acaia lunar) under the cup when brewing?
10 - is it easy to backflush with cafex (?) and remove and clean the shower screen on a regular basis?
11 - anything else i should be aware of?

btw i often use blue bottle hayes valley and stumptown hairbender and do 20g in, 20g out... with many other blends (including CC big trouble and single origins) i use 20:30. Temps usually are 93-94 but who knows if the gauge is accurate!
And I have a good ("super conical" or something like that) grinder - Compak K10 Fresh i think is the model.

thanks for your time, and happy coffeeing!

If you're not in a hurry, you might wait for Decent espresso to finish development of their machine:
Decent Espresso Machine

As for the Breville 920, it appears that you haven't perused the user guide. You can download it here:
https://www.brevilleusa.com/media/media ... Lowres.pdf

Blue Bottle Hayes Valley is very forgiving and should be a piece of cake to extract. Stumptown Hairbender can be sour, so if you buy a 920 please report whether you achieve good results.

Temperature: Because the temperature display does not show increments less than one degree, you can control it more finely using Fahrenheit rather than Celsius.

Responding to your numbered questions:

1. Don't know about LM 58mm naked portafilter, but VST 20g basket fits in Breville's spouted and naked portafilters.

2. Pressure profiling is not required to get a good shot.

3. Wand is only for steam. Hot water exits a short vertical tube halfway between showerhead and steam wand. If you look at a photo of the tray, in addition to the centrally-located pair of holes for two espresso cups, a third hole to the right is where you'd place a cup under the hot water tube.

8. Water tank is filled at top, above the display. No need to remove water tank. If you do want to remove it occasionally, it slides out the rear of the machine.

10. See the cleaning instructions in the user guide. Shower screen can be removed in 30 seconds using a supplied hex wrench to remove the single screw in center. Instructions recommend daily flushing of OPV using a supplied rubber stopper to simulate a blind portafilter. An internal counter alerts you every 2 months or so to backflush with Cino Cleano brand tablets (also sold under Breville brand).

alan278 wrote: 1 - can i use my current LM 58mm naked portafilter and VST 20g basket? (will it fit and not have the puck stick to the shower screen??)

You can use your LM naked portafilter, which is what I use. You will however have to modify it to work. Just use the Breville portafilter as a guide. Pictures here:
Breville BES900XL maintenance/descaling

I went from an E61 and have been pleased with the machine although upgraditis may come to a head in a few years, a Speedster has been calling my name for some time now....

pcrussell50 wrote:Ok, I have my BDB apart right now to change some of the old o-rings for the sensors and tubes on the tops of the boilers.

-Peter

Peter, where do you buy parts for the BDB? I'm probably going to need to replace the o rings on my steam arm soon.
Thanks!

new2espresso wrote:Peter, where do you buy parts for the BDB? I'm probably going to need to replace the o rings on my steam arm soon.
Thanks!

O-rings from Amazon. $10 delivered 2nd day with Prime, will get you two human lifetimes worth.

Solenoids from replacementparts.com. The solenoids come with Teflon washers. You don't need a gasket, even if yours came with one. The Teflon washers are the latest sealing iteration, and proving quite durable. In 5+ years, mine hasn't needed anything but o-rings and a solenoid.

alan278 wrote:I started in espresso in the 1980s with a $300 Olympia Cremina - I also briefly considered getting one of those as they are making them again although the price has increased a tad...)

First, If you got rid of a Cremina, you need to check yourself in for psych eval. I have lever machines too, so I can say that.

alan278 wrote: Quickly read through much of this thread and I have a few questions if anyone feels like answering....

1 - can i use my current LM 58mm naked portafilter and VST 20g basket? (will it fit and not have the puck stick to the shower screen??)

Stuck pucks are largely a function of tapered baskets that knock out cleanly into the knock box. Not design of the machine. The early BDB's had fabulous tapered baskets that would knock out clean with the gentlest tap. If you under or over dose a tapered basket, you might get a sticker. The slightest tap on any button releases it instantly. You won't have stuck pucks with a straight wall basket like newer BDB's have and like VST's. They will not knock out as cleanly or as easily as with a tapered basket. And of course the most important thing is that as with wet pucks, stuck pucks are an utter irrelevance to the taste of the drink.

alan278 wrote:2 - is pressure profiling (with the hot water / bypass the switch method) required to get a good shot or are you guys just doing that for tweaking/ fun?

Some people believe that profiling has the capability of producing a better shot. That is a physical reality that is agnostic to the BDB and applies to all machines and the BDB will do a bangup job of it.

alan278 wrote: 3 - there just one wand that can do either hot water or steam?

Two separate items.

alan278 wrote: 4 - one should not run water while brewing unless they intend to pressure profile it seems. I assume (with double boiler) steam is no problem to run at the same time as brewing?

Steaming at same time as brewing is no problem. It is a full blown, uncompromised dual boiler

alan278 wrote:5 - seems to take a long time to steam a decent amount of milk - does anyone find this to be a problem or inconvenience? You steam while brewing I assume and maybe need to stop the brewing while you are still steaming...

It's not ideal for steaming Starbucks style monster milks. Cortados and Machiatos are plenty quick. Microfoam quality is outstanding no matter what size.

alan278 wrote:6 - has anyone come from a good dual-boiler e61 to this machine and what's your opinion?

The reason to get the BDB is temperature stability. It does through multiple PIDs and semiconductors, what machines of great thermal mass, great boiler size, and great cost, do. It tests out at least as well as a GS/3. Even a little better actually if you want to split hairs. Can the E61 DB's do that? I don't know.

alan278 wrote: 7 - does anyone use it under an 18" cabinet and do cups fit on top of it under the cabinet?

It was made by a mainstream appliance maker. I'll bet it has very standard fit, whatever that is. I'll check in a few hours when I get back. Mine is under a kitchen cabinet with cups on top of the warmer.

alan278 wrote: 8 - Is it easy to pull out the water tank from front to fill it?

Yes, but no need. It's a front-fill. You don't need to pull out anything. Just flip open the flap on the front an pour in.

alan278 wrote: 9 - any problem fitting a scale (acaia lunar) under the cup when brewing?

Yep. I weigh every extraction with a scale under the demitasse. There is even room to extract into a latte cup with the scale underneath if milkys are your thing.

alan278 wrote: 10 - is it easy to backflush with cafex (?) and remove and clean the shower screen on a regular basis?

Both of those processes are standard commercial and work exactly the same way. The BDBs water paths and valving are standard commercial.

alan278 wrote: 11 - anything else i should be aware of?

And I have a good ("super conical" or something like that) grinder - Compak K10 Fresh i think is the model.

Anything in the Compak K10 family will make a fabulous tasting espresso. So you're good there.

-Peter