Owner experience with Bezzera Strega - Page 118

#1171: Post by **billt** » April 30th, 2018, 6:19 am

My Strega has been on for about 12 hours a day every day for over 2 years and hasn't had any issues. Don't know where you got the idea that it overheats from, it's not a La Pavoni!

Not sure there are any electronics in the Strega, just a pressure-stat and a relay or two. The control box is near the bottom of the machine and should stay fairly cool.

April 30th, 2018, 9:33 am

I leave my Strega on 24/7. It is a HX design so if you want to pull cooler shots just flush a bit of water through the group before you pull your shot.

April 30th, 2018, 11:17 am

Stephane_Paris wrote:I've also all read that let a machine On for a long time can avoid problem with vacuum breakers or so, but some other say let a machine On too many hours by day can damage the electronic.. , how about the Strega ?

It's been discussed many times. The electronics, in theory, will last longer cool than hot. However, in general, and for the Strega in particular, they don't break down very often. The pressure stat will last longer if you switch the machine off; again, the one on the Strega seems to have a long life, with almost no reported problems among users. Turning the machine on and off puts stress on the pipes and fittings. Again, this is theory, and in practice, it doesn't seem to make a difference: I do not recall anyone saying "I've been turning my machine on and off, and now there's steam leaks all over." There is an apocryphal story among machine restorers about a coffee shop machine running 24/7 for years and never descaled. After a power failure, it fell apart completely while warming up again, since only the scale was holding it together.

The Bezzera machines with group head heaters, including the Strega, are unique among commercial or semi-commercial machines in warming up very quickly, in about 12 to 15 minutes. You can use it like a small home machine, and turn it on only when you want to make a shot, or you can leave it on 24/7. I've done both, and it makes no real difference in shot quality (although if you want it maximally hot, you have to leave it on 45 minutes and not flush).

April 30th, 2018, 12:12 pm

Thank's all for you reply, as it seem possible, i prefer to turn in On just 15 min before a shot

Can't wait !

#1175: Post by **Barb** » May 1st, 2018, 12:19 am

That is what I do.. Turn on the machine and 15 minutes later I can pull really good espresso
Congratulations on choosing the Strega. It is a unique machine and will bring you many many delicious coffees

#1176: Post by **doublehelix** » May 1st, 2018, 12:01 pm

Enjoying my Strega- a lot....very reliable mechanically and in the cup.
The machine is on a timer to give it ~1 hour to warm up; the grouphead takes about 1 hour to reach maximum temperature (~180deg F; measured using Eric's thermocouple placement scheme). Boiler reaches maximum pressure ~15 minutes....
But as Jim here wrote, it really doesn't matter as long as the boiler is up to pressure....your cups will always be great....

May 2nd, 2018, 3:07 am

I thought the grouphead take also 15 min to warm up besause of the head heaters

What's the technical difference between Strega who need just 15 min to give good cup and other machine that need 45 min at least to give a good result if the head heaters need a 1 hour to get max temp ?

Should be here today !

#1178: Post by **another_jim** » May 2nd, 2018, 1:08 pm

Stephane_Paris wrote:What's the technical difference between Strega who need just 15 min to give good cup and other machine that need 45 min at least to give a good result if the head heaters need a 1 hour to get max temp ?

Coming to temperature is asymptotic, and there a lots of people on HB who are extremely precise. Some have PIDed both the group head and boiler, and added pump regulators, to make the machine less improvisational and more hi-tech.

For improvisors like me: After 15 minute, if you measure the shot, it starts at about 95C and drops to 89C-90C at the end, requiring no cooling flush. If let it run 24/7, it will start at about 97C and drop to 91C-92C, requiring a cooling flush. In any case, if I have friends over, I leave mine on and flush; for myself, I turn it on when I want a shot, and don't flush. All this also varies by coffee; so it's best just to let your taste and experience guide you on how to set up shots.

#1179: Post by **doublehelix** » May 2nd, 2018, 1:42 pm

...I do a short flush before extraction and like to do my extractions on the warm side....as Jim wrote, your taste should be your guide. Also, when I don't do a long pre-heat, my shots are still tasty.....hard to go wrong with this machine...

#1180: Post by **DanoM** » May 3rd, 2018, 1:15 am

My Strega came with me to Japan and since voltage here is 100v it takes a bit longer to warm up. Not a big deal though. I have a digital power meter attached to my Strega so I know whether the group heaters are operating or not. If I want the group warmed up a little faster I tip the lever arm down leaving it that way with the pump off steam will heat the group quite a bit faster. (My Strega lever, when moved slightly to the right doesn't engage the pump switch. Not sure if they are all this way, but it's become a regular tool here for faster heating of the group.)

It's also on a smart switch that I can turn on or off with timers or anywhere with my cell phone. Before I roll out of bed I hit the switch and in only about 30 minutes I'm pulling shots. The switch also monitors energy usage, a nice option. Since I've insulated the boiler it uses slightly less electricity. Today 4 cappuccinos, 2.6 hours on, 0.66kWh. Room was a bit cooler today at 17c too.

There was a time I considered modifying the pump for lower pressure, and while I'd be interested in tasting shots from a modded Strega I'm VERY happy to keep this machine as it is. We've been using it daily for over 4 years (well, it did spend 11 months in storage after moving to Japan), and it's a terrific machine. My only mods to the original package have been hooking up a drain to the drip tray, vacuum valve replacement with hose to drip tray, a Cafelat silicone group seal, and recently melamine foam insulation on the boiler.