Converting a pourover espresso machine to direct connect - Page 3

#21: Post by **Beezer** » February 6th, 2009, 5:14 pm

As I understand it, there's only one hole in the back panel of the machine. That provides a place for the solenoid to attach, and also allows the water hose to enter the machine by way of the solenoid. But I may be mistaken.

#22: Post by **Spirit72** » February 6th, 2009, 5:24 pm

Rybolt wrote:1. Why do we have to reroute the discharge tube?

Because the water tank is gone. The water coming out of that tube as to go somewhere and the only place left is the drip tray.

Rybolt wrote:The hole drilled in the back (lower right hand corner if facing the back) is just to "mount" the solenoid valve? I am confused on the water path. Can't determine from pics why there are 2 holes in back?

There is only one hole in the back of the machine and it is for the solenoid valve connected to the water supply.

In order to reroute the discharge tube to the drip tray you will need to drill 2 holes:

The first hole in the front panel

The second hole in the drip tray

With the drip tray in place

Rybolt wrote:Anyway you could scan the installation instructions that came with it to PDF and post?

Without the permission of the author I don't want to do that. Sorry!

#23: Post by HB » February 6th, 2009, 7:49 pm

Rybolt wrote:1. Why do we have to reroute the discharge tube?

An OPV allows water to escape, lowering the effective brew pressure (search 'OPV' in the FAQs and Favorites for more details). Some manufacturers tee the water from the OPV exit into the water inlet, but most simply have a second line that empties into the reservoir. Once you eliminate the reservoir, the water has to go somewhere else...

2. The hole drilled in the back (lower right hand corner if facing the back) is just to "mount" the solenoid valve? I am confused on the water path. Can't determine from pics why there are 2 holes in back?

Two? There's only one, as shown here:

Anyway you could scan the installation instructions that came with it to PDF and post?

Although Chris' Coffee Service may have neglected to add copyright disclaimers, as a general rule, vendors get really testy if someone post their instructions on the web.

#24: Post by **Endo** » February 6th, 2009, 8:23 pm

I think the question was: Why not "tee" it back to the pump inlet rather than drilling holes in the drip tray? Would this not be MUCH easier and cleaner?

I assume you can't do this on a plumbed-in version. I assume the pump inlet pressure is higher than the OPV bypass pressure (or something like this)?

I was thinking of trying this on my Mini Vivaldi (which has the "T" back to the pump). I like to keep this if possible.

#25: Post by **Rybolt** » February 6th, 2009, 8:48 pm

Sorry for the confusion guys, darn stainless steel is like a mirror.

In this pic, I thought it looked like a hole (lower right) and pressure regulator mounted into it.

February 9th, 2009, 8:24 pm

pdx wrote:Careful- I had the float kit installed on an Isomac in my kitchen for a couple of years. One day the pressurestat stuck on, melted all kinds of parts, and the float valve flooded my kitchen. It was a total mess. This was what finally convinced me to step up to a really well-built machine with redundant safety systems, designed to be plumbed in.

youre comparing a prosumer machine to a small shop machine with an outbound pump!

i have a valve right before my machine on my tubing that is only opened when im topping up the tank. i cant imagine a pressurestat overheating so bad that it melts the plastic tank. id guess if it were that hot, enough electronics should have shorted that the machine would have cut out, or the breaker trip. pretty unfortunate, sorry to hear.

http://users.rcn.com/erics/ · #27: Post by **erics** » February 9th, 2009, 9:28 pm

Endo wrote:Why not "tee" it back to the pump inlet rather than drilling holes in the drip tray? Would this not be MUCH easier and cleaner?

It would be and there exists a couple of machines that do this BUT on the Anita and Andreja, the OPV is situated on the outlet of the hx (for perhaps a variety of design reasons) and would cause the pump to receive water at a temp MUCH HIGHER than allowed by the pump mfg.