HG-1 takes 200 turns... normal?

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hvjackson
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#1: Post by hvjackson »

I've had my HG-1 for almost a month now and I am really frustrated with the number of revolutions it takes to grind an 18g shot: usually in the range of 150-200 revolutions, sometimes as high as 250!!

I have run 6 boxes of instant rice (~5 lbs total) through the grinder and maybe 3 lbs of coffee, to seemingly no effect. I have emailed Lyn Weber (the current manufacturer) several times but they basically just say it's normal.

Based on discussions on this forum and elsewhere it sounds like it is way too high even for unseasoned burrs, and I would've thought that grinding all that rice would help at least a little. Has anyone else had grinding times in the neighborhood of 200? Any advice? For the record the current 2016 model comes with the 83mm Mazzer burrs.

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TomC
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#2: Post by TomC »

200 seems incredibly high. I remember the 83's took more revolutions than the 71's, but I think I was down to like the high 30's-40's. It's been a long time since I've used it so I can't speak definitively.
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ecuew
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#3: Post by ecuew »

I have a 2013 HG-1 with 83mm burrs - I own both TIN aftermarket and Mazzer bead-blasted.

For a 16g dose, the TIN burrs require approx 20 turns. Double that for the bead-blasted, which I'm assuming is the burr set you have.

I'd contact LWW, something is off.

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sweaner
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#4: Post by sweaner »

My Pharos used to take about 50, but now takes about 20. 200 seems crazy.
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contraflow88
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#5: Post by contraflow88 »

In my experience with the HG One I have found rice does more harm than good. I have been told to stay away from rice for this very reason, it prematurely wears out the burrs.

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dominico
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#6: Post by dominico »

It looks like your burrs arent feeding: they arent grabbing and pulling in the beans. Try brushing off the burrs, maybe there is some residue keeping them from effectively feeding. Also, how finely are you grinding and how big are the beans? I've sense where "Supremo" size bean so won't feed when some grinders are set too fine.

Lastly, and I only bring this up because I saw someone with a Pharos who had this "issue", are you turning the handle in the correct direction?
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hvjackson (original poster)
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#7: Post by hvjackson (original poster) »

ecuew wrote:I'd contact LWW, something is off.
I did email them several times, first after I had tried seasoning with 3 boxes of instant rice (to no effect). They told me that 200 revs was high but to keep at it and grind some more rice. Then a few days later after I had done another 3 boxes (so 6 total), I emailed again and they basically just said "it's normal." Ugh.
dominico wrote:Itserms lujeyourburrs arent feeding: they arent grabbing and pulling in the beans. Try brushing off the burrs, maybe there is some residue keeping them from effectively feeding. Also, how finely are you grinding and how big are the beans? I've sense where "Supremo" size bean so won't feed when some grinders are set too fine.

Lastly, and I only bring this up because I saw someone with a Pharos who had this "issue", are you turning the handle in the correct direction?
Yes it looks like the beans are just sliding around on top of the burrs. I believe they are clean, I did disassemble them to check for buildup or something blocking them.

I am grinding for espresso, so pretty fine. But certainly not Turkish. I shoot for a 25-second shot time and adjust the grind setting accordingly.

I don't think my beans are unusually large. I have used a few different beans over the past month and the grind time seems basically the same with all of them.

And yes I believe I am grinding the right direction, if I spin the handle backwards nothing comes out at all. But thanks for the sanity check.

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AZRich
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#8: Post by AZRich »

I agree that 200 is absurd. Try RDT if not doing that already (a few drops or a mist of water) to see if that helps the burrs to grab and pull in the beans.

chipman
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#9: Post by chipman »

Are you sure there isn't some rice residue on the burrs? I agree 200 rev is way out of line. Would it be possible to post a short video of your problem?

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rpavlis
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#10: Post by rpavlis »

200 turns is ten times too many! Something is seriously wrong.

One should expect to grind nearly a gram per turn!

If you allow the coffee to fall directly out of the burrs onto a sheet of white paper the falling coffee should form an even circular pattern.

I have had one of these machines for over two years and it has always ground well, though at first it took about two turns per gram.

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