Hi Jim,
I'm thinking about one of these kits, to put on a Quickmill Andreja Premium. The thread indicates QM are compatible, but my question is about the pressure gauge. My Andreja has a pressure gauge already, does that save me the approx. $62 or are they measuring at different stages? I have never done any pressure profiling before so I am not sure.

I just changed the Lelit for the E61 grouphead to be optional. We made it required because we did not want clients to miss it, forget to order, and thus making the order process smooth. Unfortunately, due to high automation in our systems and facilities, it becomes more difficult to add, change or delete things from orders. We are not the Big A.

Hence, you can order the kit without the gauge now. Please just deselect it.

We have added the knob for the joystick valve and E61 lever. We also added a wood portafilter handle.

Gig103;

I also have an Andreja Premium and would be very interested in learning from you as you install and use this kit. I hope you will keep all of us "not-so-early-adopters" informed as to your experience and progress. I am very interested in knowing how well this works without a grouphead pressure gauge. Does it allow you more control and does the espresso you produce improve?

Good luck!!!

Gig103 wrote:Hi Jim,
I'm thinking about one of these kits, to put on a Quickmill Andreja Premium. The thread indicates QM are compatible, but my question is about the pressure gauge. My Andreja has a pressure gauge already, does that save me the approx. $62 or are they measuring at different stages? I have never done any pressure profiling before so I am not sure.

No, you really should get the pressure gauge as that indicates the pressure that you are currently brewing at. The machine gauge is not a substitute for that.

This is correct. Sorry, I misunderstood that the machine had a pressure gauge on the grouphead. A pressure gauge on the machine will not indicate what is at the grouphead. This is why the Bianca has a pump pressure gauge and a grouphead pressure gauge.

When I have time (which is rare), I will try to test on a Mara where there is a vibration pump.

Orcasite wrote:Gig103;

I also have an Andreja Premium and would be very interested in learning from you as you install and use this kit. I hope you will keep all of us "not-so-early-adopters" informed as to your experience and progress. I am very interested in knowing how well this works without a grouphead pressure gauge. Does it allow you more control and does the espresso you produce improve?

Good luck!!!

The Bianca does allow more control,. The Bianca Paddle kit will offer more control on 'most' other E61 groupheads. From my use on the original prototype which we have been running 24x7 since March of 2018, you 'can' improve the espresso. I say 'can' because there are my favorite profiles, and not so favorite ones.

The paddle also allows you to compensate for a somewhat off'-grind and recover the espresso shot.

1st-line wrote:This is correct. Sorry, I misunderstood that the machine had a pressure gauge on the grouphead. A pressure gauge on the machine will not indicate what is at the grouphead. This is why the Bianca has a pump pressure gauge and a grouphead pressure gauge.

When I have time (which is rare), I will try to test on a Mara where there is a vibration pump.

Thanks for clarifying on the differences on where the pressure is measured. That Mara test would be interesting. I didn't see this addressed up-thread but would using it on an HX also affect temperature? I don't think the thermosyphon is the same as the brew path but am not 100% sure

Orcasite wrote:Gig103;

I also have an Andreja Premium and would be very interested in learning from you as you install and use this kit. I hope you will keep all of us "not-so-early-adopters" informed as to your experience and progress. I am very interested in knowing how well this works without a grouphead pressure gauge. Does it allow you more control and does the espresso you produce improve?

Good luck!!!

You may get to it before me (my machine is in storage and I'm trying to buy a home, that's two reasons expenses like this aren't near-term), although Jim is saying we need the grouphead gauge anyway.

Hi

I was a very early adopter of this modification. The Bianca profiling valve has been in use for some time now on my HX Lelit Mara (with vibratory pump). I have shared the modifications and results, on the following thread.

Lelit Mara - HX Profiler Conversion

Extremely impressive!!!!

mohninme wrote:Hi

I was a very early adopter of this modification. The Bianca profiling valve has been in use for some time now on my HX Lelit Mara (with vibratory pump). I have shared the modifications and results, on the following thread.

Lelit Mara - HX Profiler Conversion

Hi All,

I just got off the phone with a customer who purchased the Bianca Paddle Kit for his Mara. In our discussion, I thought of a very interesting point with the Bianca paddle on vibration pump machines.

First, rotary vane pumps ramp up to pump pressure within a second or 2. Second, vibration pumps tend to take 6-8 seconds to ramp up to pressure based on the grind fineness which creates the resistance for the pump to achieve that pressure. This kind of adds to built in preinfusion with vibration pumps.

With the full closure of the Bianca paddle before engaging the pump, you can bypass the pumps preinfusion by waiting for the pump pressure to get to 9 bar or higher, then open the paddle so there is full pressure exerted at the start of the espresso shot. Just some food for thought.