The S1 Cafe - Helping Your Espresso Dreams Become Reality

MDL

The screens should last for a long time. I don't know anyone who has replaced screens unless they are bent or otherwise damaged by the user. Many vendors sell the gasket but shipping will be as much or more than the cost of the part. You should check for local vendors who might be able to supply you...

MDL

I would have to agree with Chas. Speaking for myself, I just soak my portafilters in cafiza for about 30 minutes very few weeks and they look as good as new.

MDL

It is normal for the pressure to be released after each shot. If it did not release you would get a messy shower when you unlocked the portafilter. At the same time it is also common to have the water spray around when the release takes place. I put a short length of silastic tubing onto the end of ...

MDL

If you have a 20 Amp circuit and are running a 20 Amp device you certainly need a 20 A GFI.

MDL

Given that the house softened, RO for drinking and the town are the same I doubt that your softener or RO unit are working correctly?

If you feed RO water into the Vivaldi the in tank filter is unlikely to do anything; you have already removed the minerals by RO.

MDL

I have never owned a Baratza grinder. However, numerous friends have and none of them have held up well over time. I believe that you will see many threads about the Baratza grinders and potential issues. Although the manufacturer seems to really stand behind their products I would suggest that you ...

MDL

Sounds to me as if you should try grinding finer. I don't know your grinder but it sounds to me as if you are overdosing and undergrinding. If your pressure is set appropriately the major variables in pulling the shot are: grind dose tamp Given the Espro tamper I would assume that to be "correc...

MDL

If you get "stuck" remember that the one cup and two cup buttons are identical except for the symbol on them. You can always use the one cup button for your doubles and the two cup as backup.

MDL

It is 4.75" to the edge of the cartridge holder. My system is mounted using the brackets that Chris supplies. If you have 5.5" that should be more than adequate.

MDL

The specifications just list "carbon" which will not reduce hardness substantially although they claim to reduce lime scale. However I think that you are on the correct track looking at the everpure line. Check to see if they make a cartridge in this format that includes both a softening r...

MDL

Everpure produces single cartridge systems that both filter and soften. They are much more expensive than the generic cartridge systems that you can purchase from Chris Coffee or assemble yourself. Espresso Parts sells Everpure, as do other vendors. I use a two cartridge system that I initially purc...

MDL

If it is the compression fitting you can replace it. Alternatively you can always try teflon tape to see if you can seal it.

MDL

I backflush with detergent every 2 - 4 weeks (as suggested). When you do this you will see coffee residue, particularly on the first flush. I prefer a stainless blind basket to the rubber disc, but either way: Remove the screens, clean the dispersion disc and install the clean set of screens Put abo...

MDL

Wrong answer.

The original poster is correct, I believe that you can program a large volume and you can then always cut the shot short by pushing the button again.

MDL

Dry the basket and portafilter before you fill the basket with coffee.
I run the "warming" shot(s), dump any excess water into the drip tray and then quickly dry out the basket and portafilter before filling the basket with coffee for the shot.

MDL

I just turned on my VII with the cup warmer removed and noticed that the vacuum breaker valve on the steam boiler is the valve that is releasing a bit of steam as the boiler heats up. For some reason I had thought that the pressure relief valve that has the plastic shield over it was supposed to do ...

MDL

I second the suggestion that the techs at Chris' will talk with you. My machine was 2.5 years out of warranty when I first called them with a question and they were perfectly happy to help me (and I did not need any parts).

Good luck,
Mark

MDL

Any time I have had questions or needed to make repairs I have called Chris' Coffee (where I bought my machine) and they have guided me through the repairs. In two cases they had PDFs with pictures to guide me.

I would suggest calling them and talking with their service folks.

Good luck,
Mark

MDL

Most people use 3/8" and that is the size that Chris's Coffee sells with it.

MDL

Get yourself a bottle of "Goo Gone" from the local drug store or Target, WalMart, SavOn. It does an amazing job or removing glue and stickers and is an orange based product.

MDL

The ion exchange resin picks up water so they put a preservative of some sort in to prevent mold from growing while the resin/cartridge is stored. That needs to be washed out prior to use of the cartridge. Even the 10" cartridges can be "recharged" using saturated salt solutions since...

MDL

I have "T" connections in my system with valves so that I can flush without having to disconnect anything. My suggestion is that you install a set of these so that you can manipulate your system. When you recharge the softener resin you are going to have to flush the saturated salt in and ...

MDL

1. I don't understand why you bought the commercial setup with a huge softener cartridge, but that is your choice. It should not be producing water with either a yellow color or carbon fines. 2. You are not dealing with scale. If you want to flush your system to help to remove what you believe are c...

MDL

Which softener did you purchase from Chris? The standard system that he sells using two 10" cartridges is not what I would call "commercial"... Nevertheless, I purchased my VII and softener system from Chris 4.5 years ago and have never had a "yellow water problem". The char...

MDL

I don't have a mini so my connection is to the pump but I can tell you that there is no "o" ring or gasket in the fitting from the braided hose. A little teflon tape on the connection and it is just fine on my machine.
Good luck...

MDL

I have never run into this. I rinse the basket after each shot and soak it in Cafiza for 30 minutes every 10 days to 2 weeks. When it comes out of the Cafiza it is shiny and clean as can be. Are you letting the puck cook in the basket after you pull shots? Do you rinse the basket after each shot? No...

MDL

I would certainly get the diffuser and screens to get the machine running before doing anything else. I don't have either pre-infusion option on my Vivaldi at this time. If I decide to add it I would certainly remove the board and send it to Chris to get the programmable pre-infusion. I think that y...

MDL

I don't have the mini so I can't comment on how long you can steam before the boiler refills or how much water you can take out from the hot water tap before refilling. However, based upon my learning curve with the Vivaldi I would suggest that it is potentially your technique needing to become adju...

MDL

I tried and could not hold it with another wrench. It was so tight that I had to clamp the body in a vise and really crank on it to get it open. For the hot water valve it is really easy to remove the entire assembly and that allowed me to clean the rest of the connections as well as the valve body ...

MDL

Having now successfully repaired the hot water valve I have to say that it was necessary to remove the valve body and hold it in a vise to get the stem off. It would have never been possible for me to open it with two wrenches as shown in the instructions. Otherwise, it is went just as described in ...

MDL

Here is the PDF with instructions to work on the Parker valve. The instructions are for the water inlet valve, but the hot water valve is identical (as stated by Jason).

MDL

thanks for the comments.

I contacted Chris' Coffee (where I bought the machine) and Jason provided me with directions to open and clean the valve. I am happy to share the PDF but don't know how to do it here.

Take care,
Mark

MDL

Vivaldi II purchased in April 2007. The hot water started dripping a month or so ago and is now really leaking. Has anyone rebuilt the mechanical part of this solenoid valve? I found the solenoid coil (that I presume I don't need to replace) on the Parker website quite reasonably but I can't find th...

MDL

I should have said that I live alone so it is just me and any guests.

MDL

The single cartridge systems are perfectly fine; they just have a premium price for the convenience and have a lower capacity compared to the generic 10" cartridges. There is no free lunch and you have to compare all of the options and make a decision that suits your particular needs and constr...

MDL

I did a Google search for softeners in the UK and immediately found this site: http://www.silverlineuk.co.uk/category.php?cat=Cartridge_filters They have all of the generic materials but the prices seem very high; I have not looked for additional sites in the UK or Europe but I have to imagine that ...

MDL

Home Depot has carbon cartridges but I have ordered my softener cartridges (and carbon at the same time) from Water Anywher http://www.wateranywhere.com/ They have really reasonable prices but shipping is high on small orders. They also sell all of the housings, tubing, etc. necessary to put togethe...

MDL

As John says, the least expensive way to go is to buy generic components and assemble a simple system using an ion exchange cartridge and a carbon filter cartridge. However, if space is more important to you there are single cartridge units that combine the two functions. The ones I have seen are lo...

MDL

I use my Espro all the time and really like the way it feels and works.
It has been my go to for the last 4 years.

MDL

The lifespan of a group gasket is influenced by a bunch of variables. Like you, mine is now almost 4 years old and still OK. However, I only use the machine in the mornings and am probably putting less than average wear on the gasket. The material gets "cooked" over time and becomes hard a...

MDL

On a standard, plumbed in, Vivaldi the brew pressure gauge will reflect the input line water pressure and will not be "zero" or resting on the pin.

MDL

N=1, but my VII shipped to San Diego in April of 2007 with only the pressure gauge out of alignment. It sounds like you received a lemon machine and I would ask Chris to replace it for you. No new $2000 machine of any sort should have the array of issues that you have had to deal with.

MDL

Disclaimer: I use a Vivaldi II, not a mini. Have you tried just pushing a shot button without any portafilter or coffee to see how much water comes out of the shower screen? I would start by checking to be sure that the volumes are somewhat reasonable for the single and double shot buttons (without ...

MDL

I can't tell you if the part is the same. What I can tell you is that Chris, like the majority of businesses, does mark up his parts. You have to decide if you can identify what you need on your own or if you want/need to "pay" Chris for stocking the parts, helping you identify what you ne...

MDL

The symptoms you describe imply that the noise is only heard when the pump is running. Therefore I presume that you either have a pump problem, a motor bearing (could be caused by a leaking pump seal) or a restriction in the flow to/from the pump. My comments don't help you much but that is all that...

MDL

Again, I can't comment on the mini steam lever.

On the SI the knob is a valve that opens progressively as you turn it so that you can control the steam very well. I believe that the lever on the mini is also a valve and not an on/off binary lever, but someone who has a mini will have to confirm.

MDL

Having never used a mini I can't comment on the steam lever vs. knob issue directly. However, I can tell you that I love having my SI plumbed in so that I don't have to think about filling or cleaning a tank. Steaming with the SI is great after you get used to the power that it has. Having never had...

MDL

I can't speak directly to your problem since I have not experienced it. I can, however, speak to your concerns about Chris' Coffee and their helping you. My experience with Chris and his staff has been 110% great. They stand behind the equipment that they sell and will work with you to make it right...

MDL

My Vivaldi arrived in April 2007 and I am still using the initial gasket. As others have mentioned, my machine is only on for about 3 - 4 hours a day. When not on I leave the portafilter out on the counter. There is no suggestion of leaking and I do not have to force the portafilter to lock in so I ...

MDL

I have never experienced this. If the compression fitting where the plastic tube connects to the valve was leaking I would expect it to leak all the time; in fact if anything, I would expect it to leak less when you open the steam valve and reduce the pressure by allowing steam to escape. I would ca...

MDL

Try making your grind finer to increase the shot time and see how it behaves and what it tastes like. To me it sounds like you have room to increase your extraction time with a finer grind to your coffee. The idea is to balance the parameters to optimize extraction. After you get the shot timing and...

MDL

I don't recall what I used (I just grabbed a couple of different sizes from the lab at work) but it was smaller than 3/4" (ID).

MDL

I used a short piece of silicone rubber tubing to extend the copper tube to the top of the drip tray. This completely eliminated the water missing the drip tray. The "original" poster used a black hose of some sort, if my memory is correct. I don't think that it matters what you use as lon...

MDL

1. Which machine are you thinking of; the Vivaldi II or the Mini? 2. The mini can only use the mechanical pre-infusion chamber; if you want pre-infusion you have to buy the mechanical chamber. It sounds like you want pre-infusion and for a Mini you will need to buy the chamber. 3. The VII comes with...

MDL

If you have the opportunity to compare the taste between the two carbon cartridges I would be interested in hearing your opinions. The few dollars would be worth it if the taste is improved.
Good luck,
Mark

MDL

I have always used this 10 micron carbon cartridge that only costs $7.00.
http://www.wateranywhere.com/Water_Filt ... 0154b43352

MDL

I have done business with WaterAnywhere (I think that I may have been the first person to introduce them to this group about 3 years ago). They are in Southern CA and I have always been able to call them and get answers to my questions. The prices are highly competitive although shipping costs are h...

MDL

I have owned my VII since April 2007. One or two times during that period I have had the same experience that you describe. I don't use the hot water very often and I assumed that it was just the valve sticking a bit because it had not been used (moved) in some time. I try to "exercise" th...

MDL

Background: Vivaldi II purchased and installed April 2007. Sunday March 28, 2010 the pump started to sound strained and hesitant. Monday March 29 I removed the pump to check for leaks and damage as described by others. No leak, no damage; perfectly dry and clean. The motor rotates freely but the pum...

MDL

I am fond of dark roast and fairly oily coffees. My machine is primarily used at breakfast for 1 person. When I purchased it in April of 2007 I presumed that my light use would preclude the need to do chemical backflushing very often. My actual experience has been that although I change the screens ...

MDL

The outside dimensions of my S1 VII feet are: 14 1/8 x 12 1/4 inches. The feet have rubber inserts in the center so you could actually take the chance of having a slightly smaller table and the rubber inserts would still sit on it. However, you would run the risk of having the machine slip off the t...

MDL

The La Marzocco springs that I bought from Espresso Parts NW did not require any modification. I just put them in and have been using them for almost three years. You can either bend your original equipment springs or buy La Marzocco springs to replace them.
Good luck and enjoy the SI,
Mark

MDL

I don't have a mini, but that looks to me like a piece of plastic tube on the outlet of the over pressure valve (OPV). In the VII the OPV just drips into the drip tray so a bit of a crimp would not make a big deal. On the other hand, the VII doesn't come with a tube on the end so I don't really know...

MDL

My pressure regulator (bought from Chris along with the softening system) has a pressure gauge on it that reads the output. No plumbing or valves required. I never even considered having a regulator without a gauge to see where I was setting the regulation...

MDL

As John suggests, I think that the issue is clearly the brew solenoid valve at the top of the group. I did another set of Cafiza backflushes tonight and the dripping seems to have stopped. It actually was getting worse and then I did a flush with the blind basket empty, got a huge swoosh and it stop...

MDL

Yes John, this is dripping from the screens even when the machine is off. To stop it I have to turn off the input water to the machine. There is also water dripping from the 3-way valve (the copper tube next to the OP valve). It is my impression that the drip from the 3-way starts before the drip fr...

MDL

Yesterday my VII (purchased from Chris in April '07) started dripping from the group and also into the drip tray. If I turn off the input water it stops. I have not yet had the chance to pull off the front panel to see which tube is dripping into the tray. I backflush with Cafiza every 2 - 3 weeks (...

MDL

The brew boiler is always filled after you first turn the machine on and run the pump to fill everything. Each time you pull a shot the pump forces water into the brew boiler and out the group to make your coffee. The brew boiler stays filled. This is different from the steam boiler that fills when ...

MDL

A TDS meter is not going to show you "softening" with an ion exchange resin type softener (like the CC system that many of us use). All the resin does is exchange the "hard" minerals for "soft" (soft being Na in most cases). The TDS (total dissolved solids) remains esse...

MDL

Are you using a wet cloth to wipe the wand after steaming? My VII is over 2 years old, I steam milk at least once/day and the wand looks like new. I wipe it off with a damp/wet cloth after steaming and everything comes off with almost no effort.
Mark

MDL

Yes, old, rancid oils do accumulate and influence the taste. I routinely run a cap of Grindz through my grinder every quarter and it seems to keep things in pretty good shape. I have heard that some folks use minute rice to clean their grinders, but I have never tried it.
Mark

MDL

I have been using the same strips that Chas suggested and have been ordering them from the same place. They are much less expensive than the ones Chris sells and they are much better for my use (clearer range of colors across the hardness range). I have not felt any need to move to a liquid test kit...

MDL

Do you regularly use steam or hot water from the Vivaldi? If the water has been sitting in the steam boiler for a long time with no use it could get nasty (I presume; since I regularly use steam and water my boiler has never had an issue). I would do as Weska suggests; drain the boiler completely us...

MDL

Water post #2:

You may still want to put a carbon filter before the Vivaldi to be sure that you get any organics and particulates out before the machine. At the same time you will probably want to have a pressure regulator and gauge in the system.

Mark

MDL

I am sure that you will enjoy the Vivaldi. In terms of your water, if your whole-house system is functioning correctly you should be OK. I suggest that you get some test strips or a test kit from an aquarium store and see what the hardness is. I use the following strips (they are inexpensive and hav...

MDL

Price is relative. Clearly there are some valuable items included that are added costs (the naked portafilter, the espro tamper, the longer steam arm, the wooden handles). However, depending on the water in your area you may be missing the crucial water softener/filter setup. If you are handy you ca...

MDL

What is too much machine? I think that the Vivaldi II is a great machine. I purchased mine from Chris in April '07 and have been completely satisfied with it. If you love coffee and want a machine that does a great job, is consistent and pretty quick to learn go for it. I'm not sure that $1500 is a ...

MDL

Yes, I use a set of cartridges for 12 months and then replace them although the water is still softened. I don't feel comfortable leaving the cartridges for a longer period. My Vivaldi is used every day but only for a few drinks and I don't make many Americano's or much tea. The hardness of my incom...

MDL

The white plastic connector on my braided hose (Vivalid II bought from Chris's Coffee) is a John Guest fitting to accept 3/8" John Guest plastic tubing. In terms of water softeners I can't speak to Canada, but I found a local supplier that sells the filter holders, filters and fittings. I would...

MDL

If you are even remotely handy installation is easy to do yourself. I bought the softener system from Chris when I bought my machine. I do have a pressure regulator and gauge after the softener and carbon cartridge. Yes, you can just use the fitting that comes from Chris to attache to your cold wate...

MDL

I don't calculate, I test every month with a test strip and have replaced the cartridges every 12 months (even though they are still functioning and the hardness has not increased). I use SofCheck test strips that I have purchased here: http://www.diywatertesting.com/sofchekx3.html These strips are ...

MDL

You can presume that 15A cords are not adequate for 20A use. No manufacturer is likely to over-build in that manner; it is too expensive and opens them to potential product liability issues. In addition, the majority of cords have the information on them (at least in the USA). Look with care at the ...

MDL

Perhaps there is some confusion here. There is no safe way to draw 20 amps through a 15 amp circuit. Some might feel that it is OK to use a 15 amp outlet if the wiring is 20 amp, but I think that is still being penny wise and pound foolish since a 20 amp outlet costs little more than a 15 amp versio...

MDL

Check the kitchen faucet to see how many holes it requires and also how many holes are under the mounting plate. For example, the faucet in my kitchen only requires a single hole but it is mounted with a plate that covers the 3 holes in the sink. If you have "extra" holes in the sink you c...

MDL

I assume that the steam arm is the same on the mini as my VII. The steam tip is not reverse threaded. It should just unscrew if you turn it counterclockwise (to the left) as you look directly at the tip.

Good luck...

MDL

My machine is used every morning and perhaps 2 or 3 afternoons/week. Clearly not 24/7 use in any way.

MDL

Perhaps I'm lucky, use my machine less than others, or am gentle with it? Nevertheless, my original gasket is still in use at exactly 2 years and I don't have any leaks or have to jam the portafilter in really hard.
Mark

MDL

Total disolved solids (your meter) is not equivalent to hardness. If you check hard water with your meter and then run the water through a "softener" you will measure the same TDS since all you have done is to exchange hard minerals for soft ones.

MDL

The electrical code is trying to keep things safe by preventing any chance of having 15A wire or components on a circuit that is actually drawing 20A. Don't confuse code requirements for the current you need to run your Vivaldi. It is a good idea to have little else (if anything) on the circuit with...

MDL

I don't know what is meant by a sluggish response. Remember that the Vivaldi is a double boiler machine where the steam boiler is just used for steam and hot water. This is not a single boiler or HX machine where the precise regulation of the boiler is crucial to both steam and coffee brewing. My st...

MDL

Push for fair compensation for the apparent shipping damage. You overpaid drastically for a machine and then had to shell out substantial money and time to do what was supposed to have been done already. If you had received a refurbished machine for your $1100 and then had the price reduced to $550 ...

MDL

The screens do catch coffee grounds, they do not catch oils and other soluble matter that can stick to and clog the 3-way valve and other plumbing. If I look at the water that comes out of my detergent backflushing it is quite brown, presumably from dissolving coffee oils etc? When I first received ...

MDL

You will need to do a detergent backflush regularly to keep oil residue from accumulating in the OPV and system. I routinely do this every 2 to 3 weeks. If you wait too long (even though you are not making a lot of shots/day) the residue can build up. You can do plain water backflushing as often as ...

MDL

For those who are interested I bought my blind double basket from Espresso Parts Northwest.

I find it much easier to use compared to the rubber disc.

Mark

MDL

As stated in my initial post in this thread, my purchased blind basket is a double; purchased blind baskets are not "always a single". For the mini (with a vibe pump) it may be important to use a single, but for a standard Vivaldi it is not required.

MDL

Disclaimer: I have a Vivaldi II, not a mini.

Who told you that you are "only supposed to backflush with a single basket"?
I routinely use a blind basket that is a double to backflush.
Mark

MDL

JohnB sent you in the correct direction. You will find that you learn to utilize the steam power to prepare your small quantity of milk quickly. It took me a bit of time, but I have learned to steam the same quantity of milk that you use without any issue. The smaller hole tip will slow things down ...

MDL

You should push the vendor. They clearly lied to you since the specs are for a VII and you got a VI. Small claims court, an internet blitz, the BBB. Anything you can think of. I would try to return the machine and get your money back. Did you pay in a manner that you can stop? Good luck and I sugges...

MDL

Try a google search for 10" water softener cartridges. You can buy all of the components to assemble the system that Chris sells and just put it together yourself. Use the list from the system on Chris' website to help you identify the components. Purchasing directly from a water treatment deal...

MDL

I'm not at all sure that you have thought out, or know what you are talking about. 1. Water of reasonable softness is important to all of the Vivaldi's, although I agree that with the smaller and sealed boiler it is perhaps a bit more important. 2. The fan only comes on when the steam boiler is on; ...

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