Scace Device Readings

[Niko]

Here's a series of clips showing some shots pulled with the Scace Device.
The two temps tested are the 93 & 94C settings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q2CdJMWTFg

[ebprod]

How much time do you have between flushes? Are you waiting for the lights to come back to there settings in between?

-Joe

[Niko]

I was duplicating shots in real time...
I pulled the PF out and ran a timer to to put it back in the group as if I was running the grinder, distribute grinds, tamp and lock & load back in the group. It's roughly about 40 seconds between the shots.

The machine is up to temp after 2 shots from a cold start (3rd shot is usually dead on). After that it's stable for at least the next 5 minutes, if it's been idle longer than that - just pull 2 blanks to get it back up.
They're pretty stable machines, I've had readings where the temp locked at 199.4 for almost an entire shot time (the control panel was set at 93C). Ambient temperature, humidity and incoming water are also factors, the machines do a good job of keeping the target in the crosshairs.

When I get some time I'd like to run extensive tests on video with the original Vivaldi S1 for comparison. I remember getting some impressive numbers on that machine as well.

Are you waiting for the lights to come back to there settings in between?

Yes and No, I was trying to be random and this is the series of thermo tests we're looking at on the video clips. Random is more real world but if you wait exactly for the lights to stop blinking after a flush and the PF is loaded and ready, then you'll get even more accuracy out of your Vivaldi.
I was trying to trip up the machine by staggering it a bit here and there, when I said about 40 seconds between the shots, I'd pull some at 30 seconds and some at 50 just to make it more "real world".

[boldstep]

Niko,
do you need to pull blank shots even if you leave your machine on 24/7?

if you do, can you just let the water run for like 30 sec through the portafilter (with no beans) to get it to temp?

[Niko]

Yes.
If the machine sits idle for longer than 5 minutes, you need a quick blank shot to bring it up to temp. Just a couple of ounces (a double shot-worth) will do the trick. If the machine has been idle for quite a while, even if it's on 24/7, it usually needs two quick blank shots in a row.
It's not that the machine gets a cold nose like some others, the temp is a few degrees lower than it should be when it's sitting unused for periods of time.

[coffeeowl]

After your two blank shots (when you remove the portafilter and put in the beans, distribute and tamp and you're ready to lock and pull) do you pull a quick blank (say an ounce or less) to warm the diffuser and screens, or do you just lock&pull? (and do you dry the screens with a cloth before locking back the portafilter?)

[Niko]

I grind, distribute and temp extremely fast so very little heat is lost, in fact I almost burn my fingers every time when swiping across the grinds in the basket.
And Yes, I do wipe the screens before locking in the PF every time.

[chas]

I borrowed a Scace and took advantage of having that to do a complete recal of my machine. Turns out that I needed to change my offset from 0C to -2C, my group pressure had gotten low, and my expansion valve was also set to open too low. All that plus a good group cleaning and backflush and, wow, what a difference!

My shots went from bitey to smooth as silk and my expansion valve, which had started dripping again, has now stopped.

[Niko]

One of these days I'll have to make that adjustment to stop the expansion valve from leaking on my Spaz also.
One of these days...
could turn into weeks or months.

Like Shrek said: It's on my "To Do List..." (when he didn't slay the dragon).