The S1 Cafe - Helping Your Espresso Dreams Become Reality

It's rare to discover an undocumented feature, but I think I discovered an even rarer gem - a new documented feature. At least this one's new to me.

Folks have noted that there are some coffees that actually recommend a temperature below the 91C minimum of the VII/Mini. We have discussed in other threads that the Offset temp function can always be used to get below 91C. However, it would be nice to optimize the Offset once and then not mess with it. Low and below, it is possible to program up to 3C below 91C or, heaven forbid up to +3C above 97C.

I was looking through the V1 Mini Manual that CC sent me a couple of months ago. It's what I used to create the manual that is posted on the VII/VII Mini Site and that CC has also posted on their website. I discovered the instructions below that I completely missed when writing that manual. I just confirmed that the V2 "Maxi" has this mode as well. See the writeup in the scan below. I'll update the instruction manuals with this info in the near future.

There is a key part of the instructions that is omitted. Once you are done using the Steam or One-Cup button to adjust the temperature, you have to press the Two-Cup button to get back out to Standby mode.

Also, I am not sure about the very first sentence. It seems to me that you can enter this mode at any temp setting from 91-97C and enter from -3C to +3C. Does the programming appear to work at any temperature setting but only really do something at 91C or 97C? Or is it really just another generic offset limited to -3C to +3C? That would take an hour or two of Scace testing to figure out and I'm not in the humor at the moment. My boiler scaling/insulation procedure yesterday was enough for me this weekend! So for now, the proof is left to the reader if you want to use it other than to go below 91C or above 97C.

Very cool! We could do this before by switching to V1 mode but this is much easier & it doesn't wipe out your programmed offset (I hope). I'll have to try out the sub 91*C settings on some Terroir espresso.

I played with this feature a little more this AM and found that LaSpaz did design it well. While you can get into and out of this programming mode at any temperature, you can't do anything there unless the Master Temp setting is 91C or 97C. When the temp is 91C programming a -1 to -3C offset is the only option and at 97C programming a +1 to +3C offset is the only option.

Was this something that came with the software upgrade last summer?

I'm not sure. I have questions out to CC about the feature. They only hyped the offset and pre-infusion updates so they must not have thought this feature was worth much.

chas wrote:I'm not sure. I have questions out to CC about the feature. They only hyped the offset and pre-infusion updates so they must not have thought this feature was worth much.

The lower temps aren't something you would use very often & the higher temps probably never unless you want to do some really hot backflushes to get those oils loosened up.

JohnB wrote:Was this something that came with the software upgrade last summer?

No. I have the stock VII board and have this too.