19. Bong's AirBuster and Trapped Air in the La Pavoni Lever Espresso Machine
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
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An exploration of the OnShape CAD model of the La Pavoni Espresso Machines to understand how Bong's AirBuster solves the problem of trapped air in the group head.
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Thanks a lot! This was exactly the problem with my machine. The explanation is spot on. Instead of a screw driver I used a plastic lever for fixing phones and that worked perfectly without the risk of damaging anything.
Really helpful look into the Airbuster. Thank you so much!
Really great explanation!
Thanks!
I love your videos! :)
love love love thanks for your videos
Thanks!
Great videos! I have a question…… Leaks told me it was time to service my pre millennium LP Professional. Ordered my bits AND Bong Isolator from Coffee Sensor. (Transylvania to London in less than 24 hours!). Isolator did bring temperature of head down but also had spongy pull due to air, less volume and pressure in shot and shot was not an espresso extraction - more like a filter shot. So gone back to factory LP set up.
My question is (finally): if I were to pair Air Buster with Bong Isolator what could I expect character of shot to be like compared to factory LP setup? Because Airbuster is not cheap. Thanks. A
Thanks for the kudos!
I don't think I am any kind of authority on answering your question.
There are many opinions out there, and mine is just one.
I would suggest chatting with the group at:
facebook.com/groups/lapavonienthusiastsgroup
So, with that out of the way,
I beleive people (like you?) are trying the Bong Isolator because with generation 2 group heads the brew water can get really hot, resulting in over-extracted (too bitter) espresso.
Now with the Bong Isolator installed, the generation 2 group head is more like a generation 3 group head, and the brew water may be a bit too cool, resulting in under-extracted (sour or boring) espresso.
I would first suggest trying to bring the temperature back up (and the sponginess down) with your "Generation 2" group head with the Bong Isolator.
Some ways to do that are:
1) Turn the machine on earlier before pulling a shot. Try 30 minutes.
2) Before pulling the shot (and with the portafilter off), raise the lever until the water just starts to come out, and lower the lever.
3) Repeat #2 a few times, but this time try to raise it a wee bit less so no water comes out.
4) Attach the portafilter with ground coffee in it.
5) Repeat #3 a few times - but a wee bit slower. OK, this will draw all kinds of criticisms, as people will say this disturbs the puck.
6) Raise the lever to just before the water enters, then raise it a wee (that's 3 wees so far) bit more to let the water in slowly, and keep it there.
7) Wait until the lever no longer wants to go down on its own accord, but wants to stay up.
8) Apply light force to the lever until a few drips of expresso emerge.
9) Gently ramp up the pressure until you get a good flow of espresso that takes about 30 seconds to fill the cup.
If you do any of this, please let me know how it goes.
As for your question (yeah, I did not forget it), the air buster will solve your trapped air (spongy) problem in a heartbeat. It works. Just like the Bong Isolator, it does what it is supposed to do, and perhaps too well. What I mean is that since there is NO residual trapped air, the puck can be a bit soggy since no air is there to push out the last of the liquid.
The thing is, the Air Buster will not change the temperature of the water. It just removes the air. So if the coffee tastes flat with the Bong Isolator, the Air Buster will not fix that. Well, it will allow you to move more water through the puck (since there is no air displacing the water), and that will allow a longer shot, which does change the taste profile, maybe increasing the extraction so it is more complex. Oh gosh, this gets complicated.
The Air Buster requires the PPK, so, for that money you also get a cool pressure gauge.
I hope this wee (four) rant helps.
Really generous reply! Yeah, think I’ll have another go with the bong isolator and play about with your technique suggestions / basically they’re ‘burping’ tips right? BUT I am a dark roast person trying to get a ‘cafe’ shot and am pretty close (using Equal Exchanges Italian Roast beans) , first shot is bang on and then the heat comes….Another consideration for me is the condition of the thread in my boiler, without the isolator I can tighten everything up fine with no leaks, however with the extra torque when the isolator is connected my bolts are just at the point of stripping the threads in the boiler. I have bought the Stainless steel re-threading sleeves - but deciding to go ahead with this feels like fitting stents on a 90 year old who’s still running marathons! Choices!
Thanks for your help!!
I have both PPK w/ air buster and Isolator mounted on a Gen2 / Pre-Mil 50mm Group head. No issues, no spongies, 40-42ml pulls of perfect espresso with cream using bottomless PF both single (8-9g) and double (12-14g) with 6-9 bars of extraction pressure and app 30 sec pull after pre-infusion with various roasts. Hi cadence pulls still need occasional cooling cloth to stay around 95C. Highly recommended addition together with the temperature gauge strips. Only caveat is that it's hard to get more than three pulls from one fill of the small boiler, as water consumption for pre-heating seems to be a bit higher. Much better and reproducible than the LP factory setup.
@@wiralle4835 Thank you for sharing your experience with others.
@@wiralle4835 what's your experience pre-heating the grouphead by lifting the lever only as far as water not rinsing through - i.e. dry-pumping the lever? I often rinse the grouphead just once, and dry pump the rest of the preheat. That gives a lot more shots before having to refill.
Hey mate, on the next video, it looks like you're using a Gen 2, am I right? On a gen 2 with an isolator, would the GH issues associated with gen 2 be mostly avoided? I.e. over heating, greater propensity for spongy shots and sneezes, etc.
Basically, with all these mods, is the functional impairment from the lack of water jacket minimised?
You asked, "on the next video..."
Video 20 (Testing Coffee Sensor's AirBuster) is a generation 3 machine without an isolator.
Video 10 (Bong's Isolator) is a generation 2 machine with an isolator.
Let's talk about video 10.
You asked, "On a gen 2 with an isolator, would the GH issues ... be mostly avoided?"
I'd like to say emphatically "Yes!"... However, I personally only used a generation 2 machine a few times.
Therefore, it would be best for you to ask for the real-world experiences of generation 2 owners with the isolator.
You can find many of them here:
facebook.com/groups/lapavonienthusiastsgroup
I hope this helps.
@@JohnMichaelHauck Thanks John, you're a great resource. I'm still learning to tell the difference at a glance for gen 2 and 3, could have sworn your video 20 had harder lines on the GH.
@@jamesjackson3810 Here is a different angle of the same machine in video 20. photos.app.goo.gl/mefvgNrzj76XrcBT8
as soon i bring up the lever star the water running and i don't have no pressure coming down
@greynand, My first thought is that you most likely have a problem with your coffee beans being too old (aim for 2 weeks after roasting), too coarsly ground (use a good espresso grinder), or not enough grinds (aim for 14 grams).
an d when i steam i see some black dot in my milk
@Greynand, that's a bit unpleasant. After each steaming, make sure to clean the ourside of your steam wand with a damp cloth, and also release some steam (into the cloth) to purge any milk that may have gotten inside. Be careful how you hold the cloth because the steam can travel through the cloth and burn your hand. I cannot think of other solutions to this issue, because even a dirty boilder should not send particles through the steam wand. Maybe others have some suggestions?
Could be the seals in the steam tap breaking down: maybe time for some new o-rings.
Sounds like you're talking underwater in an aquarium. Get a better microphone if you're going to make videos. it hurts my ears.