Posted Fri Oct 14, 2011, 9:35am Subject: Sudden change in grind. What is going on?
Grinder: Baratza Preciso Coffee: Bulk coffee from a local roaster.
Suddenly I have noticed a dramatic change in my espresso flow on beans from the same bag. I started getting 2oz in like 15 sec. I adjusted my grinder one click coarser (from 12 to 11 in macro). Still no good. Eventually I had to go from 12, F to 9, F to get the right flow. Before, even one click in micro settings was making noticeable change in flow rate. Have you you ever had this? What do you think the problem is? Coffee more stale/fresher in the bottom of the bag? My grinder is broken? Also I have noticed that at 9,F I have less clumps than I had at 12, F.
NobbyR Senior Member Joined: 10 Jul 2011 Posts: 1,608 Location: Germany Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Poccino Opus One, Ariete Grinder: Eureka Mignon Istantaneo,... Vac Pot: N/A Drip: Melitta Linea Unica de Luxe Roaster: N/A
Posted Fri Oct 14, 2011, 9:41pm Subject: Re: Sudden change in grind. What is going on?
The age of the coffee beans and a change in humidity can influence the required fineness of the grounds. Sometimes you have to re-dial your grinder daily.
*** "This drink of the Satan is so delicious that it would be a shame to leave it to the infidels." (Pope Clement VIII on coffee)
Posted Sat Oct 15, 2011, 4:40am Subject: Re: Sudden change in grind. What is going on?
As the hopper gets low then the effective grind setting gets more coarse. If the hopper was full when you dialed in and then the amount of beans got low then this could cause your shots to be gushers.
jwoodyu Senior Member Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 704 Location: Michigan Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Allex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Major Roaster: Poppery
Posted Sat Oct 15, 2011, 6:44am Subject: Re: Sudden change in grind. What is going on?
I am thinking you have "perfect storm" thing going and it is a combination of two or more things that are adding up on you. The amount of beans in the hopper changing the grind as Jon says - the grind drifting to the course side lowers your dose - tamp varies a little bit and it adds up to and issue. In my experience when nothing adds up and it feels like my issue is s moving target 99.99% of the time there is more than factor introducing variance.
1.) Keep a constant level of the same beans in the hopper 2.) Make sure the beans stay as close the same as you can. Buy 5 lbs at once from the same roasting batch and freeze it in smaller batches while you work it out 3.) Scale your dose after grind 4.) Be really aware of your tamp 5.) Make sure the brew pressure is good and stays consistent
If all that is right and it keeps moving around I would be really shocked and the grinder highly suspect though I don't understand how it could be.
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
Posted Sat Oct 15, 2011, 8:04am Subject: Re: Sudden change in grind. What is going on?
I understand that it all could effect the grind. Before even slight change in 1-2 micro settings was effecting the flow. But now I had to go from 12 to 7 in MACRO settings. It is a HUGE difference. I could have chocked the machine at 8 before. Everything is the same: dose, amount of beans in hopper, tamping, etc.
I took my grinder appart last night to check everything and troubleshoot according to Baratza's troubleshoot page. I checked the grind calibration and all gears. All seems normal. The only thing I can suspect it's stale bean. Some how I got more older beans at the bottom of my bag. I have to get new beans and check it. If it is doesn't make any difference, I call Baratza to explain.
Posted Sat Oct 15, 2011, 8:17am Subject: Re: Sudden change in grind. What is going on?
ahavriluk Said:
I took my grinder appart last night to check everything and troubleshoot according to Baratza's troubleshoot page. I checked the grind calibration and all gears.
How old is your grinder please? I'd like you to check something else out too. Take the hopper off & pull out the outer ring burr assembly. Brush out all coffee grinds. Pull up & down on the conical burr to see if there's any or excessive play, called axial run out. That will wreck havoc with grind consistency.
Posted Sat Oct 15, 2011, 12:15pm Subject: Re: Sudden change in grind. What is going on?
The grinder is 1.5 month old. It is a refurbished unit. I checked the conical burr. It wiggles. There is slight play when I pull it up/down and if I turn it left/right I hear clear hit metal to metal. Do you think that's the problem? I am calling Baratza on Monday to see if they can repair it or give me a new unit.
Posted Sat Oct 15, 2011, 6:16pm Subject: Re: Sudden change in grind. What is going on?
Here what the problem was. The tab on adjustment ring was broken. Thanks to local store Clive Coffee in Portland. I took my unit to show them and see if they know anything about it. Also I wanted to check the conical burr. The burr was as normal. The guy from the store was able to identify the problem right away. He told me it just happens. See the attached file.
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