Espresso Help

columf2008 · 01-09-2008 12:55pm #1

Ok so I got a Casa Bugatti DIVA and an Iberital mc 2 and it keeps shooting water at me when I go to make espresso ok so I grind in enouugh for a double I cant fill the portafilter all the way to the top because of the shower screen even when I use a heay tamp the portafilter wont go on as with the machine there are 2 shower screen a small one for ground one for ese pods the one for ground has a plastic doo hicky that fits in there the ese shower screen was and lowers the screen a bit hard to explain. So I grind and tamp and fit the portafilter hit the water button coffee will start to pour but the water will shoot out around the portafilter I am guessing the is a saftey valve that releases the water if there is too much pressure. I have tried going for a courser grind but then my espresso pours too fast what do you think I should do mind you returning the machine is not an option unless there is a problem as it was a present and they would not ber happy with the amount that was spent on it.

RE*AC*TOR · 01-09-2008 1:05pm

The water coming around the sides is usually a sign that the portafilter is not locked in properly. It's definitely NOT a safety valve.

Some pictures might help explain the shower head situation, as I'm not particularly familiar with that machine.

Plastic doo hickys are generally best left out of the equation though.

columf2008 · 01-09-2008 1:29pm

for the price of the machine I wa snot happy to see plactic parts or a panarello I did not want the machine particually was hoping to get a gaggia classic or a silvia but I was caught looking at machines in limerick one day and was braught out to the place that had the Diva in stock told them I could not constitute spending that sort of money on a machine what do you know the next they they came back with the machine in the car and a blender for my smothies which I still get in the carton for convience I belive the machine might be a bit style over substance aqs it is very pretty and shinky I got the chrome one. Will take picture of the offendig parts this evening and post tomorrow (bloody eircom no net for 3 days) I lock the portafilter until the handle is at 90o to the machine it can go further but I dont want to force it incase I break something inside then I would have to cry

RE*AC*TOR · 01-09-2008 1:32pm

you won't break anything - instead of 6 o'clock - try go to 5 o'clock

columf2008 · 01-09-2008 1:38pm

opps forgot to say
the reason I taught it was some kind of valve is that when it is going to spray water it makes a hissing sound and it sprays rather then pours and when I take the portafilter off water pours out its like that the pressure forces a gap between the gasket and the edge of the portafilter maybe

Gran Hermano · 01-09-2008 1:38pm

I might be missing something here, but try to not fill the basket in the
portafilter so much. Leave about 5 mm from the top clear before you start tamping.

RE*AC*TOR · 01-09-2008 1:42pm

I assume he meant "fill to the top" prior to tamping.
That and the confusion over the shower screen... Jesus wept!

columf2008 · 01-09-2008 2:08pm

Ok I am going to give a better discripton of the shower screen when the machine comes from the shop it has a small shower screen the size of the top of an ese pod in the box another shower screen is provided for use with ground coffee with a plastic part on the back the plastic part is the same size as the ese shower scree and has about 9 holes in it it tapers out and is attached to the metal shower screen used for the ground coffee so the ese screen comes off as it is held with a singel philips head screw and the plastic contraption goes is so the water comes from the boiler onto the plactic back of the shower screen down the 9 holes in the back and then out of the standered size shower screen this part is 3 to 4 mm thick so I need to leave a decent gap at the top before I tamp
maybe I am not locking in the filter I wll try and turn it to 5 and see what happens

columf2008 · 02-09-2008 12:47pm

ok taught we had something there with locking the portafilter as I done this last night and got a lovley ristretto from the machine but then when I went for my shot this morning 3 times it sprayed water then I opend the grinder way up and got a horrible bitter pour in about 15 seconds for the double also it seems that when it sprays water the basket sticks to the gasket and there is also grinds in the spray its self really starting to annoy me sorry still no pics of the shower screen apperatus but thanks for all the help of those who posted

columf2008 · 03-09-2008 9:31am

took some photos of the plastic shower head assembly

The plastic part you can see the holes to let the water in

the showr screen side

columf2008 · 03-09-2008 9:42am

a side view of it

a view of the bottom where the plastic part fits in

the whole thing ready to spray water or make bad coffee

Have to say do not buy a casa bugatti Diva espresso machine it is not for the espresso lover it is for someone who wants a nice looking machine sitting on their counter

NI_Roaster · 03-09-2008 12:19pm

Still sounds to me like you need to make sure you lock the portafilter on tight. On some machines the handle will go quite a bit past 6 o'clock. Also, if you over fill the basket you also may not get a tight enough seal.

The shower screen looks a standard enough configuration,although a plastic back is not that common(normally a metal disc) - the purpose of the plastic piece with the 6 holes is to distribute the water around the shower screen.

So what you want to try is not to overfill the basket and then make sure you lock the portafilter handle on tight - hopefully everything should work fine.

columf2008 · 03-09-2008 12:25pm

I have pushed the handel over as far as it will go maybe I am filling the basket too much I will get a scales of the weekend to measure my shots I have noticed that after I take the basket off to dump the pucck that the impression of the screen is in it I dont know will have to experiment

NI_Roaster · 03-09-2008 12:49pm

Is it a single or double basket you are using? You will find the double much easier to use. Very easy to overfill a single

columf2008 · 03-09-2008 1:01pm

its the double basket but it is doubles I drink

columf2008 · 04-09-2008 10:04am

ok so I tried not filling the basket as much no joy still got the leak checked the gasket and cleaned it no joy then this morning as I went to make my coffee before work I got a lovely double ristretto the only thing I done diffrent was that I forgot to switch the machine off before I went to bed last night

Espresso Help

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