DavecUK LMSC I intend to…it’s possible there will not be space to retro fit the component…until they try to fit it into the standard machine, I won’t know. It’s possible that particular pump won’t work, because they are always used with positive pressure…but again I have used them and I still believe it will work. If it does, it should be near silent, without increasing the cost of the machine. The mains fill stuff would require significant work, but if the pump is near silent…then it will be unnecessary. So the pump should be tried first….keeping things simple inside.
DavecUK Some more news @Eiffel and all. The B parameter is not in decimal 10 as Gicar told ACS…I was suspicious of that value…because of previous Gicar dealings with various machines and manufacturers. Unbelievably, testing shows it as actually being decimal 10/2 So a value of 1 for that parameter is a ridiculous 0.05C. How some twonk in Gicar thought that made any sense is beyond me. If you are using 50 = 2.5C This is not really enough, if it only starts acting as a PID 2.5C before the set point you are still likely to get disturbances. I usually go for 7 or 8 C to act as a PID so start with values of 140 to 160 for the brew boiler. For the group, as it heats much slower…a value of 40 should be fine.
LMSC DavecUK Interesting you post this today. I was at 90 earlier. At this B value: Until 98C on the brew, it is stable at 0.5C either way. Between 98 and 100, it goes to 1.0-1.5C overshoot 102C, the overshoot is still 2C. I changed the B to 150 this morning. But, haven’t had a chance to observe at higher brew boiler temp. Will watch and post. Thx Dave
silentsim DavecUK my “B” for coffee boiler caps out at 99. Is there a chance this is updated now? If so, does that mean 50 is correct?and what about the 40 for Group then?
Amberale Dear DaveC, may I suggest, in the nicest possible way, that you go and do nasty things with yourself? With or without the assistance of various accessories normally only seen on the Reeperbahn in the eighties. I have thus far managed to not order one of these wicked levers by convincing myself that I would crack the shtis over the pump noise. Now you tell me it may be eliminated!!!!! FFS 😱
Eiffel Thanks @DavecUK, I’ve updated the FAQ with this new discovery. I’m starting to think that Gicar owes us an improved firmware which would enable additional possibilities and fix the bugs… but this may be wishful thinking 🤤
DavecUK Eiffel I’m starting to think that Gicar owes us an improved firmware which would enable additional possibilities and fix the bugs… but this may be wishful thinking 🤤 Sadly ACS is not the only company to have problems with Gicar and some values/calculations! I am talking to other companies as well who have had a small shock about certain values.
Eiffel A bit off topic, but I’m surprised by the near monopoly Gicar has on some segments the Coffee world, including prosumer espresso machines and coffee grinders, the latter being relatively simple devices
LMSC For the group, B valve of 40 makes it sluggish. It wasn’t going to the 92 set point even after > 20 mins. It did when I halved it. A couple of more observations With B=20, and others at default, for the first time, the group went down -1C from the set point. For the Brew (P=0.7, I=0, D=20 (reduced from 25), B = 160), the down swing is -1C from set point. If >100, it goes up to 1.5C overshoot. The initial 30 mins is excluded. Need more time on the machine to observe the consistency.
DavecUK LMSC I’ve no idea, a large value simply means a larger range of temperatures where it acts like a PID and not an on off controller.
gus6464 So just to recap, are these the recommended boiler settings now? Brew - Kp 1.0, Ki 0.00, Kd 5.0, B 140-160 Group - Kp 2.0, Ki 0.04, Kd 5.0, B 40 Steam - Kp 10.0, Ki 0.00, Kd 5.0, B 1
adamk DenisS I do not think it’s an issue, I just think he did not read the forum/manual before buying and now he found out the machine can’t be plumbed in w/o the pump engaging, so he wants a silent machine. That is another machine. https://www.kaffee-netz.de/threads/acs-vesuvius-evo-leva.144320/ LMSC That’s different - adam. Yes indeed we are not the same! To be honest I am not too bothered with the pump itself… although I do love the silence of the extraction so much I would definitely agree that a new nearly silent pump would be a brilliant solution in the future. For me the main reason for selling is changing houses and problems with space. It is still the best machine I have ever used and I will keep using it daily until moving day or until somebody takes it from me 😁
SebH I have been using the Leva for about 3 months now and I am getting on better and better with it. The MC4 and the Leva harmonise very well with each other and produce creamy and, above all, full-bodied results on a consistent level in the cup. Even with light espresso, e.g., from this morning => 17/40 in 24s: I still face tiny channeling from time to time (I think due to the 10bar initial pressure) although using IMS baskets, WDT and a 55mm bplus… so if anyone has advice how to solve this, please get in touch ;)
DavecUK SebH I think it takes 2 or 3 months to become really comfortable with a machine….even after 4 weeks I’m still getting used to a new machine…hence why I wait at least 2 weeks before even thinking about reviewing for engineering or public consumption.
hysaf I’m in Naples now and have been invited to go to ACS for a tour of the place! How cool is this?! Will be taking my other half with me so loads of pictures will be taken!!
DavecUK Paolo5 YOU LUCKY *******!!!!!!! When I finally go over there, they will just try and put me to work..
DavecUK hysaf Paolo will have to put me up at his place….then I have to go to work with him every day….