So there's a lot of people buying Minimas on here at the moment and a few experienced users so I thought a thread dedicated to the Minima with questions / information on the machine would be useful to myself and the others who have recently purchased and are about to take the plunge (and to prevent myself from hijacking other people's threads). One question I have to kick us off is about the brew boiler and PID. For some reason my Minima does not seem to like bring set at 93 degrees. Despite me having it set at 93, the display shows it settling at 94. I'm not sure if this is indicative of an issue or standard behaviour. It occasionally will drop to 93 but then goes up to 94 again

Edit…I've just found the PID Values Explained section at the back of the manual where it explains this is normal.

Mine does the same and I confirmed with other Minima users when I bought the machine.

> @"dutchy101"#p6482 Edit…I’ve just found the PID Values Explained section atvthe back of the manual where it explains this is normal. Very good manual that one…, online version available as well. https://sway.office.com/xofz72xFBgYyiWqi?ref=Link

@"dutchy101"#56 @"HVL87"#57 How have you found the stock filter baskets? I'm already thinking of upgrading, but won't do unecessarily quickly - although that is also partly tamper dependent.

@"PortafilterProcrastinator"#p6679 they are fine. Easier to pull a nice looking bottomless shot - in my opinion that doesn’t mean much. I moved on to a 18g VST to optimise my shots as much as possible.

It's been a bit of a transition for me this week as I've changed from Sage 54mm baskets and didn't have a 58mm tamper until a few days after the machine arrived. I got a new distributor yesterday which has also helped so still finding my feet a bit with the stock baskets, but pretty happy with them so far

Thanks both, if they're a similar ID then I can get a tamper (thinking bravo ATM) first and upgrade the basket later when looking for refinement, rather than just trying to make something palatable!

Yeah - I've got a Nomcore 58.5mm tamper on order and coming this week so will get a better handle on things once that has arrived

@"dutchy101"#p6686 I'd be really interested and grateful to hear how you get on. How are you finding the Minima overall?

Absolutely loving it - so glad I went with it I'm really enjoying using it. How about you? Made my wife a tea using water from the service boiler to drain some water this morning and she commented how much better it looked and tasted (using the zero and remineralised water I've been making up).

The General ACS Minima Thread

simonc

Cheers. Sadly doesn’t work though to tell me how much water is in there. I guess I could adjust to have it trigger at say half or ⅔ open for an early warning attached to an arduino or similar but I like the clever (over engineered?) solution @PartySausage witha lid mounted sensor.

DavecUK

simonc Of course with last shot protection is doesn’t matter, it will always complete the last shot….and then tell you it needs filling.

simonc

DavecUK except, I make a shot the afternoon, and all good. Turn the machine off for the day.
Smart plug turns machine on at 6:30 am. I stumble downstairs in need of caffeine at 7 (doing some later mornings at the moment) to be greeted by H2O warning as the machine filled the steam boiler and now I have to top up with water when uncaffeinated.
That doesn’t make for a good morning for anyone near me.

DavecUK

simonc except, I make a shot the afternoon, and all good. Turn the machine off for the day.
Smart plug turns machine on at 6:30 am. I stumble downstairs in need of caffeine at 7 (doing some later mornings at the moment) to be greeted by H2O warning as the machine filled the steam boiler and now I have to top up with water when uncaffeinated.

My only solution to that problem would be, top it up after you switch it off for the day…

Amberale My mind is blown, I have never thought of this but it makes sense.
Just on the outside or on one side of the tape before wrapping?

Just on the outside of the tape.

Amberale

DavecUK

*** ?
My mind is blown, I have never thought of this but it makes sense.
Just on the outside or on one side of the tape before wrapping?

Amberale

WhaThF

PortafilterProcrastinator

Does anyone have the Cafelat group gasket?

Mine arrived today - after measuring the one provided with the machine (with calipers) I decided on the blue (8.5mm).

A couple of observations:

It is ever so slightly wider that the one provided, so it is a very tight fit into the group
I think it is likely you only need the 8mm version. I will see how this beds in.

Also, the cafelat ‘corner’ tamping mat fits perfectly between the Minima’s feet, which is nice.

DavecUK

PortafilterProcrastinator Photos, or it didn’t happen!

PortafilterProcrastinator

I’m no photographer…

Group gaskets aren’t very interesting!

The portafilter doesn’t lock in at 6 O’Clock, more like 7 - but I’m not bothered. It is ‘smoother’ than the original, but we will see. I tend to drop the screen every couple of days for a rinse as it is so easy, but given how tight it is that might get annoying.

HVL87

PortafilterProcrastinator red 8mm cafelat gasket fits perfectly.

Verion

Does anyone know what size the casing screws are?

The hex parts look a little soft and will probably round so some stainless steel a2 or a4 bolts might be a better option from Accu or similar.

DavecUK

Verion The hex parts look a little soft and will probably round so some stainless steel a2 or a4 bolts might be a better option from Accu or similar.

The casing screws are stainless??

Verion

DavecUK I don’t think so. It looks like a soft metal for sure.

But I’m at a point when I take the top part of casing apart for a decent clean on both sides that the bolts look like they’ll round more every time I screw them back in.

I might contact ACS.

DavecUK

Verion I don’t think so. It looks like a soft metal for sure.

Is it a very early one? try picking them up with a magnet?

Verion

DavecUK It’s from October/November 2022. I’ll need to have a hunt around for a magnet and test it out.

DavecUK

Verion DavecUK It’s from October/November 2022. I’ll need to have a hunt around for a magnet and test it out.

I am pretty sure they have always been stainless…so Nov 2022, yeah definitely will be stainless. in fact there would be absolutely no incentive to not use stainless screws, more problems and minimal cost saving?

Verion

DavecUK I can’t find a magnet atm but I’d have assumed stainless steel.

I’m trying to move to a different head fitting because I’m terrified of rounding the hex head fitting. I’ve had bad experiences on my bikes with hex head bolts and found torx fittings more preferable.

Admittedly, this is an unusual upgrade. 😃

simonc

Verion the hex heads in mine are definitely rounding, although mine is an early model. If you Find good replacement, esp torx then I’d be interested to know where you get them from.

Verion

simonc So I measured with a digital calliper one of the bolts and it’s 11.92mm end to end. The thread to thread is about 3.69mm.

It’s a strange size for sure being between an M3 or M4 bolt.

Definitely going to find out from ACS and report back. Fingers crossed it isn’t a custom sized bolt.

DavecUK

Verion Definitely going to find out from ACS and report back. Fingers crossed it isn’t a custom sized bolt.

It can’t be, it’s probably an M3.5 or m4

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