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

DavecUK now that is interesting.

I looked at you internal photos and was confused about the rear socket. Do the internal wires connect to the socket on the panel with connectors? I then there was a white one I saw?

Yes happy to do wiring and cutting metal, either dremmel with discs or drill. It’s going to be 2nd hand to can’t get the factory to mod. Another option would be to do socket on the left side? Does the socket come off or I guess I could buy another?

Otherwise yes hole in bottom and just connect bare wires of the plug and flex to that. Maybe existing connectors or wago or similar.

DavecUK

simonc I would go in Via the bottom…but not like Eggsy in Kingsman.

simonc

Hi Dave, thanks. Have been watching your video of the inside, and are you suggesting I connect new power / connector to the separate spade connectors here ringed in blue?

or at this point in red?

And as you showed you had cut a cutout of the case already to adjust the water hoses, what did you use for that? I think I am happy to go ahead on this basis

DavecUK

simonc Yes, just remember drilling stainless is a bugger, but you are doing it from the bottom…use a very good bit…..and a bit of lube. Just make sure what you connect is earthed and can’t be pulled out!…grommet and a grip clip of some sort. Always make sure the earth is the last connector to come undone if it pulls out.

All mods at your own risk of course!

simonc

DavecUK ha I didn’t know that about drilling stainless but I’ve been reading up. Going to get it and consider a few options. Even tempted to try making hole with a dremmel tip grinding stone for more control.

Thanks for the help.

simonc

DavecUK I spoke to ACS yesterday and whilst they couldn’t mod the machine to move the socket they said that due to the middle foot (which I didn’t know there was) the machine would be secure on a 44cm deep worksurface even with a 3cm plug on the back which sounds perfect. I might still look to move the socket at some point to make it neater, but nice there is no rush.

hornbyben

The easiest way to cut stainless is with a q-max cutter (e.g. https://www.brewbuilder.co.uk/tools.html). Use a dremel with a cutting disc to cut a square hole to get the bolt through and then a q max to punch out a perfect circle. They’re not as cheap as a drill bit, but after trying to drill stainless it’ll feel like money well spent. I used them to build a home brewing setup.

simonc

hornbyben thank you. Sounds perfect. What’s £8 compared to the cost of all our coffee toys. Important to do it right.

This forum is great!

Dan070857

Finally pulled the trigger on a black minima! The impatient waiting begins now! I also picked up a solo df64 grinder to see what the difference between flat burr and conical is all about.

DavecUK

Dan070857 Cant wait to see it…when is it due?

dutchy101

Dan070857

I’ve got the Solo and Minima in black - great minds.

Very interested to hear your thoughts on how the Solo performs against the Niche on the Minima

Dan070857

DavecUK couple of weeks they said, gives me enough time to get some 58mm accessories!

Waitforme

Nice 👍

I’ll be interested to hear what you think about the difference in the grinders.

Snooze

Question about Minima long term maintenance: what would be the parts to replace on a semi-regular basis over the next day, 10-15 years? I can imagine, but without proper experience into this, the following could need replacement :

Group gasket (every 3-6 months usage depending?)
Steam and hot water valves or just their gaskets? Yes, no? If yea m, then when?
Some Solenoid valve? (if so, which one)? When?
OPV?
Anything else?

I often heard that dual boiler have more parts to fail so it makes maintenance a bit involving. If I purchase the Minima, I may ask them to through a bunch of these parts in since I’ll have to do the maintenance myself. Is it worth it or I could buy these locally?

Alexvs

Snooze If it helps I bought a 2 year old Minima and all those parts are still original. I still have the spare group head gasket that comes in the box. It apparently did have both boilers replaced a year ago for a fault and was tripping the electrics but that’s more one of those things that probably aren’t very common. I don’t think it requires much maintenance if looked after.

MediumRoastSteam

Snooze

The group gasket is the only thing really which will perish and will require replacement every year or so - if you buy rubber ones. Personally, consider investing on a silicone one. U like rubber, it won’t harden with heat, or deteriorate. it will last years.

anything else, replace when they are broken. It will be years, if not a decade, before they fail.

Eyedee

If you can manage NOT to act like Eddie Hall ( worlds strongest man) your steam and hot water valves should last for years, Group gaskets also have quite a long life if treated nicely.

Ian

Alexvs

Hi all, I’m looking at replacing my standard double basket as want a straight sided, ridgeless version to help with consistency of shots, not to mention the uniformity of holes etc. @dutchy101 I think you bought both the IMS and VST, have you got a preference to either yet?

I’m leaning towards the IMS for slightly better value and not sure I’ll tell the difference between the 2 for the additional outlay. What basket is correct for fitting in the standard double PF and are the sizes the min/max as there’s quite a few to choose from and if they’re the dose sizes then 12/18 seems like quite a range. I’m thinking I want an 18g basket at least as the wife and I split at least one double a day.

Thanks all.

dutchy101

That’s right @Alexvs, I got an 18g VST and 18-22g IMS basket. The IMS is pretty big and I only used it once or twice. I’d read that IMS baskets are a little more forgiving, but decided to just crack on with the VST which is specifically designed for the 18g dose rather than have 2 new baskets on the go at the same time. I seem to have got to grips with the VST nicely so sticking with it.

The IMS seemed absolutely fine when I used it but there was a lot of headspace with an 18g dose so it’s gone up to the loft for a time when I might need a bigger basket.

The IMS fits better into the group than the VST, which is a little on the tight side. That’s with the bottomless - the other portafilters are in the box in the loft

Alexvs

dutchy101 Thanks for the reply 👍🏼. Yeah I read that the IMS can also give a more sweet taste to an espresso but not sure I’d tell the difference. I’ve got a 21g basket that came with the Rocket naked PF that the previous owner bought but haven’t used it as don’t want a bigger dose, plus it doesn’t fit the double PF as too deep. I might look at the 16/20 IMS to see if that’ll fit unless I can find a deeper double PF then will just use the rocket basket.

Java_avaJ As per above, I have a Rocket naked PF and it’s pretty deep and fits the 21g basket it came with but doubt it’ll go any bigger as does curve round slightly at the bottom.

Will take a look at the 18g VST Vs the 16/20 IMS. Think 25mm and shallower will fit the standard double PF.

Java_avaJ

I chose a naked portafilter from ACS with my minima and I bought a 20g VST basket for it which didn’t fit. It was OK in its diameter but the ACS E-61 portafilter had a curved end at the bottom of it and this meant he VST basket was proud of the top of the PF by 2mm and so the PF wouldn’t lock in the group head. I swapped the basket (wonderful service from Bella Barista) for an 18g VST one which works fine because it’s 2mm shorter. In case that helps you @Alexvs

By the way are all E-61 portafilters designed like mine, with a slight cup at the bottom which prevents taller baskets sitting properly?

DavecUK

Java_avaJ By the way are all E-61 portafilters designed like mine, with a slight cup at the bottom which prevents taller baskets sitting properly?

A lot are yes….

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