Water

RickO88

This may have discussed before. I have very hard water but using a Robot there is no scaling issue. My water is softened using an ion exchange softener so I have been using 75% soft water and 25% filtered hard water. No complaints about the espresso. Would this same water mixture work in a Strietman?

Thanks

dfk41

RickO88 The reason that you do not currently suffer from scaling is because you do not have a boiler sitting at around boiling point for several hours at a time. When this happens the minerals found in the water concentrate causing scale to cling onto the element and insides. I think the Strietman is also a machine that you put water into in order to make the shot, so you ought to be safe. Your water composition is more for taste than performance!

Platypus

RickO88

I would personally want to make sure the water is suitable due to the stainless steel liner of the Strietman and potential for pitting . I’m no water expert so not sure how your water would hold up .

The Strietman holds about 300-350 mls and many people keep the water topped up rather than emptying and discarding it every day and it must concentrate over time .There is quite a bit of evaporation going on as the top of the Strietman is quite wide . It’s surprising really, especially if it’s left on for a period of time.

I’ve found using Lockhills I did have signs of scale when I removed the piston. I just rubbed it off with a soft cloth. Now I completely empty the boiler chamber of water more frequently to avoid the water becoming concentrated and so far so good 🤞

MWJB

dfk41 The reason @RickO88 doesn’t currently suffer with scale is because his softener reduces the components in the water that result in scaling, calcium & magnesium.

With enough use you will still see scale if the water is hard, as you do with kettles, shower heads etc.

Ion exchange replaces the calcium & magnesium with a proportion of sodium, I’d imagine this may have an effect on taste, but I’d also be aware that there are limits on the sodium limits in drinking water (less of a concern for a few espresso shots).

dfk41

MWJB I agree and disagree Mark…..the Robot you pour in hot water and as far as I can remember, the machine does not heat it up further. You therefore have a very small amount of non boiling hot water in the machine where it remains just for a short time…..compare this to an electric coffee machine. I do not doubt that his Robot would scale up eventually, but I think it would take a long time

MWJB

dfk41 Scale builds up from water of all temperatures, stalactites & stalagmites are a good example. I never shower in boiling water, I still need to descale my shower head. Sure, a Robot/ROK/moka pot/similar will take a long time to scale up with hard water (which @RickO88 does not have) at a couple of cups per day, but it will.

MediumRoastSteam

I suppose with the Robot one can scrub/wipe the brew chamber and its components frequently, thus preventing limescale build up.

RickO88

Thanks for all the replies. I’m not worried about scale in a Robot as it is not possible to have scale in the basket/brew chamber. I was asking if softened/hard water was a good combination for espresso.

MediumRoastSteam

RickO88 - If it tastes good - then all is good.

dfk41

RickO88 I am with MRS. If your current water tastes good, then don’t worry. I am sure there are some on here who do fiddle with water for taste reasons. Easiest solution for consistency is to find a bottled water that ticks all of your boxes

RickO88

Received this today from Strietman.

Thank you for reaching out and for raising this question.

For the CT2 we advise against using water from an ion-exchange softener, even when blended. The added sodium or potassium is not suitable for the machine over time, and the mix makes mineral balance unpredictable.

To prevent scale and internal wear, and to keep performance consistent, we recommend either reverse osmosis or distilled water with a coffee-specific remineralization, or a naturally soft bottled water such as Volvic. Using controlled water helps avoid issues that otherwise require service.

For context: the piston, made from food-grade brass, is the main component in contact with water during brewing. The brew group and funnel are both lined with stainless steel 316.