So I have been doing some experiementing and I still can’t work out what might be going on, but it has led to another question/ thought.

I have started leaving both the brew and service boiler switched on, so they both come on with the timer plug.

Brew and Service boiler come on

I have noticed the service boiler does overshoot a little when first heating up. I need to ask ASC if this is intended.

After approx. 20mins I vent the steam wand for a few seconds

Service boiler temp drops more than normal - down to maybe 122 degrees (according to the display, acknolweding the actual temp might not be the same)

Machine normally then gets left for another 25mins or so before I make the drinks

On the face of it, everything looks to be opperating normally - but, the milk just isn’t steaming the same way.

I have previously always struggled not to over steam milk with the 2-hole steam tip.

At the moment, I am struggling to get much more than hot milk - no thickening/ aeration seems to take place and I don’t get the same volume increase that I used to. I get to/ past the LH MJ test in a similar time, so the heat seems to be there.

I did swap to the three hole steam tip that I have got and it pretty much blew the milk out the pitcher (190ml milk in a 350ml pitcher) - very frothy milk (massive bubbles), but doesn’t tell me much about what might be going on.

I switched back to the two hole and the story was the same - hot but thin milk.

I am going to take the case off and have a look inside.

Should I take the steam want off and check for blockages? Could a blockage cause this?

Cheers

    PortafilterProcrastinator Should I take the steam want off and check for blockages? Could a blockage cause this?

    A blockage in the tip definitely could, especially if it’s inside behind the holes! If you have an outie tip and not an innie, it can make it impossible to see any crap caught behind the holes and difficult to clean.

    When steaming, it’s very very important to always have the tip slightly angry and hissing before it enters the milk and as soon as it enters, you should be opening the valve. When finishing steaming, always blast steam out of the valve, close gently, submerge in the milk jug full of cold water, wait for the suck and then expel the water sucked up with more steam.

    Even more important with the kind of valve used on the minima…close it super gently, with a jug under it. it will drip after minute or so and you will think you didn’t close it…but you did. As it cools after a minute or so…the metal contracts and the seat lifts off allowing steam through, just close it again super gently until it goes quiet. It won’t drip again (we still steam the old way). If you do this, these older valves have an almost infinite life.

    Most people just close them really hard so they won’t drip and need to replace the stem with teflon pad in it after 3-5 years.

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        DavecUK Thanks Dave,

        I’ll soak the steam tip - any advice before I try to take the steam arm off?

        I will pay more attention to my technique as well

        Also - noted on the knobs. I try to be as gentle as possible and back off after close to try and find the sweet spot.

            PortafilterProcrastinator Before you start dismantling the arm, I’d give a good soak to the tip… the fact that you are getting “explosive power” with a 3-hole tip (that presumably you aren’t using much), but a weak, watery steam with a frequently used 2-hole makes a blockage in the steam arm and boiler sound unlikely.

              PortafilterProcrastinator pretty much blew the milk out the pitcher (190ml milk in a 350ml pitcher) - very frothy milk (massive bubbles), but doesn’t tell me much about what might be going on.

              This is an issue with technique. I use the 3 hole with less milk in the same size jug no problem. The milk is pretty much perfect with little to no effort in about 15 seconds.

                  Thank you for everyone’s input here.

                  I soaked the steam tip in pulycaf but the result was the same today.

                  I am going to descale the service boiler just in case (I use lockhills and flush regularly, not descaled yet and had machine since March).

                  Then I will try again.

                  I will try to do some videos too, but trying to get even 10mins peace and quiet is hard at the moment!

                    PortafilterProcrastinator I soaked the steam tip in pulycaf but the result was the same today.

                    That often won’t shift the crap, do you have a photo of the tip type it is…I don’t mean a photo of it on the wand, but off the wand.

                    It’s possible the tip is still blocked.

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                        DavecUK Right, tricky!

                        I’ll soak it in soda crystals and citric acid too.

                        Do you know if there other types of steam tip that will fit this wand?

                          probably, but I would be able to definitely recommend as sometimes there are small differences in threads….but one that the teflon tube fits in, instead of fits in the teflon tube is easier to clean.

                          I would soak it in something called Puly Milk, other things don’t shift it and you can’t mechanically remove it

                          Casein glue is effectively made from milk, heat and acidity…sound familiar. I used to own a 11 share (because I helped them restore it) an Olympia 2B a glider from 1938, built for gliding events in the Olympics that never happened because of WW2. It used Casein Glue in it’s construction and was still good back in around 1988. After it was restored, I actually took it for its first flight in decades…..glide angle of a house brick (well I exaggerate it was in reality around 15 -1), which was even worse than a K8 glider which was around 18 -1. Don;y believe Wikipedia for a second about the specs for these gliders…anyway I digress.

                          my point being use the right product to dissolve milk deposits…..

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                            DavecUK Thank you - invaluable. Agreed on using the right tool for the job.

                            I’ve not been in a glider for 18 years. I did an ‘experience day’ and then spent a summer as a cadet working to pay for time in the air. Was incredible. Even got to go up in an acrobatic glider - loop the loops and barrel rolls - exhilarating.

                            I will do a full clean of all parts.

                            Out of interest, when descaling the steam boiler, is it good or bad to vent some through the steam wand?

                            @prezes thanks, this is a good idea. I use the silicone ones unfortunately, but I’ll pick up a pack of brushes too.

                                PortafilterProcrastinator Was incredible. Even got to go up in an acrobatic glider - loop the loops and barrel rolls - exhilarating.

                                I used to have an Aerobatic rating when I was flying…Often went up in an ASK21

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                                  PortafilterProcrastinator Out of interest, when descaling the steam boiler, is it good or bad to vent some through the steam wand?

                                  It’s OK, unless you got milk in the tip, because then your making Casein Glue

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                                    I use Puly milk to keep my steam wand clean. Give it a go once a monrh when I do the Puly backflush clean.

                                    Out of interst - do you guys just twist the tip off with your fingers? Think I’d need something a little more industrial than my fingers

                                      dutchy101 Out of interst - do you guys just twist the tip off with your fingers? Think I’d need something a little more industrial than my fingers

                                      I always put tips on with my fingers…so I can take em off with my fingers! Never had one fall off into my milk yet!

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                                        Yeah that’s what I did previously with my Bambino, but had to use grips to get it off in the first place - the Bambino comes with a plastic tool to remove the tip but it broke when trying to get it off and I scratched the tip with the grips when taking it off - they broke through a cloth I had around them.

                                        Really don’t want to do that with the Minima, so might invest in some plastic jawed grips for when I need to get the tip off