Finally converted from vibe to rotary pump.

[crphillips]

Well, i bought most of the parts to do the conversion a while back but i was having major issues getting the correct size fittings. I kept ordering what i thought would be the correct fittings and they were always wrong. Anways......eventually i got the right size fittings and the other night i went about converting my plumbed in La Pavoni PUB single group manual espresso machine.

Whilst I was at it i also de-scaled it, installed a new pressure stat, new safety valve, new group filter, spray plate, gasket.....etc.

I also used my new naked portafilter for the first time and i really like it. The basket also takes much more coffee which is great as i always had problems with shots blonding early and i could only put it down to not enough coffee.

So the conversion was a piece of cake. The pump fitted nicely inside the machine, it took about an hour to do the conversion. I used the existing wiring, no relays operating the pump. Time will tell whether this is okay but i've had it running for a while with nothing getting hot or smelling of burn't electrics! The standard wiring was pretty hefty on the machine so assume it would take the current of the new pump. Old pump was 45W and new one is around 165W.

Here are some before and after pictures and then i did some youtube videos on dialling in the grind and setting the pump pressure.

Sorry about the audio on the videos too. Had the level adjustment set on auto and it seems to have reduced the audio level when something noisy happens but then it hasn't picked the levels back up when it quietens down again.




Videos:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEf7tP8PBPw
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBX3Nx8TFxg
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFAcPeaa_Rc
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn14rETi394

[Aadje]

Looking good! Is there any taste difference?

[crphillips]

Definitely better taste than 6 months ago but not sure if it's better than when the machine was new. Looking back on it now i think my the machine wasn't working at it's best but because it had been a gradual thing i hadn't really noticed. I had thought over the past year or so that i was struggling to pull a decent shot but i thought i was imagining it or it was the coffee or something. It had had a couple of vibe pumps over the few years i've had it but i wonder if the OPV was not working correctly as i'd never checked the pressure it was putting out.

Anyway now it's all set up properly with the correct pressure the coffee tastes amazing again. Back to how it was when the machine was new if not better. I've chucked the OPV away as the rotary pumps have their own adjustment/regulator.

It was worth it for the sound though. I always hated the noise of the vibe pumps. Made a nice looking machine sound cheap and nasty.

[CakeBoy]

Glad you got it sorted, and that the coffe is back up there.

[crphillips]

I've gotta say that it make me happy every time I throw the switch now I have the rotary. Before with the vibe pump it always made me cringe. I can actually have a conversation with someone in the kitchen whilst pulling a shot without having to shout at them!