Hot Top question

[tisri]

Here's a quick question for experienced Hot Top users.

Last time I did a roast the machine duly beeped at the end of its cycle and I hit the Plus button to keep the beans in. At the end of that cycle it beeped once and dumped the beans without giving me chance to hit Plus again.

Does this just mean I need to replace the filter - it's very brown in places but also very pale in other places? The next couple of roasts I want to do are going to be well into second crack and I don't want it dumping them before I'm finished nuking them

Thanks for any thoughts

John

[phil]

If it just beeps and dumps then that's the over-heating protection kicking in. Definitely. That's almost always a blocked filter.

I would say you absolutely do need to do something with the filter. Replace it is the easiest option. However, as I told Pault the other day, washing the black foam part (by taking the filter framework apart and removing the filter elements) is possible as long as you're careful. I have heard that washing and reusing the white microfibre part is not possible, but I haven't tried that myself to know for sure.

[tisri]

Thanks Phil - I'll stick the spare filter in and see what I can do with the spent one. I'm ordering some more greens in the next day or two so I'll ask "the supplier" to chuck in a filter or two while he's got the envelope open.

[phil]

Another thing - I don't know if "the supplier" has any in stock, but Hottop used to do the replacement filters both as replacement assemblies and as filter element packs (just the black and the white filter elements). That's a much cheaper option, although you have to be careful as sometimes the filter frame seems to warp and then the filter material can catch and tear on the machine frame when you re-insert the filter.

Any more questions, just ask.

<Barrow-boy voice>Hottop questions! Get your luvverly Hottop questions answered here!</Barrow-boy voice>

[tisri]

Thanks again Phil - I'll ask when I place my order (probably tomorrow)

I replaced the filter with an entirely new one and it's fixed the problem. I just roasted some Monsoon Malabar for just shy of 22 minutes with second crack going absolutely crazy and it was just fine. While the roast was underway I took the old one apart and cleaned it up - the amount of gunk that came out of the black filter element was incredible. Now it's put back together for final drying out and I'll see if it still works next time I'm roasting.

[Steve]

I'm not supprised with your roasting you need a new filter, just think what that black soot is doing to your insides Ok its not THAT dark but your going to use filters quicker than most.

And yes the filters are in stock

[tisri]

Looks like it lasted 15 roasts before getting bunged up. From what I recall it's supposed to last 20-25 roasts, but as you say I do like my dark roasts

[phil]

It's supposed to last 30 roasts, but that's for normal people!

[pault]

I feel a bit nervous questioning the wisdom of the Hottopmeister but ...

must admit - I only take my roasts 20 seconds into 2nd - max - and I've found the filter tends to get clogged around the 20 roast mark - which is when the manual suggests you change it ...

[phil]

Used to say 30. Fersure. I take mine to 30. Only ever once had a problem, and that was at the 29th roast.

Come the morning I'll check my original manual (Feb 2003) against a brand new one I just happen to have lying around.

Phil

[pault]

now I'm really nervous I've mis-remembered what I thought I read when I first got the HT ...