Hottop premature ejaculation then a blockage.

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Hottop premature ejaculation then a blockage.

Postby AlanP » Fri Apr 30, 2010 4:46 pm

This would happen periodically,beans would dribble out as the roasting began.
My usual remedy was to give it a good slap or tilt the machine slightly,not recommended but sometimes effective.
Then the opposite happened,the roast finished and the ejection door refused to open.
Panic stations,drum still turning,beans still roasting,smoke to rival an Icelandic volcano.
Frantically I unplug the machine,remove front cover and spill the beans.
Ouch,hot hot hot!
Hmmm…. nice looking roast. :)

Anyway,this episode convinced me that the eject mechanism needed some attention.
I catch on quick,eventually. :?
I stripped down the back of the Hottop and found that the door spring was very slack allowing beans to escape,so I tensioned it slightly.
I still have no idea why it had refused to open as the solenoid was working fine.
I put it all back together and as a fail-safe device I attached a piece of cord to the solenoid piston and fed it through the back plate so now I have a manual means of opening the door should it stick again.

And we all lived happily ever after.
I hope.
Alan
Zaffiro (sold) - Cona - AeroPress
Rocky - IRoast (I ruined it) - Hottop
Now mainly use French Press
.............................................
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RE: Hottop premature ejaculation then a blockage.

Postby bruceb » Fri Apr 30, 2010 5:15 pm

The door may have gotten jammed shut by a bean or have been simply dirty. Mine stuck open one time because a bean got caught in it and then again caught open because it was so covered with coffee oils and chaff. I think you're ok.
Three Francesconi (CMA) espresso machines - Rossi, San Marco, LaCimbali, Faema and 2 Mazzer Major grinders- CoffeeTech Maggionlino, Hottop, Alpenröst and HW Precision roasters.
I decided I needed a bit of a change so I roasted some Monsooned Malabar. That was a change!
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Postby GreenBean » Sat May 01, 2010 9:40 am

I have had exactly the same thing happen to me and, as Bruce says, it was caused by a piece of a broken bean jamming in the door. After each roast I remove the end cover to clean out the roaster. Whilst it is open I use a barbecue fork to remove any beans stuck in the drum vanes and then manually press on the chute door to ensure it is not jammed. I have had no further problems since doing this.
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Izzo Alex Duetto | Gaggia XD 2 Group | Mazzer Super Jolly | La Cimbali Max | Solis 166 | Dalian 1 kg roaster | Hottop P | Hottop B | French Press (several) | Kettle modded, no really, added digital thermometer |
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