Author Topic: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.  (Read 12706 times)

Offline Joe

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #15 on: September 28, 2016, 11:53:27 AM »
A quick glimpse into my life. As i am getting the parts and oil together and just as i drill the pilot hole, my Wife full of wisdom asks: "so do you have a spare portafilter in case you ruin this one?"


Ahh ye of little faith.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2016, 11:56:52 AM by Joe »
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Offline Joe

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #16 on: September 28, 2016, 03:52:24 PM »
So I am thinking my p-stat is set too high. and I noticed there are some cool colored PVL's from Europe that has me thinking a paint job is in order. I might go Fire Engine Ferrari Red or Royal Blue. Has anyone taken theirs apart?
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Offline simmich

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #17 on: September 28, 2016, 05:29:29 PM »
Not taken a PVL apart but some years ago I readjusted the thermostat
on my Cremina...after lots of tweaking, I believe the factory set presets just
needed getting use to.

Ps: the Ayehu makes a killer shot, thanks for the distro ;)

Offline Joe

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #18 on: September 28, 2016, 06:25:14 PM »
I adjusted it to about 1.2bar which is where i like the temp. I have some photos of the operation. Fyi there are valves and two bolts underneath, for those looking to do the adjustment.
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Offline Joe

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #19 on: September 28, 2016, 06:26:45 PM »


Ps: the Ayehu makes a killer shot, thanks for the distro ;)

Agree. No problem, my pleasure. I dont know if you got any of the natural Costa rica but its currently my favorite SO espresso.
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Offline simmich

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #20 on: September 28, 2016, 07:17:33 PM »


Ps: the Ayehu makes a killer shot, thanks for the distro ;)

Agree. No problem, my pleasure. I dont know if you got any of the natural Costa rica but its currently my favorite SO espresso.

Yep...that Costa Rican is one heck of a great central.

Offline Gene

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #21 on: October 03, 2016, 10:10:36 AM »
Joe,
That Ponte Vecchio Lusso looks really nice. I'm glad you found a lever to play with. I do get great results with my Pavani using the Fallini method. I noticed in your slow motion pull that the stream tends to go to one side off center. I'm experiencing that same thing on the Astra Mega C that I recently rebuilt. It's a pumper but my shots look just like yours in the video. I'm able to in effect create a preinfusion by activating the pump for a few seconds and let it set for a few seconds then pull the shot. (I'm hitting the on/off button, its a volummatic). This way my stream stays in the center and my shots taste better. What are your thoughts on this off center stream? Is it important in a lever? Just wondering. I know it is whats in the cup that matters in the final analyses. My streams are always in the center with the Pavani Euro.
Gene
pour over on cloudy days, espresso on sunny days, off the gr

Offline Joe

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #22 on: October 03, 2016, 10:43:32 AM »
Thanks Gene,

yeah it's probably not on a completely level surface as it's on a rolling buffet table. But I do notice even on a empty flush pull the water heads to the front a little.  I don't get overly concerned with my tamp level as well which could also come into play. Maybe someday I'll pull everything apart and see if it is a design flaw or if it is related to anything not supposed to happen. I do preinfuse so it definitely isn't related to that, that would be 4-5 quick pumps to push out any air gap and wet the puck. If I do a double felini pull I am guaranteed to get channeling or a cracked puck so I have been learning to live with smaller shots
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Offline Joe

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #23 on: October 03, 2016, 02:39:33 PM »
I paid attention to making sure the tamp was completely even this mornings shot and it was a perfectly centered shot this time peeling from the outside in.. Looks like I need to worry about some details...
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Offline Joe

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #24 on: October 03, 2016, 02:40:56 PM »


Ps: the Ayehu makes a killer shot, thanks for the distro ;)

Agree. No problem, my pleasure. I dont know if you got any of the natural Costa rica but its currently my favorite SO espresso.

Yep...that Costa Rican is one heck of a great central.

Word. Having some of the Ayehu this am makes me glad I got some ;D
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Offline simmich

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #25 on: October 03, 2016, 04:53:43 PM »
I paid attention to making sure the tamp was completely even this mornings shot and it was a perfectly centered shot this time peeling from the outside in.. Looks like I need to worry about some details...

Leveling with a bottomless critical for a great shot. My son gifted me one that changed everything!

Offline Joe

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #26 on: November 02, 2016, 02:39:25 PM »
Friendly service announcement:

I can't stress enough not to run the boiler too low on these machines or any machine that you manually fill. I had a heating element burn out on my Elektra once because the water pump didn't fill the boiler fast enough. I have seen recent reports that the PVL has frequent heating element problems due to a few factors such as P-stat issues and running the boiler low. Always descale every other month and make sure to fill up that boiler before it gets past half way low or you are going to have a project on your hands.
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Offline rgrosz78

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #27 on: November 30, 2016, 07:11:33 PM »
My PVL has been out of service since 09/25/16, and I am suffering from severe espresso withdrawal!!

My temperature and pressure got quite flaky, so I replaced the pressurestat. But that did not solve the problem. Next "best guess" was that the heating elements might be damaged. But that was not the case.

Next try is to replace the "brain unit". But this piece of hardware has been out of stock for the last month.
Life is too short to drink bad wine (or bad coffee!)

Offline Joe

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #28 on: November 30, 2016, 11:07:22 PM »
Man that must suck. Ill drink a latte for your loss. Seriously you should always have a cheap gaggia for if the unthinkable happens.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2016, 11:11:50 PM by Joe »
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Offline mp

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Re: PVL Ponte Vecchio Lusso - Joe's thread.
« Reply #29 on: November 30, 2016, 11:12:18 PM »
Oh sure Joe, present him with eye candy for what he so dearly misses.

 ;D
1-Cnter, 2-Bean, 3-Skin, 4-Parchmnt, 5-Pect, 6-Pu
lp, 7-Ski