Orphan Espresso 3rd Shot Group Heat Sink

[yakster]

So, I ordered an Orphan Espresso 3rd Shot to help with temperature management on the 51 mm Millennium group of my Gaggia Factory.  The heat sink is designed for a 49 mm group, but with some filing of the ears, it can fit the Millennium group.  Here's the sales pitch from the OE site:

The OE 3rd Shot is a solid aluminum heat sink designed specifically for use in Olympia Cremina, Elektra MCAL, La Pavoni EPC8 and 16, and other machines using a 49mm filter basket (small group home lever machines) to approach the problem of group overheating when multiple shots are pulled.

It took me a couple of days of filing with the file off my Leatherman Wave as well as a Dremel cut-off wheel to get the ears to lock into the group.  The filing wasn't the prettiest (my issue) but the heat sink is fitting in the group now.  So far, though, I haven't had time to really play with this to see how effective it is for cooling the group.  I've been giving my bottomless portafilter a cold water bath between shots and locking it into the group while prepping the basket between shots which seems to work pretty well, but there were some days that it was a struggle to get the temps down.  I found a home for the heat sink in the freezer and I hope to have an espresso session this weekend to really try it out.  The new low-temp 60 - 90 degree LCD temp strip should also help really dial this in.

I'll use this thread to post updates on my experience.  I had ordered a full, spouted portafitler for the Wife to give to me for Christmas for this purpose right before OE came out with the 3rd Shot, but with my Niece moving in and all the boxes around the house I haven't even been able to find it.  The photos below link to the OE site.

[Tex]

OK, I'm a bit thick and don't get things as fast as some. But what exactly is this thing doing that a wet towel doesn't do?

I've been using La Pavoni lever machines since the 60's, and like to think I know most of the tricks to using these machines. Here's how I adapted to LP's overheating problem without resorting to machined silliness (excerpted from a web page);

• Use an infrared thermometer¹ to measure the external heat at any given point on the brew group (this will be your baseline temp for subsequent pulls).
• Use a damp tea towel to cool the brew group after every three shots to a temp lower than the baseline.
• Pull a blank shot, then up to three more shots & repeat

¹ Of course the infrared thermometer is what I use now. But any digital thermometer can be used with, preferably, a type T beaded-end thermocouple. I used this setup before I got the infrared thermometer and had the t/c stuck on the group with an adhesive pad available from Omega.

[peter]

Apart from the cost, wouldn't you say this is a more polished/graceful approach to a damp towel?  But then I guess you have a damp towel near the machine anyway for cleanup and PF cleaning.

[Tex]

Apart from the cost, wouldn't you say this is a more polished/graceful approach to a damp towel?  But then I guess you have a damp towel near the machine anyway for cleanup and PF cleaning.

But what's the point of the gizmo? It takes only seconds to drop the group temp and restabilize it using the wet towel technique, not minutes like the gizmo does. And the whole point in dropping the group temp after the third shot is to make the 4th and subsequent shots as quickly as possible, else why bother?

This is another overly-complex solution to a simple problem. Guess OE never heard of the K.I.S.S. Principle?

[John F]

Espresso machine in room with no sink...

I guess I could adapt but it sounds difficult.

[tyme]

Mmmm......Heat sink.....mmmm.....chrome....heat sink......


 

[BoldJava]

I haven't been really using this 3rd Shot ...

I used it this weekend after three straight shots and before the fourth.  Worked like a charm.