Sonofresco / Q&A / Tip & Tricks

[ScareYourPassenger]

If I had the time, I would create a profile system that actually varies the gas pressure so the temp fluctuates less. It would cost less but time spent creating it would negate any monetary investment.

[slim]

Ok, just got a nice tax refund and am revisiting the ADR question.  Anyone using it care to sing its praises or scare me off?

I have it, it's nice although I can't say that I've used the profiling much. At least not in any rigorous way where I'm comparing 2 roasts of the same bean.

What I really do like though is the bluetooth logging.  I can start a roast for a bean I've never roasted before at a level I'd never let it run to all the way, say 6 or 7. I cut of the gas manually and then just look to see where the temp was when I cut it off. Now I know exactly what level to roast that bean at if I can't hang around and stare at it the whole time, which I often can't.

[jworner]

Slim,
Thanks for your input on the ADR kit for the Sono. I have the 1LB model and a thermocouple fed in right along side the original upper thermocouple, that way I can monitor temps throughout the roast. I keep the roast level at 7 and cut off the roast based on readings from my thermocouple, sound, sight, and time.
Sounds like I would not really benefit from the ADR Kit.

[Joe]

This is just my opinion, so take it for what its worth...i.e. not much.  For me, that's just too much money. I like my Sono for ease of use, but want to get something that gives me control. There's just no way I could justify spending an additional $750 on this roaster. So, once I'm able to upgrade the Sono will go away.

I agree with everything except that the Sono will go away. The Sono is by far in my opinion the best way to roast coffee up until you are "needing" to roast over 20lbs a day. I see them used under $1500 all day and that simply is a value that is unmatched for a roaster that does what this does without the need of someone hovering over a roast.

My opinion; The controller isn't going to make you a better roaster. It will make you crazy about what the graph looks like. Getting your graph right does not make a roast good. Seems like an expensive roast monitor + controller to me.

I think with all things there needs to be a problem before you can justify a solution. I still think the presets give me what I want anyways. If I get curious about the magic I would probably hook up a separate thermo couple and monitor it that way. The thermocouples cost crazy money $75 for what they are ($13 for a non sono one). What needs to happen is people creating their own Hacks, starting with the thermocouple. FYI the most over replaced part on the Sonofresco is the thermocouple. A simple cleaning of the machine fixes most over diagnosed Thermocouple replacements.

[Burner0000]

This is just my opinion, so take it for what its worth...i.e. not much.  For me, that's just too much money. I like my Sono for ease of use, but want to get something that gives me control. There's just no way I could justify spending an additional $750 on this roaster. So, once I'm able to upgrade the Sono will go away.

I agree with everything except that the Sono will go away. The Sono is by far in my opinion the best way to roast coffee up until you are "needing" to roast over 20lbs a day. I see them used under $1500 all day and that simply is a value that is unmatched for a roaster that does what this does without the need of someone hovering over a roast.

My opinion; The controller isn't going to make you a better roaster. It will make you crazy about what the graph looks like. Getting your graph right does not make a roast good. Seems like an expensive roast monitor + controller to me.

I think with all things there needs to be a problem before you can justify a solution. I still think the presets give me what I want anyways. If I get curious about the magic I would probably hook up a separate thermo couple and monitor it that way. The thermocouples cost crazy money $75 for what they are ($13 for a non sono one). What needs to happen is people creating their own Hacks, starting with the thermocouple. FYI the most over replaced part on the Sonofresco is the thermocouple. A simple cleaning of the machine fixes most over diagnosed Thermocouple replacements.

I agree. For the price without the adr new is still the most affordable out there. I've recently sold my used roaster and am going to Re buy a new one eventually for several reasons one being the taste. I want the adr but I can't justify the cost for the profiler model.

 It's nice tho that all new one pound models have the sample batch switch and a better thermocouple. If I ever need more than 25 batches in a day I'll set up a bigger one next to it. I have thought maybe going for the artisan which is nicely priced but once I saw how much juice it eats full blast it scared me. With all my equipment and an artisan I'd be pushing 100amps. I'd rather deal with one or two natural gas lines which imo is more efficient.

 Plus it would be cool watching several bean lofts going at once.

[bvalente]

Hi folks,

new here, glad I found this thread. Have the 2# for about 5 years now, it's been a champ

recently upgraded to the ADR, just FYI they were willing to give it to me for $550. I don't know if it was me sweet-talking, or they were in a good mood, or whatever, but you can always ask.

With ADR, i've noticed the somewhat pronounced sawtooth effect of the gas on/off as it goes through the profile, not crazy, but a couple times my first crack has been around 185C and ive targeted about 190 for end of roast and the variation caused the roast to stop earlier than I wanted (it hit 190 on one of those blasts and it ended a minute earlier than I wanted).

so I'm going to try adjusting the gas valve and see if I can even that out a bit. that was a good tip thanks to the folks that suggested that earlier (just go through all 32 pages)

Regarding tips for cold weather, I roast outside so no venting needed, and talked to sono about this. they suggested getting a 5"-4" reducer to act as a "chimney" to protect the sensor from the cold outside air. It's really right there at the lip. i've found this to be helpful if you are roasting without any venting

Was there any consensus on how to elmiinate those couple dozen beans that get burned, and sit right there at the top of the bed, staring at me and mocking me.

Cheers

Brian

[Joe]

Hi Brian Welcome to GCBC.

I like the chimney idea, I had never thought about protecting the sensor from temp changes but I live in a mild climate like you so I'm not too concerned. But I think it would make a difference now that I think about it for reducing temp swings.


Speaking of where you live I noticed that your member map says LA but you are speaking Celsius...I figured you were from Canada or something. Anyways welcome to the club.

[jspain]

Welcome Brian to the club!! Great first post.

I've had two Sonos. A 1# and a 2#. I loved them both but now I've moved on to a 1.5K drum. I don't have an answer for you with the few burnt beans.... I never really had an issue with that but did have a few on occasion..... I'd just pick them out! NOVEL idea!  Jim

[bvalente]

Hi Joe

thanks -

The chimney does seem to help even out the burners, and it's a $10 add, so it was a no-brainer for me.

yeah, we had the F and C discussion. I was on the C side and lost (more steps in F), so I'm trying to reform but some habits die hard

hi jspain - yes, I pick them out now. I'm also debating about looking at the blower and making sure it's doing everything it should. I did see your evolution through these many pages

At some point we're going to move to drum roasters, but even then we might keep the sonos because they do such a nice job on the more acidic coffees imho





guess it's just how i was brought up around coffee - everyone i learned from uses C

[bvalente]

Hey also for those of you who are using your own temp gauge for bean temp, how is that working out? Tex??

i've been really looking at that, but the sono guys were very cagey in their response. they said they've tried inserting a probe into the green beans but the results weren't reliable.

somehow it'd have to sit above the bottom screen and far enough into the coffee so it's not giving false responses. I was looking at those graphs from tex from a while ago, it seems like it's more measuring the blast heat rather than bean temp.
 

[Joe]

Hey also for those of you who are using your own temp gauge for bean temp, how is that working out? Tex??

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but Tex has passed last year... His posts are still up from when he was with us.

[bvalente]

ah man. wow. i'm sorry to hear that.

I hope he's up there with that great Probat in the sky

[ScareYourPassenger]

A bead thermocouple in the bean mass worked perfect for me. It will spike because that is what the beans see. That is the drawback with the sono though. A variable gas valve would be ideal.

[bvalente]

Thanks SYP - did you have any specific recommendations on that bead thermo? or I can dig through the thread and find past ones.

i'm thinking i'm going to thread it up through the bottom.

[bvalente]

update on ADR upgrade experience: Since i've upgraded my 2# sono to the ADR, i haven't gotten a decent roast out of it.

I've attached a typical roast trace to see if anyone sees anything noticeably wrong.

This is for an Ethiopia Yirga Cheffe Dry Process -Gedeb Asasa. I reverted to the default profile so it should at least be in the ballpark of reasonable coffee (which this roast turned out to be awful - i mean, coffee shop awful, and not even a good coffee shop!)

Unfortunately there are a few variables at play since the ADR update so i can't pin it down to one thing: it's now a cold winter (cold for us in southern california, in the forties F), we made some adjustments for a chimney and repositioned the sensor cord to eliminate a gap, but it should produce at least a pleasing roast. I am feeling like all the roasts are underdeveloped, or something is going on.

I decided to get a tonino roast color meter to start getting more data and see if it's a good roast level. It looks good to me, but i'm feeling like i'm going cross-eyed at looking at so many roasts. We've probably blown through 15 lbs trying to figure this out.

Wondering if it could be a bad sensor, but the traces and everything look okay to me

Any input appreciated

Cheers Brian