Hottop Profiles / Q&A / Tips & Tricks

[smico]

I am positive the fan without filters would last longer than three stock filters.  I used green scrubby pads

I also use scrubby pads.  After 20 roasts or so, I put them in caffitza, and then they are like new. 
Trouble is that due to low resistance, you need to adjust all profiles.
I am happy with that solution.
Miroslav

[rgrosz78]

I wanted to follow up with my results after replacing both my rear and top filters. My roasts have gotten SO fast I must adjust all my profiles.

Here are two roasts of some Ethiopia Sidamo from Theta Ridge. I did not make any change to the profile for this bean. Normally I would roast to 1C + 2:30, but I had to eject the beans at 1C + 2:00.

Prior roast - 265g - 01/05/2013 - old filters

Code: [Select]

DISPLAY      ROR
TIME TEMP FAN HEAT Milestone     per min
0:00 215 0% 100% drop 265g beans into roaster
8:35 320 25% 100%
10:30 350 50% 80%
12:50 381 50% 70% First crack
13:20 386 75% 40% 1C + :30
13:50 390 75% 30% 1C + 1:00 9
14:20 393 75% 30% 1C + 1:30 7
14:50 397 50% 30% 1C + 2:00 7
15:20 399 EJECT 1C + 2:30 8


Recent roast - 265g - 06/08/2013 - new filters

Code: [Select]

DISPLAY      ROR
TIME TEMP FAN HEAT Milestone     per min
0:00 215 0% 100% drop 265g beans into roaster
8:05 320 25% 100%
9:55 350 50% 80%
11:55 383 80% 70% First crack
12:25 388 75% 30% 1C + :30
12:55 395 25% 30% 1C + 1:00 12
13:25 399 25% 30% 1C + 1:30 11
13:55 406 EJECT 1C + 2:00 11


[rgrosz78]

Here are two roasts of some Yemen Mokha from Sweet Maria's. Based on the results of the Sidamo roast, I DID make changes to the profile for this bean.

This allowed me to roast the bean to 1C + 2:30, but the roast was two minutes shorter. This time I roasted 30g less, which had a small impact on the roast times.

Prior roast - 265g - 01/05/2013 - old filters

Code: [Select]

DISPLAY      ROR
TIME TEMP FAN HEAT Milestone     per min
0:00 215 0% 100% drop 265g beans into roaster
9:10 320 25% 100%
11:00 350 50% 80%
13:40 388 50% 70% First crack
14:10 393 75% 40% 1C + :30
14:40 397 75% 30% 1C + 1:00 9
15:10 404 75% 30% 1C + 1:30 11
15:40 408 50% 20% 1C + 2:00 11
16:10 413 EJECT 1C + 2:30 9

Recent roast - 230g - 06/08/2013 - new filters

Code: [Select]

DISPLAY      ROR
TIME TEMP FAN HEAT Milestone     per min
0:00 215 0% 100% drop 230g beans into roaster
7:50 320 25% 100%
9:30 350 50% 70%
11:30 384 70% 50% First crack
12:00 392 75% 30% 1C + :30
12:30 397 25% 30% 1C + 1:00 13
13:00 402 25% 30% 1C + 1:30 10
13:30 408 25% 30% 1C + 2:00 11
14:00 411 EJECT 1C + 2:30 9


[rgrosz78]

The top filter IMO serves no purpose other than to remove smoke. I insulated my unit about three years ago and I have that area covered with a removable piece of insulation. There are pictures and discussion here on GCBC somewhere if you can find it. If anything that configuration helps roast times by preventing some heat loss out the top.

I forgot to mention - most of the impact on my roasts was due to replacement of the top filter. I was pretty happy with my maintenance for the rear filters. It appears I was losing LOTS of heat from the top filter, since it had shrunk to 1/2 the original size.

[smico]

Last night on HRO, Ciel published piece on ultimate Hottop modification:


Quote Ciel: With a bit of time and effort, I have been able to transform my excellent "Home Roaster" into a wonderful "Mini Commercial Roaster".

Check it out Hottop owners...

Regards,

Miroslav

[GC7]

I've been playing around with my HotTop roaster top filter and bean roasting chute to get better heat retention. Several years ago I started a thread somewhere back in this forum about my insulation project. It's worked out nicely and this material is what I used to insulate the outside of the roaster.


http://www.mcmaster.com/#9323k21/=pd7no1

I took some of this insulation and cut it into strips that could fit into the top filter to replace the material in there. I put two layers of insulation in there and it fit very well. I had also since the start of that insulation project just put a piece of insulation material on top of the filter and held it in place with a small wash towel. I wanted a cleaner solution and this seems to work really well after roasting tonight. For the bean chute I wanted to minimize smoke and heat loss out of the chute. I cut out a hole in a silicon baking sheet so the bean chute cover with my thermocouple probes fit snugly and taped it down with my heat resistant metal foil tape. That mod worked OK tonight and did minimize but not eliminate smoke coming out but I'm not sure about the longevity.

One preliminary finding is a hunch that the fan produced a more conductive effect on heat flow through the drum instead of acting totally like a brake on the roast.

[GC7]

Good question Chris. Not that I am aware. The material is different in texture and consistency then the thick airy pink type fiberglass insulation. It is more like a thick cardboard sheet. However, I coat all outside exposed surfaces with foil tape.

Here is the original insulation thread with photos of my roaster.
http://www.greencoffeebuyingclub.com/index.php?topic=10633.15

[rgrosz78]

FYI, there is a new 0.7.1 version of the artisan software available. And Barrie wrote some very nice documentation on it, as well as using the HTC controller board. I did a quick read, and this helped me find the new features - will use it tomorrow.

[GC7]

I've resisted the urge to look into these programs and the computerized profiling. I sit by the roaster and manually adjust my preheat power levels and roast power and fan depending on environmental signals such as the line voltage at the time, temperature out where the roaster is sitting and even the wind hitting the roaster -which itself is insulated.  I've found that all of these factors play a really big role in roast times and profiles with a roaster subject to varying outside environments. I can pretty much make up for any outside influences and get reproducible roasts but I have to pay attention. I think the computerized profiling would be great for a roaster in a controlled room but I can't do that right now. If the computer could adjust heat and fan on the fly and make sure to hit 300* at X time and 400* at Y while lowering heat at 380* etc. then you have a really refined control system.

[rgrosz78]

Artisan software gives me better information on progress of the roast, with ability to compare prior roasts. I don't have the HTC controller board yet - but I plan to do so next year. I won't forget what I have learned about roasting "by hand".

[GC7]

Rick

I don't know much about the various boards and software so I ask if the resulting roaster is more of an advanced P model where you are "stuck" with the program once it starts or if you can over-ride manually to adjust for outside factors such as voltage changes, temperature or wind and then let the program finish from there?

Thanks

Geoffrey

[smico]

Geoffrey,

You have full control to manually overwrite automated profiles.

1. Both Roastlogger and Artisan, have sliders to manually adjust heat and fan throughout the automated roast. 
2. On my Hottop B2, all original HT controls function normally throughout the roast.
3. I always roast full 250g batches, and temperature in garage can vary greatly (5C to 25C), so I use variac to compensate for external temperature differences.


With all that control, I am able to replay saved roasts, meaning PERFECTLY replicate ET an BT temperature curves almost always.
 

To make replay more consistent:
1. Hottop behaves differently when roaster is warm or cold at start, so different profiles should be used for warm or cold start.
2. I use very low resistant filter (scotch-bride scrubbing pad) to get more responsive control and avoid air resistance changes.

[GC7]

Thanks for that review. I guess I need to do some homework but right now what my roaster needs is a good breakdown and cleaning and perhaps new heTing element after five years.

Most of my shopping is for others right now except for a few straight razors soaps and honing stones.

[rgrosz78]

Artisan software gives me better information on progress of the roast, with ability to compare prior roasts. I don't have the HTC controller board yet - but I plan to do so next year. I won't forget what I have learned about roasting "by hand".

I uploaded a 10 second video to show the NEW items displayed in artisan version 0.7.1. Near the top of the screen are three separate timers for

• Elapsed time since turning point
• Projected time to drying (BT 300 F)
• Elapsed time since first crack

Temperature at turning point is shown at bottom of BT curve. Sorry, but my vertical axis starts at 160 F, and does not display it fully.

Edited 12/29 - corrected description of "drying time"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T2bKtQs7PQ

[rgrosz78]

Artisan software gives me better information on progress of the roast, with ability to compare prior roasts. I don't have the HTC controller board yet - but I plan to do so next year. I won't forget what I have learned about roasting "by hand".

The hardware to control the Hottop (from Jim Galt) became available in February. I just ordered it today.