# Expobar raise steam boiler pressure



## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

Has anyone ever raised their steam boiler pressure on their expobar? 1 bar seems fairly low. Just wondered if anyone had ever upped it to 1.5 or even 2 to get some more steam power it of it???


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

I assume you are talking about the dual boiler model?

Yes, I have. It's pretty simple to do but be careful....1.5 is absolute max you should go for, otherwise it will start to effect other things.

When the boiler flicks on there is an overrun of 0.5 bar, so I wouldn't want the settled pressure to be more than 1.4. Mine is set to about 1.3. Do you know how to do it, or would you like me to explain?

To be honest, set at around 1.2-1.3, the Expobar is a superb steamer, as good as anything else I reckon. Some people complain about a lack of steam power but what they don't realise is that it is the single hole tip that is behind this. When you stick on a two hole you suddenly find you have more steam power than you know what to do with. The single tip takes longer to steam milk but it is waaaaay more controllable than the two hole.


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

Yep I am talking about the dual boiler one

interesting! I am assuming it is just a case of turning something internally?? would be great if you could quickly give me a pointer on how to do it.

Also am interested in this 2 hole steam tip mod? Do you know anywhere that sells a 2 hole. I'd be interested in giving it a go?


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Bella Barista sell it.

Ok. Open expobar case , 2 screws either side then one at rear. Steam boiler is the one at the back, on top of it is a black dial. Turn it clock wise to increase pressure. My advice is to leave machine on when you do this and turn dial 1/4 turn at a time and monitor pressure increase on dial. Allow it to settle (a minute or so) before readjusting, bearing in mind it overruns 0.5 bar before going down again to settle.

Obviously take great care not to touch anything that might burn or electrocute you!


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

I'm pretty good with the internals of it. I thought that was how you did it.

I recently developed a hiss from inside so I took it all apart and found it was the pressure valve or whatever its called on the steam boiler. I took it apart and cleaned it all in cafiza as there was a very slight bit of dirt on the o ring. AFter putting it all back together it worked great.....no hiss! but thats when I got thinking about the steam pressure. Do you think it is bad for the machine at all to up the pressure?


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Loads of people raise the pressure of their Expobars. I think the thing is not to take it over 1.5 or it will start to affect brew temp.

Safety release opens at about 1.8


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Single tip with 1.1 setting was just about OK for my smaller jug but not satisfactory for any larger...so I up'd it to 1.2 - now perfect for my smaller jug and adequate for my larger 600ml.


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

I am hoping to do this tomorrow. I ordered a 2 hole tip on Friday. Hoping that will come tomorrow too. Gary did 0.1 make that much of a difference???


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

jimrobo said:


> I am hoping to do this tomorrow. I ordered a 2 hole tip on Friday. Hoping that will come tomorrow too. Gary did 0.1 make that much of a difference???


Yep! Be careful with double hole tip - you probably wont need to increase pressure!


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

I want it to be like a steam train!!


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

If you're upping the pressure that much, bear in mind:

1. you might want to think about an annual service/inspection to make sure the safety valve continues to work well. Don't want an explosion when there's water in the boiler at 130C!

2. you may need to flush longer to avoid brewing with superheated steam.

3. with such high steam pressure won't it be difficult to texture the milk properly?


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

Checking the release valve regularly is a good plan. I'm confused about the 130 degrees water bit though mike??

I wouldn't have thought it was dangerous? The brew head gos up to 8 bar ok so relatively 1.5 bar isn't that high really. The only thing I'm slightly worried about is long term damage. In practise what I'll likely do is up the pressure for my regular weekly coffee morning I do then put it back for the rest of the week.

I would imagine it would make it harder to microfoam but you'll get better microfoam when you nail it. It should perform more like a commercial machine


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Here's where I was coming from regarding 130C ...

"The boiler pressure gauge indicates the amount of pressure, generally between 1.0 and 1.2 bar (one bar = 14.5 PSI). An espresso machine's boiler works under the same principle as pressure cookers by increasing the boiling point of water to higher than the 212°F one expects when heating water in a pan on the stove. The table to the left shows the actual water temperature at common espresso machine boiler pressures.

Boiler pressure (bar) / Water temp (Fahrenheit)

1.0 / 253

1.1 / 255

1.2 / 257

1.3 / 259"

Taken from http://www.home-barista.com/hx-love.html

Whilst pressure may be raised to 8-9 bar at the group during brewing, it just seems to me that the boiler is a more dangerous prospect. It's a container. I tend to think of it as a bomb, and always think of the one that exploded recently. http://coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/machines/497868


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

It's a dual boiler mike. Raising the steam boiler to no more than 1.5 isn't going to affect anything much in the brew boiler. Beyond that and the water coming through the hx into the brew boiler might be a bit hot.

Pressure valve kicks in at 1.8, so staying below 1.5 isn't going near it.


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Thanks expo. It was the 2bar that got me worried


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

Ok I might have to do this when it is cool as its all a bit hot in there!!

Do I literally turn the top? There are wires coming off the top orbit though so I don't think the whole thing will turn that much?? Or do I turn it further down???


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Can you see the brass terminal with nothing attached to it?

Just above that is the dial (with the crenelated edge). It clicks round.


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

Got it!

I thought it was that initially but it was really stiff and I didn't like to put much force into it.

I spent the morning playing with the 2 hole tip and it is a beast and a half at steaming! But all I got was frogspawn milk whatever I tried. It steamed a full jug in about 15 seconds though!

Going back to the one hole for now with a 1.3 bar setting to see how that is in comparison.


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

So, have you found the following to be the case then?



Expobarista said:


> I assume you are talking about the dual boiler model?
> 
> To be honest, set at around 1.2-1.3, the Expobar is a superb steamer, as good as anything else I reckon. Some people complain about a lack of steam power but what they don't realise is that it is the single hole tip that is behind this. When you stick on a two hole you suddenly find you have more steam power than you know what to do with. The single tip takes longer to steam milk but it is waaaaay more controllable than the two hole.


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

definately. The 2 hole tip steams the milk really quick but because it comes out at opposite angles its really difficult to stretch the milk and really whirlpool the milk.

The one hole tip is definately the way forward with a slight increase in steam pressure on the boiler.


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Well, I couldn't manage it with a two-hole tip. I reckon if you were doing half a pint+ it would be ok, and you could start with the tip low and raise. For small quantities that are a little more the norm for a home user the single tip works.


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## jimrobo (Aug 5, 2011)

I don't like something beating me though so I can see me buying about 10 litres of milk and throwing the 2 hole tip on!!


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## Walter Sobchak (Nov 29, 2012)

Received my Expobar brewtus yesterday







thanks again to Dave and Glen for arranging the raffle!

My steam pressure is set to 0.9, which I thought was a little low and when back flushing with blank filter it is at 12 bar.

I think I need to make some slight adjustments! It is a lovely machine though, will try get some pics up later!


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

I hope it wasn't the boiler safety valve that was dismantled, cleaned & reassembled !

If it was, then you now won't know the pressure at which it will blow: These valves are factory set to blow at 1.8bar (some are set @ 2.0bar), so a DIY cleaned valve may not blow until well after 2 bar (= run for the hills).

As a rule, if your boiler safety valve is leaking & won't reseal after a bit of twiddling, then fit a new certified valve. Better safe than sorry.


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