# Questions : Rancilio Silvia



## kbarnes70 (Oct 29, 2015)

Deleted.


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## oursus (Jun 5, 2015)

kbarnes70 said:


> Yeah, I do apologise for cluttering the thread. I will remove the posts asap, if permitted.


I guess the reason for the eligibility rules is that without them, it wouldn't be a forum, it would be eBay.....


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## oursus (Jun 5, 2015)

Yeah, I get what you mean, and if you have done the work yourself, a little bit of you goes into it... Sure everyone here will get that.. On the other hand, I shop on fleabay!


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## kbarnes70 (Oct 29, 2015)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> a faux par second to none


No way to delete posts that I can see.


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## kbarnes70 (Oct 29, 2015)

oursus said:


> Yeah, I get what you mean, and if you have done the work yourself, a little bit of you goes into it... Sure everyone here will get that.. On the other hand, I shop on fleabay!


Yes I did install the PID myself. It was a real neat kit I bought from USA. Looks good and works very well. While the Barista Express has a built-in PID, it only has a fairly crude way of controlling the temperature - + or - 2°C I believe. My PID gives really good control and is totally user-adjustable. Only got the Express yesterday but even the very first pull was good. You know how it is - have to use the machine asap to see what it can do.









Since then I've pulled several cups, adjusting the grind, dose and tamp as I went along and the shot I pulled this morning was close to perfect already. Really nice machine, and the pressure gauge is so useful to help determine grind, dose and tamp.


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## oursus (Jun 5, 2015)

I'm just looking to PID my Silvia this month... Any tips?


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

oursus said:


> I'm just looking to PID my Silvia this month... Any tips?


Yes, use the search function


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## kbarnes70 (Oct 29, 2015)

oursus said:


> I'm just looking to PID my Silvia this month... Any tips?


Unless you are really proficient technically and even have an electrical engineering background, I'd try to find a kit made especially for your machine. It isn't difficult to install the PID but it does involve stripping some of the machine down and then removing various wires so they can be reconnected through the PID unit. The kit I bought had fantastic step by step photo instructions with it - anyone could have installed the PID with those instructions even if they had never done anything similar in their life.

I had to buy my PID kit from the States - couldn't find one here in the UK, so you may have to look there too. Of course, the carriage then puts up the cost, but IMO it is worth it. My Gaggia Classic, before I fitted the PID, would have a huge temperature range between heating on and heating off - maybe as much as 10°. It would keep heating until it hit its preset temperature and then switch heat off, but would overshoot as the boiler was still very hot and continued to heat the water. Then on the other side it would overcool the water massively before the heater came back on. With the PID, once operating temperature has been reached, it stays right there all day long if necessary, only fluctuating by a fraction of a degree. It's interesting to see how it controls the boiler, switching it in and out continuously.

So if I had any advice to give you, it would be a) get the PID, it is worthwhile and b) try to find a kit for your machine if possible.


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