# newbie just gt a v3!



## cappuccino crackers

hi all just gt a v3 and am also new to coffee scene wud like to say hi. and also any tips for opening box and gtn started thanks


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## Jason1wood

Congrats on your new machine. Is it new or second hand? Now to start buying all the little bits that'll mount up. Tamper, scales, timer. Etc


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## jcheung

Hi,

If it's new, I assume you don't have a PID so learn to temperature surf. Also get a decent grinder and a tamper that fits the portafilter... (bin the plastic one which comes with it!)

Persevere and above all, have fun!


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## Mrboots2u

cappuccino crackers said:


> hi all just gt a v3 and am also new to coffee scene wud like to say hi. and also any tips for opening box and gtn started thanks


This is a good read whether your silvia new or second hand


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## cappuccino crackers

its new silvia. wats temp surfing. jason might be in contact bout that rocky mate. think makin u offer but only thing is im in two minds with regards to doser or non?


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## cappuccino crackers

yeah no pid. its new


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## cappuccino crackers

wont let me read that


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## Mrboots2u

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?10188-What-to-do-when-you-receive-a-2nd-hand-Silvia

Try again my fault


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## cappuccino crackers

hi all my silvia came tonight and im gonna do the fill and prime now. thanks to all for advice and recommendations. by the way that plastic tamp is absoloutly shocking its quite alot smaller than the basket itself leaving lots of space around edge. so need tamp soon. and a grinderha!!!


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## The Systemic Kid

Don't know why they bother including that plastic tamper. Stick it in a drawer and forget it and get a decent replacement. Enjoy your machine.


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## Jason1wood

Haha I threw mine away when I had a Gaggia. Worse than useless.


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## cappuccino crackers

a dont want to take rappers off how sad am i ha


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## El carajillo

You just want to savour the moment:rolleyes:


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## cappuccino crackers

which thread do i go to for help and info about my next step


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## cappuccino crackers

srry if in wrong part. ive just filled and cleaned my new v3, she is absoloutly beautiful. few questions if anyone can help 1st, ive just tried a single and double with (srry but this is all ive gt till gt grinder and beans) a tub of pre ground costa from asda. the water came through and almost instantly the coffee went to water about 1 to 2 seconds of actual extraction (if thats the right word) is it the baskets not pressurised and if so where can i gt them?


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## cappuccino crackers

2nd question, what is the best budget tamper for this machine. ive just seen someone selling a 2nd hand one for 100quid that way over what i can pay. nt sure about budget as this my first probably 20quid.


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## The Systemic Kid

Have a look at Made by Knock. High quality tampers at reasonable prices.


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## Milanski

...your next step is to get that grinder (and tamper and scales and fresh coffee!)

It's going to be difficult to progress and know what you're doing right or wrong without these basic bits, so get 'em in quick!

Welcome to the Silvia owners club btw. I have one too but I bought mine from here with a PID already fitted so can't properly advise on temp surfing I'm afraid.

Enjoy!


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## Wando64

cappuccino crackers said:


> srry if in wrong part. ive just filled and cleaned my new v3, she is absoloutly beautiful. few questions if anyone can help 1st, ive just tried a single and double with (srry but this is all ive gt till gt grinder and beans) a tub of pre ground costa from asda. the water came through and almost instantly the coffee went to water about 1 to 2 seconds of actual extraction (if thats the right word) is it the baskets not pressurised and if so where can i gt them?


Any supermarket ground coffee will be ground far too coarse for a Silvia. I am not aware of pressurised baskets being available for it.

You will definitely need a good grinder to get good coffee out of a Silvia (or any other machine).


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## AussieEx

cappuccino crackers said:


> a tub of pre ground costa from asda. the water came through and almost instantly the coffee went to water about 1 to 2 seconds of actual extraction (if thats the right word) is it the baskets not pressurised and if so where can i gt them?


As everyone will tell you (and it's true), supermarket pre-ground is worse than useless. This is particularly true on the Silvia. The coffee is probably stale and almost certainly ground too coarse for espresso. It's not the basket. Until you get a grinder I'd suggest buying ground coffee from one of the roasters recommended on this forum. It's not nearly as good as freshly ground, but it will at least be ground for espresso and you should be able to get some passable shots from it.

Edit: Wando64 said it more concisely than me...


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## cappuccino crackers

dont tease haha, i could tell diff in steam power compared to the crappy lidl 40quid machine (my first btw) actually i should thank lidl as i wouldnt be here if didnt gt started. where would i look ebay? for tamper and what is the size?


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## The Systemic Kid

cappuccino crackers said:


> srry if in wrong part. ive just filled and cleaned my new v3, she is absoloutly beautiful. few questions if anyone can help 1st, ive just tried a single and double with (srry but this is all ive gt till gt grinder and beans) a tub of pre ground costa from asda. the water came through and almost instantly the coffee went to water about 1 to 2 seconds of actual extraction (if thats the right word) is it the baskets not pressurised and if so where can i gt them?


Silvia needs care dialling in. You need to weigh your dose. Get some jewellers scales from Ebay if you haven't. From memory, dose about 16grms. You want approx 30ish grms in your cup in around 25-27secs. Silvia won't like pre-ground. Pretty sure Silvia is supplied with pressurised basket. Check inside portafilter with basket removed. If there isn't a plastic widget in the bottom, it's non-pressurised.


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## The Systemic Kid

cappuccino crackers said:


> dont tease haha, i could tell diff in steam power compared to the crappy lidl 40quid machine (my first btw) actually i should thank lidl as i wouldnt be here if didnt gt started. where would i look ebay? for tamper and what is the size?


Tamper is 58mm.


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## cappuccino crackers

thanks people ive been told rave gonna see tomorow. also what size is the tamper i need? is ebay best bet?


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## AussieEx

Silvia has a non-pressurized commercial PF and basket.

As for Tampers - Motta does a good basic 58mm one. Cream Supplies is good for Motta.


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## Daren

This was my temp surfing routine from back in my Silvia owning days;

1. Without your pf in press your brew switch and fill your cup with hot water to pre heat your cup....DO THIS UNTIL THE ORANGE LIGHT COMES ON.

2. Wait until the orange light goes out then start your timer for 30 seconds to allow to cool. Whilst you wait lock in your pf and pour the water from your pre-heated cup.

3. After the 30 seconds pull your shot 

Weigh in your beans and multiply by 1.6 to give you a guide for the weight of the shot. (Weight not volume is a best)

Others do things differently but this worked well for me.

Good luck.


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## AussieEx

^^^

That's a good start right there, but it takes some decent coffee first...

Also remember to pre-heat - 30 mins minimum unless you like sour shots. It's just not an instant-gratification thing, good espresso.


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## cappuccino crackers

thanks so much to all, really helpful, exactly what you want from a forum, im looking as we speak on ebay and stuff


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## cappuccino crackers

im a cappuccino guy so morning will be ,alarm, downstairs turn silvia on,shower,ready,make the brew then froth then sitt on settee and go hmmmmmmmmmmmmm


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## Daren

cappuccino crackers said:


> im a cappuccino guy so morning will be ,alarm, downstairs turn silvia on,shower,ready,make the brew then froth then sitt on settee and go hmmmmmmmmmmmmm


Not with pre-ground.... More like yukkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk


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## The Systemic Kid

cappuccino crackers said:


> im a cappuccino guy so morning will be ,alarm, downstairs turn silvia on,shower,ready,make the brew then froth then sitt on settee and go hmmmmmmmmmmmmm


You can get a timer - Belkin make a decent one which can be Internet enabled too. So you can programme it to come on and be warmed up when you want to use it.


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## cappuccino crackers

i know i did actually try it, pfffttt, it was disgusting yet with old machine was ok haha, will i want a curved or flat motta tamper?


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## cappuccino crackers

thats brilliant


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## cappuccino crackers

cream supplies is great they do a kit with tamper jug and thermometer and shaker. also timer is only 2.99


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## cappuccino crackers

does anyone know if them motta kits are worth while. they are 45 pound inc a tamper,50cljug,cleaning brush,thermomter, choc shaker?


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## Milanski

Curved or flat is a preference but a lot of us on here use curved as it pushes the grounds to the edge of the portafilter therefore making a better seal and minimising duff shots.


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## The Systemic Kid

cappuccino crackers said:


> does anyone know if them motta kits are worth while. they are 45 pound inc a tamper,50cljug,cleaning brush,thermomter, choc shaker?


Buy separately and only what you will use.


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## AussieEx

cappuccino crackers said:


> will i want a curved or flat motta tamper?


You could spend the next 6 months reading the endless debates about that question on various coffee forums worldwide (flat, euro-curve, american-curve etc). And you still wouldn't be sure you'd made the 'right' decision. I have a convex Motta and a flat Pullman Barista. I use the Pullman every time, but more because it's just such a beautiful thing than any conviction about flat vs. convex... And it was a gift. Incidentally, it's also proof that a tamper alone can cost orders of magnitude more than your old Lidl coffee machine. Welcome to the world of coffee!


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## Wando64

Daren said:


> This was my temp surfing routine from back in my Silvia owning days;
> 
> 1. Without your pf in press your brew switch and fill your cup with hot water to pre heat your cup....DO THIS UNTIL THE ORANGE LIGHT COMES ON.
> 
> 2. Wait until the orange light goes out then start your timer for 30 seconds to allow to cool. Whilst you wait lock in your pf and pour the water from your pre-heated cup.
> 
> 3. After the 30 seconds pull your shot
> 
> Weigh in your beans and multiply by 1.6 to give you a guide for the weight of the shot. (Weight not volume is a best)
> 
> Others do things differently but this worked well for me.
> 
> Good luck.


Daren, obviously this was working for you, however i should correct you on one point.

During the first 30 seconds after the light has gone out the machine is still warming up, and by a considerable amount.

The light goes off at approx 109 degree centigrade but the boiler will carrying on heating all the way to approx 115 C which IMO is too hot.

In any case, temperature surfing without a thermometer is a bit hit and miss so my suggestion to the OP is to experiment by waiting more or less time (after the light has gone off) until he find a way that works for him and repeat the same procedure precisely every time he makes a coffee.

For what is worth, before I installed the PID I was waiting approx 30 secs after the light had gone off AND THEN do a 3 second flush before pulling the coffee. But I had a thermocouple thermometer installed to guide me.


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## Daren

Wando - I was always under the impression that the light on means the boiler is heating. When the light goes off the temperature should start to fall again hence my routine. It gave me consistent and repeatable good results.


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## Wando64

Daren said:


> Wando - I was always under the impression that the light on means the boiler is heating. When the light goes off the temperature should start to fall again hence my routine. It gave me consistent and repeatable good results.


Indeed that's correct, however temperature will carry on increasing due to residual heat from the element. I know it seems counterintuitive but it is true. In any case, as you say, all that matter is to find a routine that works, and stick to it.


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