# Fracino shower screen are they all like mine?



## caffeinegeek (Aug 29, 2018)

I haven't given much thought to the shower screen until now. I've read that poor screens can cause water channeling through the puck. Mine is clear and clean, I believe it's a standard E61 stainless steel screen? I noticed water gets out the screen from around the edges and there is no seal of any kind between the screen and the group head. The edges around the filter basket are going to be the easiest route for channeling. My screen is made from stainless in 3 parts and spot welded around the edge. It could never sit perfectly flat and seal agains the group head.

I'm wondering if there are alternative E61 screens with a sealing gasket? For now I've been able to run a 2mm silicone bead around the edge of mine to get a good seal with water only coming out across the screen.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Which machine model is it ? A photo of group and separate screen might help.

@Espresso techno ??


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## caffeinegeek (Aug 29, 2018)

Fracino Contempo(old) with E61 cloned group. The shower screen is similar to this Gaggia part listing. Mine has the same spot welds which causes some buckling distortion around the edges. There is no gasket or seal behind the screen and the centre fixing screw won't pull out any distortion or uneveness around the edges. The poor contact on the internal face of the group head easily shows up when the porta filter is removed and at 9 bar I can imagine it leaks around the edges like the proverbial sieve. Perhaps they all do that? I don't see any kind of back seal on the IMS competition shower plate either, unless it's a gasket supplied loose in the box?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1081021-GAGGIA-COFFEE-MACHINE-55mm-GROUP-HEAD-FILTER-SHOWER-PLATE-SCREEN-DM0296/140881903218?hash=item20cd373e72:g:zY8AAOxyVLNSzSwx:rk:5f:0


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

That's loosely what Fracino shower screens should look like. When I bought a Piccino some one suggested a new seal and screen - could be your problem. I just replaced the seal with a silicone rubber one. The seal had gone hard and was caked in coffee residue. Was ok once that was removed but I replaced it anyway.

John

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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

All the flat screens, E61 or otherwise, are meant to be fitted without a backing seal.

In some aspect, the E61 shower cup is more leakproof, as it is secured by the rubber group seal. (Why Fracino switched from the cup to the flat screen has always puzzled me)


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## caffeinegeek (Aug 29, 2018)

Thanks all. I don't think changing the flat screen for another the same will help because it's fundamental there can never be a perfect edge seal with metal to metal contact, no gasket and only one centre fixing screw? However, I'm interested in a shower screen (shower cup) that seals with the group head gasket. Am I thinking the screen isn't flat but shaped like a cup so it can sit over or behind the 8mm deep group seal gasket? Is the fracino head too bespoke to fit this type of shower cup screen? If no then I'll just stick with the silicone bead on the flat screen which seems leak proof around the edges at the moment, or I'll try and cut a thin flat silicone gasket. But then I'm still left with a puny centre screw to make the seal.

It just seemed to me we try hard to avoid water channelling through the puck, but it's wasted effort if water leaks around the shower screen at its edges.


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

The group seal + shower cup will fit, BUT the brass dispersion plate doesn't fit inside the cup, so the water spread with just the shower cup will probably be uneven.

Might be worth experimenting though !

( The old & new Fracino group heads are slightly different in design)


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

I think you are worrying about nothing. As far as pressure is concerned it wont be significantly different each side of the shower screen so the spring in the screen itself is more than enough really. I'm currently using the same style of screen on my DB.







One interesting thing is that it always gives a pretty shower when I flush with the portafilter off. Little chance of that with the Sage one on, The Piccino did as well. Fitted to the DB it's actually sprung the wrong way as it isn't made for the machine - sort of over sprung a bit and sent concave rather than flat. It clicks back the other way when I remove it for cleaning. It also takes a fair amount of pressure to flatten it,

The Piccino is now just short of 3 years old so appears to use the same style of screen.

John

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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

Any distortion of the screen' rim will be minimised if the screw/bolt is not overtightened - just a little more than hand-tight will do.


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