# Cherub Overpressure Valve adjustment



## Davcotts

Hi from a newbie just joined today. I have a cherub bought in January and although it makes nice shots (1st and 2nd are yuk!). I'm not getting the crema i was getting of my Krups (yeah i know now) when it was new.

I recently bought a cheap portafilter pressure gauge and on first test this went off the scale and back to the pin, the max reading on the scale was 12bar so i'm guessing 16-18 bar. Is this theoretically possible? as i thought the designs cater for a 15 bar maximum.

Now the quality of the ebay gauge hasn't inspired me with much confidence. But i have dialled my OPV down half a turn 180deg, retested and got 13bar so i think another quarter to half turn may do the trick. I am getting a spurt of excess water being returned to my water res' through that little plastic pipe.

But i'm still not going to rely on this gauge. Can anybody recommend a reliable gauge with a 3/8 fitting. Cheers. David


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## UncleJake

This seems to get good reviews

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portafilter-Pressure-Tester-Espresso-Machines/dp/B00ONTGKNA.

If none of the experts are chipping in. Happy to go halves if it definitely fits my Fracino porta.


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## Davcotts

Hiya Jake, i got one of these edesia ones from ebay, and just from the packaging i knew it was better, in a slightly larger box and packed with those polystyrene quavers. The guage felt heavy and solid and the needle didn't move when you inverted it. It gave a smooth sweep on testing and gave me a reading of 13bar, after a couple of adjustments to the opv (quite laborious due to cooling and reheating) but i got it down to reading 10 bar. But still no crema, Just swapped from monsoon malibar to nicaraguan ground within the week, but no golden frothy top. BST filter n'all???


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## Missy

Just asked the same question elsewhere, tell us about your grinder and beans (freshness etc) the krups will have created "fake" crema with a pressurised portafilter, meaning whatever you put in would come out with a crema.


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## h1udd

Davcotts said:


> ground within the week?


so you are not grinding yourself ????

this will be your issue, one mans espresso grind is another mans rubble. 50% of no-crema issues are stale beans the other 50% is a course grind.

if you tighten the grind, you will get more crema ... The times I have almost choked the la pavoni and have had to hang off the lever for a 1.20 shot I have ended up with a cup of crema

But crema isn't important, it doesn't taste nice and the ek43 boys have proved time and time again that if your beans are ground evenly enough, you can grind course enough get no crema but a near as perfect extraction to make the sweetest shot of all time. ...... That said I like a gloopy espresso squeezed out under duress with a crema you can balance milk on

tl:dr ... Grind tighter or try over dosing


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## Missy

h1udd said:


> a crema you can balance milk on


Why stop at milk? I reckon if you can balance a spoon vertically on top you are about there.


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## Mrboots2u

Ek43 shot ... Anyway I just always stir my shot before I drink it - so as nice as the Crema or tiger striping looks . It just doesn't get to my lips


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## h1udd

Now that looks nice ... His come every time I have had ekspresso it's come as 60ml of coffee with a hint of crema that looks like I made the coffee but pressed the wrong button on the grinder and only dosed 6g in 18g basket

i think I need better ek friends


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## Mrboots2u

Lol ... That's like a 40g shot . Naked pf - 19g dose . Depends greatly on the coffee though really - altho that was Ethiopian .


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## UncleJake

Are you weighing in and out?


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## Mrboots2u

UncleJake said:


> Are you weighing in and out?


Who ?


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## UncleJake

Mrboots2u said:


> Who ?


David, the original poster.

Just checking all other ducks are in a row before the Cherub gets thrown out of a window.


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## Missy

UncleJake said:


> David, the original poster.
> 
> Just checking all other ducks are in a row before the Cherub gets thrown out of a window.


Out of a window? Where? Wonder if I could borrow a car with a sunroof and position myself neatly beneath it to catch the cherub as it emerges.


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## UncleJake

Missy said:


> Out of a window? Where? Wonder if I could borrow a car with a sunroof and position myself neatly beneath it to catch the cherub as it emerges.


Sounds like a Shakespearian love plot.

Prey what doth one do if the Cherub emergeth not?


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## Davcotts

I weigh my filter basket when filling mainly for consistency, but weighing in and out? Not sure I understand


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## Mrboots2u

Davcotts said:


> I weigh my filter basket when filling mainly for consistency, but weighing in and out? Not sure I understand


reading for you ....

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?22879-Beginners-Reading-Weighing-Espresso-Brew-Ratios


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## Davcotts

I've been getting coffee direct deliveries of ground and i have noticed the grind seems to be different on some, the feel of the tamp tells me this. They say that they are ground upto 48hrs before delivery but i only have their word for that. I would love a grinder but it seems unless i spend £400 i'm better off buying ground, and the space in the kitchen. I need to find a local coffee merchant and "observe" the grinds he gives me. Unless there are any reasonable priced grinders that members can recommend.


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## Missy

A Mazzer super jolly should only be around £200 for a decent looked after one from here. Less if you are willing to take a risk on a Gumtree type one.


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## UncleJake

Davcotts said:


> I've been getting coffee direct deliveries of ground and i have noticed the grind seems to be different on some, the feel of the tamp tells me this. They say that they are ground upto 48hrs before delivery but i only have their word for that. I would love a grinder but it seems unless i spend £400 i'm better off buying ground, and the space in the kitchen. I need to find a local coffee merchant and "observe" the grinds he gives me. Unless there are any reasonable priced grinders that members can recommend.


Or - if you only make a few cups a day - £100 will buy you a very good hand grinder.

The overwhelming advice you'll get from the forum is that the grinder is more important than the espresso machine, for many reasons...

The difference in grind-size between a great espresso and a bad one is so minimal - and specific to your equipment/personal taste/ weather - that the chances of pre-ground being spot-on are very slim. Also coffee starts to lose its flavour straight after it is ground and significantly after 20mins. Many decent coffee establishments won't sell coffee that is pre-ground for espresso for these reasons.

You'll never get the best from your cherub with pre-ground. No matter what pressure it's set to deliver. It'll be very hard to improve your skills too - with the biggest variable unknown.


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## Davcotts

Thanks Unklejake and Missy some interesting advice, the quest continues.


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## UncleJake

Davcotts said:


> Thanks Unklejake and Missy some interesting advice, the quest continues.


No worries.

I am interested in how you went about altering the OPV? What's the process? My Cherub is producing 12bar too. (Although - before you ask - I have crema coming out of my ears!).


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## lune

I winged this adjustment today and I appear to have successfully lowered the pressure. Pics hopefully illustrate the steps (if I can post them properly).

1 - Removed small rubber tube from top of the manifold

2 - Removed the top cap (22mm socket job)

3 - Inserted a large flat blade screwdriver and around 3 quarters turn (anticlockwise) of the cap that's revealed

4 - Popped everything back together and check pressure

5 - Rinsed and repeated until I hit the desired pressure


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## UncleJake

You're a star lune - many thanks. Coffee any better? I'm hoping the high pressure is causing spritzing... Never mind imbalance.


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## lune

Not sure yet UncleJake, was a bit too late to conduct a taste test and I'm busy sorting the grind for a new bag o beans, I'll report back in a bit though.


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## UncleJake

An easy job.. 30 mins - and bang on the right pressure now. Thanks again Lune. Quick taste test - but not enough to tell... Gotta redial all my beans!


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## Davcotts

I took me about 3 try's to get the pressure right, and I was letting my machine cool before loosening the valve. Wasn't sure if there would be risk of steam burns. So a full afternoon taken up.


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## Dylan

Pretty sure this post was in the wrong thread.


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## Davcotts

Just ordered a Fracino Piccino (it rhymes)! grinder, not the mazzer i would like but takes up much less space in my kitchen. It's a burr grinder no doser but very compact 150mm wide and 310mm high and it's the steel finished one to match my cherub. I hope it's good. Fingers crossed and ordered my first bag o beans.


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