# What part of the coffee is this?



## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

I've noticed this floating in the water I draw through the group head before pulling a shot (my machine always seems to retain a few grinds) but what is it exactly? The picture is a bit darker than real life as they're very hard to see.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Difficult to tell from the photo. What machine have you?


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

It's a musica


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Just a thought.

After you do a shot, do you do another flush then wipe the group head with a cloth or towel?

Those bits look a bit fibre like.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

It looks like a tropical disease:bad: under the microscope


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

urbanbumpkin said:


> Just a thought.
> 
> After you do a shot, do you do another flush then wipe the group head with a cloth or towel?
> 
> Those bits look a bit fibre like.


I always do a short flush after a shot, I sometimes wipe with a kitchen sheet afterwards if I think there's a bit of coffee missed.

I guess it could be off the sheet but it looks more like it's a film and with the colouring I assumed it was coming from the coffee.

Here's a 100% crop without any changes:









Full size:


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Could it be coffee oil andcoffee dust particles binding together??


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## Daren (Jan 16, 2012)

If you clean the grouped, run the pump for a bit and throw away what comes out, run some more into a glass do you still get it? Just wondering if it's stuff from the boiler or the group head?


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

Daren said:


> If you clean the grouped, run the pump for a bit and throw away what comes out, run some more into a glass do you still get it? Just wondering if it's stuff from the boiler or the group head?


It seems to occur infrequently but I've never seen it come out of the hot water outlet so I think it's only from the group head.

It doesn't look metallic so the suggestions it's either something from the kitchen sheet or coffee oil/particles seem likely but it's a little concerning none of you have had this happen.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Take out the shower screen and the block behind it and soak in pully caff, also thoroughly clean in behind these parts. Try discharging waer with these parts off and see if you still get the floating bits. If you do then the contamination is further back. Hope this helps/cures


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Is the tank clean?


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> Is the tank clean?


Yes, spotless. I've disassembled the group head a few times and not noticed any problems but I'll give it a soak in pulycaff as it can't hurt...


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Doesn't it just look like chaff? Sprinkle some grinds into a cup of water, when the grinds sink see what is left floating & compare?


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## spinningwoman (Sep 25, 2013)

I can't remember if there is a special name for it, but green coffee has a kind of thin papery skin, most of which blows away during roasting, but some always gets left in the 'crease' of the bean. I didn't really notice it with my old grinder, but with my new MC2 I definitely get a sprinkling of that on top of my grounds. I don't see it come through to the coffee cup though.


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

spinningwoman said:


> I can't remember if there is a special name for it, but green coffee has a kind of thin papery skin, most of which blows away during roasting, but some always gets left in the 'crease' of the bean. I didn't really notice it with my old grinder, but with my new MC2 I definitely get a sprinkling of that on top of my grounds. I don't see it come through to the coffee cup though.


I think you could both be right, it's hard for me to be certain but it looks very similar in texture/colour of sprinkling in some fresh grounds. Strange that it occurs so infrequently though as I try to keep my routine consistent.

Many thanks all.


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

Think I've found the cause of this, the group head shower screen doesn't fit completely flush with the dispersion plate so coffee grinds are seeping out and there's usually some left over even if I wipe the bottom and outer edge. I've tightened it up as much as it seems to want to go and that's reduced the problem but not fixed it.

Very annoying, I doubt my shower screen is faulty but if any members have Nuova Simonelli machines I'd appreciate a picture of their shower screens (the rear) to compare.


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

The worrying thing is I took it out and cleaned it last night and I couldn't have made more than 2 shots in the interim (I flush before and after every shot).

So after pulling a shot I'll flush to clear the grinds out and when I want to make another coffee I usually have to run over a cups worth of water to get rid of most of the left over grinds, that's not normal surely?


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

It has to be under warranty so speak to the supplier


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

coffeechap said:


> It has to be under warranty so speak to the supplier


I'm doing that too but I was hoping I'd missed something simple and someone could just point me to the 'work properly button'.


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## CoffeeJohnny (Feb 28, 2011)

There you go this is straight out without a clean it's having a bath now.


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

CoffeeJohnny said:


> There you go this is straight out without a clean it's having a bath now.


Thanks for that, does the shower screen rest on it the same as mine does in the picture? I haven't had much luck with making it tighter but the amount of coffee retention seems abnormal.


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## CoffeeJohnny (Feb 28, 2011)

SimonB said:


> Thanks for that, does the shower screen rest on it the same as mine does in the picture? I haven't had much luck with making it tighter but the amount of coffee retention seems abnormal.


Mine sits a little loose before being screwed in but I will double check when I get in or tomorrow morning and take a picture of mine in the same position as yours for comparison.


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## CoffeeJohnny (Feb 28, 2011)

SimonB said:


> Thanks for that, does the shower screen rest on it the same as mine does in the picture? I haven't had much luck with making it tighter but the amount of coffee retention seems abnormal.


This is mine


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## SimonB (Sep 12, 2013)

CoffeeJohnny said:


> This is mine


That looks like a much closer fit than mine, I'll see if I can get a replacement out of them. Thanks again.


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