# Rocket R58 Pressure Issues :(



## ChrisPii

Hello fellow Rocket owners...

Have been having an issue with my lovely R58 machine and was hoping someone might be able to shine some light on the situation.

For the first month, it worked perfectly! Very quiet and pressure was stable at 9 bar when brewing. After this time, the pressure started to ramp up for no reason to 12+ bar whilst brewing.

It continued to do this and eventually the needle just started flickering all over the place. I tried to adjust the OPV but this did nothing.

I returned it to Alchemy coffee, where purchased and they simply lowered the pressure the pump was working at and this hid the problem. When returned to 9 bar, the needle went crazy again. Another failed attempt to adjust the OPV, which has no more adjustment (brew pressure won't even go up to 12 bar as recommended by Alchemy) leaves me with a machine that I am convinced is not right.

Does anyone have any insight into what could be causing this or even how to fix this?

I have been told there is nothing wrong with the machine; angry!

Chris


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## MediumRoastSteam

Hi @ChrisPii, welcome to the forum. I don't think the OPV should be adjusted on a pump equipped with a rotary pump like yours. The OPV becomes a mere safety device, usually adjusted to around 12 bar I'm told. The pressure should be regulated at the head of the pump, adjustable by a screw.

If the machine is under guarantee, take it back. It should work as expected at 9bar, and the dial should indicate that. As simple as that.


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## hotmetal

Something isn't right that's for sure. Mine is an old R58 - one of the first - and stays steadily at between 9-9.5 when pulling a shot. The question is - is it a faulty manometer or is the pump not pumping properly? I would imagine you could tell from the pour or even the sound but I'm not 100% sure.

One thing could be to try to borrow a manometer (as in one of the modified portafilter ones doing the rounds on the forum) to check. Though I think most of these are Classic fit rather than E61. Might fit ok just to test the pressure - even if the handle would be 45° out of alignment I have a suspicion it would fit.

Hopefully someone else here can throw some light on this. I know Dave C would have some ideas.


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## El carajillo

Yes they do fit but at app 45 deg as you say. Could be air in system somewhere causing bounce from compression ??


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## Dubman

Something doesn't sound right fella.. For a machine of this calibre you should not have to mess about with it. I have had mine for about a year with no issues... Back it man!


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## DavecUK

ChrisPii said:


> Hello fellow Rocket owners...
> 
> Have been having an issue with my lovely R58 machine and was hoping someone might be able to shine some light on the situation.
> 
> For the first month, it worked perfectly! Very quiet and pressure was stable at 9 bar when brewing. After this time, the pressure started to ramp up for no reason to 12+ bar whilst brewing.
> 
> It continued to do this and eventually the needle just started flickering all over the place.


R58 has a rotary pump with balanced bypass, the pressure on these is adjusted by a flat head screw adjuster on the pump itself (its usually within what's called an acorn nut). it should be set to 9 bar with the machine cold and not heating.



> I tried to adjust the OPV but this did nothing.


This is because the expansion valves only function on a rotary pumped machine is to relieve the excess pressure caused by water expansion on heating e.g. when first switched on and after pulling a shot. This valve should be set to approx 11.5 to 12 bar.



> I returned it to Alchemy coffee, where purchased and they simply lowered the pressure the pump was working at and this hid the problem. When returned to 9 bar, the needle went crazy again. Another failed attempt to adjust the OPV, which has no more adjustment (brew pressure won't even go up to 12 bar as recommended by Alchemy) leaves me with a machine that I am convinced is not right.


Stop adjusting the fecking OPV, if you get it too low so much water will be flooding out of the Expansion valve (OPV) then of course you won't get any pressure.



> Does anyone have any insight into what could be causing this or even how to fix this?


There could be 3 things happening, but first you have to get your machine back into a correct operational state (or go back to Alchemy as suggested later). This ideally should be done with a portafilter pressure gauge. *I also hate making an assumption about whether the machine is plumbed in or running from the tank (which can make a huge difference)*. *For my advice run it from the internal tank for these adjustments (and if possible with the heating element disconnected). *This is because the heating of water and expansion thereof, will affect your pressure readings


First tighten up the expansion valve with the machine running against a blind filter, until you see 9 bar. If you tighten more and it continues to go up do so until it ceases to rise any more. This might be 9 bar it might be higher.

Now go to the pump adjuster (flat head screwdriver), turn it clockwise and the pressure should rise, alternately tighten up the expansion valve and the pump adjuster, *little by little* until you see 11.5 bar and water still coming from the expansion valve tube.

Don't touch the expansion valve again and *reduce the pressure to 9 bar using the pump adjuster only (9 bar is the correct brew pressure).*


Your pump pressure and expansion valve pressure will now be correctly set.



> I have been told there is nothing wrong with the machine; angry!


Don't be angry, you may not have provided them with the correct information, although, like me, they should have realised you don't know what you are doing and given you appropriate support. Interestingly I don't see the Rocket machine on their website, but presumably, you shopped around and has specific reasons why you purchased from them.

There could be a few things happening

1. The pressure gauge could be faulty (hence why I said you should Ideally do the set-up with a PF pressure gauge.

2. You may have the machine plumbed in to a supply with a very variable pressure The balanced bypass system on a rotary pump can only cope with so much pressure variation and pressures above 3 bar should have a pressure reducing valve

3. The expansion valve itself might be faulty (probably not)

4. The pump could be faulty

For Alchemy to tell you there is nothing wrong with the machine is a F4$$%% of and die answer, they should help you. *Why they should help you even though you have mucked the settings up is because*: You had the machine at home, were happy for a month and then noticed problems. The following applies even if you has started to change the OPV settings and Alchemy should have asked you questions like;


Is it was plumbed in, if yes, they should have asked you to run it from the tank

If it was not plumbed in they should have considered the possibility of a faulty gauge, expansion valve or pump

Was it making strange noises

After 1 month limescale shouldn't have been an issue

If Alchemy told you they had reduced the pump pressure (did they?), then this won't have solved the problem if you were pissing about with the OPV


*You MUST go back to Alchemy, communicate clearly and LISTEN (even note down what they say). *It's easy to blame a retailer, when you are not giving them what they need. Alchemy may be a great retailer, they may not, I have no idea. I do know if the customer knows nothing (and you clearly don't), then they MUST support you in every way. They should never leave it to someone on a forum to help you as I am doing.....this applies whether you are a good/bad customer. If they won't help you then they should refund you. These are expensive machine and can go wrong. it's why one of the companies I review for (Bella Barista), on my advice years ago, give a 2 year fully transferable warranty on every prosumer machine they sell.

Come back and "give it the big one" on this thread,* only, *if you have properly and clearly tried to resolve it with Alchemy and given them a fair chance to do so.


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## ChrisPii

Thanks for all the responses, sorry for not replying sooner. I was instructed by Alchemy on how to adjust after being told these machines need regular adjustment; after being charged £30 or £40 for the privilege.

My intent was not to come across as giving it the 'big one'; it's simply a case of being rather irritated that I saved and spent a large amount of money on a machine that I have had problems with after a month.

I'm am trying to get a time to take it back to them and work through the problems. With the help of your replies, I now have some information and experience from fellow R58 users so I am hopefully not fobbed off.

Hope to update with more info soon. Thanks again for your replies.


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## ChrisPii

Machine running off internal tank by the way.

Here's a





 to a video of a shot...

C


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## MediumRoastSteam

ChrisPii said:


> Machine running off internal tank by the way.
> 
> Here's a


Take it back to reseller. Like DavecUK mentioned above, they should help you. If they can't, demand a replacement or refund. That noise / behaviour just seems wrong.


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## DavecUK

Yeah, doesn't look right to me, although you have mucked about with the expansion valve. Get them to set it correctly and without that stupid chundering/chattering sound and flicking needle. Remember if they pull against a blind filter, you will tend to get pressure that initially hits 9 bar, stays for a bit, then continues to rise to around 10.5 due to expansion of water.....but without that stupid sound.

Don't be fobbed off, if they say it's normal ask them to explain why that sound and flicking needle is normal when other machines don't do it. certainly the Rocket I sold @hotmetal, would never have left my hands had it made such a sound or had a needle that flicked like that. After nearly 2 years?, or certainly 18 months it still works perfectly as it should and as yours should.


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## Prusev71

Hi ChrisPii! What happened with your R58? Did you solve the issue?


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## Dodlum

Hi there,

I would be very curious to hear also. I have an R58, and recently the pressure started to hit 11.5/12 whilst brewing. It immediately goes to about 9 and the from there moves slowly up to almost 12.

I have written to Rocket about it, but would love to hear any thoughts that folk on here might have about it also.

David


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