# L1 start up process



## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

From Reiss blog link below . Is this what people have been doing all along ? Originally I though it was 12minutes on, ready to rock,no flush etc.......

This is a morning start, the machine having been left off overnight, so the initial group surface temperature of approximately 24C is a good indicator of the ambient temperature

The method is to wait for the boiler to fully pressurise and the element to switch off

Then open the steam wand for 5 seconds to ensure no false pressure is in the system

Wait for the element to return the boiler pressure to 1.2bar and the element to switch off

Then pull hot water through the group until the solenoid opens to refill the boiler (indicated by the green light coming on) and promptly raise the lever to stop the flush

Wait for the boiler to fill (green light switches off) and the element to reheat the boiler and switch off again

Then repeat the process above for a second and third flush

All up to temp in less than 9 minutes

So the first shot was pulled with a group surface temperature of around 81C, which is cooler than ideal, but still produces an espresso that is fit to drink - remember that the peak inlet temperature of the water will be much greater than 81C

://londiniumespresso.com/blogs/londinium-espresso-blog/8407625-londinium-i-ready-to-go-in-less-than-9-minutes


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I think Reiss means that the boiler will be at temp within 12 mins. You would then need to pull some water through the group to being that to temp. Otherwise, you wait 45 minutes for the heat to spread throughout. What i do, courtesy of coffeechap, is once boiler is up, put a bowl under the pf, losen it but do not take it out, pull the lever down and wiggle the pf so that you are effectively backflushing. Amazing how much gunge still gets up there, then you are killing two birds with one stone!


----------



## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> I think Reiss means that the boiler will be at temp within 12 mins. You would then need to pull some water through the group to being that to temp. Otherwise, you wait 45 minutes for the heat to spread throughout. What i do, courtesy of coffeechap, is once boiler is up, put a bowl under the pf, losen it but do not take it out, pull the lever down and wiggle the pf so that you are effectively backflushing. Amazing how much gunge still gets up there, then you are killing two birds with one stone!


Brilliant suggestion!! Thanks David and Dave.


----------



## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

I'm working afternoon's evenings at the moment, so my routine is wake up, turn L1 on, go back to bed.

After about 45-60 mins L1 is hot and ready to go.

Will have to invest in a high wattage timer plug or start doing a flush once I go back to standard office hours though


----------



## mgwolf (Nov 9, 2012)

Reiss's original instructions that came with the machine were to let the water get up to temp, maybe 12 min, until the boiler switches off, then pull 250 cc to warm the group, then let the water heat up again. Whole process should be 12-14 min. It works Ok, but when you pump 250 cc of cold water back into the boiler, the pressure drops to .6 bar and will need to reheat for a few minutes. The coffee is fine however.

His latest instructions from the blog noted above, seem a little faster and a bit more hands on.

I personally bought a timer for about $25 US that works incredibly well and it turns the L1 on an hour before I need my coffee.


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

The Wemo switch is very popular over here. It locks on to your Wifi network. You can turn the machine on remotely or set up rules.


----------



## Deidre (Aug 13, 2019)

Mrboots2u said:


> Then open the steam wand for 5 seconds to ensure no false pressure is in the system


 @Mrboots2u I have read some people open the steam wand prior to turning machine on in the morning, to remove any air that might have accumulated (closing it again once dry steam is apparent). Is this a good practice to follow with my older Londinium?


----------



## mathof (Mar 24, 2012)

You should not need to worry about the steam wand, assuming the vacuum breaker is working. That valve vacates accumulated air in the boiler when it heats up, and then closes to keep any more air from entering.


----------



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Agreed, to have to follow some complex procedure is a sign that something is not right.


----------



## MarkyP (Jan 10, 2013)

Wow!

That's some thread resurrection!


----------

