Re: What kind/brand of timer and naked portafilter do you use?

I always use the naked portafilter. I like the way the espresso looks. Also, I have a Mazzer Mini grinder. Push the handle and it throws the grinds to the left instead of straight down. It is messy using the standard portafilter. I can move the naked portafilter slightly to the left to

Re: Boiler cleanout?

I spoke to Whole Latte Love tech support a few days ago about a problem with my Brewtus II. I could no longer adjust the brew temperature. After waiting 40 minutes on hold and listening to their recorded message about descaling, I asked the tech support person about this [after she ordered a

Re: Gicar PID is deffo better than my failing old AKO unit

Fred, You don't need a rotary pump to switch to the Gicar. You do need WLL's PID kit which includes a relay and a new temp probe. About $250 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Brewtus group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from

Re: Brewtus II PID Conversion

I had a hand held electric drill and drilled 2 holes. simple. I suspect that an epoxy glue would work also. Remember, it came with some heat sink compound to put under the rel -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Brewtus group. To unsubscribe from this

Re: Removing Temperature Probe

I have a probable solution for you. I had the same problem with a Brewtus II. The original temp probe failed. WLL no longer stocks it and sold me the PID upgrade kit. I could not remove the temp probe. I spent a lot of time and tried many tools. A local plumber could not remove it. My auto

Brew Group not heating up when Brewtus II is at 201F

I have a Brewtus II that is on a timer. When I wake up the temperature gauge is reading 201F. But, recently, the brew group that the portafilter goes into, is not as hot to the touch as it used to be hot . It is slightly warmer than room temperature. If I turn on the pump and run a few ounces

Re: Brew Group not heating up when Brewtus II is at 201F

I called WLL tech support. They said the brew head needed maintenance and sold me a kit of parts. I opened the top & bottom of the brew head and replaced various part and the problem seems to be resolved. You can view a very useful youtube video that shows exactly how to do in depth maintenance

Re: Question for Brewtus II owners -- brewgroup temperature.on startup

> Ira, > The WLL tech guy used heat to remove the tread lock bolt. He did it the old fashioned way. He let the brew boiler heat up and then easily removed the thread lock bolt. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Brewtus" group. To unsubscribe from

Re: Question for Brewtus II owners -- brewgroup temperature.on startup

I fixed the brew group not heating up problem. The $50 brew head rebuild kit that WLL sold to me, did not solve it. But, it was very educational. I checked my notes from my call to WLL. Before they sold the kit to me, someone suggested the problem might be the O ring under the mushroom. 1. I

Re: Question for Brewtus II owners -- brewgroup temperature.on startup

> Ira, > Your freight harbor link goes to a set of wrenches. Is that what you intended? > > > https://www.harborfreight.com/5-pc-metric-double-end-flare-nut-wrench-set-61357.html > > > -- Ira > When he fixed the PID install, the WLL tech guy used heat to remove the tread lock bolt. He

Question for Brewtus II owners -- brewgroup temperature.on startup

I recently noticed that after my Brewtus II reached 201 F when first turned on that the brewgroup was *not *hot to the touch. After pulling a few ounces of water, the brewgroup heats up and stays hot the rest of the day. I have a PID and the Brewtus II is turned on in the morning by a timer.

Re: Question for Brewtus II owners -- brewgroup temperature.on startup

> > BklynJim, > > Thanks for the response. I think that is how my B II always used to work. I called WLL tech support. Their first suggestion was to sell me a kit of parts to rebuild the grouphead. That did not work. I called back and they thought that the copper pipe from the brew boiler to

strange cold weather behaviour - Brewtus not heating up

Does anyone have an explanation for this or any ideas on how to resolve it? It is unusually cold in NYC right now,. Wind chill temperature below 0. My Brewtus II is next to a window, It is on a timer. Normally when I wake up it is around 200 degrees. Today, it was at 50. The only way I could

Re: strange cold weather behaviour - Brewtus not heating up

More information. Even when the red light that indicates heating is on, I can see the temps dropping. I measured the water coming out of the portafilter and it matched the temp gauge.around 140 But, the water coming out of the water wand (right side of Brewtus) was measuring 190. -- You

Re: Descaling boilers individually

Ira, You said "I've just filled the steam boiler with white vinegar from the reservoir: " How do you fill the steam boiler without filling the brew boiler? My understanding (maybe wrong) was that the WLL instructions for turning the Brewtus upside down during descaling was to avoid the released

Re: strange cold weather behaviour - Brewtus not heating up

bmacpiper, *I found and solved the problem with the help of WLL tech support.* *They pointed me to a video on diagnostics for electronic issue in the Brewtus.* *I opened it up. Poked around and found that a wire running from the PID to the brew boiler had fallen out of the PID.* *I pushed it

Re: Question for Brewtus II owners -- brewgroup temperature.on startup

Finally fixed/ Rebuilding brew head components was irrelevant. I had a 2nd problem that I was ignoring. A leak. I thought it was a minor nuisance. I had opened the Brewtus II and could not find what was leaking. The 3rd time looking for the leak, I found it. I had to pull a shot with the

Re: New Brewtus IV plastic smell, is it normal?

> > Terry, > There are several teflon tubes moving water. Maybe, maybe one of them is in contact with a hot copper tube and is burning. I know there is one from the steam boiler to the brew boiler that I had to replace recently. It had a hole burned into it and was leaking. It did not

Re: Brewtus II is not playing along.

Do you have a PID? > My Brewtus II suddenly stopped heating up the brew boiler.. I opened it up and found that the left most wire going into the PID and leading to the brew boiler had slipped out of the PID. Pushed it back in and the brew boiler heated up. Important hints: take a photo of

is there any news on Brewtus 2020?

I was talking to WLL tech support yesterday about a problem with my Brewtus II. I asked for advice about a replacement since it is an older machine and I suspect it is approaching end of life. They are out of stock right now on Brewtus IV and do not expect to receive any more of them from

Re: is there any news on Brewtus 2020?

BG, The usual rule of thumb is that the shots will be bitter if the temperature is too high. Maybe try lowering it a few degrees. On my B II I also find that if I have not backflushed recently the shots get bitter. I suspect that you have already tried backflushing. Finally, I noted that a

Re: is there any news on Brewtus 2020?

ews on Brewtus 2020? > From: Herman Dickens > To: bre...@googlegroups.com > CC: > > Thank you for sharing! > > Herman > > > On Thu, Nov 21, 2019 at 1:39 AM vinalopo > wrote: > > Hello Richard, I share Ira's point of view that the Brewtus can be bro

Re: is there any news on Brewtus 2020?

It is hard to keep track of who owns who. Crem, owner of Expobar was acquired by a Florida company Feb 2018. https://dailycoffeenews.com/2018/02/28/espresso-equipment-maker-crem-international-acquired-by-welbilt-for-224m/ Florida-based foodservice equipment seller Welbilt

Re: is there any news on Brewtus 2020?

Beeg, I agree this should be a separate thread. Even better, do a search. I am sure this has been discussed many times, Your first step should be to lower the temp. That varies with the beans. Too hot always makes the shot bitter. On my B II, I am currently using "Italian" dosage. Less grinds

Re: Brewtus II OPV problem?

> > I think Kevin is probably right. WLL sells a kit to replace all the parts, springs & valves in the brew head. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Brewtus" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email

Re: Pstat stuck in the brass pipe

I was not able to do a pid upgrade because i could not remove temp probe from brew boiler. I went toW WLL in Rochester. They told me that Expobar, for about a year, had used an epoxy thread lock. It was near impossible to unscrew. I suspect this was your problem too. WLL removed it by heating

What are symptoms of the B II pump starting to fail?

I have a Brewtus II that is about 12 years old. I recently replaced the pressure stat and the o-ring in the vacuum relief valve.. I am now seeing the brew pressure fluctuating when pulling a shot. Pressure gradually goes up to 9 bar, pauses, drops to 6 bar and then back up to 9 bar. Sometimes

Re: What are symptoms of the B II pump starting to fail?

Strange Repair. I was about to replace the pump. I remember several people who replied that similar symptoms happen if the intake water tube was pinched and water flow to pump was restricted. I had checked that and did not see a problem. I decided to replace the tube before I replaced the pump.

Re: What are symptoms of the B II pump starting to fail?

> > jt, > I think you had the same symptoms I see, but a different cause. I opened the Brewtus. No visible kinks in tubes coming out of OPV. Just to be sure, I rerouted those tubes so they were clear of wires. My brew pressure with a blank portafilter in is 9.8. I can't adjust it. The screw in

Re: BII - replaced PStat - what to replace next?

> > Eric, > Thanks, Where are the overtemp cutoff switches? I should look at them. I had bought a pack of 100 vac relief o-rings from Amazon that are supposed to be good at 400 degrees. I replaced 1. I recently replaced the pressure stat. I had rebuilt my brew head earlier this year with a kit

Re: What are symptoms of the B II pump starting to fail?

> > The repair was temporary. After a few shots, the fluctuating brew pressure > problem returned. > The clue is that the problem was related to a restriction in input line. I finally called WLL and they said that the fact that it went up to 9 bar steady with blind portafilter suggested that

Re: BII - replaced PStat - what to replace next?

Eric, Yes the pump sound wobbles as the brew pressure drops. Also, I looked at Todd's video on checking the pump pressure. Mine fails. I opened and looked at the water intake hose. It looks OK. I suspect the problem is the pump. I just received a new pump assembly kit from WLL. I will install this

Re: What are symptoms of the B II pump starting to fail?

JT, Thanks. Very useful. You are right, when I use a blind basket brew pressure goes to 10 and stays there. It oscillates only when pulling a shot. Never with the blind basket. I will open the machine soon and check your suggestions about the kinked drain tube. I am also going to check the

Re: Brewtus IV-R - Leak where PTFE tubing goes into elbow

> > I had this problem in a B II. > > The tube was touching a hot copper pipe where some insulation had slipped and a hole was burned in. I got a replacement tube from WLL, and taped the insulation back in place. Problem solved/ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to

BII - replaced PStat - what to replace next?

What are the common internal components that I should think about replacing? The Brewtus II is about 12 years old and I would like to get ahead of any problems that might happen in the next year or so. A few weeks ago I had replaced the o-ring in the vacuum relief valve. I was seeing steam

puzzle: I had to raise front edge of B II to get flow out of center of portafilter

I am using a naked portafilter. I took a good look at the flow and noticed that the stream was not coming out of center of portafilter. I was coming from a point close to the handle. I noticed this recently and had no idea when the issue started. I raised the front edge of the Brewtus II by

Re: puzzle: I had to raise front edge of B II to get flow out of center of portafilter

> > KittJ, > Thanks. Your suggestions lead me to rethink what was going on. I forgot that I had "upgraded" to a fancy IMS E61 Precision Group Shower Screen a few months ago and that it was difficult

Re: Dunking a boiler into a pot of descaler

Reinard , I had a big problem with the Brewtus II brew boiler probe when I tried to remove it to switch to a PID. I gave up and drove from NYC to Rochester to WLL. I spoke to Todd aa the time. It turns out that for a few years, Expobar was using an epoxy thread sealer that was serious over

Re: brewtus regular Maintenance questions

Rizwa, I live in Manhattan and have a Brewtus II that I bought in Oct 2007. Almost 13 years old. The water here is good and produces minimal scale. I worry about the fact that I have never descaled it. But, it still works well. At one point I opened up the brew head and replaced all the springs

Brew boiler not heating up == steam boiler is hot

I have a Brewtus II with a PID. I was fixing an unrelated leak problem near brew boiler. The steam boiler is heating up. I can draw steam or hot water. The brew boiler does not heat up. If I pull the shot lever, water comes out and the brew boiler heats up a little. Then it cools back down. Did

WLL just posted video for Crem (Brewtus) Profiler

YouTube I had just bought a Crem One Infusor and wish I had waited a few weeks. This lets you create automatic profiles. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Brewtus" group. To unsubscribe from this group

Re: Picked up a Brewtus II. Tips on troubleshooting.

Roger, A few hints. When I added a PID kit to my Brewtus II, I could not remove the temperature probe from the brew boiler. I tried everything including recruiting an auto mechanic. I drove to WLL in Rochester. They told me that for about a year or so that Expobar was using an epoxy thread

Re: Problems after descaling

Someone with more expertise than I should answer this. I have a Brewtus II bought in 2006 that is working well even though I have never descaled it. I am living in NYC and suspect that I got away with this because of the quality of our water. I visited WLL in Rochester years ago because of

Re: BII is dying --maybe Crem ONE DUO-V or Profitec Pro 600 or ????

The new super-duper machine needed > a 20 amp circuit wired in. Resetting the circuit breaker gets old in a > hurry. > > > > > > > > On Mar 5, 2021, at 5:23recover PM, Richard wrote: > >  > > What would you get if you had to replace a Brewtus? > I am look

Re: Disappointed with my Expobar Brewtus IV-R

LisaR, There is a wire that goes from the PID to the Brew boiler. Those wires often come loose and fall out of the connector. If that happens, the brew boiler will not heat up. It is not a hard fix if you can open up the machine. WLL has youtube videos on opening the Brewtus. On Thursday, June

BII is dying --maybe Crem ONE DUO-V or Profitec Pro 600 or ????

What would you get if you had to replace a Brewtus? I am looking at Crem ONE DUO-V or Crem ONE INFUSER or maybe *Profitec Pro 600.* The Crem machines are brand new at WLL and come for the parent company that used to make Brewtus. The Crem videos from WLL look good. But, it is brand new in the

epoxy thread sealer was used by Expobar

Some older Brewtus II were manufactured with epoxy thread sealers. Allow boiler to heat up and the bolt will be easy to remove by hand. I had a 2006 Brewtus II and upgraded to PID kit. I could not remove the brew boiler temp probe. I had to travel to WLL in Rochester who told me about the the

Re: Requesting advice on VST or IMS baskets for Brewtus

I tried both VST and IMS baskets with my Brewtus II and also with my new Crem One Profiler. It can't hurt to get one. But, I can't taste the difference in shot taste between these baskets and the ones that came with the Brewtus. I have also tried improved shower screens. That seems to help a

Re: BII is dying --maybe Crem ONE DUO-V or Profitec Pro 600 or ????

ir > or replace X”No complaints on that score. The only downside was that I > was without the machine for about six weeks. That machine is still on > active duty with my grandson and 5 roommates. > > > > On Mar 6, 2021, at 11:32 AM, Richard wrote: > > KittJ, >

Re: Brewtus III

When will you be stocking the new steam tip? Is it better at microfoam than the one and two hole tips that you carry now for the Brewtus II? I tried calling to order it recently and was told that you didn't even have part number in your inventory system. That meant that it couldn't be

Brewtus II. No Power light. Sunday morning emergency

It is Sunday morning and Whole Latte Love is not open until tomorrow. I have my Brewtus II on a timer switch but it didn't power on today. I bypassed the timer switch and plugged into the wall. But, there is still no power light on the Brewtus II. There is power coming out of the wall since my

Re: Brewtus II. No Power light. Sunday morning emergency

Thanks. I will look at the wiring. If the wiring looks OK, then how do I test the switch? On Apr 5, 6:35 pm, Ira laza...@gmail.com wrote: At 04:53 AM 4/5/2009, you wrote: I have my Brewtus II on a timer switch but it didn't power on today. I bypassed the timer switch and plugged into the

Re: Brewtus II. No Power light. Sunday morning emergency

Ira, Thanks for the ideas. I opened it up and took a look but didn't see anything. It is Monday now and I called Whole Latte Love. They also told me to check the wires and trace them to the power cord. Since I didn't see any burned wires, they think that it is the power switch and are sending me

Re: Brewtus II. No Power light. Sunday morning emergency

I fixed it myself with instructions from Whole Latte Love tech support. They were very helpful. It wasn't clear to me, after I found the break, that the broken wires had actually come from the power cord line. I don't know how it happened. I suspect that the original wiring connection left that

Re: Brewtus II. No Power light. Sunday morning emergency

It happened again. Bummer. This time I fixed it the way the Whole Latte Love tech people told me. The first time I fixed it, I had re-used the h-shaped connector. They told me to throw it away and get some crimp connectors to connect the power cord wires instead of using the h-connector. It blew

Re: Brewtus II. No Power light. Sunday morning emergency

20,000 was an exaggeration for a spark jumping an air gap when a swich closes. This is probably more accurate: http://www.taser.org/voltage.html The rule of thumb is 30,000 Volts per inch. For example, the maximum voltage of the stun gun below is 0.3 inches x 30,000 Volts/inch = 9,000 Volts. In

Is your BII temperature gauge accurate?

I adjust my BII temperature with each new batch of beans to optimize shot quality. I try to follow the rule that if the shot is too bitter then the tempearture is too high. If the shot is too sour then the temperature is too low. I usually dose around 14 - 16 grams per shot and grind so that a

Re: Is your BII temperature gauge accurate?

One reason I wanted to an accurate temperature readout is that many of the top coffee roasters, like Paradise and Intelligentsia, are now starting to recommend different brew tempertures for different espresso blends that they offer. When I tried their recommended temperatures, I got very bitter

Re: Another steam tip

Todd, How about actually listing this tip for sale at www.wholelattelove.com? It would be a nice gesture to offer free shipping on this to your Brewtus II customers. On Oct 28, 5:08 pm, Todd Salzman to...@wholelattelove.com wrote: Hello, I'm sorry about the confusion in regards to the steam

Re: need advice: I think my Bii may have a leak

I found the leak. I finally opened up the Brewtus II. There is a copper tube that runs into a nut that leads to the steam wand. It was leaking around the nut. I tightened it with a 17mm wrench and the leak stopped. I was lucky since the leak was dripping down toward the controller. I think that

Re: Changing Brewtus III-R from Gicar PID to Fuji PXR3 PID

My advice would be not to bother. Yes, it would be nice to have a 3 digit readout. But, when PIDs first became available for the Brewtus II, some people did a conversion and added a PID instead of the non-pid temperature controller that came with the Brewtus. They reported that they were happy

Re: Holy humidity Batman!

I have never had to make that large an adjustment. But, recently I find that I have to continually make small adjustments of a few notches on my Mazzer mini from day to day and even hour to hour. I have not sure why this is happening. But, several times this past week shots seemed to stop

Re: More Steam Boiler Problems

steam leak which again probably doesn't help, seems to be resolved now it's got more space and less stuff on top. Hope this helps, I have had some great advice on here. Richard On Sun, 31 Jan 2021, 22:05 winnipegger65, wrote: > I know I just posted a problem a couple of weeks ago. That prob

Re: Digest for brewtus@googlegroups.com - 1 update in 1 topic

I had a similar problem. A wire had slipped out of pid. It should have gone to another pid socket which had a 2nd wire going to brew boiler. On Sun, Nov 28, 2021, 4:00 PM wrote: > brewtus@googlegroups.com >