BeanScene – August 2019

once per day. This washes out sticky

oils left from ground coffee, which can

become lodged within the group head’s

components. Another great way to

ensure your group head is maintained

is to adhere to a comprehensive

preventative maintenance program

on your espresso machine.

SEALS

Ensuring your group head seals are in

good condition is important, since a poor

seal will lead to leaking in the group

head. Over time, poorly maintained seals

become especially troublesome when

they need to be replaced, as baristas will

try and overtighten the group handles to

compensate, causing more damage.

Some technicians carry generic

‘packers’ instead of holding specific parts

for each brand. When replacing a seal,

they simply pack the desired amount,

which is usually not to the manufacturer’s

specifications. Although they may appear

identical, it takes only slight width

variations to cause a sealing issue.

When a genuine part is available,

we do not recommend packers because

they can fall out due to a lack of

contact with the group head and not

fitting oversized coffee seals. This can

lead to the over-tightening of group

handles, causing increased wear on

the group head.

Another great way we recommend

baristas prolong their seals is to leave

the group handles locked into the group

head when not in use. This is because the

seals can become dry overtime without

the group handle locked in.

HANDLES

It’s important to use the correct group

handle for your coffee machine. Most

group handles are made of a soft metal

called brass because of its strong heat

conductivity. The trade off is that it’s a

relatively weak metal. Because of this,

some people purchase non-genuine

group handles made with stainless steel.

Although this leads to reduced strain on

the group handle, it increases wear to

the group head. Ultimately, the switch

to stainless steel ensures the longevity

of an easily replaceable component at the

expense of equipment that is far more

expensive and labour-intensive to repair.

Simply treating your machine

with care instead of jamming in and

over-tightening the group handle will

increases the lifespan of a group head

to a surprising degree.

REPLACING PARTS

If a group head passes the point of

no return, it’s good to know that each

part is replaceable. Service Sphere,

for instance, stocks parts for many

popular manufacturers, including group

heads and handles. However, the real

question should be: is it worth getting

to this point?

Prices for a basic group head begin

around $300 and climb very quickly.

The work required to change these

parts can require a technician to spend

significant time to do this correctly. So

yes, it’s replaceable, but would I instead

try to ensure the group head doesn’t

need replacing? Absolutely.

For more information, visit

http://www.servicesphere.com.au

“BARISTAS NEED TO LEARN EVERYTHING

THEY CAN ABOUT COFFEE EXTRACTION.

FROM GRIND ADJUSTMENT TO WATER

TEMPERATURE, THESE FACTORS CAN

ALL INFLUENCE THE FLAVOUR OF

COFFEE IN THE CUP.”

beanscenemag.com.au 77

once per day. This washes out sticky
oils left from ground coffee, which can
become lodged within the group head’s
components. Another great way to
ensure your group head is maintained
is to adhere to a comprehensive
preventative maintenance program
on your espresso machine.

SEALS
Ensuring your group head seals are in
good condition is important, since a poor
seal will lead to leaking in the group
head. Over time, poorly maintained seals
become especially troublesome when
they need to be replaced, as baristas will
try and overtighten the group handles to
compensate, causing more damage.
Some technicians carry generic
‘packers’ instead of holding specific parts
for each brand. When replacing a seal,
they simply pack the desired amount,
which is usually not to the manufacturer’s
specifications. Although they may appear
identical, it takes only slight width
variations to cause a sealing issue.
When a genuine part is available,
we do not recommend packers because
they can fall out due to a lack of
contact with the group head and not
fitting oversized coffee seals. This can

leadto theover-tighteningof group

handles,causingincreasedwearon

thegrouphead.

Anothergreatwaywerecommend

baristasprolongtheirsealsis to leave

thegrouphandleslockedintothegroup

headwhennotin use.Thisis becausethe

sealscanbecomedryovertimewithout

thegrouphandlelockedin.

HANDLES

It’simportantto usethecorrectgroup

handleforyourcoffeemachine.Most

grouphandlesaremadeof a softmetal

calledbrassbecauseof itsstrongheat

conductivity.Thetradeoffis thatit’sa

relativelyweakmetal.Becauseof this,

somepeoplepurchasenon-genuine

grouphandlesmadewithstainlesssteel.

Althoughthisleadsto reducedstrainon

thegrouphandle,it increaseswearto

thegrouphead.Ultimately,theswitch

to stainlesssteelensuresthelongevity

of aneasilyreplaceablecomponentat the

expenseof equipmentthatis farmore

expensiveandlabour-intensiveto repair.

Simplytreatingyourmachine

withcareinsteadof jammingin and

over-tighteningthegrouphandlewill

increasesthelifespanof a grouphead

to a surprisingdegree.

REPLACINGPARTS

If a groupheadpassesthepointof

noreturn,it’sgoodto knowthateach

partis replaceable.ServiceSphere,

forinstance,stockspartsformany

popularmanufacturers,includinggroup

headsandhandles.However,thereal

questionshouldbe:is it worthgetting

to thispoint?

Pricesfora basicgroupheadbegin

around$300andclimbveryquickly.

Theworkrequiredto changethese

partscanrequirea technicianto spend

significanttimeto dothiscorrectly.So

yes,it’sreplaceable,butwouldI instead

tryto ensurethegroupheaddoesn’t

needreplacing?Absolutely.

For more information, visit

http://www.servicesphere.com.au

“BARISTAS NEED TO LEARN EVERYTHING

THEY CAN ABOUT COFFEE EXTRACTION.

FROM GRIND ADJUSTMENT TO WATER

TEMPERATURE, THESE FACTORS CAN

ALL INFLUENCE THE FLAVOUR OF

COFFEE IN THE CUP.”

beanscenemag.com.au 77