so.. Are you saying that it didn't used to be like that and now it is? What water do you use?

 

It's been doing it for a while, so possibly/probably since I got it (September).

Filtered tap water using a decent filter.

 

Check out your advanced settings and detail them on here.. it's also worth mentioning the brew temperature you have it set to....which helps us make sense of the advanced settings. Be very careful not to factory reset it (gicars little joke).

 

Is this not long after you switch the machine on? Doesn't the Bianca have some super overheating cycle to start off with to get the group up to temp quickly?

 

It does...but I still think you need to wait for 30-35m...or it's too hot.

 

I tend to wait 30 mins, and pretty sure its done it after that.

Excuse my ignorance, but how do I get at the detailed settings? No idea what I've done with the manual... and their website doesn't seem to have a link to the manual

 

Ok figured it out... if these are the settings you mean?!

95 degrees coffee boiler

steam boiler on @125

pre inf off

stand by off

 

No, your advanced pid settings determine proportional, integral and derivative settings. It's easy to factory reset if you start the machine up holding the wrong button down, or hold them down while powered up....one of the two. It's easy to do if you're just trying to alter settings or get into the advanced settings to change them or switch an element off for first fill. But maybe that's been disabled on the bianca if you're looking at those options in an advanced menu?

 

I am afraid all the Bianca stuff is in the Bella Barista guide, however the LCC advanced settings are accessed in the same way as for the Elizabeth (even though Elizabeth has some different settings). read it all when you get a chance.

https://sway.office.com/S5J4d9Jp4Y9LdVFx

If we know what your advanced settings are we can see if there is an offset that's set wrong or something. Below is a video on the Elizabeth, but the entry into advanced settings is the same.

 

I am afraid all the Bianca stuff is in the Bella Barista guide, however the LCC advanced settings are accessed in the same way as for the Elizabeth (even though Elizabeth has some different settings. read it all when you get a chance.

https://sway.office.com/S5J4d9Jp4Y9LdVFx

Ok I bought it from Bella... will try and find their booklet then...

or perhaps your link will assist, thanks

 

I'm not sure what the advanced menu is, or how to access it.... it's not mentioned in the manual

Beginner instructions welcome!

 

Ok... before I reset the whole thing by accident... the important bit in red in the linked instructions is slightly unclear

The section in red says if I don't press the minus button it will factory reset.

Does this mean if I only press the plus whilst turning on it will factory reset?

If so, it would be much clearer (for me at least) if that's what it said... if not, any idea what it does mean?

 

Ok... before I reset the whole thing by accident... the important bit in red in the linked instructions is slightly unclear

1. The section in red says if I don't press the minus button it will factory reset.

Does this mean if I only press the plus whilst turning on it will factory reset?

If so, it would be much clearer (for me at least) if that's what it said... if not, any idea what it does mean?

Yes, in the olden days the factory settings were my setting, but that was 2 years ago and they may not do that now since the last few software updates. I don't know. Gicars sick little joke was to factory reset, you only have to hold in the + button and power it on. To get into advanced settings you have to hold in both buttons and power it on.

Who ever programmed it, obviously didn't like customers, or really thought it wasn't likely that a customer might only have the + button fully pressed in...and accidentally factory reset the board....losing any personalised settings.

My way round would be to have the + button held in take you to advanced settings when you power on, and to factory reset, you would have to hold both in...but I'm old and stupid.

 

ok, after much trepidation I've got hold of the detailed settings, without resetting the unit...

• 
  KPc 0.8
  
• 
  KIc 0.04
  
• 
  KDc 12.0
  
• 
  Bc 15
  
• 
  KPs 20.0
  
• 
  KIs 0.00
  
• 
  KDs 20.0
  
• 
  Bs 0
  
• 
  Ec 10
  
• 
  Es 0
  
• 
  TR 0
  
• 
  ToT .
  

I hope someone speaks Lelit, and can translate!

 

I can speak Lelit 🙂

At a glance, they are default settings.

Change your TR to 1, so the display will show you the right, actual temperature rather than the set temp. Report back. I have a feeling those settings are causing an overshoot, big time (On the Elizabeth, the default settings overshoot the target temp by 6C!)

Also, check DavecUK's review and see if there are recommended settings. Use those, for sure!

 

Ok that's helpful, thanks

 

.... but quickly back down to the 90's though

 

As mentioned above - the machine applies a lot of heat during start up and then cools down in order to warm the group fast. Question: Do you have your machine on stand-by by any chance? I'm wondering if it's doing the warm up routine as soon as it wakes up again.

ps: That "progress bar" under the temperature indicates it's warming up.

 

no, I grabbed that setting in the earlier post, it's set to off.

it settled down to 96 after 10 mins (still being warm from earlier), although set for 95, so I've dropped the setting by 1.

at least I can now see the actual boiler temp, so I'll be able to see if it starts getting too hot - thanks

 

it settled down to 96 after 10 mins (still being warm from earlier), although set for 95, so I've dropped the setting by 1.

Now my friend, the fun begins! What you are seeing is the default PID settings are not great.

I don't know if Dave has recommended settings in his manual, but you could pinch these ones for the Profitec 700 from Clive Coffee and see if it works:

https://clivecoffee.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002824508-PID-Settings-and-Clive-Recommended-Settings

Translated to your machine:

• 
  KPc 2.5
  
• 
  KIc 0.02
  
• 
  KDc 8.0
  
• 
  Ec: 14 (suggestion)- This is the offset between the brew boiler and the temperature in the group. It might be that your current value of 10 is too low. Dave might know the right answer here as he knows the machine well.
  

EDIT: Dave replied to me as I was typing this. Leaving here for reference.

 

@mctaff

• 
  KPc 0.4
  
• 
  KIc 0.04
  
• 
  KDc 12.0
  
• 
  Bc 15
  
• 
  KPs 20.0
  
• 
  KIs 0.00
  
• 
  KDs 20.0
  
• 
  Bs 0
  
• 
  Ec 10 (brew temp offset)
  
• 
  Es 0
  
• 
  TR 0 (on my machine displays the actual brew temp and not the target)
  
• 
  ToT .
  

I would recommend you set a brew temp of 93 as optimal for most coffees...94 is on the hottish side. Reduce KPc to 0.4

 

When setting up PIDs for machines you have to be super careful, It takes me a long time and a lot of temp testing. it also depends on the size/configuration of the thermosyphon, the PID programming, boiler size etc... I don't think those Profitec 700 ones would be suitable at all. The ones he is using are my recommended settings except for KPc, which should be 0.4.

 

received my bianca today. watched the video. when i hold the + - and switch on the machine it just reset it and shows "preset done" and asks me to load the boiler with water for 30s. has this changed on more recent models?

edit - nevermind figured out i wasn't holding the buttons long enough.

 

great, will try 93 and 0.4.

what does the KPc setting control?

thanks both for the assistance, much appreciated.

 

great, will try 93 and 0.4.

what does the KPc setting control?

thanks both for the assistance, much appreciated.

The PID proportional response e.g. the amount of "push" given to get back to the brew temperature setpoint. Larger values can cause overshoots.

 

ok, so the sensitivity of the steering wheel then.

I can see how that could be causing the boiler to go a bit mad and give me boiling water sometimes...

 

@John Yossarian Theres 3 lots of PID settings, Brew Boiler, Steam Boiler and Gear Pump (don't mess with the gear pump one unless you know what your doing).

 

just wanted to update you on this

after changing the display to show the actual temp, it's apparent that the boiler temp often hovers at 122 degrees for an extended period before settling down to a usable temperature.

if I pull water through at higher temps it gives the characteristics I was seeing before, so I imagine I was using it before it was ready.

thanks again!

 

just wanted to update you on this

after changing the display to show the actual temp, it's apparent that the boiler temp often hovers at 122 degrees for an extended period before settling down to a usable temperature.

if I pull water through at higher temps it gives the characteristics I was seeing before, so I imagine I was using it before it was ready.

thanks again!

Yup, using it too early in its fast warm up cycle

 

Your prob not holding both buttons. Its a ball ache

Do you have the youtube guide dave made?

 

Ps now you reset it you need to change the one value back

 

• 
  
  Power off the machine.
  
• 
  
  Keep pressed the "+" and "-" button of the LCC display, and in the same time power on the
  
  machine, when the display will show KPc:0,8 release the buttons.