Quick Overview
The steam temperature control allows the boiler temperature to be held between a tighter range during frothing. User operation is the same as regular machine, so there isn't a lot of extra fiddling to figure this PID out. The added consistency is a welcome change, as the most common complaint we hear from Silvia owners is a lack of this consistency.
This kit fits all Silvia models, including the model made after 2009.
Please be aware that installing this on your Silvia will void any existing warranties.
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This PID controller kit is built with perfecting a single-boiler machine in mind. With the addition of steam temperature control and an extraction timer that can be programmed with pre-infusion, this PID can turn your Rancilio Silvia into a professionally consistent machine. The pre-infusion functionality injects water directly into the espresso grinds to saturate the coffee before actual extraction, ensuring far less variance when the pump flings into full motion.
The steam temperature control allows the boiler temperature to be held between a tighter range during frothing. User operation is the same as regular machine, so there isn't a lot of extra fiddling to figure this PID out. The added consistency is a welcome change, as the most common complaint we hear from Silvia owners is a lack of this consistency.
This kit fits all Silvia models, including the model made after 2009. However, if you have a model V1 or V2 made between 2000 and July 2006, the PID with screw sensor offers better performance.
Please be aware that installing this on your Silvia will void any existing warranties.
How the PID Retrofit Kit Works
Pre-infusion is achieved by pumping a small amount of water into the coffee grinds, then activating the pump for extraction following a few second delay. This will prevent abrupt high pressure on the coffee grinds that can create inconsistency. Overall, this unit takes quite a bit of the guesswork out of the process.
- The extraction timer contains three segments: pre-infusion, soak, and brew. Each segment can be set with only .1 second variation.
- When the ">" key is pressed, the controller starts the brewing sequence automatically.
- The pump can be stopped at any time by pressing the ">" key a second time. This feature allows you to operate the brew pump manually, with the timer as a reference. User can also bypass the timer to use switch on the machine for manual controlling the brewing process.
- The steam temperature control allows the boiler temperature to be held at tighter range during frothing.
- User operation is the same as regular machine; no extra buttons are needed for frothing. When the steam switch is turned on, the on/off temperature of the heater is controlled with 1 degree (F or C), as compared with original thermostat's >10°C (or 20°F).
- With this level of temperature control, you will no longer need to surf the temperature for frothing, because the heater will kick on much sooner than the original thermostat. The on/off temperature can also be adjusted by the user.
| Weight (lbs.) | 0.6000 |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Manufacturer | Auber Instruments |
Submit a question directly to owners of this product and ask what they think about it!
For example, I try to brew at 198F. I set the PID so it reads 215F so I get what I think is around 198F at the brew head.
The key to the PID is the consistency of temperature over the duration of the shot. Like it's giving 198F over the whole 25 seconds a shot is pouring. That's what it's good at. Consistency, not so much accuracy.
With Ms. Silva, alot of heat is lost from the boiler (which isn't the most accurate read) to where the water actually comes out. You just have to play with it. 15-20F + what you are shooting for will get you in the ball park. Hope this helps.
If you look on the net you'll find some cheap ways to measure brew temp, but your tastebuds are the best at what is good. Jul 5, 2012
Thanks for your question
Bob Z. Jul 5, 2012
I thought I would have to manually set all the settings so I read up on how to do all that. But it came already configured for optimal setting for me. The boiler is set at 220 but where the water comes out, it's about 200-202. It's also configured for pre infusion and 25 seconds of brew time, I don't have to use my watch anymore :)
I basically read the paper works just to understand what's happening. The machine is ready to go once I unpacked it. Jul 5, 2012
Good luck Jul 5, 2012
It's not too hard to install. The install guide on the included CD was quite helpful.
I did run into one issue though. Somehow I ended up with the wrong PID controller (not intended for Silvia). Contacted Seattle Coffee Gear, and they put me in touch with the company that builds these kits. After several emails we identified the problem was not with the way I had wired in the controller, but the controller itself. They sent me a replacement controller and everything was good.
I've been using Silvia in this configuration for over a year now with no issues. I did find the pre-infusion and brew times to be too short since I'm using one of the triple-shot bottomless porta-filters (guessing they were calibrated for a double-shot). Since I haven't spent the time to update the PID configuration settings - I run Silvia in the manual override mode and use the controller as a better boiler temperature controller.
Good luck! Hopefully this helps some.
Kevin Aug 13, 2012
The installation instructions that you can download are really good. The PID is totally worth the time and money investment to do it yourself. Aug 14, 2012
Installation took under an hour. Aug 13, 2012
It's fun. Aug 13, 2012
Can the PID be set on Celsius rather then Fahrenheit ? Can be it switched once mounted ?
Thank you
Pietro May 5, 2013
If yes, would mounting it in the machine require extra parts or could it be mounted with included hardware?
Thanks in advance,
Dave Willis
303-993-7706 Mar 2, 2012
Looking for warranty, care information, or videos of this product? You're in the right place!
User Manuals for your Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine
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Definitely Makes a Better Shot
Review by Eric -
Quality Price Value The PID came without instructions and after 3 emails asking for them I was finally emailed the installation instructions. Another reviewer mentioned that the instructions were not included as well, so plan on asking for them.
After all of the difficulty getting the instructions, the actual install was very smooth. I really took my time and went slow to make sure I did everything just right and I was finished in about 45 minutes. Plus, it was pretty cool learning more about the inside of the machine and how it works.
The price tag is a little high for the equipment, but having said that the value that it provides is worth it. The pre-infusion definitely helps (you could do this without the PID by switching the brew switch on for a second, letting it rest for a couple then pulling your shot), but the biggest help is how stable it keeps the temp (mine has been within 1 degree). It's also a benefit to know the temp that you're going to steam at so that you can catch it at the peak just before the boiler shuts off so that you get maximum power.
Overall, if you've got the cash it's worth it!(Posted on 3/20/13)
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Excellent aftermarket boiler controller with preinfusion
Review by Mark in Virginia -
Quality Price Value Just got this today. Installation instructions were missing but a quick phone call and they emailed them to me straight away. Took about an hour and a half to install. It works amazingly well right out of the box. I'm playing with temperature settings now, preset at 225ish, measured on the outside of the boiler, but looks like about 217 is the sweet spot. It's a nice upgrade for your Silvia for sure. If you're not handy, might wanna consider boxing up your machine and having SCG do the install. It's pretty straightforward but more involved than changing a hard drive in your computer. Overall very glad I purchased this.
(Posted on 2/27/13)
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Worth the effort and money
Review by James P. -
Quality Value Price The PID mod is well worth the money and the time to put it in (and also the time it takes for Ms. Silvia to heat up, more on that below). You can taste the difference.
After changing beans, tamp pressure, amount of coffee, shot time, etc looking for that "sweet spot" I found it by controlling the temperature. Now I get the killer shots out of the machine.
It took me a little more than an hour to install it, although I wasn't tying to rush. It's simple, all you need is a phillips head and a small flathead screwdriver. The instructions are really good, I was looking at the PDF and I'd zoom in on the pics to get a good look at what they were talking about.
So, now that you have invested your time and money in the thing for awesome coffee you should know that you have to wait for the machine to warm up for for 45 mins to stabilize the temperature. You can still "cheat miss Silvia" first thing in the morning but the temperature won't be right and it's not the same quality of shot. The webernets say timers aren't recommended but I find they work really well as long as you are careful not to fry the machine by leaving the boiler empty.
Pros:
Cons:
(Posted on 3/12/12)
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Well worth the money
Review by Caius Martius -
Quality Value Price All I can say is WOW! I drink Counter Culture Espresso Toscana. They recommend 198 brew temp, I can finally produce that. The first latte was the best I have ever pulled from Miss Silvia.
We tested 3 degrees cooler and it was sour. This is with a measured dose and good tamp. The stock thermo can roam a whopping 40 degrees. If you can taste 3 degrees easily, then you KNOW you need this.
Money well spent.
Pros:
Easy To Use, Serious Upgrade
Cons:
Installation not trivial(Posted on 12/8/11)
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