NEW RANCILIO SILVIA w/ COMPUTER TEMP. & ROCKY GRINDER Start Price USD 1,249.00 Current Price USD 1,249.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Saturday, October 11, 2008 End Time Thursday, October 16, 2008 Location Wilmington, North Carolina See more about 'NEW RANCILIO SILVIA w/ COMPUTER TEMP. & ROCKY GRINDER' Description (ALL recent price increases are due to HUGE increases in eBay selling fees.I regret this.)For some complete, unsolicited Coffee Geek reviews of our Rancilio Silvia with computer temperature control:http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/consumer/rancilio_silvia/dsblvOR this one:http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/consumer/rancilio_silvia/BAEvansOR this one:http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/consumer/rancilio_silvia/svk AUCTION INCLUDES: A brand new, latest RANCILIO SILVIA (pod adaptable style)    with: Computer 'PID' temperature control - dual display, accurate to +/- 1 degree F.  The entire unit receives a ONE YEAR warranty on parts and labor. ONE brand new, LATEST Rancilio Rocky espresso Grinder -- also ONE year warranty parts and labor  (highly popular doserless version, doser version also available) Does NOT include the Rancilio "base", which I have personally evaluated and is, in my opinion, junk. from an authorized servicing Rancilio dealer Questions? Call Dave at: (877) 286-2833, and please look at the FAQ below.  Two of the photos were submitted by proud owners: Guy and Jeff. (thanks)  We welcome your phone calls, and emails: edna713@yahoo.com Please read these unedited comments from happy buyers, a partial list:      "Great mod, works as described and looks great." "AS PROMISED--GREAT SELLER !!!!--FLAWLESS !!---GOOD DEAL !!--HAPPY CAMPER-THANKS! "PID TOTALLY worth it Had it 6 weeks now. Perfect. honest seller Go for it!" "Quick communicator, unit properly packaged, works great! Excellent" "Turned my good machine into a great one. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! SUPER TRUSTWORTHY!""Item exactly as advertised PID works great. Very communicative seller. Thanks""most excellent, pleasant, knowledgeable and cooperative, thanks." "Top Seller! Top Mod! My UK 240v Silvia Rocks! Thanks from a Scots Espresso Head" (Scotland) "The Precision Temperature modification works - a worthwhile change A+" "Great guy, excellent quality, kickbu** service. Very, very well-designed layout." "This is the MAN to Trust! Wonderful Work! A+++" "Professional, reliable and helpful, highly recommended, A+++" "A+++++ Fantastic Results, Very Professional & Trustworthy Seller. GREAT MOD! " (Japan)   There is a narrow range of optimum temperatures for making great espresso! But unfortunately, that can't be attained inexpensively, (not that the Silvia is a cheapo machine) so what you have in the Silvia, as in most others that cost under about $1,000, is a simple $3.00 button thermostat that sadly permits temperature variations of more than 60(!) degrees, so that usually the water going into your coffee is either too hot or too cold! Please note that the picture shows the unit coming up to the correct temperature.  The correct setting is up to you, but is usually around 223 degrees F.  You decide, and it will hold the setting to within +/- 1 degree. It can be set to read in C as well.   How to make it "just right"??   We take a NEW Rancilio Silvia espresso machine and give it the capability of maintaining the EXACT optimum temperature for espresso making.   BENEFITS:   Consistently HIGH quality espresso shots -- what we all want! Less boiler "dry out" -- it will not "cook" the water out, so leave your unit on all day if you wish. Greater convenience! (Have you noticed that the feature lists for $1,200+ espresso machines boast that you can leave them on all day? Now you can too.) Less power use, at $0.23 / kwh in some areas -- save a few $$$ due to less wasted heat. Less thermal stress on the boiler and other parts -- unit will last longer. Less water wasted, less mineral build-up, better machine availability. Always, ALWAYS use softened, filtered water in your unit, and always de-scale as recommended! We use and recommend Urnex CleanCaf in the shop, and include sample packages with every machine.   What we do for the fee:   In the  brand new Silvia, provided as part of this auction, install and setup a precision, industrial 'PID' microcontroller to maintain the exact temperature you set.  Mounted in the center externally as pictured.   NO exposed wires,  No plastic, glues or velcro. Only the finest quality components are used. Install a calibrated thermocouple sensor on the boiler to read temperature, and a (totally silent) solid state switch to control power to the heater.  Set up, calibrate, and check w/ accurate digital thermometer, and assure that regulation is within +/- 1 degrees. View or change the settings easily! "Burn-in" for 48 hours, and taste-test by making actual espresso.     ADVANTAGES: 1 We do all the work: source all the bits and pieces; install and test. 2 This is a clean and elegant solution. ___________________________________ FAQ: Q:  Why do you set it to 223 F? I thought that the optimum brew temp. was around 202? A:  The sensor monitors the temp. at the top of the Silvia boiler, delivering brew water temp that is near the optimum.  You are free to experiment to your taste and preference, as there are many other factors going into a great cup:  Coffee(!)  grind, tamp, water and so on. Q:  What if I have a Silvia already and it needs repair? A:   We can repair your unit and completely tune it up, please see my other listings for the modification. We will, of course, provide a complete cost estimate for approval before the work starts. Q: What about my warranty? A: You receive a ONE  year warranty on your unit. We are a Rancilio approved service center, and we won't offer a gimmick "extended" warranty that basically covers nothing. Q: Can this installation be moved to another machine at a later date? A: Yes, all parts are removable and usable on another machine. The old thermostat is retained, and just plugs back in.  Although I have no idea why you would want to do that! Q: What about that mounting box, is it some form of plastic? I worry about water being splashed inside, what if I 'miss' when filling the machine? A: Not a chance.  The box is made from rugged die-cast aluminum, and has NO SEAMS whatever that can  admit water. The die cast cover is on the bottom, and since water cannot travel uphill.  It is powder-coated black and goes well with the black frame of the Silvia. Q: What about the 'steaming' temperature? Does this control the steam setting? A: No, it does not. The steam switch works as it always did; and the steam temp is not critical. Q: What about mounting the controller right inside the boiler space? I thought that was nice. A: No matter how you fool around with partitioning and / or insulating it from the heat, using fans, or cutting holes,  it will still be WAY too hot for the controller to survive long in that position.   We do NOT offer that option. _______________________________________________________________________________  A customer email:  Thanks David,               Just got it and it works great!   Nice work getting it pimped out, good electrical work etc, thanks     -------------------------------------------------------------------------          The steamer is like a rocket engine compared to our current Silvia, so I think I'd definitely like to send out this unit for servicing and the same modification (all internal).   I'm ready to send it. .  . . " _____________________________________________________ and perhaps the ultimate compliment: "ciao davide.....sono contento del lavoro che hai fatto sulla mia silvia.......grazie      bruno -"     A SAECO Premier authorized Service Center A Rancilio authorized Sales / service Center A GAGGIA authorized Service Center Questions? Call Dave at: (877) 286-2833 Place a Bid!