You need to change your group gaskets as part of regular maintenance.
The group gasket seals the portafilter to the group and prevents coffee from escaping during its 9 bars of extraction. As the gaskets age, they go hard and pressure is lost as the coffee will escape from the side of the group.
When do I change the group gaskets?
You should change your group gaskets every 6 months in a commercial environment and 12 months in a home setting.
If group gaskets are not changed promptly - you will lose the 9 bars extraction pressure needed to get a good crema, as the gasket has gone hard and coffee will leak from the group.
The gaskets will be very difficult to remove, as the rubber goes hard - change at the correct intervals and you will save time and improve quality.
We recommend that you always keep spare gaskets.
Type: Flat Material:
Rubber: NBR 85SH FDA (Peroxide cured nitrile polymer for food applications) - FDA-approved
Silicone: 80SH SILICONE FDA Food Safe Silicone - FDA-approved
Options:
2 x Rubber gaskets + paper shim gasket.( In case your group is worn and PF sits over to the left - adding the supplementary Paper Shim Gasket will position the PF at 6 o clock)
1 x Silicon gasket
Size:(Ø 73mm x 57mm x 8 mm) Models less than 2/3 years
Size:(Ø 73mm x 57mm x 8.5mm) Models older than 3 years
Fits all ECM models including:
ECM Appartamento
ECM Boxer
ECM Barista A2/A3
ECM Cronometro R/V
ECM Casa Prima
ECM Classika , Classika II, Casa, COMPACT-HX-2 , Classika -PID
ECM Mechanika , Mechanika Profi , Mechanika Profi due , Mechanika -V-Slim
ECM Porta Via
ECM Raffaello,
ECM Veneziano
ECM Synchronika
ECM Technika III, Technika -IV-Profi , Technika -IV-Profi Due , Technika -IV-Profi-PID
ECM R 60V, R NINE ONE, R58, R60V, R8, R8V, R9, R9 2016, R9V, R-CINQUANTOTTO,
ECM RE A 2014, RE A 2016, RE-A, RE-DOPPIA, RE-S, RE-TIMER,
ECM R-NINE-ONE
Easy to replace - all you need is patience and an awl or a sharp screwdriver.
Remove the shower screen by unscrewing the main screw or dislodging the push-on shower with a screwdriver or Filter Basket Remover
Remove the old gasket: Use an awl to remove the gasket or a sharp screwdriver - it will come away in pieces as it will be brittle.
Insert gasket with narrow part 1st and lock on with portafilter - to tighten gasket into place.
Screw back the shower screen.
Changing the group gasket promptly will make this job relatively easy to do.
When to replace:
When the coffee starts to overflow from the handle when making a coffee. You won't have the correct pressure to extract the coffee, leaving a diluted watery taste in the coffee.