| After almost a decade of roasting my alpenrost finally quit, it was pretty dramatic. I was roasting a batch of sumatra lintong blue batak and I was going to roast it FC++. I heard the beans enter 2nd crack and I heard the roaster make some odd noises, a few seconds later I was going to push the cool button when all the lights went out and the machine just died. I had to quickly dump the beans as they started to sizzle in the hot drum. I really enjoyed using this machine. Last time I was in SFO I visited sweetmarias with an intention of buying a HotTop roaster, but maria advised me to wait till the alpenrost quit working, shipping was free any way. So yesterday I placed the order for a Hot Top. Lets see if I can get 10yrs out of it, I am excited about it as I can *see* my beans roasting its going to be fun after roasting for so many years in the blind. -- Cogito Ergo Sum --- manjo Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| Actually, you can probably resurrect the alpenrost ---I killed a few of them, and it seems like the weak link in that machine is the thermal cutoff switch. You'd need to take it apart to access the switch, but as I recall it didn't even require soldering, and you can get a replacement switch for something $5 at radio shack (though that one will probably crap out eventually too). On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 9:46 AM, Manjo Iyer wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| Wow - I'm continuously amazed at the ingenuity of our members here. Very cool! Lynne On Fri, Aug 27, 2010 at 9:12 PM, Starfinder Stanley wrote: <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| RIP. Ten years seems pretty darned good for a home roasting appliance. Will there be a combination Wake and Welcome to Our Home party when the HT arrives? Slave to the Bean miKe mcKoffee www.CompassCoffeeRoasting.com URL to Rosto mods, FrankenFormer, some recipes etc:http://www.mckoffee.com/Ultimately the quest for Koffee Nirvana is a solitary path. To know I must first not know. And in knowing know I know not. Each Personal enlightenment found exploring the many divergent foot steps of Those who have gone before. Sweet Maria's List - Searchable Archiveshttp://themeyers.org/HomeRoast/ <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| <Snip> Mine has been going strong for 7 years now, so I think there is a pretty good chance of it making it to 10! Steve Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20">http://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmariascoffee.comHomeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemIdx20 |
| "...the thermal cutoff switch. You'd need to take it apart to access the switch, but as I recall it didn't even require soldering, and you can get a replacement switch for something $5 at radio shack (though that one will probably crap out eventually too." Are you not talking about the Fth or thermal fuse? In the infinite wisdom of Big Government, UL approval depends upon the inclusion of a "gimmick" to make sure you don't operate your hobby appliance on too great a duty cycle, like the commercial machine it isn't. Radio Shack doesn't know this one, but they actually sell a thermal fuse replacement on a continuous roll. It's a roll like teletype paper, actually 18-Ga copper wire. Current-wise, it can handle 16 A in an under-chassis location like roaster innards, so you might have to depend on the 15 A circuit breaker in a standard home installation. Current protection still exists. Temperature-wise, you need not worry. Short of a thermonuclear exchange, the 1900° F melting point of copper will not give the failures nur das Leben = zur Hölle lostreten. Thermal protection triumphs. "Fuse" means melt. A fusible wire carrying current generates a little heat. In some kind of cartridge, especially glass, the heat is trapped and builds. With current flowing at less than the rated capacity over an extended time, the fusible link still gets hot and melts out. Understand, if you install the upgraded Fth, the machine will operate more reliably but you must commit to watch it. No texting, no online shopping while el-roasto is el-roasting. Cheers, Mabuhay, bitte Schicken Sie den Kaffee ein -RayO, aka Opa! -- = Persist in old ways; expect new results - suborn Insanity... Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmar=iascoffee.com Homeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee=.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=7820 |
| Yes, fuse, that's what I meant ---and, true, I was tempted to bypass the wretched thing, but I have already gotten enough flack from my wife over inadvertently setting fire to things, so I figured prudence was the better part of valor here.... On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 1:50 AM, wrote: <Snip> 't <Snip> e, <Snip> ly <Snip> ariascoffee.com <Snip> Homeroast mailing list Homeroasthttp://host.sweetmariascoffee.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroast_lists.sweetmar=iascoffee.com Homeroast community pictures -upload yours!) :http://www.sweetmariascoffee=.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=7820 |