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Post by thomas on Aug 1, 2013 10:44:44 GMT -5
Hi,
I'm just starting making chocolate at home and use my "Ultra Grinder+" for the second time and I have a small problem about the stones, when i had ingredient one or the other stop spinning. It is always only one which stop. I cannot see any sugar stock somewhere or anything else, and the chocolate is fluide so I don't understand why one stone doesn't spinne.
Should I worries about that or not and is there anything I can do to fix that? Even if this doesn't damage anything, I imagine this slow down the process as only one stone do the work!
Any advice will be welcome, thanks by advance. Best regards, Thomas
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Post by voltaire on Sept 23, 2013 17:25:08 GMT -5
I had the same problem. When you experience this problem, shut down the machine. Try loosening the "arm" which holds the stones in place and press it by hand just short of the lock position. The wheels should roll if you turn on the machine again.
IMO the pressure is to great it will wear the wheels and stone quicker, that's all. Well, *grins* you may end up with a darker chocolate with diabase. But it won't hurt anything, can't even recall a difference in taste.
I had a guy exchange the spring for me where the purple button is. (less pressure) When I get the time I will figure out a more flexible - well, adjustable means for getting different pressures. To much loosening and it won't grind the chocolate smooth the way you're used to from it.
Another thing I noted is it runs better in batches over 500 grams. I think the cocoa fat lubricates the machine while warm.
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Post by voltaire on Sept 24, 2013 3:56:41 GMT -5
I feel the need to clarify. The above loosening of the arm is thought more of an experiment to convince yourself that the pressure is to great. I'm not sure exactly why the wheels stops, though just a theory from my side.
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Post by thomas on Oct 2, 2013 2:51:47 GMT -5
I thought the same thing so I did push on the arm to see if the wheel turn again, and they do, just for a little while and stop again. I don't think it is the real source of the problem, I think it might be the viscosity. I did add warm cocoa butter in it and the wheels started to turn again. The problem is I don't really want to add any butter in my chocolate. So I'm still try to find a solution. I read on "Chocolate Life forum" someone ask a machiniste to replace the white plastic in the stones and at the base of the drum for the same pieces but in teflon, maybe that will be the solution at last?
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Post by voltaire on Oct 2, 2013 4:35:02 GMT -5
You might be right, if it get's inbetween the wheels that might mess with it.
Either way, I've replaced the springs in the arm and now it runs without problems. I've ran it 14 hours straight, so I'm happy. Don't have any teflon to try, sadly. Otherwise I'd love to try it.
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Post by thomas on Oct 2, 2013 4:37:07 GMT -5
Little bit more detail about the problem.
Still have trouble with my Ultra Grind+, the last batches was alright because I added cocoa butter, so the chocolate was enough fluid then the wheels didn't have to much trouble to spin.
I would like to make chocolate without adding any cocoa butter. So I'm facing the same problem, the wheels stopped again.
I runned the grinder with the liquor ( 1kg) until it was well fluid, and then I added the sugar on three laps of time, little by little. Waiting between each time to see the liquor getting enough fluid.
It was going well for an 1h30 and then one wheel stopped, so I took off half of the liquor and it started to spin again so I left it run during the night and when I woke up, not good!!!! both wheels were stock.
I wonder if the sugar could make the mix sticky, or maybe it start caramelise a little , but the temperature never go over 136F, so i don't think so.
Is it the me doing something wrong or is it necessary to have a bigger melanger to be able to make chocolate without cocoa butter?
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Post by voltaire on Oct 2, 2013 10:19:45 GMT -5
The amount shouldn't be a problem,I don't think you're doing something wrong either. I don't think you need a bigger melangeur either.
I've run very sticky chocolate in mine with the above method. Just keep in mind the machine isn't made for making chocolate. You will have to do modifications. Have you done ANY modifications yet?
You know what? I think I'll try running it without adding any cocoa fat and see what goes. What beans are you using?
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Post by thomas on Oct 2, 2013 11:16:51 GMT -5
I think I might found the solution after looking at it all the morning. I took off the arm and looked at the spring which control the pressure on the wheels. I reduced the course of the spring, at his base which add pressure on the wheels. Not to much otherwise the drum start making a whistling noise. I also took off the scraper which didn't help about the flow of the chocolate in drum, it was too much on the front of one wheel and not enough on the second. It looks like all of that fix the problem for now.
After I'll see how it goes for the tempering by hand with a quite viscous chocolate
About the beans I still have some bad beans I received from africa, so I used that to experiment first. Soon as I am ready I have some good beans from "Meridian Cacao".
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Post by voltaire on Oct 2, 2013 12:06:28 GMT -5
Now you make me want to take a look at how the heck they built it. If you easily can adjust the spring which holds the arm, that's perfect!
The whistling noice might be from the scraper touching the bowls outer wall. I think I recall it happened me to.
Tempering by hand is a messy (but fun) work! I'm still learning myself, been doing it on and off for 3 months now. A good thermometer is really good to have at hand. Keep us up-to-date how it's going!
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Post by thomas on Oct 2, 2013 12:25:51 GMT -5
The noise cannot come from the scraper as I took it off but it come from the axe of the wheels, if i stop lift it up and put it back, the noise stop.
I'll let you know how it goes.
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Post by Ben on Oct 2, 2013 14:32:04 GMT -5
With the scraper removed doesn't the chocolate just push up against the walls of the bowl?
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Post by voltaire on Oct 2, 2013 17:40:43 GMT -5
Oops, my mistake. I missed that you removed the scraper.
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Post by thomas on Oct 3, 2013 4:07:42 GMT -5
Yes, I do need to scrap by my self regulary. So I was thinking reshaping the scraper, and cut off the bottom which is the part pushing in the chocolate and stopping the flow. What do you think?
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Post by Ben on Oct 3, 2013 8:01:28 GMT -5
Having used Ultras for a few years, I guess I'm not sure I understand how the scraper was affecting the wheels ability to turn. Are you saying that because there was too much chocolate in front of the wheel just after the scraper, it wasn't able to turn? Or that the too little chocolate in front of the second wheel made it unable to turn?
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Post by thomas on Oct 3, 2013 10:04:03 GMT -5
I am not really sure what stop the wheels from spinning, did you experience that with your Ultra?
What I observe is if I don't add any cocoa butter (I will prefer not too), it looks like the mix is getting to viscous and the wheels stop. Sometimes it is the one after the scraper, some other times the second wheel and even both at some point. And by adding pressure on the axe of the wheels I been able to make them spin again. And I just observed it make it even easier if I remove the scraper.
What do you think?
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