aria
Neophyte
Posts: 7
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Post by aria on Sept 6, 2020 10:10:40 GMT -5
On a different thread, I have recently posted about the new Spectra 11 that I purchased. I have an older model which works wonderfully. The new model has presented a couple of issues. First, as mentioned in the other thread, the bushings are loose resulting in chocolate getting into the axle resulting in the roller stone ceasing to rotate.
The second issue which is odd is that when I try to make white chocolate or when I am pouring in cocoa butter into a dark chocolate recipe, the spray is huge.The spray of the chocolate mass splatters the whole inside of the floating lid and much goes through the open space between the lid and bowl. As such, I now can't use the melanger for making white chocolate and need to pour tiny amounts of cocoa butter at a time into the bowl to make my normal dark chocolate recipe.
Has anyone had this issue.
I did not have this issue at all with the older model which has worked quite well.
Anthony
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Jim B.
Novice
Newbie
Posts: 118
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Spectra 11
Sept 6, 2020 11:03:55 GMT -5
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Post by Jim B. on Sept 6, 2020 11:03:55 GMT -5
I've been having the same problem! Chocolate that gets sprayed up onto the lid drips onto the edge of the bowl which then gets "thrown" around the kitchen. I've been trying to moderate how much I make and/or how and when I incorporate ingredients to help circumvent the problem. Short of putting the melanger in a tall box, and wasting a lot of chocolate, I'm not quite sure what the solution is! -Jim B.
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aria
Neophyte
Posts: 7
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Post by aria on Sept 6, 2020 13:33:49 GMT -5
I can't figure out why the mass is being sprayed everywhere. I now have a wall of chocolate art. I was going to reach out to Spectra on Tuesday. Right now the machine is unusable. I am hoping that the warranty will be honoured. Have you spoken to Spectra yet? Anthony
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Jim B.
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Posts: 118
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Post by Jim B. on Sept 7, 2020 6:27:58 GMT -5
No, I haven't tried to contact them. I figured it had to do with the volume and viscosity of the mass, and temperature. I seemed to be able to control it last time, but only made about 2 1/2 lbs of chocolate!
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aria
Neophyte
Posts: 7
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Post by aria on Sept 13, 2020 12:48:35 GMT -5
Jim, an update. Spectra is hoping to send me a tightly fitted lid. They are reaching out to the manufacturer. My rpms which should be just above 100 are above 130 which explains the spraying I have. I suggest you reach out to them. Anthony
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Jim B.
Novice
Newbie
Posts: 118
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Spectra 11
Sept 14, 2020 7:55:50 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Jim B. on Sept 14, 2020 7:55:50 GMT -5
Anthony, Thanks for the info on the lid! But I don't understand how that is supposed to work! My lid attaches to the tightening knob; it sounds like they're sending one that attaches to the bowl instead. How will it vent as water vapor can condense and potentially cause your chocolate to seize? I've actually thought that something akin to bicycle fenders to deflect the chocolate as it comes up off the stones BEFORE it hits the lid might work... Cheers! -Jim
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aria
Neophyte
Posts: 7
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Post by aria on Sept 28, 2020 19:10:05 GMT -5
Jim,
Yes I understand it will fit to the bowl. My plan would be to turn off the melanger, add the cocoa butter and then mix manually until fully mixed in. Then replace lid and allow the machine to run for a while until the spraying has ceased. The only issue I have when adding cocoa butter to the chocolate mass is the initial 5 or 10 minutes. Hopefully by handing mixing, I won't have to keep the lid on as safeguarding for too long. I won't use the bowl for white chocolate since prolong spraying with a lid really would be a mess. Since I have 2 machines I will use the other one for white chocolate. As well, Spectra confirmed that the speed of the old melanger was the same as the newer ones at 130 rpms. When I counted my rpms on the older one, the rpms are around 120.
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