You may have had a flowmeter error come up on your espresso machine. Or perhaps you've been advised that you require a replacement. But what exactly is a flowmeter? And why does it affect the way you pull espresso shots? We’ve put together this post to give you insight into how a flowmeter works and what it actually is.
A flowmeter is a small unit that helps measure the flow of water streaming through your espresso machine to your grouphead. Working in tandem with the volumetric touchpanel and the dosing device, when pushing a button on the touchpanel, the flowmeter will register how much water will flow through it. Once it registers the required amount of water, the flowmeter will stop the water flow automatically.
On the flowmeter, you’ll be able to see two arrows pointing in opposite directions. These indicate the direction of the water. Inside of the flowmeter is an impeller that helps push the water out. This impeller also has a magnet that counts the water flow, or rather the amount of revolutions/pulses that happen when the water flows through the flowmeter. These pulses are registered through the flowmeter’s sensors which react to the magnet. The machine’s control board provides a small voltage to the flowmeter and once the magnets pass the sensors, this voltage is then returned as a series of pulses. These pulses are then counted by the control board, allowing for it to register the amount of water that has passed through the flowmeter.
It is important to note that not all espresso machines require or contain a flowmeter. It is only if you own a volumetric espresso machine that you need to worry about the condition of your flowmeter.
We offer a wide range of flowmeters that fit many popular manufacturers of espresso machines. One of the most common flowmeter brands is Gicar who provides flowmeters for most espresso machine brands, however the Swiss company Digmesa also provides flowmeters, for example, for LaCimbali machines.
Before purchasing your replacement flowmeter, ensure that you are buying the correct one, as they are available in a wide variety of sizes and types. If you are in doubt, please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our team members, who would be more than happy to help.
If you believe that your flowmeter could be causing you issues, read our blog post with the most common flowmeter issues explained.
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