[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":230},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-\u002Fbrewcraft\u002Fdocs\u002Fbackflushing":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":222,"extension":223,"meta":224,"navigation":225,"path":226,"seo":227,"stem":228,"__hash__":229},"docs\u002Fdocs\u002Fbackflushing.md","Backflushing Your Machine",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":214},"minimark",[9,13,28,33,36,59,65,69,76,96,117,121,128,191,195,198,208],[10,11,5],"h1",{"id":12},"backflushing-your-machine",[14,15,16,17,21,22,27],"p",{},"Backflushing forces water — and optionally detergent — ",[18,19,20],"strong",{},"back"," through the group head and the three-way solenoid valve, then out through the valve's drain. This clears coffee oils and fine residue from places you can never reach by wiping. It is a core part of routine ",[23,24,26],"a",{"href":25},"\u002Fbrewcraft\u002Fdocs\u002Fmaintenance-descaling","maintenance",".",[29,30,32],"h2",{"id":31},"backflushing-is-not-descaling","Backflushing is not descaling",[14,34,35],{},"These two jobs are constantly confused:",[37,38,39,50],"ul",{},[40,41,42,45,46,49],"li",{},[18,43,44],{},"Backflushing"," removes ",[18,47,48],{},"coffee oils"," from the group head and solenoid valve.",[40,51,52,45,55,58],{},[18,53,54],{},"Descaling",[18,56,57],{},"mineral scale"," from the boiler.",[14,60,61,62,27],{},"You need both, on different schedules, and neither replaces the other. Backflushing does nothing for scale; see ",[23,63,64],{"href":25},"descaling",[29,66,68],{"id":67},"which-machines-can-be-backflushed","Which machines can be backflushed",[14,70,71,72,75],{},"Detergent backflushing only works on machines with a ",[18,73,74],{},"three-way solenoid valve",", which releases group pressure back through a drain:",[37,77,78,84,90],{},[40,79,80],{},[23,81,83],{"href":82},"\u002Fbrewcraft\u002Fproducts\u002Fsolo-machine","Solo",[40,85,86],{},[23,87,89],{"href":88},"\u002Fbrewcraft\u002Fproducts\u002Fflux-machine","Flux",[40,91,92],{},[23,93,95],{"href":94},"\u002Fbrewcraft\u002Fproducts\u002Fduo-machine","Duo",[14,97,98,101,102,106,107,111,112,116],{},[18,99,100],{},"Do not detergent-backflush"," the ",[23,103,105],{"href":104},"\u002Fbrewcraft\u002Fproducts\u002Fpico-machine","Pico"," (no solenoid) or the ",[23,108,110],{"href":109},"\u002Fbrewcraft\u002Fproducts\u002Flever-machine","Lever"," (manual group). On those, detergent has nowhere to drain and can be forced back into the pump or boiler. A plain water rinse of the group and basket is the correct routine for them. Check ",[23,113,115],{"href":114},"\u002Fbrewcraft\u002Fdocs\u002Fcompatibility","compatibility"," if you are unsure what your machine has.",[29,118,120],{"id":119},"detergent-backflush-weekly","Detergent backflush (weekly)",[14,122,123,124,127],{},"You need a ",[18,125,126],{},"blind (unperforated) basket",". Work through the steps:",[129,130,131,137,153,160,171,177,188],"ol",{},[40,132,133,134,27],{},"Remove the normal basket from the portafilter and insert the ",[18,135,136],{},"blind basket",[40,138,139,140,143,144,148,149,152],{},"Add ",[18,141,142],{},"one"," BrewCraft ",[23,145,147],{"href":146},"\u002Fbrewcraft\u002Fproducts\u002Fcleaning-tablets","Cleaning Tablet",", or about ",[18,150,151],{},"½ teaspoon"," of backflush detergent, onto the blind basket.",[40,154,155,156,159],{},"Lock the portafilter into the group and ",[18,157,158],{},"start the brew cycle"," as if pulling a shot. Water pumps against the blind basket and pressure builds — nothing comes out the bottom.",[40,161,162,163,166,167,170],{},"After about ",[18,164,165],{},"10 seconds, stop the pump."," The three-way valve releases the built-up pressure, pushing cleaner ",[18,168,169],{},"back through the group"," and out the drain. You will see dirty, soapy water appear in the drip tray.",[40,172,173,176],{},[18,174,175],{},"Repeat the on\u002Foff cycle 5-8 times,"," roughly 10 seconds on and a moment off each time, until the water in the tray runs clear with clean foam.",[40,178,179,180,183,184,187],{},"Remove the portafilter, take out the blind basket, and ",[18,181,182],{},"rinse it thoroughly"," to remove all detergent. Reinsert the empty blind basket and run ",[18,185,186],{},"5 more on\u002Foff cycles with clean water and no detergent"," to flush every trace of cleaner out — residue tastes bad and is not safe to leave.",[40,189,190],{},"Wipe the group head and shower screen with a clean cloth, then reinstall the normal basket and pull a throwaway shot.",[29,192,194],{"id":193},"water-only-backflush","Water-only backflush",[14,196,197],{},"A plain-water rinse — same blind basket, no detergent — can be done far more often, even daily, to keep the screen and valve clear between detergent cleans. Just run several 10-second on\u002Foff cycles with clean water.",[199,200,201],"blockquote",{},[14,202,203,204,207],{},"Note: BrewCraft Cleaning Tablets are currently ",[18,205,206],{},"out of stock",". In the meantime, keep up with water-only backflushing, or use a compatible backflush detergent at the dose above.",[14,209,210,211,27],{},"Pair this with the wider care routine in ",[23,212,213],{"href":25},"maintenance and descaling",{"title":215,"searchDepth":216,"depth":216,"links":217},"",2,[218,219,220,221],{"id":31,"depth":216,"text":32},{"id":67,"depth":216,"text":68},{"id":119,"depth":216,"text":120},{"id":193,"depth":216,"text":194},"A step-by-step guide to backflushing a BrewCraft machine with a three-way solenoid valve to clear coffee oils from the group head.","md",{},true,"\u002Fdocs\u002Fbackflushing",{"title":5,"description":222},"docs\u002Fbackflushing","F9-wCdCVbQbc1KfW-UylygXCIBMeWLEQcPVZTPFvkMU",1784149344327]