I’ve moved from the Hottop roaster to the R1V2 (about a week in!). When roasting on the hottop, I’ve always charged using the bean temp probe temp. I see folks here charging around what equates to about 400F. Is that using the drum temp or bean probe? The last roast I did, I charged at around 175C or 350F. thanks for your help!
Just personal preference but I use IBTS for charge temp and generally start from 260C to 290C depending on bean, batch size and ambient temps (been really cold here for a while).
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Thanks…this is the kind of information I’m looking for. Do you charge immediately after the IBTS reaches your desired temp or is there some wait time?
IBTS for me reaches charge temp about 5 min before is I get the prompt to charge roaster. I wait until control panel ask to charge roaster
I agree. Get much more consistent results if I wait until prompted to charge. This seems to give the roaster a chance to get the air temperature higher which seems to produce better results.
See the Recommended Preheat Temps and Power Settings section of the user manual for a bit more guidance.
I set PH to 300C, let it go to the charge prompt, then set PH to the temp I want (typically 240C for a 455g batch), and charge the roaster when the charge prompt sounds again. Can’t remember who in these forums suggested it but the idea is that it gets your roaster closer to its “second roast” state.
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I charge using kind of both. Pre-Heating is set from the infrared (DT). And that is what will trigger the “Charge” signal. However, you will notice that even with the same DT charge target, your Bean Temperature (BT) probe might differ (from one session to another and sometimes between batches). I suggest to never charge at the first charge signal on your first roast of the day. You will get the signal likely after 20 minutes. The DT target is reached but the bullet haven’t store enough energy after 20 min. Touch the top of the bullet after 20 min and 50 min. After 20 min is not as warm as it is after 50 min. DT is the same after 20 or 50 min but the BT probe will differ. So let say you succeeded very well a roast using DT charge 235c (and BT probe indicated 170c at charge) and want to replicate the roast with the exact same beans. But another day (different ambient temperature, humidity, power draw or roasting god is pissed) you set DT charge target to 235c but even after 50 min BT probe show only 162c. Then I would raise the DT charge by 5 that day and charge when BT probe is close to 170c. That way i was able to replicate the exact DT and BT curves (or sometimes very very slightly above with the exact same shapes). But all this depends on the beans. For example high density beans (would say specially above 0,73g/ml) are more sensitive to the BT probe at charge (which is correlated to the amount of energy accumulated). Softer beans are more forgiving. Beans with more moist, let say between 12-13% instead of 10-11% will also be more sensitive to the amount of energy built.
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++ to @kafcafe
I use IBTS preheat settings, but I always watch the BT to decide when to start the roast, especially the first one. Consistent BT at the start of roast has, for me, proven to be a better indicator of the state of the roaster.
Sometimes the means overshooting the ideal preheat by setting one that’s 50F higher, then resetting it to the actual target after the higher one is reached, and then waiting for the BT to settle before charging.
So, like this for the first roast:
- PH IBTS to 473F
- Wait for BT to hit 330F
- Cancel the PH, reset to 437F
- Wait for BT to hit 330F (should take just a few minutes)
- Charge roast
The reason for this is that 330F tends to be the BT at the start of the 2nd, 3rd etc back-to-back roasts at 437F IBTS preheat, but the first one needs a little push.