Step 5 : Active PID

Step 5 : Active PID
Active PID enables a much faster response to a espresso shot than just relying on the temperature. By monitoring your brew button your meCoffee will kick into high gear to provide a response as aggressive and stable as possible. A shot timer in meBarista is available to assist you with your shot duration.

Your meCoffee will need to be aware of the state of the brew button to make this happen.

meCoffee Active PID, connect brew buttonFetch the remaining black wire from the first cable set. It has a female connector on one side and a female+male connector at the other side.

Connect the female end of the wire to terminal #1 of your meCoffee.

Locate the brew button of your machine, this is the upper left button.

Remove the existing orange wire from the upper right terminal of your brew button. This wire carries a live signal which opens the valve. Connect this wire to female+male side of the black wire.

Finally reconnect the combined wires to the upper right terminal.

Locate the brew button of your Gaggia, this is the rightmost button.

Remove the existing red wire from the upper terminal of your brew button.This wire carries a live signal which drives your pump. Connect this wire to the female+male side of the black wire.

Finally reconnect the combined wires to the upper terminal.

Identify the terminals of the microswitch operated by your brew lever. Unmount one of the wires and combine it with the black meCoffee wire. Remount the combined wires.

Test for the definition of succes. If it fails, try to connect the black wire to the other terminal and retest. Markus : your cabling is colored differently : please let me know which one worked.

If you are seeing a temperature overshoot of up to 10 degrees in your Silvia E, proceed to the next step. The brew button on the V5 is sometimes interfering with the Active PID signal. The problem goes away when preinfusion is completed.

Now would be the time to relax a bit and leave the machine to warm up for about 20 to 30 minutes. Are you ready for your first meCoffee’d shot?

From now on all steps are basically optional: if you do not really need the timer, preinfusion or pressure: skip these steps. Installation can be resumed at any time.

Definition of success
Boiler lights up as soon as you press the brew button

Shot timer in meBarista appears as soon as you press the brew button
Step 4 : Passive PIDPID boiler control
Step 6 : PreinfusionIntroduce pauses in the brew to weld the puck