Bong Isolator and water-heated grouphead mod for La Pavoni

Bong Isolator and water-heated grouphead mod for La Pavoni is created for for all generations of La Pavoni manual lever machines that have a bolted-on group head.
Also serves as a water-heated grouphead mod for Gen2 – OLD GEN machines.

The kit contains the isolator’s body (Nylon), two stainless steel bolts, two stainless steel washers and two black caps (to be installed on the bolt head).

Each stainless steel washer stand between the bolt head and the GH round holes.

Bong Isolator and water-heated grouphead mod for La Pavoni is not 3D printed.

The part is CNC machined from food grade, high heat and shock resistant Nylon.

The product is created by “La Pavoni Re-Envisioned” Team or special group:
Bong Juachon – Concept idea and design;
John Michael Hauck – CAD designer;
Bruce Colglazier Pappas – The “Third eye”;
Tudor P. – manufacturing and sales.

Installation video is right here:

What is the Isolator exactly?

1. Converts Gen 2 GH’s from steam heated to water heated;
2. Manages and cools down the group head and so, the water temperature inside the GH.
This is a thing that the OEM machines can not do and mostly they just make the water too hot for coffee extractions, especially with the second pull, third and so on.
3. It replaces any other water heated GH mod or any GH cooling accessories with success;
4. Reuses the old water pipe, having the same thread inside;
5. Coffee Sensor used a high temperature special polymer for this product.
Although our philosophy and MOTTO are “no more plastic inside La Pavoni”, this is a part that just could not have this tremendous effect on extractions, by using metal as building material.
6. It replaces the silicone boiler / GH isolator already on the market;
7. The isolator is compatible and adapts easily on all Gen 2, Gen 3 or even Gen 4 machines. (Pre – OLD GEN / Post mill – NEW GEN, including Stradivari).

Some advantages during use are:
1. First accessory that makes multiple shots REAL on La Pavoni’s (eliminates waiting time for cooling);
2. NO more water baths, wet cloth or PF ice baths for cooling purposes;
3. Easy DIY installation process;
4. No maintenance required;
5. No big aesthetic change on this piece of art called La Pavoni.
6. Material: NYLON (food safe).

Our team conclusions are :
1. A MUST HAVE for every LP machine user;
2. And as our “third-eye” – Bruce said: ” Bong, looks like you tamed the Gen 2 beast”. 😂😂

The measurements show:

Chart 1 – static heating temps difference between two types: NO ISOLATOR (RED COLOUR) and WITH ISOLATOR – BLUE COLOUR;

Conclusions:
Standard NO ISOLATOR stable temp – 104°C
WITH THE ISOLATOR stable temp – 60°C

Chart 2 – temps variations during and after pull:

And the real proof is Bong’s actual multiple shots in action found here:

Ideas from the creators and testers:

The BongIsolator is designed to keep your group head from overheating.
An overly hot group head could make your coffee extraction bitter.
The reason is that hot water passing through the coffee grounds extracts all kinds of flavors.
Some flavors, like bitter, usually only are released from the coffee grinds with hotter water.
Therefore, many people find a more pleasant extraction comes from slightly cooler water than what many generation 2 group heads provide.

However, there are a few trade-offs to using a cooler brew temperature.
If the water is too cold, then the extraction of pleasant flavors from the coffee may not happen.
This then leaves the taste kind simple, with no complexity.
Another trade-off is that the way the La Pavoni works, colder brew temperatures end up feeling spongy on the pull and could have a lower shot volume.

The Bong Isolator helps you keep your group head cooler to help avoid the bitter extractions.
It is especially helpful for the second and third shots where a group head without the BongIsolator gets extremely hot.
Because the BongIsolator keeps the group head cooler than it normally would be, it is important for you to adapt your extraction routine with this in mind.
We really recommend that a temperature probe or temperature strip would be helpful in understanding what is happening with your GH.

Ideas written above are not certain rules and each user will have a personal experience with the Isolator, maybe different from others, simply because the machines are also different.
Users had spongy pucks or low volume way before we created the Isolator.
Some did not.

A few ideas from Bong (creator of the Isolator) to avoid / solve such problems:

Low Volume or Spongy pulls solutions:

1. Purge / bleed false pressure;
2. Cold flushing;
3. Longer pre infusion / saturate till drip / longer for fine grind;
4. Flushing – 2 x include in your routine / to flush air;
5. Active pre – infusion (2 bar);
6. Fellini;
7. Bleed steam to reactivate pressure stat and pull at high end of dead bend (0.5);
8. Double pull;
9. Use deeper baskets (Elektra);
10. Set pressure stat at higher settings because now with the isolator you can, and still have a colder GH;
Until now, this has been one of the best solutions from our users.
With higher pressure, you will have more pressure and steam and a higher boiler water temperature.
11. Double shots: 2 x 12 x 24 = 48 ml.