Chirps vs true zero

Chirps Explained

• Chirps = brief, high-pitched metallic sounds when burrs lightly touch while grinding beans.
• Caused by burrs grazing each other as particles pass through.
• Do not necessarily indicate the exact burr touchpoint.

True Zero Point

• True zero = the precise setting where burrs make full, continuous contact with no beans inside.
• Established by running grinder empty and slowly closing until steady contact is felt or heard.
• Serves as the calibration baseline.

Key Differences

• Chirps:
• Occur while beans are present.
• Can happen slightly above true zero.
• Useful as a relative reference, but imprecise.
• True Zero:
• Found only with an empty grinder.
• Consistent reference point for calibration.
• Used to map usable grind ranges.

Practical Use

• Always confirm true zero when replacing burrs or recalibrating.
• Use chirps as a quick check during operation, not for baseline calibration.
• Mark zero on dial or collar for consistent reference.

Example Workflow

1. Run grinder empty.
2. Close slowly until continuous contact = true zero.
3. Mark setting.
4. Note that burr chirps while grinding will happen at slightly coarser settings.

Summary

Chirps are incidental burr contacts during grinding, while true zero is the full touchpoint with no beans. For calibration, always rely on true zero as the baseline, using chirps only as supplementary cues during daily use.

• Tags:
• Slightly Coarser
• Example Workflow
• Key Differences
• Zero Point
• Run Grinder
• Reference Point