I bought mine direct from China 2017, that was the early model where it din't chime and went straight to the next step without waiting for any buttons to be pressed.
Here are some tips I can pass on.
I evolved with the vessel and the tweaks I did to it. Biggest thing to look out for is always check for any tap leaks from behind the tap. This is what eventually killed my first one when water got onto the board. Preventative measure is a bead of silicone around the grove below the tap or just keep the tap under observation.
Mash at around 15-1700 w to avoid scorching the sugar to the base above the elements. Don't think about putting any sort of filter over the pump inlet, the reason so as to let any grain husks which has slipped between the tube and the body to be pumped back out onto the grain bed.
Make a pick up tube for the tap outlet, use the bazooka on top of the overflow pipe. Once confidence has risen remove top plate and overflow pipe, I have my top and bottom plate down the bottom and secured in position.
I started doing full volume mash so used all-thread as the handle which raises the tube an extra 10mm. Try and use the unit in a raised position so you can empty from the tap, pumping the wort out isn't such a good idea.
Even if you just remove the top plate try and stir every 10 minutes to break up the grain removing hot and cool spots in the mash. Only need to do this until the starch has converted 30 minutes at most.
Insulate the unit and return pipe to keep a stable temperature. Temperature shouldn't move anymore than 0,8 degrees either way.
A good whirlpool and you won't need hop bags or spiders, the hop matter will be left in the kettle with the break material.
Just a bit of patience before drawing off clear wort into the wort into the fermenter.