# OPV/Pressure guage issue



## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

Hi.

I'm having some issues adjusting the pressure on my gaggia classic.

I bought a pressure guage from ebay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161207194396?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I have attached this, followed a step by step guide from this forum, and the pressure guage just seems to go off the scale.

Ive screwed the OPV right out and even then the pressure still wants to jump off the scale.

anyone any ideas on why this may be?

Thanks.


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Maybe take the OPV out and give it a clean? Mine stuck a little bit when I did it so I removed it and cleaned it up. Good improvement after putting it back.


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

Rhys said:


> Maybe take the OPV out and give it a clean? Mine stuck a little bit when I did it so I removed it and cleaned it up. Good improvement after putting it back.


I have removed the valve and taken the spring and allen key screw out, i shall re assemble and see what happens.


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

pirate said:


> I have removed the valve and taken the spring and allen key screw out, i shall re assemble and see what happens.


What condition was it in? Much scale?


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

none, its a brand new valve. I dont know what else it could be.


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## SmnByt (Feb 23, 2015)

pirate said:


> none, its a brand new valve. I dont know what else it could be.


Not being funny but I assume you are turning it anticlockwise to reduce the pressure?


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

yeah, screwed it right out, even without it almost at the top it was still giving high pressure.

when the pressure reaches max, should the opv just open allowing water to return to tank?

thats the only other thing I can think of, water hasnt got a relief/return route and pressure is just building


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## SmnByt (Feb 23, 2015)

Why did you put a new valve in In the first place?


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

last one was seized when i tried to adjust it and I rounded the head. Should the water return out the top of the OPV? because no water is returning


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## SmnByt (Feb 23, 2015)

Ah right,

yes as far as I'm aware the water returns out of the top of the OPV, however when I adjusted mine, I didn't notice much water returning and I had a rock steady 10bar


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

stress. think im away to turn this thing into a garden ornament.


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## SmnByt (Feb 23, 2015)

You haven't got a basket in the PF when your doing the test have you?


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## SmnByt (Feb 23, 2015)

Just a thought, is the gauge reading correctly, do you have access to another machine to test it on?


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

ill make a video and show you, something doesnt sound right.


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)




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## SmnByt (Feb 23, 2015)

Wow.... That does shoot up,

This is mine


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## SmnByt (Feb 23, 2015)

That squelch at the end is the solenoid, have you given the machine a good descale recently?


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

Ive given up for tonight, gonna descale it tomorrow and try again.

If the same happens again, im going to drink ribena for the rest of my life.


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## SmnByt (Feb 23, 2015)

Good luck then fella, let us know how it goes...


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

ok so i descaled the machine, removed the group head and cleaned that.

refitted everything, tried the pressure guage again and same result.

I think the OPV doesn't work, no water is returning to tank through it and no adjustment is making any difference. its almsot as if the valve is siezed and is just allowing full pressure through.


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## SmnByt (Feb 23, 2015)

Is there any chance of exchanging the new valve? Was it an eBay purchase?

Also might be worth having a word with the gauge supplier, that could be at fault?


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

yeah im going to speak to valve supplier first as it should definitely be returning water.

i appreciate the help, thanks


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## pirate (Mar 22, 2015)

Finally got the OPV stripped. The bottom part was sticking. That was the problem, all good now and adjusted!

Thanks for your help.


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

pirate said:


> Finally got the OPV stripped. The bottom part was sticking. That was the problem, all good now and adjusted!
> 
> Thanks for your help.


Mine was doing that, was a pain to get out (had to tap it hard to jar it out). Good work


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## SmnByt (Feb 23, 2015)

pirate said:


> Finally got the OPV stripped. The bottom part was sticking. That was the problem, all good now and adjusted!
> 
> Thanks for your help.


Nice one fella, got there in the end:good:

Might be worth bitching at the valve supplier anyway....


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## The resurrection (Mar 9, 2015)

Glad to hear you freed it in the end mate and your all up and running again:act-up:


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