# Gaggia Pressure Testing Kit



## AndyL (Apr 10, 2011)

When I did the OPV mod to my Gaggia Selecta (Coffee) Delux it was necessary to construct a pressure testing rig to ensure that I set it up properly. I thought this might be useful for anyone who may have been adjusting their machine blind.

The gauge came from CoffeeHit http://www.coffeehit.co.uk/water-pressure-gauge/p54

I bought the black iron elbow and converter from Smith Brothers http://www.sbs.co.uk/

10nb Blk Mall Elbow 151 Product Code CRB151010

10x8 Blk Mall Reducing Bush 140 Product Code CRB140010008

along with a single roll of PTFE tape.

Total cost was less than £10.

Here's a link to 2 images front and rear plus a short video of the gauge in operation.

http://bit.ly/j5SoHy

Hopefully this might be useful for anyone considering making this adjustment.


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## james10 (Feb 28, 2011)

Top man. Interesting read (this article + Help! Is it me or the beans).

Out of interest, what is you surfing technique on the Gaggia? I know each machine seems to vary slightly but I'm playing around with different techniques until my pressure + temperature testing parts arrive.


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## AndyL (Apr 10, 2011)

Hi James, after analysing many, many shots I concluded that my water temp (unusually) was a running a little cool (Sour shots). I was confident my grind and tamp were good so I started playing with the temperature.

In terms of surfing I have a consistent approach, once my PF is packed and ready to go I pull a few oz's into the cup until the light goes out.

Lock and load the PF wait for the light to come back on then throw the steam switch for a count of 10 then switch it off and pull the shot. That's all I need to do to raise the temp enough to balance out the taste of my shot.

This works for me and counters the margins with my temp issues.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

out of interest Andy do you feel the pressure amendment from 12 to 9 made noticeable improvement to your shots?


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## AndyL (Apr 10, 2011)

The first time I adjusted it I wasn't sure, but then I realised that I had made an error in that this gauge arrangement is for static testing and not dynamic. When performing a static test you need to subtract 1 bar of pressure to account for the drop that would occur during the process of pulling a shot. This 1 deviation has been well tested. So going by my video I was at 8 bar not 9. wasn't so good.

So back to the original question, yes, at 9 bar great crema and consistent shots.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Interesting thanks for the info...

If I ever get my (or a new) machine back then I might pursue fine tuning the pressure and temperature.

Alternatively I might just upgrade to a machine with a company behind it with better customer services!


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## AndyL (Apr 10, 2011)

Well they seem to be making you jump through hoops Gary when it should be them busting a gut to resovle issues. Man you've had a rough ride.

I'll have to go back and re-read your post I can't remember what was originally wrong with it.

But once you do get it back it's worth making the adjustment as the 14-15 bar they ship with is too high and was only set that high to accommodate pods.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Ill save you the trouble. dripping steam-wand on warm up, then after steaming continued to hiss. Towards the end it would just make a mess of milk and then spray water out the wand!

Taste wise, I think my shots were ok-ish but occasionally sour


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Thanks Andy. Looks really great in the pics and video, and it's very inspiring to see the efforts you go to to make improvements.

I'll have to do it a bit differently cos my portafilter has two holes moulded into it rather than one in the middle, so there's no way to fit a pipe to the PF that I can think of. But I know that (on the Classic at least) I can use the steam wand to measure boiler pressure with a similar setup to yours.... http://www.youtube.com/user/shakyjava

I almost bought the parts a while back but other things took priority. So much to do ... so little time!! It's on my mental list though.


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## scottieginga (Oct 19, 2011)

Hi AndyL,

Do you recall what thread type the screw connection on the bottom of the PF is?

I don't have a thread gauge to hand but think it may be 5/8" BSP.

Scottieginga


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## pulck (Jul 29, 2011)

scottieginga said:


> Hi AndyL,
> 
> Do you recall what thread type the screw connection on the bottom of the PF is?
> 
> ...


I used a 1/4" fitting on mine. (See my post here.)


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## maarten_booij (Jan 28, 2011)

Hi guys,

I have decided to make one of these as well. I just can't seem to get my sprout of my PF. Is it possible some PF's have been sold with the Gaggia without the possibility to remove the sprout?


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Some portafilters don't have sprouts, just two holes. But if yours has two sprouts coming out in a sort of horse shoe shape then you should be able to remove it. It is probably just stuck from never having been removed.

Mmmmm... sprouts.


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2012)

To undo the spouts on the portafilter, pass a small screwdriver through to give you more torque. And use a socket and not a spanner to undo the OPV.


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## Russ Evans (Jan 29, 2012)

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the explanation of your pressure testing rig. Just one question - can you explain the use of the tape please? I can't see from your pictures how it's used.

Many thanks,

Russ.


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## snegger (Dec 15, 2010)

Andy can I just check the parts you list are good for a Gaggia Classic?


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## AndyL (Apr 10, 2011)

Yes they are the same.


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## AndyL (Apr 10, 2011)

Russ Evans said:


> Hi Andy,
> 
> Thanks for the explanation of your pressure testing rig. Just one question - can you explain the use of the tape please? I can't see from your pictures how it's used.
> 
> ...


The tape gets wrapped around the threads to seal them.


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## zoglet (Jun 1, 2010)

Just to say thanks for the tip and guidance. My Classic was running waaaaay too high (hard to say, had to dial down before I got reading on a 12 bar gauge). Now set at 9 bar and it's like a different machine.

Many thanks to the guys at Edesia Espress in Glasgow for shipping a gauge and upgrade bits so quickly to Germany for me, but also for being good enough to discuss finer points on the phone both pre and post sale. Much obliged!


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