# Gaggia Classic Rancilio Silvia V3 Steam wand upgrade with pics



## silver shamrock

Here is the completed job for starters...


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## silver shamrock

Hi guys,

There is another thread on how to do the V3 steam wand upgrade but after just completing it myself I've found a couple of ways to make things a little bit easier, well they helped me anyway. The link for the parts needed (many thanks to Jim Bean) to do the upgrade is here: http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread...ts-£35-from-uk

I'll talk you through some bits here, add some pics then carry on. If anybody wants to try attempting this then don't worry just go for it, you can always email me if you have any problems I'll be glad to help. It took me about 4 hours all in but I just took my time.

The first issue I had was with the generic brass reducing nipple, its the 3/8" Male x 1/8" Male size. From the other posts I knew that the larger end had to be drilled out to 13mm dia so the spring could fit inside it, but the threads on each end were actually too long to fit tightly into the new steam wand and the old internal copper pipe without thread showing, so I had to saw off 2 threads from the 3/8" end and one thread from the 1/8" end. Brass is pretty soft so it was easy to do with a baby hacksaw, and the drilling took just a couple of minutes, I actually used an 11mm drill bit first, then 12mm, then 13mm, thinking it would put less stress on the brass fitting if I just took off a bit at a time, don't think that's totally necessary though. As I had reduced the length of the thread on the 3/8" end I didn't have to worry about how deep I drilled, as the spring and the brass seat joint were a few mm longer than the thread at that point, so the brass seat joint sat proud.


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## silver shamrock

As other posters have mentioned the most difficult part of the job (and the part which took me the most time) was bending the copper pipe to make it all fit together. With it being such a slim copper pipe it's very easy to put a kink in it or split it, so I had the idea of taking the inside of a biro out, sliding it into the pipe and leaving it in there whilst making the bends, the plastic ink part of the pen was quite tough but it would slide right inside the pipe snuggly and followed all of the curves. I did it mostly by hand but some bits I had to use pliers etc to get tighter bends, using this method I didn't get any kinks in the pipe. Before making the bends I traced around the pipe on a piece of paper so I could see how much progress I was making, your pipe should eventually look like this but just take your time with it...


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## silver shamrock

I found the brass reducing nipple needed about 5 or 6 threads on each end to make it all fit together snuggly, when the part turned up it had about 8 threads on the 3/8" end and 6 on the 1/8" end. I filed the ends down after sawing, then used some PTFE thread seal tape on the threads, popped on the teflon gasket and tightened it all up, this is what it should look like when all attached...


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## silver shamrock

I kept bending the copper pipe bit by bit (before attaching it to the steam wand I mean), lining it up inside the machine where it attaches to the top pipe to see if it lined up right with the hole where the steam wand exits. As the V3 wand has a very large bolt on the end of it (which sits inside the machine) the whole copper pipe has to move up by around an inch, maybe more. Once you're happy with that it's time to get it all into the machine. I attached it all together first, I don't think it would be possible to get the joints all tightened up sufficiently from inside the machine as there's not much room, so once it's all fitted take off the rubber on the wand, I used a thin screwdriver to lift up an edge of the rubber, poured in a couple of drops of vegetable oil and it slid straight off. Now from the top of the machine feed the steam end of the wand through the hole in the body of the machine, and wiggle it about until the large nut sits flat on the inside of the body, then line up the copper pipe to the top pipe and bolt that on. Then it's all sturdy and you're good to go. I left the lid off whilst I heated it all up, let the steam wand run for a few minutes to check for leaks, but it was all fine.


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## silver shamrock

Here's a view of both wands side by side, and the whole job only cost me £34, well worth it when you see what you're getting...


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## silver shamrock

Hope this comes in handy for any members wanting to try this upgrade, it's quite fiddly to do but rewarding in the end. Any questions just send them over and I'll do my best to help you


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## majnu

Excellent write up.

I read that you can fill the tube with salt to prevent crushing. Never tried it myself though.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Bend-Copper-Pipe-and-Tubing-without-Crushin/


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## silver shamrock

Thanks majnu!! Haha well its funny you say that, Ive never worked with copper pipe before so I rang my dad to see if he had any ideas (he's a bit of a DIYer) and he said try filling it with sand, I told him I didnt keep sand in my house, he then said try salt, so I gave it a go, ended up with salt everywhere and a copper pipe that I had no idea if it was full or not, so I stuck the pipe under really hot water to wash it out (which I'm guessing would be difficult with sand in such a thin pipe) and then had the idea of using the pen, the pen actually knocked a few lumps of salt out in the process. The plastic is tough enough to stop the copper kinking, at least the pen I used was tough enough, it was out of a BIC but I'm sure Staedtler would be just as good ;-)


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## froggystyle

So how do you find the V3 over the V2, better steaming power?

How many holes has the V3 got?


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## silver shamrock

Well I never actually had the V2 I went straight to the V3 from the panarello after advice from marcuswar on here. The V3 only has one hole but I'm sure I read somewhere that it had three originally but they changed it to one. It does seem a lot more powerful than the original panarello and the microfoam is superb, it's not a pot of froth anymore, takes a bit of practise but I worked in a bar years ago that had a large coffee machine so I had plenty of practise then


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## froggystyle

Thanks, be good if someone went from a V2 to a V3 and let us know the difference.


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## silver shamrock

There is someone on here that did that, I'm on my mobile at the moment so its not too easy for me to check, Jim Bean may have gone from the 2 to the 3. I'm sure they said it was better and much easier to clean because it doesn't have the hexagonal tip on it


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## Mrboots2u

froggystyle said:


> Thanks, be good if someone went from a V2 to a V3 and let us know the difference.


I'd be weighing up the potential benefit of changing from v2 to v3 wand ( as it's still the same boiler, and clearly the v2 isn't unusable ) versus putting the cash towards a pid on classic which would help steaming and extraction or a say better grinder ...


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## froggystyle

Your determined for me to get a new grinder eh Boots!

Xmas is only round the corner you know, you could donate your lovely Ek?


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## Mrboots2u

froggystyle said:


> Your determined for me to get a new grinder eh Boots!
> 
> Xmas is only round the corner you know, you could donate your lovely Ek?


I'd like you to be able to get more clarity from your espresso and I think another grinder would help with that ,which in turn would help with your roasting and make dialling beans in less frustrating for you ....

I've leant my EK once this year , I'm not doing it again , not for no one ...

Sell the boat , buy a better grinder .........


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## froggystyle

Sell the boat!!

Would sell the wife first, or maybe a child or two!

The grinder will come, just not this year, maybe next.


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## koi

Getting a bit cold to be out working on the car so can't wait to get a coffee machine and get modding!


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## dhd1

An idea just came to me about how you can prevent the copper pipe from kinking. You fill it with soapy water and freeze it. I saw it on telly once (too many hours watching 'How it's made' on Discovery channel!!!!!)


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## silver shamrock

Yeah I guess that would work, you'd have to get the ratio of soap to water right though to make sure it went to the right consistency, too much either way and you'd be looking at a kinked pipe.. Would also be very cold on the fingers!! So I'd say some gloves would be in order...


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## silver shamrock

When I next get chance I'll take some photos of the microfoam the new wand is producing, I couldn't be happier with it!


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## gingerneil

Ive been doing some research on this, and finding it hard to find a reasonably priced 1/8 to 3/8 reducing nipple in brass. I can find a nickel coated brass fitting - would this be ok ??

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brass-Nickel-Plated-Hex-Nipple-Adaptor-3-8-BSP-x-1-8-BSP-Quantity-2-/141483253458?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20f10f1ed2


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## El carajillo

Absolutely fine:good:


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## gingerneil

Woop!










Ordered and hopefully most of the bits will be here for the weekend. The nipple (snigger!) wont arrive until next week though..









With this and the PID that's just been delivered, upgradeitis has hit hard!


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## El carajillo

You will have to set some time aside for yourself to install these "mods"


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## silver shamrock

Great stuff gingerneil, hope it works out ok, if you have any issues just drop me an email mate!


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## gingerneil

Thanks. Just need to find a 13mm metal drill bit and a way to clamp the nipple (wahey!)


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## gingerneil

I've managed to borrow a 12.5mm drill bit - I wonder if that extra half mm will matter to much ?? Is the spring a seating piece a tight fit in 13mm, or will it be ok in a 12.5mm ?


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## El carajillo

In engineering half a mm is a lot, do you know anyone who could measure the component for you? (if it [email protected] for 13 mm 12.5 will not do) How do you propose to hold it to drill it out ?

Unless held in a vice and using a pillar drill it will probably bite /snatch and fly off!!! You could try holding the drill in a vice and rotating the nipple held in a socket to slowly/ gently "reamer" it out.


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## gingerneil

I've got a vice on the way, so hoping to hold it in that and then slowly and gently drill it out using a hand battery drill. Brass is quite soft, so hoping it shouldn't be too difficult. I ordered 2 of the brass nipples!


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## silver shamrock

I used a vice for mine and did wiggle the drill bit around to get the perfect fit for the spring, you'll be fine with the 12.5mm, brass is pretty soft, wear goggles or glasses though, last thing you need is a shard of brass in the eyeball!!


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## gingerneil

Finally had a go today, after everything had arrived. I drilled out the nipple using the 12.5mm bit, testing for depth with the new wand. I cut the same off either end as above - one thread from the thin, and two from the fat.

It took a while to manipulate the pipework, and I ended up with a different shape to the others! I only put pfte tape on the wand to nipple joint, not on the pipe to nipple. Not sure why, but no problems so far!

All tested and working well - looks great too!


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## majnu

Looking good, but it looks like you crushed the pipe from the pic, how's the steam power?


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## gingerneil

It seems pretty good to me. There are some tiny little dents, but nothing major. I might see if I can get another - if they are cheap?


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## gingerneil

It seems pretty good to me - but I've only been using it for the afternoon. There are some tiny little dents, but nothing major. I think the photos look worse than it is.

I'll be installing a PID with steam alarm in the next few days, so that should provide a boost too. I wonder if I could replace the brass pipe with a flexible plumbing type hose?


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## Jim bean

The gaggia baby has a flexible steam pipe maybe it can be adapted to fit the classic


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## gingerneil

This was the third time I'd turned the steam on - cycling between Brew light on/off and not filling the boiler in between. I'd normally refill between steaming milk, but these were just 10s blasts.

Gaggia Classic silvia v3 steam wand:


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## silver shamrock

Oh great stuff, glad you managed it!!  I wouldn't worry about the pipe if it's working ok, once you put the lid on you'll soon forget what it looks like. How long did it take you all in? I spent ages on the pipe, it was a pain getting it to the shape I needed but I just kept persisting. Also did you use a biro whilst making the bends?


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## silver shamrock

Oh also how tight is the wand to move? I was worried mine might be a bit too tight when I first fitted it all together, but once in the machine it could be wiggled about fine


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## gingerneil

It took about an hour in total. I clamped the nipple, and that was quite quick to drill and cut. As you say, the pipe takes the longest. I couldn't find anything to put inside, so didn't... Probably a mistake, but hopefully it's fine.


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## silver shamrock

Haha, I could've posted you my pre-used biro! Still got a bend in it! Well as long as it's working eh. Jeez you managed that quick didn't you, took me about 4 hours, although to be honest 2 of those were probably spent on the pipe!


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## gingerneil

That's probably why it looks a mess! I used a small vice and an adjustable spanner to grip the pipe and bend it.

The wand moves freely, but stays where you put it - if that makes sense? I wasn't sure how tight to screw the fixing - I didn't want to damage anything. It feels a lot stiffer than my old silvia wand.


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## silver shamrock

Yes that makes sense, mine's the same. Oh so you actually went from the v2 to the v3, that's interesting I'm sure you'll get some questions about that. When making lattes/cappuccinos now I actually do the milk before making the espresso. I tried it both ways after changing the wand from the panarello and I found the wand produces a much more powerful steam that way, really swirls the milk and gets a vortex going. Then I purge the grouphead of excess steam and make my double shot. Works for me


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## gingerneil

Sounds good - I've never been sure which way round is best. I'm told that the temperature doesn't drop quickly enough and you risk scorching the espresso if you do that second....

I'm hoping the pid will make a big difference to the steam.


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## silver shamrock

I probably wait a minute or more before pulling the shot as I heat my cups then and put the grounds in and tamp. The milk stays hot and the microfoam stays put if its done right so there's really no rush on making the espresso immediately. I've not noticed any taste difference on the espresso as I usually have a sip before adding the milk. Have a go see what you think. I also let the boiler heat up for a good 5 minutes maybe more before steaming


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## gingerneil

I do find that the crema reduces a bit whilst I'm doing the milk - and that sometimes impacts on the final drink as I like to get that 'floating' on top or around the milk. I'll try swapping and see how it goes.


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## gaggiamanualservice.com

made a right mess there lol, will sort you


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## gingerneil

Cheers Mark. I'll try and find a biro internal to stick up inside while I bend it next time!


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## gingerneil

The replacement from Mark arrived today, and I managed to find an old biro!

I took my time, made much more gradual adjustments and eased the new pipe into place. It looks perfect, with hardly a mark and certainly no kinks this time!

However... After putting it all back together I found the connection at the top of the pipe didn't hold up to the pressure going through the wand and leaked steam along with a few dribbles of water. Not good!









After taking it all apart again, and making sure the pipework was seated perfectly, it was still leaking...! Grr. Started hunting on eBay for a Teflon washer to add into the top, but then found one buried deep inside the bottom part of the first copped pipe I'd used (there were actually two of them deep in there). Hooked it out and fitted it to the top of the new pipe and all is good and sealed.

The steam power, pid assisted, is now awesome!


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## silver shamrock

Ah great news GN, glad you got it sorted!! I should patent that biro idea before someone else does!


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## peterj

Thank you for this. This is my next project!


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## silver shamrock

No probs Peter, let us know how you get on!


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## knightsfield

Just upgraded to the v3 from a v2.

One thing I've noticed is the v3 steam wand gets much hotter to the touch after steaming milk. In fact so hot it burns.

Has anyone else noticed this?


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## gingerneil

Yes - I noticed that. There is a mod for inserting a plastic tube to prevent burning. I just use the rubber sleeve.


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## yakima

silver shamrock said:


> Now from the top of the machine feed the steam end of the wand through the hole in the body of the machine, and wiggle it about until the large nut sits flat on the inside of the body, then line up the copper pipe to the top pipe and bolt that on.


Hi Silver Shamrock.

A very methodical and valuable guide to fitting this mod may I say. Thinking about that large nut that sits flat on the inside of the body, what prevents it moving out of place as the wand is moved? Surely unnecessary movement is being caused to the copper pipe?


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## gingerneil

I find that there is just enough give on the ball joint that the wand moved without undue pressure being put on the copper pipe.


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## yakima

Hi Silver Shamrock,

What is the width of lines on that ruled paper you used? I could then enlarge your photo to the correct size and it would serve as an accurate guide to make the bends on the copper pipe. It would be more accurate if say you counted ten lines and measured the distance. I suspect they are spaced at 8mm. Thanks.


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## destiny

Great thread and I am certainly going to do the mod very shortly.

Do you know if anyone is selling a complete mod kit with all the pieces or would I have to get each thing individually?

PS. silver shamrock - your Gaggia is so clean and sparkly... what on earth are you using to clean it!?!


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## silver shamrock

Hi and apologies for the late reply I've been away on my jolly hols. I've managed to dig out the original drawing and the lines are 8mm. From top to bottom it measures 114mm and width around 75mm from the edge of the curve at the top to the outer edge of the nut at the bottom. Hope this helps!!


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## silver shamrock

Hi, I just followed the link that I pasted at the start of my thread, pretty sure it was a couple of different sellers but they all turned up at the same time. haha I just use a damp sponge after I've done the dishes and polish to a sparkle with a microfibre cloth (the type you'd polish a car with).


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## silver shamrock

Surely unnecessary movement is being caused to the copper pipe?

Once it was bolted in place at the top it was very sturdy so I've never noticed any movement and doubt it would, and as gingerneil said, the ball joint allows enough give that it doesn't trouble the pipe above it


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## yakima

silver shamrock said:


> Hi and apologies for the late reply I've been away on my jolly hols. I've managed to dig out the original drawing and the lines are 8mm. From top to bottom it measures 114mm and width around 75mm from the edge of the curve at the top to the outer edge of the nut at the bottom. Hope this helps!!


Thought the lines were 8mm. I took the liberty of resizing and correcting the perspective of your photo to accurately reflect the pipe shape if printed out same size. I've also included a couple of shots of my own - your photo was invaluable as a guide. Of course the difficulty of bending the pipe is that it is in two planes which is difficult to show in a photo. It took me about 4 hours to do the mod (I wasn't rushing). The pen refill was perfect (mine was a Pentel Superb - 3mm diameter refill). My biggest blunder came though when the nib of the refill came loose and a small amount of ink trickled into the brass adaptor while attached to the steam wand! Despite a hurried cleaning job it's amazing how much colour can still come through the steam nozzle from one drop of ink!! Moral of the story?&#8230; use an empty refill. Well it's all done and it was well worth it - the steam nozzle works great. Additional note: I upgraded from a Silvia v2 wand. With the extra length of the steam wand I recommend the Gaggia platform base for your machine and grinder as it affords the extra height needed to get your jug under the wand.


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## gingerneil

Looks great. This mod is well worth it! Along with a pid, the steam on my classic is awesome!


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## silver shamrock

Looks great yakima!! Really glad my guide helped and that you completed it without any issues. Good idea including a ruler with the pics, why didn't I think of that? Maybe all of my inspiration was used up that day on the pen refill idea!







Anyway the new photos should help anyone else trying this mod. Cheers


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## Cafe675

Hello friends, I have given to this board after searching how to adapt my Gaggia Classic 2015. Anyone know the original reference of the Rancilio V3Steam wand? I want to ask the price in a spare parts shop in my city.

Somebody has made the conversion to the new model 2015?


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## yakima

destiny said:


> Great thread and I am certainly going to do the mod very shortly.
> 
> Do you know if anyone is selling a complete mod kit with all the pieces or would I have to get each thing individually?
> 
> Got everything I needed on eBay from:
> 
> www.ferrari-espresso.com
> 
> You'll need the Rancilio Silvia v3 Steam Wand Assembly, Brass Seat Joint for Rancilio Silvia Steam Wand, Seat Joint Spring, Teflon Gasket for Steam Wand Nut. Just short of £32 for the 4 items listed. The mod is most definitely worth it.


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## Thermo

Hi Silver Shamrock, and all. I am pretty new to the home coffee brewing, and in particular the Gaggia, I have a Gaggia Classic which I bought second hand, it had the Rancillio V2 fitted. After reading your very good article I thought I would give the Rancillio V3 a go. I was lucky to see on ebay a copper steam pipe from the Gaggia Baby on sale from Bulgaria for the great price of £11 including postage. I thought if I get that and the bending doesn't go right then my machine is still OK. Anyway got the pipe and didn't have a biro so I used a piece of plastic washing line, the kind which has a wire core. Using Yakima's template I found it very easy to bend the pipe to the shape I wanted, it only took about 20 minutes to bend, and not a kink in sight. The V3 looks cool and I have no leaks. I'm very happy. Thank you for your inspiration


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## O_P

So I tried this with the bits from Espressoparts (https://www.espressoparts.com/brasilia-articulating-steam-wand-adapter-short) along with all the v3 bits and still had to shave down the inside of the reducing nipple to get the spring to fit even though its meant to be 12mm. Once I did that it was all good if I left the nut on the outside of the machine. Of course I could no longer get the water jug out if I did that, so I attempted to bend the pipe to make it fit and snapped it









I'm now looking for a replacement pipe, but it looks like it's only sold with the original steam wand for about $40. (https://www.wholelattelove.com/products/steam-wand-and-copper-pipe-assembly)

Does anyone know if there is a better way to replace it? Could you use high temp/pressure silicone tubing and some hose clamps to keep it on? That seems to be what some cheaper machines do. As I've still got both ends where the brass couplings are, I guess I could just join them up with silicone tube and hose clamps and try it out...


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## O_P

so the silicone hose and clamps works.

  IMG_1389 by O_P, on Flickr

  IMG_1328 by O_P, on Flickr


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## Jollybean

Good to know. Seems an easier solution than bending the pipe.


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## yakima

O_P said:


> so the silicone hose and clamps works.
> 
> IMG_1389 by O_P, on Flickr
> 
> IMG_1328 by O_P, on Flickr


A simple solution to the fiddly exercise of re-bending the copper pipe. But do you still have sufficient pressure? The copper pipe that this replaces has only an internal diameter of 3mm so I am curious that you still have enough steam pressure when it exits the wand.


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## Simpsot69

SO i received my new Classic last week. I immediately did the OPV modification and upgraded the pitiful steam wand to the Silvia V3. The wand upgrade wasn't too bad at all, the hardest part was getting the tubing bent correctly. I didn't have to do any drilling out thanks to the correct parts from Stephano's espresso care:

https://www.espressocare.com/products/item/rancilio-silvia-steam-wand-kit-08 and https://www.espressocare.com/products/item/steam-wand-kit-gaggia. Steam was amazing with the new wand, good foam on the first attempt.







Pid is next, trying to decide between meCoffee and the Auberins pid kit.


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## jpan127

http://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/gaggia-pre-2015-rancilio-steam-wand-v3-conversion-kit/

Is this completely sufficient to do this mod? I noticed nobody mentioned it, it may be new?


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## Jollybean

Nice neat kit by the looks of it.


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## timblaktu

Simpsot69, do you have any photos you can share of the internal fittings after you made the bends? I'm in the middle of this work with my new Gaggia Classic, and am using exact same parts as you (all from Stefano's), and because of the overall height of his parts am having trouble making the bends low enough so that the steam pipe clears the steam knob directly above it, which you can kind of see in this photo. My photos here.

I've tried bending by hand, even with a vice, salt-filled tubing, and heated with a blow torch. I'm thinking the next step would be to grip the bottom hex nut with wrench, and press the lowest part of the (heated) pipe against a block of wood. I'm just afraid of compromising the weld joint between the long brass hex nut and the copper pipe.


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## timblaktu

I ended up bending the tubing around whatever other strong cylindrical shapes I could find - a stainless turkey baster and a railing on my kitchen range, with the former providing the best results: 


 

As you probably remember, this was an extremely tedious process, with dozens of "bend, put in place and check fit" iterations. Took me probably 12 hours spread over 2 days!

Even with it finished, I'm still having trouble getting used to frothing with this machine, since the new wand is so low - only the smallest of pitchers works, and even with that you cannot fill it fully without spilling after frothing because of the tilt required to clear the wand tip. Do any of you have this experience, and/or maybe have any frothing advice with this giant wand?


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## ashcroc

timblaktu said:


> I ended up bending the tubing around whatever other strong cylindrical shapes I could find - a stainless turkey baster and a railing on my kitchen range, with the former providing the best results:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As you probably remember, this was an extremely tedious process, with dozens of "bend, put in place and check fit" iterations. Took me probably 12 hours spread over 2 days!
> 
> Even with it finished, I'm still having trouble getting used to frothing with this machine, since the new wand is so low - only the smallest of pitchers works, and even with that you cannot fill it fully without spilling after frothing because of the tilt required to clear the wand tip. Do any of you have this experience, and/or maybe have any frothing advice with this giant wand?


If the classic will fit on the recess of this, it'll give you a bit more clearance for the jug.


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## AllezAllezAllez

My wand seems to be leaking at the joint. O-ring looks fine. Should I put some thread seal tape to see if that helps?


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## ashcroc

AllezAllezAllez said:


> My wand seems to be leaking at the joint. O-ring looks fine. Should I put some thread seal tape to see if that helps?


IIrc the silvia wand is a bit longer than the standard one to before the ridge the o-ring sits on. Think I had to file it down a tiny bit to get it to fit right. So the nut would tighten up properly.


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## Jollybean

I sat my Gaggia on a grounds box which raised it up giving more clearance for the jug. I still have it and would be willing to sell it of any interest (but you could use anything else to raise up the Classic really)


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## AllezAllezAllez

ashcroc said:


> IIrc the silvia wand is a bit longer than the standard one to before the ridge the o-ring sits on. Think I had to file it down a tiny bit to get it to fit right. So the nut would tighten up properly.


I just had a look and it screws in flush. I received some new o-rings today so I will replace and see how it goes.


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## ashcroc

AllezAllezAllez said:


> I just had a look and it screws in flush. I received some new o-rings today so I will replace and see how it goes.


Check the seat where the o-ring sits too. It doesn't take much scale to stp it sealing properly.


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## Badgerman

jpan127 said:


> http://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/gaggia-pre-2015-rancilio-steam-wand-v3-conversion-kit/
> 
> Is this completely sufficient to do this mod? I noticed nobody mentioned it, it may be new?


Has anyone tried this kit? I am wondering if it's worth an upgrade from the V2. I have a PID BTW.


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## chip_kara

I significantly preferred the v3 over the v2 on my Gaggia!


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## Badgerman

chip_kara said:


> I significantly preferred the v3 over the v2 on my Gaggia!


Any specifics on the differences? Better microfoam? Keen to get past the first round of the next latte art competition!


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## Badgerman

Badgerman said:


> Any specifics on the differences? Better microfoam? Keen to get past the first round of the next latte art competition!


Anyone experienced the kit from Ferrari espresso or gone from a v2-v3? Thanks


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## Badgerman

Badgerman said:


> Anyone experienced the kit from Ferrari espresso or gone from a v2-v3? Thanks


Ok so I did it. The Ferrari Espresso v3 kit is ace and easy to change from a v2 or panerello. It looks great. Much easier to clean. It seems to be more controllable less burst than v2. Still learning with my art.


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## It02s28

I've just received the pre-modded V3 kit from Espresso Ferrari - looks a much more substantial wand than the V1/2. Link here: https://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/gaggia-pre-2015-rancilio-steam-wand-v3-conversion-kit/

Does anyone have any instructions on how to install this specific kit? I think I just need to drill a couple of holes in the chassis to secure the bracket and then connect it up.


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## ashcroc

It02s28 said:


> I've just received the pre-modded V3 kit from Espresso Ferrari - looks a much more substantial wand than the V1/2. Link here: https://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/gaggia-pre-2015-rancilio-steam-wand-v3-conversion-kit/
> 
> Does anyone have any instructions on how to install this specific kit? I think I just need to drill a couple of holes in the chassis to secure the bracket and then connect it up.


Looks like it from the pics in your link. Be sure to measure accurately where you want the holes drilled.


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## It02s28

Yeah it was just a case of lining up the two holes in the bracket in the preferred position, marking it with a pen and then drilling. Dead easy with the kit! In so far as the V3 wand's performance is concerned, I've definitely noticed a step up in power.

Next step for me is a MrShades PID but need to let the dust settle with the missus after doing this upgrade before another coffee related purchase.


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## ashcroc

It02s28 said:


> Yeah it was just a case of lining up the two holes in the bracket in the referred position, marking it with a pen and then drilling. Dead easy with the kit! In so far as the V3 wand's performance is concerned, I've definitely noticed a step up in power.
> 
> Next step for me is a MrShades PID but need to let the dust settle with the missus after doing this upgrade before another coffee related purchase.


Did you go from a V1/2 Silvia wand or straight to the V3?


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## It02s28

ashcroc said:


> Did you go from a V1/2 Silvia wand or straight to the V3?


It came with a V1/2 Silvia wand when I bought it.

I have found it easier to create a 'whirlpool' when steaming milk with the V3 than V1/2 but that might simply be because it's forcing steam through one hole than the two on the V1/2.


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## ashcroc

It02s28 said:


> It came with a V1/2 Silvia wand when I bought it.
> 
> I have found it easier to create a 'whirlpool' when steaming milk with the V3 than V1/2 but that might simply be because it's forcing steam through one hole than the two on the V1/2.


Thanks. My V1/2 came with a single hole tip but am still considering 'upgrading' for the convenience of the ball joint.


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## It02s28

ashcroc said:


> Thanks. My V1/2 came with a single hole tip but am still considering 'upgrading' for the convenience of the ball joint.


Ahh of course! My V1/2 came with a single hole, I must have been getting confused with another wand.

The ball joint is a big plus. Also by affixing it to the chassis via the included bracket, it is solid, whereas I had a fair bit of play in the V1/2. It also replaces the brass steam pipe (that goes between steam valve and wand) with a flexible hose. It's just generally a much better quality setup than the stock wand or V1/2 in my opinion.

Can I help you with any particular photos?


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## ashcroc

It02s28 said:


> Ahh of course! My V1/2 came with a single hole, I must have been getting confused with another wand.
> 
> The ball joint is a big plus. Also by affixing it to the chassis via the included bracket, it is solid, whereas I had a fair bit of play in the V1/2. It also replaces the brass steam pipe (that goes between steam valve and wand) with a flexible hose. It's just generally a much better quality setup than the stock wand or V1/2 in my opinion.
> 
> Can I help you with any particular photos?


Not me as the valve is a wee bit different on the tebe than the classic but it may help the OP if he gets stuck.


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## It02s28

ashcroc said:


> Not me as the valve is a wee bit different on the tebe than the classic but it may help the OP if he gets stuck.


Fair plays, well anyone whose reading this and needs any photos or queries answering let me know - happy to help.


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## Agentb

It02s28 said:


> ashcroc said:
> 
> 
> 
> Not me as the valve is a wee bit different on the tebe than the classic but it may help the OP if he gets stuck.
> 
> 
> 
> Fair plays, well anyone whose reading this and needs any photos or queries answering let me know - happy to help.
Click to expand...

 OK Frank from Ferrari Espresso has these back in stock and one arrived today. Looks simple enough, just need to work out where to drill the holes. :good:


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## Badgerman

It02s28 said:


> Fair plays, well anyone whose reading this and needs any photos or queries answering let me know - happy to help.


Did you find any difference in wand dripping from v2 to v3?


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## It02s28

No noticeable difference am afraid. I'm sure I read somewhere that the fix for leaks involves replacing the steam tube? I.e the pipe between wand and boiler

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


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## Badgerman

It02s28 said:


> No noticeable difference am afraid. I'm sure I read somewhere that the fix for leaks involves replacing the steam tube? I.e the pipe between wand and boiler
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


Thanks. Yes I am thinking of doing the Tex steam valve mod. But did wonder why different between V2 and v3.


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## It02s28

Tex steam mod? What is that?? Not sure i've seen that one. The V3 wand is a much better upgrade than V2 although it's length means it doesn't sit above the drip tray

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


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## Badgerman

It02s28 said:


> Tex steam mod? What is that?? Not sure i've seen that one. The V3 wand is a much better upgrade than V2 although it's length means it doesn't sit above the drip tray
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


I only learned about it tonight. http://www.gaggiausersgroup.com/index.php?topic=394.0


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## light87

silver shamrock said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> There is another thread on how to do the V3 steam wand upgrade but after just completing it myself I've found a couple of ways to make things a little bit easier, well they helped me anyway. The link for the parts needed (many thanks to Jim Bean) to do the upgrade is here: http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread...ts-£35-from-uk
> 
> I'll talk you through some bits here, add some pics then carry on. If anybody wants to try attempting this then don't worry just go for it, you can always email me if you have any problems I'll be glad to help. It took me about 4 hours all in but I just took my time.
> 
> The first issue I had was with the generic brass reducing nipple, its the 3/8" Male x 1/8" Male size. From the other posts I knew that the larger end had to be drilled out to 13mm dia so the spring could fit inside it, but the threads on each end were actually too long to fit tightly into the new steam wand and the old internal copper pipe without thread showing, so I had to saw off 2 threads from the 3/8" end and one thread from the 1/8" end. Brass is pretty soft so it was easy to do with a baby hacksaw, and the drilling took just a couple of minutes, I actually used an 11mm drill bit first, then 12mm, then 13mm, thinking it would put less stress on the brass fitting if I just took off a bit at a time, don't think that's totally necessary though. As I had reduced the length of the thread on the 3/8" end I didn't have to worry about how deep I drilled, as the spring and the brass seat joint were a few mm longer than the thread at that point, so the brass seat joint sat proud.
> 
> View attachment 5434
> 
> 
> View attachment 5435
> 
> 
> View attachment 5447
> 
> 
> View attachment 5448


 This link for the part list isn't working anymore...

But beside that is the Silvia V3 steam wand actually better ( as it has a bigger diameter) than the V1/V2 steam wand? I have tried V1/V2 and never manage to use it decently because of little steam flow but I suppose it's because of the small boiler...


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## light87

anyone?


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## Chriss29

light87 said:


> anyone?


 I can't imagine it would make shive difference. As you say the boiler is the limiting factor. I'm able to get good enough steam from it but it just takes time


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## Michael87

I don't have it but from reading the benefits appear to be:



Easier to clean


Non-scalding metal (that is why it's so thick, it is double layer so the outer one is not too hot)


More range of movement as it is on a ball joint (rather than just rotating in 2D as the v1/v2 do)


The first two would improve workflow, the 3rd should in theory improve steaming, but if you can't steam because you don't have enough power, I am not sure this mod will fix that. Get a higher temp steam stat, (better) a PID, and practice steam surfing, and it has enough power to do a 500ml jug.

I still have to surf with a PID still to get enough power throughout the steaming. The elements on my 2008 model simply cannot maintain steam pressure/temperature for long enough if you start steaming when they just click off.


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## light87

What about this steam wand https://www.devecchigiuseppesrl.com/e-commerce/welcome/ordini/dettagli.asp?codice-articolo=8G1247&c2=&c3=&c4=&c5=&Offset= which is for some gaggia saeco machine but it's cheaper than the rancilio silvia V3 which cist 35 euro more or less.


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## light87

Is that possible to have the list of the parts needed to.make this mod with the Silvia V3 wand?


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## Abcan

Hi @light87

I fitted the V3 wand last year. I got it from Ferrari Espresso.

(https://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/gaggia-pre-2015-rancilio-steam-wand-v3-conversion-kit/)

I don't think it improves the steaming TBH. It's much nicer to use and feels much sturdier than the V1/V2 I had before.

Here's a write up on how I did it using the above kit.

https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/topic/53147-fitting-a-silvia-v3-steam-wand/?do=embed

Al


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## Mr Jackpots

Seven years later and this post is still relevant.

Hi all. I dug my 2002 Gaggia Classic out of the attic and came across this post on one of my searches to go through a range of services and mods. Super helpful.

Its taken me a while to realise (I'm not super practical, but will normally have a go at things), but it looks like Ferrari Espresso do an updated full kit supplied with Teflon pipe that replaces the existing copper one, negating the need to go through all that scary bending.

https://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/gaggia-pre-2015-rancilio-steam-wand-v3-conversion-kit/

There's also a bracket that needs attaching to the main chassis, but it looks like that sits on the underside where you wouldn't see.

I'm going to get in touch with them to see how straightforward it is.


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## light87

I'm really struggling to bend the copper pipe. Actually this is the last thing I need to do to complete my Gaggia classic restoration. I'm afraid that I have deformed my copper pipe ... maybe I need to buy a new one?


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## El carajillo

Where is the problem ? It has not collapsed , water / steam will flow. Have you bent it too much ?

Heat the section you wish to adjust over a gas flame (very hot) you will need pliers / grips to hold it. Allow to cool slowly (annealing= softening) When cool / cold carefully adjust the bend to your requirements.


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## light87

I will try to use the flame, i'm a little concern for the 2 section that i have highlighted because there the curve has crushed the section a little


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## El carajillo

That is not sufficient crush / collapse to cause a problem. If it was a tight pinch / squeeze it might be. Just readjust the bend and refit.


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## light87

Ok I have bend the pipe as it should but I have broken the soldered joint :








then I got it reperaid from an hydraulic :









but I really don't the result so I would like to built a new one maybe with a better curvature considering that if I built it I can do a more linear path.

So finding the 6 mm copper tube is not a problem at all, do you know where I can buy these stuff?



3/8 BSP male brass joint to fit directly the rancilio steam wand.


1/4 BSP female open nut


The copper termination:


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## El carajillo

The termination is formed in the pipe, you cannot purchase it .

You may be able to use an olive , IF it will fit the other component.


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## light87

El carajillo said:


> The termination is formed in the pipe, you cannot purchase it .
> 
> You may be able to use an olive , IF it will fit the other component.


 I was thinking that it was solder with the copper...do you mean that it is obtained by deforming the copper pipe itself?


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## Jollybean

Might be easier to source the Teflon pipe and push on fittings they use in the Ferrari kit

https://www.ferrari-espresso.com/product/gaggia-pre-2015-rancilio-steam-wand-v3-conversion-kit/


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## El carajillo

light87 said:


> I was thinking that it was solder with the copper...do you mean that it is obtained by deforming the copper pipe itself?


 Yes it is.


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## light87

Is it something reproducible or it's and industrial process?


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## El carajillo

Machine made.


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## light87

Maybe than i could cut the old joint and solder it to a new pipe, what do you think?


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## ashiri

I am in the same boat as you. Do you consider replacing the copper tubing with a PTFE tube instead ? This will give you a setup similar to the Ferrari Espresso kit


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## Bhodgson

Just for reference, fill your copper tube with sand, taping off both ends. then heat and bend over a curved surface. And don’t heat an area close to a soldered joint. But, if you have to, place the soldered joint in a container full of water.
however. Teflon tube does seem a far better option.


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