# Gaggia classic problem



## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

Hi all and a merry Christmas.

i have a 4 year old gaggia classic that has been stood idol for about a year.

i live in a very hard water area,

got it all fired up and steam wand works fine but not a single drop from the grouphead.

stripped the machine completely and descaled (was not as bad i thought it would be) .i did clean it once a month with puly descaler.

put back together still the same makes all the right noises but nothing.

i am about to order a replacement solenoid from happy donkey £25 and a replacement o ring kit as well.

am i on the right track ?

any suggestions welcome.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Try taking the solenoid completely apart. There are very small passageways in the body which which are easily blocked by tiny particles of scale / crud.

Blowing through is no use as this handles pressure at 9 to 15 bar. Stripping cleaning and checking is the only answer.

The large nut ( 19 mm ??) is quite tight, either hold the valve in a vice or screw it to a piece of wood to hold it.

Have you removed and cleaned the dispersion block behind the screen ?


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## Riz (Oct 19, 2015)

Have you checked that the steam button isn't turned on when trying to pull water through the head? Made that mistake a few times and got myself into an unnecessary state of panic!


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

El carajillo said:


> Try taking the solenoid completely apart. There are very small passageways in the body which which are easily blocked by tiny particles of scale / crud.
> 
> Blowing through is no use as this handles pressure at 9 to 15 bar. Stripping cleaning and checking is the only answer.
> 
> ...


Hi yes tried that .soaked i solution and poked it and even used my air compressor..


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

Riz said:


> Have you checked that the steam button isn't turned on when trying to pull water through the head? Made that mistake a few times and got myself into an unnecessary state of panic!


Yes i now what you mean lol...


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## timmyjj21 (May 10, 2015)

The solenoid coil may be dead. It's the black plastic box around the metal solenoid valve. If you are certain you have effectively pulled apart the valve and cleaned out the insides, check the primary contacts of the coil with an ammeter.


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

You should be able to hear the solenoid actuating - or failing that (very careful) touching the valve whilst turning the brew on/off and you should be able to feel it.


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

MrShades said:


> You should be able to hear the solenoid actuating - or failing that (very careful) touching the valve whilst turning the brew on/off and you should be able to feel it.


ok will give that a try thank you.


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## timmyjj21 (May 10, 2015)

I use a chopstick pressed against the solenoid. You can feel it click and keep your finger away from hot/ sparky bits


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

HELP ......

rebuilt machine with new solenoid and new seal kit descaled ect now when i turn the machine on it trips all my electric .

i guess i must have a wire wrong ,the problem is i took lots of pics on my smart phone to make sure of no errors and now it looks like my little granddaughter may have deleted some of the pics in error !!

can someone please help me with the wiring im pretty sure i have most correct but obviously i must have something wrong !!

i have a feeling its one of the wires going from the front switch that may be incorrect.

any help pictures or advice please.i dare not try it again as i have just had a bollocking of the mrs for making the tv turn off !!


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

If i remember I'll take the top off mine later on today and take some photos


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> If i remember I'll take the top off mine later on today and take some photos


Much appreciated... if i leave the 4 wires off the boiler, the red led lights up and does not trip out the electric i have a feeling that maybe i have got some descaling solution inside the terminals and maybe shorted the boiler !!

i had the boiler laid on its side partly submerged..


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

here are the photos for what they are worth, i dont possess the best phone.

I also did a diagram, i put a black dot on the first connection so you have a reference point as to what block is what, the only confusion might arise from the two connectors which both have 2 blue wires going into them

I hope it makes sense, but i cannot take any responsibility if your Mrs cant watch TV.


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> here are the photos for what they are worth, i dont possess the best phone.
> 
> I also did a diagram, i put a black dot on the first connection so you have a reference point as to what block is what, the only confusion might arise from the two connectors which both have 2 blue wires going into them
> 
> ...


Hi many thanks for taking the time to do this.im looking now and i think i am all good so i can only assume the boiler has a short !!

do you know anyway of testing it ?


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## destiny (Jun 4, 2015)

When does it trip the fuse? moment you fire up your socket (socket switch) and go live with the machine or when you power it on (power on switch on classic)?

Did you reconnect both earth wires?


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Thats the limit of my "expertise"

The only other thing i would mention is if you re connected the earth wire to the metal plate that goes on top.

It has a habit of dissapearing to the bottom of the machine and getting forgotten about once it has been off for a while.


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

destiny said:


> When does it trip the fuse? moment you fire up your socket (socket switch) and go live with the machine or when you power it on (power on switch on classic)?
> 
> Did you reconnect both earth wires?


Hi yes had both earths connected.with the mains lead in its fine as soon as i flip the switch it trips all the house electrics.

if i leave all 4 boiler wires of the tops the switch lights up ok.


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> Thats the limit of my "expertise"
> 
> The only other thing i would mention is if you re connected the earth wire to the metal plate that goes on top.
> 
> It has a habit of dissapearing to the bottom of the machine and getting forgotten about once it has been off for a while.


yep made sure that was connected.


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## gaggiamanualservice.com (Dec 22, 2009)

May have moisture on the boiler terminal. Try taking the 4 wires off and dry with hairdryer


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

gaggiamanualservice.com said:


> May have moisture on the boiler terminal. Try taking the 4 wires off and dry with hairdryer


ive popped in the boiler cupboard for 24 hours see if that helps ....







:waiting:


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

It'll be moisture in the heating elements- so it needs drying out.

There's a dodgy cheating way to do it in situ - by disconnecting the earth from the rear (plug) socket so that the machine simply isn't earthed (which is obviously very dangerous, especially as you know the heater elements are grounding out!!!!) - you then turn the machine off at the mains, turn it on with the front panel- and then turn it on again at the mains plug.

This will almost certainly then cause the machine to start up and start heating, without tripping the mains BUT every metal part of the Classic will probably have 240V going through it.

After running like this for a while the heat will drive the moisture from the heating elements and they'll stop grounding out - but don't try touching the case to test - turn the machine off at the plug, reconnect the earth and try turning it all on again.

Airing cupboard / radiator / oven at 100c would all do a similar job and would be much much safer!


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

MrShades said:


> It'll be moisture in the heating elements- so it needs drying out.
> 
> There's a dodgy cheating way to do it in situ - by disconnecting the earth from the rear (plug) socket so that the machine simply isn't earthed (which is obviously very dangerous, especially as you know the heater elements are grounding out!!!!) - you then turn the machine off at the mains, turn it on with the front panel- and then turn it on again at the mains plug.
> 
> ...


#many thanks

will try the oven method i think....


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## ninja_geezer (Dec 24, 2015)

MrShades said:


> It'll be moisture in the heating elements- so it needs drying out.
> 
> There's a dodgy cheating way to do it in situ - by disconnecting the earth from the rear (plug) socket so that the machine simply isn't earthed (which is obviously very dangerous, especially as you know the heater elements are grounding out!!!!) - you then turn the machine off at the mains, turn it on with the front panel- and then turn it on again at the mains plug.
> 
> ...


Well a big thank you for the advice i took the scary option you mentioned above in the end and now its all working a treat again.

many thanks for the advice







:good:


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Brilliant news,, glad its all fixed


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

Glad you're still with us and able to post a reply ;-)

Good stuff - and glad it's fixed!


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