# Classic OPV



## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

I've been having some issues with my gaggia which I'm trying to narrow down to one of the elements. I just did some tests and found out that no water is coming out of the overflow pipe attached to the OPV. I tried that with 1) a blank basket, 2) finely ground coffee which barely comes out of the portafilter, 3) coarsely grind coffee which gushes out of the portafilter, and 4) hitting the brew switch while the machine is in steam mode. In neither of the 4 cases did I get a single drip out of the OPV. Is this normal? I fail to understand when should water be coming out of the overflow pipe.. Thanks!!


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

The overflow pipe should gush and make a "whoosh" sound when the brew switched is turned off, and there is residual pressure in the filter basket.

It will almost always gush water when you have heated the boiler up to steam temp, and then switch the brew switch on and off.


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

If it is indeed not working, you may have noticed soggy pucks after brewing.

Might be worth checking the three-way solenoid is operating correctly.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Unfortunately this is not quite right as the whoosh is the release of the solenoid down through the metal pipe and into the drip tray, the opv pipe flows into the tank from the opv and is nothing to d with the solenoid. S is the problem the solenoid or the opv?


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

I'm talking about the OPV here, not the solenoid.


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

Oh sorry! Misunderstood which overflow type you were referring to, and thought you'd mistakenly mentioned the OPV.

You'll need to measure the pressure to see if the OPV is working correctly.


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

I'll get a pressure gauge next week but I'm wondering when should water be leaking from the overflow hose. Thanks!


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

The hose fed from the OPV is on the RHS as you look at th machine.

Put the left hose in a glass of water, fit a portafilter with a blanking plate, then switch the pump on. You should then observe water streaming from the hose on the RHS.


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## bronc (Dec 10, 2012)

By the left hose you mean the one on top of the OPV? I tried it and there is no water coming out of it.


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

I am talking about the two hoses which sit in the water tank.

As you look at the front of the machine, the left one draws water, and the right one returns water from the OPV.

Your OPV may not pass any water back to the tank via the tube on the right if it is not set correctly, or if it is maybe blocked.


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