# Gaga classic - No water coming through after doing clean and descale



## louiseh (Apr 30, 2016)

Hello

I have a 2 year old Gaggia Classic.

Recently I had noticed poor flow of water through the grouphead so decided it was time to do an overhaul and descale.

Yesterday took the machine to bits to clean it all. Put it back together and it seemed just the same, hardly any water coming through. Today I have again taken it to bits (even more so than yesterday) and used descaler on the boiler, solenoid valve etc. Put it back together and now there is no water at all coming through.

I can hear the pump working and there is water and/or steam coming through the steam wand but not a single drip through the grouphead.

Anyone able to offer me any ideas?


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

Try taking the solenoid out, clean it out and poke around in it with small object, especially the small hole, sometimes scale doesn't get removed so easy.


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## louiseh (Apr 30, 2016)

Thanks but I cleaned the solenoid yesterday and today took it completely apart and cleaned/descaled/poked - don't think there could be anything left blocking it


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

louiseh said:


> Thanks but I cleaned the solenoid yesterday and today took it completely apart and cleaned/descaled/poked - don't think there could be anything left blocking it


That's what everyone says! Stuff can "move through" that wasn't there before. Worth giving it another broddle into the holes with something very very fine.


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

Yeh sometimes it can take a few cleans.


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## louiseh (Apr 30, 2016)

Missy said:


> That's what everyone says! Stuff can "move through" that wasn't there before. Worth giving it another broddle into the holes with something very very fine.


Tried again. Still no water coming through.


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Id suggest its your solenoid valve.

When you take it off the machine do you take it apart so that the piston and spring is removed?


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## jpaul__ (Feb 19, 2016)

when pump runs is it laboured, so pump is fighting or alternatively is brew water going straight from solenoid/3-way directly into drip tray ?

*update* a link to gaggia solenoid test in case you had not seen it ... not sure if its classic


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## louiseh (Apr 30, 2016)

Jumbo Ratty said:


> Id suggest its your solenoid valve.
> 
> When you take it off the machine do you take it apart so that the piston and spring is removed?


Yes taken it completely to bits 3 times now. I really don't think that can be the problem.


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## louiseh (Apr 30, 2016)

Yes it does sound rather laboured. There is no water coming through to the drip tray.


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

If there is water in the boiler and the pump is working (as evidenced by you saying that you can get water/steam out of the steam wand) then there are only two places where water can realistically be prevented from exiting the group head / shower screen:

1. The solenoid valve - as discussed at length above

2. The dispersion plate / exit to it / holes within it.

If you're adamant that you've thoroughly stripped down and cleaned the solenoid, and it does indeed "click" when you turn the machine on and off, then how's the dispersion plate looking? Have you removed it and cleaned both it and the group head that it bolts in to thoroughly, ensuring that all holes are clear?

I'd still bet on it being the solenoid valve though... Your issue, and the "I've just descaled it and now there's nothing coming out" scenario are precisely what points to the solenoid valve. Scale gets dislodged during the descale and then blocks the valve.


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

louiseh said:


> Yes it does sound rather laboured. There is no water coming through to the drip tray.


I bet water is being pumped back into the tank, via the return pipe (from the OPV) though isn't it?


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## Riz (Oct 19, 2015)

This may be a bit obvious, but I've done it a few times and baffled myself, is the steam switch turned off when you're trying to get water from the brewhead?


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## jpaul__ (Feb 19, 2016)

Have you been able to poke fine wire through tube from boiler to solenoid and from solenoid to group head to check for obstructions.

Can you clearly hear solenoid working, if you power it when it is off the machine ? or maybe disconnect pump when it is in machine

I do not have this machine - but I do not understand with single boiler machines when brew pump is off what prevent water flowing from boiler through solenoid into the drip tray when in steam mode ... I do not think there is another solenoid I guess steam pressure is just inadequate to push water through ?


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

Cus the solenoid has two positions:

1. Allows water to flow from the boiler to the group

2. Allows water to flow from the group to the exhaust (and blocks the exit from the boiler)

Hence when steaming, there is no way that water can get through the solenoid as it's blocking the flow of water. The only open path in the solenoid when it's "off" is group head to exhaust pipe.


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## louiseh (Apr 30, 2016)

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I can't hear the solenoid working so I've ordered a replacement. Hopefully that will do the trick whether it was blocked or there was something else wrong with it!


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## louiseh (Apr 30, 2016)

louiseh said:


> Thanks for all the suggestions.
> 
> I can't hear the solenoid working so I've ordered a replacement. Hopefully that will do the trick whether it was blocked or there was something else wrong with it!


Now back in business after replacing the solenoid!


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

glad it was an easy fix and thought by the symptoms you described it was the solenoid.


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