# Gaggia Baby Twin - no water through the head



## lolomaonlo (Mar 11, 2019)

Hi all,

I bought a second hand Gaggia Baby Twin. Although it was working fine for around a month, I decided to back flush it using blind portafilter. Afterwards, the water does not flow through the head, although the wand still works. I tried to alternate between two and used a descaler (Oust), but it did not helped. Do you have any suggestions on what could solve the problem?

Thank you,


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

It's almost certainly "the usual culprit" on these machines - blocked solenoid valve.

Remove the valve, strip it down, clear the hole in the bottom with a needle, soak in descaler and then in puly caff and it'll be as good as new.

Plenty of posts on here regarding this issue - normally from Classic owners.


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## lolomaonlo (Mar 11, 2019)

Thank you for your reply. I did that and it still doesn't work. Any other suggestion?


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

If there is scale floating about in the machine it can take several cleaning sessions to remove all particles. P I A but needs to be done


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

Have you removed the dispersion plate and cleaned the hole about it that leads to the solenoid valve?

There's not many places for particles to block the water flow - if the machine is relatively clean and well looked after.

If you've checked the dispersion plate and hole above it, then remove the solenoid valve again and poke wire through each of the three ports (in the boiler) to ensure that they're all clear... as well as going up from the group head.

If they're all clear and it's still not working then I'd assume that either the solenoid valve is locked again or it wasn't properly cleaned the first time round.


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## lolomaonlo (Mar 11, 2019)

Ok running a bit out of options:

- removed solenoid valve and completely descale it

- I removed both shower plate and dispersion plate (head is in a fairly bad state).

To be fair I have suspicious it wasn't well look after.

One think I noticed that when removing the solenoid valve there was no water coming from black tubing coming from the top of the solenoid valve, however there was a bit of water released from the bottom when I removed it first time. Since then it was completely dry.

I tried to put the descaler down the head, but it didn't work.

Any suggestions before I put it in the bin?


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## lolomaonlo (Mar 11, 2019)

I am still struggling. Any tips? Is removing the boiler to clean it a difficult task? I can't find a tutorial for Baby Twin. Is it much different to Classic?


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

lolomaonlo said:


> I am still struggling. Any tips? Is removing the boiler to clean it a difficult task? I can't find a tutorial for Baby Twin. Is it much different to Classic?


i think it's practically the same.

youve been told it the solenoid valve and I believe it is too.

i suggest you use the search facility on this forum as this problem has been exhaustively covered endlessly


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## technohippy29uk (Jan 9, 2017)

lolomaonlo said:


> I am still struggling. Any tips? Is removing the boiler to clean it a difficult task? I can't find a tutorial for Baby Twin. Is it much different to Classic?


 You should check the tiny hole in the solenoid valve is actually clear by disassembling it and blowing through both the holes in the bottom using your mouth. Despite poking the tiny hole in the middle a couple of times with a paperclip, mine was still blocked and required a bit more vigorous poking. You cant guarantee it is unblocked unless you can suck and blow through the tiny pointy hole whilst blocking the other hole in the bottom. See attached picture.


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