# Have I bought a dud?



## tommyp215 (Apr 2, 2016)

Hi all, I just purchased a gaggia classic through ebay. Very little water is flowing through the brew head, (just dribbles slowly), I'm wondering if it is scaled up? I'm currently running some descaler through the reservoir as I don't have blank basket to back flush it. Would there be any other reason for it flowing slowly, would you guys return it as it was advertised as in very good condition? I'd prefer to try to fix if possible but I'm not very technical.

Many thanks Tom


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## cofeek (Mar 18, 2016)

tommyp215 said:


> Hi all, I just purchased a gaggia classic through ebay. Very little water is flowing through the brew head, (just dribbles slowly), I'm wondering if it is scaled up? I'm currently running some descaler through the reservoir as I don't have blank basket to back flush it. Would there be any other reason for it flowing slowly, would you guys return it as it was advertised as in very good condition? I'd prefer to try to fix if possible but I'm not very technical.
> 
> Many thanks Tom


it could be a number of things....scale.......group head blocked......faulty pump..... :-(


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## timmyjj21 (May 10, 2015)

It is usually due to a blocked group head. Remove the shower screen and aluminium dispersion plate. Clean all the junk out. If you can't get the dispersion plate off, then it is glued on with coffee oils and the likely cause of your issues!

Other option is the solenoid valve being partially blocked. I believe any second hand gaggia will need a full strip. Every one I have purchased has had a blown boiler seal in the very least.


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## gaggiamanualservice.com (Dec 22, 2009)

Likely to have blocked solenoid. Follow the link on website faq regarding solenoid issues. It brings you to the coffeeforum wiki page.


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## tommyp215 (Apr 2, 2016)

Thanks for the replies- after descaling much more water is coming through the group head, however its spraying in lots of different directions, I will try to clean this tomorrow is this a good guide to use?






I'll have read of the faqs about the soleniod to.


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## tommyp215 (Apr 2, 2016)

Ok so I have dismantled the group head. It was filthy and I needed pliers to get it apart. It's cleaned up pretty well and the flow has improved massively. I don't have any scales yet to weigh out a set amount of coffee and time a shot of espresso, it takes about 8.5 seconds to pass 100ml of water through group head without a the portafilter attached does that seem about right or is it still slow?

Unsurprisingly the coffee tastes much better (feel a bit wrong that drank one before cleaning it) however the portafilter seems to have greater flow through the left side than right and I'm not getting much creama (less than I get out on my clapped out delonghi with the same beans) Any ideas here?


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## wilse (Nov 14, 2013)

What did you use to descale?

Wait until you get scales, buy some £5 herb scales from the bay.

What coffee are you using? Have you got a grinder?

Looking back, I never got a good result with pre-ground supermarket coffee.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

The delonghi will have a pressurised basket to force crema out of stale coffee.

Are you using pre ground? If so this is your problem. Beyond anything else you can do buying fresh roasted coffee and grinding yourself is the most important aspect of making coffee.


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## tommyp215 (Apr 2, 2016)

I'm using chatswirth blend from rave, and using the same beans get more of a creama from my old machine. My grinder is a krupps £20 jobby not Burr which I know is not a great but like for like grind get more creama on the old machine.

I used Knaus coffee machine descaler. I might try and run it through again though as I only did it once.


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## timmyjj21 (May 10, 2015)

It could just be the baskets. I assume your gaggia has unpressurised baskets, while the DeLonghi had pressurised ones designed to create false crema from standard supermarket beans.

To be honest I don't think crema means much. It doesn't taste that great and is quite variable between bean types.


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## wilse (Nov 14, 2013)

Bin the grinder! I presume it's a krups blade type?

You won't be able to adjust the grind on this type of grinder, so it's next to useless.

At the very least, get a manual burr... like the hario skerton, if you've got more to spend, then get a decent burr grinder, e-by-gum-tree often has older ones cheap, put some new burrs in it, [£15-20] and your off.

In my opinion the grinder is more important than coffee machine, when you are starting up.

There are too many variables to look at with your current set-up. Baskets, weights, timing, grinder... Don't get disheartened!

But you get a bonus point for having good coffee!


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

tommyp215 said:


> Unsurprisingly the coffee tastes much better (feel a bit wrong that drank one before cleaning it) however the portafilter seems to have greater flow through the left side than right and I'm not getting much creama (less than I get out on my clapped out delonghi with the same beans) Any ideas here?


When you had the dispersion plate off you will have noticed there is actually only one hole above that that all the water comes out of to the brew head, that is on the left hand side. Makes sense that there will be more pressure on that side. Could also be uneven tamping by you. Turn the portafiler 180 degrees and try tamping,, see if that makes any difference,, if not, its not uneven tamping.



wilse said:


> Bin the grinder! I presume it's a krups blade type?
> 
> You won't be able to adjust the grind on this type of grinder, so it's next to useless.
> 
> !


I disagree.

I have one and use it successfully. It was a gift and feel i should use it for a while before I upgrade otherwise I would feel like an ingrate.

I adjust the grind by grinding for different lengths of time. The longer you grind the finer the grind. Even a difference of 2.5 seconds I can detect a difference in grind and pour rate. Maybe ive become quite adept at using it.

I know they are frowned on and held in very low regard and are the subject of scorn and derision, but they are better than pre ground and a step in the right direction.


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