# Usual upgrades and faff...



## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Done the OPV mod but not before removing it and stripping/cleaning in Puly caff as it was sticking badly (had some scale on and the bottom part had to be knocked out)




















Still looks like it sticks a little bit but a lot better than it was.

New bits..










Backflush basket and cleaner, plus fitted Silvia steam wand..

Gave it a good backflush as well, water was a bit manky afterwards.

Relaxing with a nice flat white now


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

I like to see care taken and jobs done properly/ correctly:good:


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Nice work !


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Next job is to get some de-scaler as there was a little build up of it on the OPV.

When I messaged the chap I bought it off, he'd had it at his holiday home in Lanzarote and had a special water supply connected with no lime scale.

He said he back-flushed it regularly (although there was no blind basket with it so I guess he's kept that if he had another at home.

I was a bit hesitant about removing the OPV, a bit tricky with my big hands but managed it ok with an Allan-key.

When I did the pressure test I had to keep emptying the pf (reading a 'how-to' the other day it said to fill it up and run the steam arm to purge the air out) otherwise the needle wouldn't stay still...


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## StuartS (Jan 2, 2015)

I think my opv was sticking before i did the mod. Adjusting it seemed to free it up.

As a test, when you backflush the pump noise should be constant. If it varies the opv could be sticking a bit and the pump flow varying. You will get a similar effect when the machine gets close to choking as the opv takes over.


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

StuartS said:


> I think my opv was sticking before i did the mod. Adjusting it seemed to free it up.
> 
> As a test, when you backflush the pump noise should be constant. If it varies the opv could be sticking a bit and the pump flow varying. You will get a similar effect when the machine gets close to choking as the opv takes over.


Yes, the pump noise was constant when I back-flushed. I followed the instructions on the Puly (10 seconds on, 10 seconds off - repeat 5 times, empty - rinse under the grouphead and repeat without Puly. Flush and pull/discard one shot. Tescos finest comes in useful lol).


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