[johnjcamilleri]

I finally descaled again, as above, after something like a year (I know, I know...).

Question: should I be able to see the bits of removed scale in the discarded liquid? It looked pretty clear to me and I definitely could not see any solid bits anywhere. I live in Sweden where the water is especially soft, so it's possible that there simply was not much scale there to begin with.

 

[Inspector]

most likely there was not much scale built up

 

[Giblet46]

Hi, I've descaled mine for a second time in a week. It's a 2011 model, used for usual 1_2 shots per day in a very character area ( though I used filtered water) it stopped supplying water from the group head the other day, and having never been descaled before ( well maybe once). It resolved the issue.

However after about a week ( and first use of Cafiza), the same no water from group head appeared. So I did a more thorough descale job and hope to have a longer lasting effect!

Should it start failing again, is my best option a strip down to check the boiler for how much limescale is in there?

 

[GCGlasgow]

Hi, I've descaled mine for a second time in a week. It's a 2011 model, used for usual 1_2 shots per day in a very character area ( though I used filtered water) it stopped supplying water from the group head the other day, and having never been descaled before ( well maybe once). It resolved the issue.

However after about a week ( and first use of Cafiza), the same no water from group head appeared. So I did a more thorough descale job and hope to have a longer lasting effect!

Should it start failing again, is my best option a strip down to check the boiler for how much limescale is in there?

The OPV valve may be blocked, search on here for how to clean them properly but can take a few times before they are clear.

 

[Giblet46]

Quick update, but second Descaling seems to have done the trick, cheers!

 

[cahal74]

My 2016 classic operating instruction manual don't say to run descaler through grouphead just the steam arm. This is surely a typo

 

[jimbojohn55]

Ive run descaler - tartric and citric acid, through the group and the steam arm on a 2015 classic on a couple of occasions, it worked fine - don't worry about it.

 

[cahal74]

?

 

[ChrisF]

My Gaggia Classic has been in hibernation for some months. I've spent the last hour trying to descale it with Puly Caff as per the instructions on the first page. Am using PulyCaff powder in addition for the group head and trying to back flush with this... Trouble is, I think it's all so calced up that nothing is coming through the brew head at all! Do I keep trying over and over again? This is with Puly Caff in the reservoir at the same time.

 

[ChrisF]

Water will come through the steam wand so pump working fine. If I take the shower head off, does it need too have a new gasket put on at the same time? My apologies if all this has been covered before: I'm new to posting on the forum (having joined back in 2013 but demonstrating how absent I've been from reading the forums and actually making coffee properly! I've been using a Nes*****o machine for convenience and sacrificed taste for far too long!

 

[jimbojohn55]

hi ChrisF - you need to descale with tartic or citric acid - pulycaf wont remove the lime scale - it just removes coffee oils and gunk.

take the shower screen off and unbolt the dispersion plate - that should give you an idea of how scaled up your classic is, at the same time fit a new grouphead seal , cafelat silicon if you can find one

 

[ChrisF]

Thanks Jimbojohn. Very interesting about the citric or tartaric acid descale. I will get hold of some tomorrow and try it out. In the meantime, I'm just home from work and thought I'd give the old Gaggia another bash at getting it going again. I've taken the shower head off and then the two screws underneath that but now I can't get the next bit away from the gasket. It's almost like it's attached to the gasket. Is it meant to just come out or should it be twisted? Forced? I don't want to do any damage.

 

[jimbojohn55]

Its just a snug fit - heres it removed - gently lever with a screwdriver all the way around .

 

[ChrisF]

You are a star! Managed to get it off and it looked all corroded. Have cleaned it by soaking in Puly Caff powder (not ideal, I know but it's all I've got at the moment) and a bit of a scrub. Put it back together but sadly still only a few sad little drips from the shower head. I'll do some more descaling properly following the instructions at the start of the post (and removing the shower head) and see how I go. The machine hasn't had that much use so I'd be surprised if it's terminal.

 

[M4xime]

Bumping this up as I'm currently descaling my Gaggia and struggling to get the shower head out, tried pliers, lever with screwdriver, put a bit of WD40 but doesn't seem to want to come out. Any tips welcome!

 

[Jumbo Ratty]

Bumping this up as I'm currently descaling my Gaggia and struggling to get the shower head out, tried pliers, lever with screwdriver, put a bit of WD40 but doesn't seem to want to come out. Any tips welcome!

Use more force

 

[El carajillo]

Have you removed the seal ? Is it due for replacement ? If it is an old seal dig it out, this will allow more movement to remove the shower head.

If the seal is out, find a screw with the same thread as the screen screw (but longer) then use as a "jack" to remove the shower block.

 

[M4xime]

Yeah hadn't removed the seal yet but will do now and get replacement. I did exactly this trick which worked brilliantly:

"get hold of a screw/bolt at least 2" long of the same size as the shower screen one and with the screen off and the dispersion plate bolts undone gently screw the longer screw into the shower screen hole and keep going, it will eventually release the plate"

Same thing as what you're saying Carajillo and much easier than using force, thanks! Now to get the seal out and replace all this

 

[MrSmartepants]

I'm in the process of descaling my Gaggia Classic (some nasty bits coming out!). Originally I was going to simply swap the shower screen, shower block, and gasket I got from IMS but I couldn't get the shower block dislodged (still working on it). I figured descaling would help knock it loose but no joy. I like the idea of the "long-screw" trick and I'll be trying that later if I can't get the block released.

 

[ChilledMatt]

I'm in the process of descaling my Gaggia Classic (some nasty bits coming out!). Originally I was going to simply swap the shower screen, shower block, and gasket I got from IMS but I couldn't get the shower block dislodged (still working on it). I figured descaling would help knock it loose but no joy. I like the idea of the "long-screw" trick and I'll be trying that later if I can't get the block released.

When a Classic is this scaled up it really does need a full strip down descale IMO.

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