Backflush Gaggia Classic?

[Geoffrey Inett]

I was just getting together the bits needed to backflush my Classic, when it
was drawn to my attention that Gaggia don't recommend backflushing any of
their consumer machines, only the industrial ones. Has anyone any comments
to make about this? If I can't backflush it, how do I go about thoroughly
cleaning it and getting its performance back? If you hadn't already guessed,
I'm a bit of a newbie at all this.

Whilst I'm posting, is there anywhere I could get a T shirt with a big
Gaggia logo on?

[Ken Wilson]

"Geoffrey Inett"

Post by Geoffrey Inett
Whilst I'm posting, is there anywhere I could get a T shirt with a big
Gaggia logo on?

randy G does an alt.coffee t shirt sometimes - he does truckloads of XXX
large if i recall.

dunno bout a gaggia one.

begs the question - why? :-)


if you leave a gaggia or any other pump labouring against the non return
valve it will get humpty. so gaggia protect themselves from idiots.

click it on until it the note changes and turn it off. two or 3 times with
the cleaning powder in the blind filter (or piece of tin foil in the normal
filter). then two or three times to rinse.

only way to get the 3 way valve clean short of dismantling it all. (which
you still have to do with some allen keys if you see the homewares.uk site
(assuming its still there - was when i had my classic))


ken

hants Uk

[Cordo]

Randy does XXX shirts?

Anyway, I backflush the Gaggia Baby -- works fine.

C

Post by Ken Wilson
"Geoffrey Inett"

Post by Geoffrey Inett
Whilst I'm posting, is there anywhere I could get a T shirt with a big
Gaggia logo on?

randy G does an alt.coffee t shirt sometimes - he does truckloads of XXX
large if i recall.
dunno bout a gaggia one.
begs the question - why? :-)
if you leave a gaggia or any other pump labouring against the non return
valve it will get humpty. so gaggia protect themselves from idiots.
click it on until it the note changes and turn it off. two or 3 times with
the cleaning powder in the blind filter (or piece of tin foil in the normal
filter). then two or three times to rinse.
only way to get the 3 way valve clean short of dismantling it all. (which
you still have to do with some allen keys if you see the homewares.uk site
(assuming its still there - was when i had my classic))
ken
hants Uk

[Randy G.]

Post by Cordo
Randy does XXX shirts?

SURE!

"Grab my portafilter handle and I'll follow you anywhere"

"If you think that tasted good, wait 'till you try mine!"
{meant to be worn when you are forced to go to Starbucks
with a friend]

"Full extraction in exactly 28 seconds"

"Two ounces in thirty seconds or your money back"

"For a good tamping call 555-1287"

"I grind finer than anyone you know"

"Best puck in town"

"Pull my handle"
[custom design for Danny]

"I was ground by Rocky"
[for the ladies]

"I got everything Silvia had"
[for the gents]

"Zero to two ounces in 28 seconds"
[for the Nascar folks]

...how'm I doin. ?


Randy "randy" G.
http://www.EspressoMyEspresso.com

[Ed Needham]

I think you've missed your calling...
Too funny.
--
*********************
Ed Needham
"to absurdity and beyond!"
ed at homeroaster dot com
(include [FRIEND] somewhere in the subject line of any email correspondence)
*********************

Post by Randy G.

Post by Cordo
Randy does XXX shirts?

SURE!
"Grab my portafilter handle and I'll follow you anywhere"
"If you think that tasted good, wait 'till you try mine!"
{meant to be worn when you are forced to go to Starbucks
with a friend]
"Full extraction in exactly 28 seconds"
"Two ounces in thirty seconds or your money back"
"For a good tamping call 555-1287"
"I grind finer than anyone you know"
"Best puck in town"
"Pull my handle"
[custom design for Danny]
"I was ground by Rocky"
[for the ladies]
"I got everything Silvia had"
[for the gents]
"Zero to two ounces in 28 seconds"
[for the Nascar folks]
...how'm I doin. ?
Randy "randy" G.
http://www.EspressoMyEspresso.com

[AlMac]

Post by Randy G.
"I was ground by Rocky"
[for the ladies]

My wife just looked over my shoulder and asked me to order one of these
T-shirts for our friends wife who is dissmissive of the benefits of his
Rocky (as opposed to his $20 blade "grinder").

Alec

[vMike]

Post by Geoffrey Inett
I was just getting together the bits needed to backflush my Classic, when it
was drawn to my attention that Gaggia don't recommend backflushing any of
their consumer machines, only the industrial ones. Has anyone any comments
to make about this? If I can't backflush it, how do I go about thoroughly
cleaning it and getting its performance back? If you hadn't already guessed,
I'm a bit of a newbie at all this.
Whilst I'm posting, is there anywhere I could get a T shirt with a big
Gaggia logo on?

I used to use a gaggia classic. I did not backflush it. I just used citric
acid coffee cleaner every so often. Just follow the directions on the
package. I don't know if the classic can handle a backflush or not so I
would not recommend it until you are sure.

Mike

[Randy G.]

Post by vMike
I used to use a gaggia classic. I did not backflush it. I just used citric
acid coffee cleaner every so often. Just follow the directions on the
package. I don't know if the classic can handle a backflush or not so I
would not recommend it until you are sure.

For point of clarity, them's two very different things-

A citric acid solution is placed in the water tank and run through the
boiler to remove hard water scale from inside the boiler and on the
heating element.

Backflushing uses a TSP-like cleaning agent in the portafilter basket
with a blind filter to run it back through the brewing path and
through the 3-way valve to dissolve and clean out coffee residue,
oils, etc..

Backflushing should only be done on machines with 3-way valves- it is
fairly well pointless otherwise. On machines without 3-way valves you
should clean all the removable brewing parts and soak them in the
cleaner, and use a grouphead brush and a solution of the cleaner to
cleanse the brewhead, preferably after removing the shower screen,
showerhead, and any other parts you can get off of there.

Randy "clean it off before you use it" G.
http://www.EspressoMyEspresso.com

[vMike]

Post by Randy G.

Post by vMike
I used to use a gaggia classic. I did not backflush it. I just used citric
acid coffee cleaner every so often. Just follow the directions on the
package. I don't know if the classic can handle a backflush or not so I
would not recommend it until you are sure.

For point of clarity, them's two very different things-
A citric acid solution is placed in the water tank and run through the
boiler to remove hard water scale from inside the boiler and on the
heating element.
Backflushing uses a TSP-like cleaning agent in the portafilter basket
with a blind filter to run it back through the brewing path and
through the 3-way valve to dissolve and clean out coffee residue,
oils, etc..
Backflushing should only be done on machines with 3-way valves- it is
fairly well pointless otherwise. On machines without 3-way valves you
should clean all the removable brewing parts and soak them in the
cleaner, and use a grouphead brush and a solution of the cleaner to
cleanse the brewhead, preferably after removing the shower screen,
showerhead, and any other parts you can get off of there.
Randy "clean it off before you use it" G.
http://www.EspressoMyEspresso.com

Randy,

Thanks for the clarification. I don't use the gaggia anymore. I use PuroCaff
on my new machine and backflush. I mentioned the citric acid because I used
it every often when the machine started to seem a bit slow. I always
thought that it the backflushing just put the plain water back in the tank
and didn't really do anything. I probably won't use the gaggia again except
maybe on an extended vacation. Maybe I should take it apart and clean some
Saturday.

Thanks Mike

[unknown]

The Gaggia boiler and group are made out of aluminium.
All normal cleaners and descalers are very agressive towards aluminium. That
is why Gaggia does not recommend backflushing.

Frank
==================

Post by vMike

Post by Geoffrey Inett
I was just getting together the bits needed to backflush my Classic, when it
was drawn to my attention that Gaggia don't recommend backflushing any of
their consumer machines, only the industrial ones. Has anyone any comments
to make about this? If I can't backflush it, how do I go about thoroughly
cleaning it and getting its performance back? If you hadn't already guessed,
I'm a bit of a newbie at all this.
Whilst I'm posting, is there anywhere I could get a T shirt with a big
Gaggia logo on?

I used to use a gaggia classic. I did not backflush it. I just used citric
acid coffee cleaner every so often. Just follow the directions on the
package. I don't know if the classic can handle a backflush or not so I
would not recommend it until you are sure.
Mike

[Cordo]

But backflushing has nothing to do with the boiler. Again, we're talking
about backflushing, not descaling. A backflushing solution like Cleancaf
cleans the 3 way solenoid and the inside of the brew group (above the shower
screen). It works fine on a Gaggia, and the "cleaner" never interacts with
the boiler.

"Cleaners and descalers" are two different classes of things.

C

Post by unknown
The Gaggia boiler and group are made out of aluminium.
All normal cleaners and descalers are very agressive towards aluminium.
That is why Gaggia does not recommend backflushing.
Frank
==================

Post by vMike

Post by Geoffrey Inett
I was just getting together the bits needed to backflush my Classic, when it
was drawn to my attention that Gaggia don't recommend backflushing any of
their consumer machines, only the industrial ones. Has anyone any comments
to make about this? If I can't backflush it, how do I go about thoroughly
cleaning it and getting its performance back? If you hadn't already guessed,
I'm a bit of a newbie at all this.
Whilst I'm posting, is there anywhere I could get a T shirt with a big
Gaggia logo on?

I used to use a gaggia classic. I did not backflush it. I just used
citric acid coffee cleaner every so often. Just follow the directions on
the package. I don't know if the classic can handle a backflush or not so
I would not recommend it until you are sure.
Mike

[unknown]

I know the difference, I also know that not only the boiler but also the
group is made out of aluminium.
Take out the shower and look up at the group.
That is why its better not to backflush those machines with some cleaner
like pullicaf.

And yes, it works fine on a Gaggia. But it wont take long before pits and
holes start to appear.

Frank

============================

Post by Cordo
But backflushing has nothing to do with the boiler. Again, we're talking
about backflushing, not descaling. A backflushing solution like Cleancaf
cleans the 3 way solenoid and the inside of the brew group (above the
shower screen). It works fine on a Gaggia, and the "cleaner" never
interacts with the boiler.
"Cleaners and descalers" are two different classes of things.
C

Post by unknown
The Gaggia boiler and group are made out of aluminium.
All normal cleaners and descalers are very agressive towards aluminium.
That is why Gaggia does not recommend backflushing.
Frank
==================

Post by vMike

Post by Geoffrey Inett
I was just getting together the bits needed to backflush my Classic, when it
was drawn to my attention that Gaggia don't recommend backflushing any of
their consumer machines, only the industrial ones. Has anyone any comments
to make about this? If I can't backflush it, how do I go about thoroughly
cleaning it and getting its performance back? If you hadn't already guessed,
I'm a bit of a newbie at all this.
Whilst I'm posting, is there anywhere I could get a T shirt with a big
Gaggia logo on?

I used to use a gaggia classic. I did not backflush it. I just used
citric acid coffee cleaner every so often. Just follow the directions on
the package. I don't know if the classic can handle a backflush or not
so I would not recommend it until you are sure.
Mike

[Mike]

In article <42753c3a$0$89537$***@news.wanadoo.nl>, "Frank"
<c:o:f:f:e:e:a:t:w:a:n:a:d:o:o:d:o:t:n:l> says...

Post by unknown
I know the difference, I also know that not only the boiler but also the
group is made out of aluminium.
Take out the shower and look up at the group.
That is why its better not to backflush those machines with some cleaner
like pullicaf.
And yes, it works fine on a Gaggia. But it wont take long before pits and
holes start to appear.
Frank
============================

Post by Cordo
But backflushing has nothing to do with the boiler. Again, we're talking
about backflushing, not descaling. A backflushing solution like Cleancaf
cleans the 3 way solenoid and the inside of the brew group (above the
shower screen). It works fine on a Gaggia, and the "cleaner" never
interacts with the boiler.
"Cleaners and descalers" are two different classes of things.
C

Post by unknown
The Gaggia boiler and group are made out of aluminium.
All normal cleaners and descalers are very agressive towards aluminium.
That is why Gaggia does not recommend backflushing.
Frank
==================

Post by Geoffrey Inett
I was just getting together the bits needed to backflush my Classic, when it
was drawn to my attention that Gaggia don't recommend backflushing any of
their consumer machines, only the industrial ones. Has anyone any comments
to make about this? If I can't backflush it, how do I go about thoroughly
cleaning it and getting its performance back? If you hadn't already

That's the disperson plate. The rest of the group is brass. While you
do have a point that most espresso detergents attack aluminum, the risk
is low at the concentration used to backflush. The most important step
is to make sure that the dispersion plate is WELL rinsed when complete.
You run the greatest risk of pitting if a undissolved granule sits on
the plate. I also want to reiterate Cordo's statement...Cleaner NEVER
contacts the boiler when descaling.

Mike "Gaggia user for years..." G.


***The above advice is from my anecdotal experience, I assume no
responsibility for damage or wear.***

[AlMac]

On this wonderful little site: http://www.espressomyespresso.com/ there
are a set of "How-To Pages". 1. is backflushing and 8 is descaling.
These are the best instructions I have seen on these cleaning
procedures and I have used them for years(thanks to Randy), although I
don't have an aluminium boiler Gaggia.

A helpful summary on cleaning is here:
http://www.coffeeco.com.au/articles/august2002.html

One of my local coffee mates has a Gaggia Classic. He diligently
ignored my helpful suggestions about descaling and cleaning. Our water
is pretty hard and after 12 months it was so full of gunk and scale
that it packed up. He spent the next 2 months trying to get it clean
again and it sort of works ok now.

He did do some rather long (overnight) descaling with citric acid in
part of his fight to fix his clogged machine problem. He also
backflushed and let it do its thing for 1-2 hours.

Overall, the machine is worse for wear (the odd rougue bit spits out of
the steam armwhen you flush water through it, and I suspect other rogue
bits get caught in the group head) - but I suspect it is far worse for
wear than it would have been had he followed a sensible backflush and
descale program like Randy suggests. My friends wallet is also worse
for wear as he bought Rocky and Silvia before he worked out that a
backflush and descale would have done the trick to fix the Gaggia.

Alec

[Cordo]

Post by AlMac
One of my local coffee mates has a Gaggia Classic. He diligently
ignored my helpful suggestions about descaling and cleaning. Our water
is pretty hard and after 12 months it was so full of gunk and scale
that it packed up. He spent the next 2 months trying to get it clean
again and it sort of works ok now.

Ah, another $380 sale on Ebay is just a week away....

C