kevinsp75 Senior Member Joined: 8 Jun 2004 Posts: 98 Location: Providence, RI Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Expobar Pulser Grinder: La Pavoni PGC Drip: Melitta #2 cone, Clarity,... Roaster: Coffee Exchange in...
Posted Tue Sep 7, 2004, 11:04am Subject: Re: How to Clean a Dirty Grouphead
You could check out www.espressoparts.com. TerryZ should be able to help you out. It looks like they have them for $10.99, but you might want to call Terry if you have questions about the right part for your machine(s).
Posted Sun Oct 3, 2004, 5:43pm Subject: Re: Cleaning the group head.
cafewest_tech Said:
I can’t see what is wrong with taking the screen off the machines. With a single screw holding it on a couple times a week is nothing, for home machines. Not that hard and it only takes 5 minutes to do the whole job. Waiting till you have to burn the coffee residue off is lazy, and your espresso probably taste bad with all that residue turning rancid. Machines with electric 3 way solenoid's should only be backflushed with a blind filter basket, about every 200 shots, but then only after cleaning the dispersion screen and gasket first. Backflushing is hard on electric 3 way valves, that’s why it shouldn’t be done more frequently. Machines like the Silvia should be backflushed only a couple times per year. Always use a good espresso machine cleaner when you use the blind basket to remove the oils and residue that accumulate in the lines and valve. Machines with the E61 group head can be backflushed everyday because they have a manual pressure release valve, and it’s hard to remove their screen to clean. Use a espresso machine cleaner on your E61 every couple weeks and you can keep your group head spotless. Removing the screen on machines involves removing the gasket which holds the screen on. Something thin and be careful not to damage the brew head. Start on the outside edge of the gasket and gently slip your wedge in-between the gasket and brew head. Don’t go in very deep, and wiggle the gasket down working around the gasket until the gasket comes off. Usually the screen comes with it. If not, grab the screen and pull down. To reinstall the screen and gasket. Place the screen on the table so as the screen is up and the flange is down. The gasket has a beveled edge on the inside and the bevel goes down on the screen. Grasp the screen and gasket and insert it onto the group head. Hold in place and take your portofilter with no basket in it. Insert into group head with screen and gasket in place, and tighten like your getting ready to brew a shot. Remove the portofilter and insert a basket into it. Crank portofilter into group head to finish seating the screen and gasket. If the portofilter will not crank into the group head your gasket is either upside down or you have the wrong type gasket. PS: The machine in the pictorial has a group head that can be removed from the machine for easy cleaning and gasket replacement. No need to twist your head to see if you have the thing clean.
My Pasquini manual recommends 3 flushes with the blind filter at the end of each day, and something similar at the end of each week, but using the Poly Cuff cleaner instead of just water. Yet, your suggestions are VERY different. The manual does not say anything about the screen. It should be noted that the Pasquini is does NOT have an E61 Group Head. Why would the manufacturer suggest something so harmful?
roel2000 Senior Member Joined: 4 Oct 2004 Posts: 1 Location: Netherlands Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Rancilio Silvia
Posted Mon Oct 4, 2004, 1:52pm Subject: Re: How to Clean a Dirty Grouphead
Just a quick question, I'm trying to clean the grouphead of my Rancilio Sivlia. Removing the screw was no problem at all, but the screen just won't come off. How can I remove it easily without damaging anything? Should I use a screwdriver or something? Hope any of you guys have some tips for me.
Posted Wed Dec 8, 2004, 8:04pm Subject: Re: How to Clean a Dirty Grouphead
Question on cleaning the Gaggia Classic Grouphead.
I've taken off the shower screen and see what Gaggia calls the shower holder part 11b in the exploded diagram in the manual. This has two allen screws which I can easily remove but the holder itself doesn't seem to come out. Am I just not pulling or twisting hard enough to get this off to reach the brew head? Is there a trick for getting it loose from the gasket?
This is the first time I've tried to remove anything but the screen for cleaning, and I'm doing it now since after returning from a week away NO water comes out of the grouphead. The pump is working and with the steam knob open water happily comes out of the wand..but the group head appears totally clogged.
Respectfully, I think I need some advice.
IT'S FIXED
THANKS ANYWAY>>>> I got it to come off...and ewwwwwwwwwww was it grungy.....now it's on to deep cleaning and gasket replacement!
Posted Tue Feb 15, 2005, 7:32pm Subject: Re: How to Clean a Dirty Grouphead
When it comes to cleaning those grungy head groups at the end of the day, everyone seems to grab whatever cleaning powder thats under their counter. Cascade or urn cleaner will not substitute for the proper espresso machine head cleaner. First find out what the manufacturer recomends. Now some suggestions that should you do the trick. Without the porta filter in head, run some clean water threw the shower (sreen), for a few seconds and don't be supprised if a large hot brown mass drops onto the drip tray. Place a two shot porta filter on the coutner (this will help hold it upright) then insert a blind fiter. Add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. of espresso cleaner onto the plind filter and lock it tightly into the head group. Run for at least 20 seconds and push stop. Do not remove the porta filter and repeat two more times. Remove the porta filter and run water threw the head removing the cleaner and rinsing the porta filter, push stop. Now run your brush around the edge a coulpe of times to loosen any espresso grounds. Using CAUTION and a glove, with blind filter still in the porta filter, insert and hold loosly into the head group and start the water flow, to let all the left over grounds pour out over the edge of the porta filer, until the water run clear. This trick takes a little practice. Don't forget to replace showers and gasket when needed. "Good Luck"
Posted Wed Apr 6, 2005, 6:30am Subject: Re: How to Clean a Dirty Grouphead
My grouphead on my Gaggia Classic is stuck solid. Took the two hex nut out and tapped it a bit with a nail set and hammer but still no movement. Water is only coming out of two of the 5 holes.
Just got the thing from a buddy who did not clean the thing in 7 years. No water was coming out at all when I received it. The shower head was completely clogged!!!! Abuse....
Do I have to disassemble the whole machine or do you have a shortcut?
Stewbert Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 1 Location: Gypsy Expertise: Pro Barista
Espresso: Conti Classica Grinder: G. Rossi Vac Pot: Cambro Drip: French Press Roaster: 2Dogs
Posted Thu Apr 21, 2005, 3:08pm Subject: Re: How to Clean a Dirty Grouphead
I am workng with a Conti Classica. The screen on the grouphead fits very tight. Even with a fresh cleaning it is very difficult to remove, more often than not I destroy them. As you can imagine this in not very cos effective. Any suggestions for removing the shower assembly without destroying the screen would be most appreciated.
Hi, what is 'a espresso machine cleaner', where do You get them and how are they to be used?
cafewest_tech Said:
Removing the screen on machines involves removing the gasket which holds the screen on. Something thin and be careful not to damage the brew head. Start on the outside edge of the gasket and gently slip your wedge in-between the gasket and brew head. Don’t go in very deep, and wiggle the gasket down working around the gasket until the gasket comes off. Usually the screen comes with it. If not, grab the screen and pull down. To reinstall the screen and gasket. Place the screen on the table so as the screen is up and the flange is down. The gasket has a beveled edge on the inside and the bevel goes down on the screen. Grasp the screen and gasket and insert it onto the group head. Hold in place and take your portofilter with no basket in it. Insert into group head with screen and gasket in place, and tighten like your getting ready to brew a shot. Remove the portofilter and insert a basket into it. Crank portofilter into group head to finish seating the screen and gasket. If the portofilter will not crank into the group head your gasket is either upside down or you have the wrong type gasket. PS: The machine in the pictorial has a group head that can be removed from the machine for easy cleaning and gasket replacement. No need to twist your head to see if you have the thing clean.
Do these instructions apply on any e61 grouphead such as for example the one on my la scala - butterfly Are there any such manuals with pictures anywhere?
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