SJM Senior Member Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,508 Location: CA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Thu May 3, 2007, 1:33pm Subject: Taking apart my Orange Italian Baby Gaggia
Okay, I've started taking my orange Baby apart and I have two questions:
Is it possible that the top and bottom parts of the boiler are connected by only three bolts rather than four? I have the three I can see off, but where the fourth would be seems in accessible.
I have removed the bolts holding the steam valve to the top of the boiler. How much oooomph should it take to actually remove the valve? Is there a gasket in between that has sort of glued them together? Picture taken before I removed the bolts, by the way...
john_ Senior Member Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 239 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: La Spaziale, Cremina Grinder: Mazzer Major, Pavoni PGC
Posted Thu May 3, 2007, 2:57pm Subject: Re: Taking apart my Orange Italian Baby Gaggia
My baby is a 220-V but otherwise looks identical to yours, and yes, there are only 3 bolts holding the boiler together. See the attached picture: the fourth hole is not for a bolt, but is for the thermostat bulb instead (you can see it poking out).
I am not sure how much ooomph to recommend, hopefully someone else has some good advice. I know there is definitely an o-ring in between the boiler and valve (I still have the extra part), but I don't know if there is any sealant. I tried to take off my steam valve when I disassembled my boiler, but I ran into the same problem as you. I gave up and just left the steam valve on.
SJM Senior Member Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,508 Location: CA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Thu May 3, 2007, 3:38pm Subject: Re: Taking apart my Orange Italian Baby Gaggia
Oh, one more question for you, John:
Did you leave the boiler attached to the rest of the machine and just drop the bottom off of it, or did you take it completely off the housing and remove all of the other switches and hoses and stuff?
SJM Senior Member Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,508 Location: CA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Thu May 3, 2007, 3:40pm Subject: Re: Taking apart my Orange Italian Baby Gaggia
Nevermind, John, that was a dumb question. I see that the bottom of the boiler is firmly attached to "the rest of the housing" and that the top is the part that has to lift off.....duh....But, you can see what I mean that I am a bit slow at this....it takes me a long time to see what I am trying to look at sometimes.... S
john_ Senior Member Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 239 Location: USA Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: La Spaziale, Cremina Grinder: Mazzer Major, Pavoni PGC
Posted Thu May 3, 2007, 5:39pm Subject: Re: Taking apart my Orange Italian Baby Gaggia More Questions
Once the bolts were off, it did not take much oomph to get the top and bottom of the boiler to separate.
The white boxy thing is the controller for the thermostat. One of the nice features of this machine is that this is adjustable; most single-boiler machines have a nonadjustable thermostat that screws into the top of the boiler. Your machine has a tube filled with liquid, connected to the white box via a capillary tube. The expansion of the fluid through the tube actuates the switch inside the white box. The red-painted screw can be turned to adjust the temperature at which the heating element kicks in. The only other machine I am aware of that has this type of thermostat is the Isomac Zaffiro, although I am sure there are others.
The brass hex tube is the over-pressure valve (OPV). It too is adjustable. If there is too much pressure going into the boiler, it releases some of the water back into the reservoir. That explains the second tube in the reservoir. Supposedly you can tweak this to adjust the brew pressure, although I haven't played with it.
I think I have explained these properly, otherwise someone will chime in with corrections.
SJM Senior Member Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,508 Location: CA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Thu May 3, 2007, 6:23pm Subject: Re: Taking apart my Orange Italian Baby Gaggia More Questions
Aha!!!! Very cool. I had no idea this machine had an OPV or an adjustable thermostat !!! I can't believe how much I still have to learn !!!! And, this machine just keeps getting better and better the more I learn about it.
FYI, you may be interested in this information I got today from Edward at PartsGuru relative to the issue of removing the steam valve:
"The pulling out of steam valve will be more time consuming. The connection is with 1/3" insert with an o-ring to seal it. To pull the valve out, you have to insert flat screw driver from opposite sides and lift the valve with equal pressure. The O-ring OR112 gasket will make it hard to pull the valve out. You can strike gently but firmly on the valve flange and the body to loosen it if you can. Make enough lift to insert the flat screw drivers. You can do it."
I had pretty much decided not to try to remove the steam valve, but we will see after I have succeeded at least in getting the boiler parts apart....
Believe me, I've seen much worse. Get out your Dremel tool & a rotary wire brush attachment & go for it. I suggest a paper mask to keep from breathing in the stuff.
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![SJM: Baby Steam Valve.JPG](javascript:ImagePopup("/images/31743/BabySteamValve.JPG", 640, 480, "SJM: Baby Steam Valve.JPG");)
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