***Disclaimer: Ok. I'm stepping over the line. I used to roll my eyes and make fun of folks who posted pics on here of their machines taken apart on a workbench. I used to tell my friends about them and we'd laugh. I post the following with shame:***

I'm convinced that my machine is running a few bars above 9bars. I don't know exactly, since I don't have a gauge, but the consensus seems to be that Gaggias ship from the factory set to 11 bars in order to be ESE certified. Also, on the parts diagram for my machine, the OPV is actually called a "valve 11 bar assembly". I've read other posts talking about how you can choke a Gaggia at one setting, and then get a gusher when you go one notch coarser.

So I thought I'd look under the hood and see if I couldn't adjust this a bit. (Most folks say that Gaggias start around 11 bars and that one turn of the OPV will bring it up or down 1 bar.)

Trouble is, instead of the usual brass OPV, I found this:



A closer pic:



Inside, instead of the usual hex key screw, used for adjustment, I found a spring and this:



Any thoughts? Perhaps this can't be adjusted. If so, I may order an adjustable OPV and swap it in.

I promised myself I would never pull apart my machine and start modding. (Next thing you know, I'll be home-roasting )

I don't think that OPV can be adjusted. (There are some who say it can, and you might want to try.)

If you can't, then get a brass adjustable OPV and install it. However, it won't "replace" the one in your picture. That plastic one is mounted at the exit from the pump. You will want to mount the brass one at the boiler inlet.

Susan

Am I looking in the wrong spot then? Perhaps there's already an OPV at the boiler and I just missed it.

This is a Gaggia New Baby (i.e. Post 2006).

If you check out the Gaggia Users Group (link in my signature), there is a parts diagram of your New Baby.
AFAIK there is no other OPV.

That feature is in all Classics, in some Babys, in the original old white Coffee (steam knob on the front), and has to be added as a modification to the others. It will mount on the boiler inlet, right next to where the solenoid is.

Susan

Hi,

I know that's an old thread but I also have the same problem... (pressure is running at 14 bar!).

Just unassembled my New Baby, looking for the OPV and the plastic thing looks like the new cheap OPV.

Anyway, I wonder if just unscrewing the nut (i.e. loosening the spring) you would lower the pressure.

I didn't open as you did because I couldn't even remove the silicone tube. I did try to pull it apart but it looked pretty well attached... Anyway, I unscrewed the nut about 360 degrees but I feel no difference or very little in the pressure and I'm afraid of loosening it more and ending up with a leak or just not being able to put it back...

Any suggestions will be welcome.

Thanks

That plastic thing is the OPV in the New Baby series and yes you can set it to 10 bar by unscrewing the part connecting to the silicone tube. It is important that you must use some threadlocker (Loxeal, Loctite etc) when you put the things together.

Pressure on vibe pump machines are more affected by the coffee bed and density than the Pressure Regulator. There is a push to amping up the brew pressures for some machines. Just because the pump goes 14, doesn't mean you ever hit that in the portafilter. The coffee is a pressure relief valve on its own.

ovelha wrote:Just unassembled my New Baby, looking for the OPV and the plastic thing looks like the new cheap OPV.
Anyway, I wonder if just unscrewing the nut (i.e. loosening the spring) you would lower the pressure.

The photo above - is not OPV. This thingummy has other functional purpose.