Can't get a second shot out of my Gaggia Factory anymore...

[Kujako]

I've been having problems with my Gaggia Factory performing poorly, however up till now I could at least get two shots out of it. Now the first shot comes out reasonably thick but with no crema and the second is pale and watery.

Any ideas what I should look for? I've more or less given up on adjusting the pressurestat, it seems to not want to move and its too expensive a part for me to want to try and force.

[peacecup]

If you think its too hot just pull the shots sooner, with less preheating the group, etc. I usually prep everything and pull the first as soon as its hot, remove the PF ASAp, then pull the next. Turn it off betweenn shots.

[peacecup]

Basically, you can be a manual Pstat by turning the machine on and off as needed.

[Kujako]

Its that I think its too cold, not too hot.

[da gino]

If it is too cold, you could try flushing extra water. On my pavoni, if I let it warm up and pull one 1.5 oz shot that does not go through a portafilter, that shot will be about 165F. If I dump that and pull .75 oz more that is usually closer to 180F (just stick an instant read thermometer in the cup). With each successive pull, the grouphead should be getting hotter and thus the shot should be, too, so if your problem is that it is too cold you should be able to just flush more water through. It should also mean if you pull several shots in sequence, they should get better and better (until it gets too hot and then they get worse again).

[Kujako]

I do flush the system first to heat everything up. The problem is between the first and second pull. First one comes out good (not great) second comes out as yellow water. Its clearly not brewing at all.

And I should point out that it didn't used to do this as far as I can tell, one thing I'm considering is that my grind is too fine and is getting compressed during the first pull.

[Kujako]

Anyone? This is rendering the machine more or less useless. Tried different beans, everything I could think of, it just wont work.

[quoad]

Called your vendor and asked them...?

Is it still under warranty...?

[Kujako]

"Gaggia Factory", so no. And there's nothing wrong with the functionality of the hardware, this is something I'm doing wrong. Be it temperature, tamp, grind or the like.

[hperry]

And I should point out that it didn't used to do this as far as I can tell, one thing I'm considering is that my grind is too fine and is getting compressed during the first pull.

If it didn't used to do it, now does, and you're approaching your shots the same way - is it possible that there is something wrong with the machine? Bad heating element, poor seals etc.

[Kujako]

If it didn't used to do it, now does, and you're approaching your shots the same way - is it possible that there is something wrong with the machine? Bad heating element, poor seals etc.

Well, thats the crux of the issue. I'm still new to this machine and I may very well have picked up a bad habit or two while trying to adapt to it.

However, I can't see it being a problem with the machine. Its job is to make hot water and it does that. My first thought was that the temperature was too low, but I'm now thinking that this is not the case as the resulting first (good) shot is almost too hot to drink.


First shot on the right, second on the left.

[trix]

I am sorry if this is a stupid question but are you reloading with fresh ground coffee for the second pull or expecting to be able to use the same grounds from your first pull raising the lever and pulling a second time?

As far as I know, with my La Pavoni Pro, I get one shot per load of coffee...I consider that one pull which includes a little fellini. I wouldn't expect to get a good shot from pulling a second on the already spent puck.

[hperry]

However, I can't see it being a problem with the machine. Its job is to make hot water and it does that. My first thought was that the temperature was too low, but I'm now thinking that this is not the case as the resulting first (good) shot is almost too hot to drink.

What about the temperature of the second shot?

Its job is to make hot water, but also to deliver the hot water under pressure. Not enough pressure, potentially a bad shot.

[peacecup]

It looks like either the beans are too old, or too dark, or the water is way to hot. Or as hperry says, the grind is so coarse that you're not getting any pressure. When I use a manual lever I grind so fine that it is work to pull the lever down. This is esprecially true if the beans are older. Otherwise the creama suffers greatly. Fresh beans will produce good crema even with lesser pressure (i.e. coarser grind).

Hperry, great to hear from you! Hope your espresso is great!

PC