The two are unrelated. The dripping is normal, the soggy puck is a sign that you are actually grinding fine enough to get good extractions. A dry bone dry puck is nice and convenient for a working barista, but it's often a sign of an underextracted shot.

That said, the post-shot pressure release on E61s is fairly anemic, and on the groups modded for flow control even more so. You don't get the big whoosh of the more modern groups. This means your pucks will be wetter on this machine than on many others.

I found this floating at the bittom in my water tank. Is this important?

I'm in need of some advice on an issue with my V1 Bianca. I started getting reduced pressure at the grouphead, and noticed that there was water streaming from the drain outlet when I was pulling a shot, along with a weird screechy noise. I think that the OPV valve (part MC931) is leaking. I took the OPV apart, cleaned and reinstalled it, but the issue persists. Before I order a new OPV, I was wondering if there is something else I could be missing.

https://imgur.io/a/p1Vui9e

Video: Steam boiler is off, no portafilter installed. When I turn on the pump, I get flow at the grouphead and through the drain line (I think via the OPV).
Photos: Disassembled OPV - there definitely was some scale, but nothing that looked like it would obviously be preventing the valve from reseating after I cleaned it.

Can anyone offer any other insight? Thanks in advance!

What pressure do you set the Expansion OPV to? If it's leaking at anything below 12 and can't be adjusted up to 12, then the OPV will need to be replaced. Then, of course, set your pump bypass pressure back down to something below 12 so that it can't force the expansion valve open.

I hadn't touched the expansion OPV, it was factory-set. But I am getting flow through it even with the paddle open and no portafilter installed. The pump discharge pressure is showing 14 bar. Could this be indicative of a partial blockage somewhere? I'm just surprised that the OPV could leak badly enough that it would flow that way even with no backpressure at the grouphead, and no obvious internal signs of failure.

Just lower the pump bypass to wherever you want it, perhaps 9.5 Bar. If the pump isn't higher than the expansion valve, then the pump won't be opening the expansion valve and the expansion valve should go back to just dribbling the expansion pressure while the brew water heats.

If the expansion OPV is still gushing even when the pump is lower than 10 Bar, then be concerned.

If the bypass valve on the pump is no longer functional, ie. you loosen it 360 degrees and it's still showing 14Bar on the pump gauge, then we'll start anew with the fact that your OPV is fine and we can focus on what's wrong with the pump and its bypass valve. (It comes down to lubricating the o-ring, usually... At least a dozen threads here about it).

Any recommendations on a dosing funnel compatible with the stock Lelit portafilter?

Ah thanks. I ask because I purchased a different generic looking amazon one and it is pretty bad. Easily slips off portafilter and is not smoothly in line with the basket so some grounds get caught up on the lip when I WDT

I also have the Matow one from 2 posts above. Works perfectly fine with my Bianca portafilter.