Hi all, first post so please forgive me if I make a few errors.

I have recently been given a Gaggia E81 (or ELE 81) commercial two group machine:

(Image of machine on desk)


It was given to me with the warning "we could never make it work", and after some time staring at the wiring diagram found on one of the side panels:

(Image of wiring diagram)


We decided that the assembly marked (7) was AWOL, along with the external pump.

The machine is currently looking like this on my workbench (or old door on saw horses, as it is in reality):

(Image of underside of machine)


(Image of end of machine showing electronics/pressure stat)


(Image of top of machine)


A better photo of the wiring diagram:

(Close up image of the wiring diagram)


And the legend:
(Close up image of the legend)


A huge thanks to Bombcup and Rive Gauche (members of a cycling forum I frequent) for all their help so far.

I am now asking the readership of Home Barista if they could chime in with any knowledge they might have on this machine.

Bombcup has very kindly done some research which shows that this machine appears to have been predominantly sold in the German market from 1978-1985, which might explain the scant information available on it to be found on English language websites.

I'd love to see a complete wiring diagram, and if anyone has a lead on the assembly marked (7) then that would be of huge interest.

Finally- my intention is to have this machine fully functional and plumbed in, sitting in pride of place in my kitchen, and I hope to chronicle my progress to that point in this thread.

7 is a box that holds 5 and 6. Trace the water level sensor wire (or possibly a thermostat) on one of the faces of the boiler (not the heating element wires). The other end will go to 6 which is a relay. If that is connected, then that is a start....

The water level sensor wire looks like it is coming out of the top of the sightglass.

A legible wiring diagram would be worth its weight in gold!

If you look at this, where the arrow points is (an illegible) number 9, which according to the legend is "Cable 6 Conductor":


Cable 6 being this fine fellow:


Which is the cable that has the red circle round it in the wiring diagram picture.

It is my current belief that we have everything on the wiring diagram up to "Cable 6 Conductor", and are missing everything that connects to that, so box 7, relay 6, terminal block 5, and the transformer that is unlabelled but referred to in the title of 7.

The control systems of these old espresso machines are typically very simple, and to a large extent largely interchangeable, unless you are going for a stock restoration. What sets the machines apart is their plumbing and heating systems.

I'd start by checking the boiler heating element for appropriate resistance, the pressurestat contacts for wear, pressure gauge operation, pressurestat operation. Rip all the plumbing apart, soak in citric to descale, new seals/gaskets on everything, leak test. By that point you'll have an idea of what parts you need and can put them in. At the very least one could wire a machine as a manually filled machine with a simple button to activate the pump/3-way.

The transformer looks like it is a 220 to 24 volt unit. That should be easy.
I would start by re-drawing the diagram while it is still legible.

I tried brushing graphite powder over the missing section, whilst it provided very slightly better definition to the section you can still see but the missing part did not show up.

I'd pay good money for a complete wiring diagram at this stage- I have tried contacting Gaggia, but just got passed between service agents with no-one seeming to have any info.

This is not a great surprise I guess as the machine was withdrawn from sale 26 years ago.

Hi,

I think I can help, if you still need it.
I've got the exact same machine ( its black but still) and an intact schedule ( I hope)