re-wiring Gaggia Coffee Espresso?

You would have to replace the heating element (which is integrated into the top of the boiler) and the pump which would not be economical.

If you buy a proper step up transformer rated at 1500 or 2000 watts and use it on a circuit of the proper rating (at least 15 amps) and without any other loads on the circuit it should work. A transformer of this size is not like the little travel converters - it weighs around 30 lbs. and costs around $75, roughly.

Or you could have an electrician install a 240 v circuit. If you have an electric range or clothes dryer you already have 240V in your kitchen/laundry and every home/ apartment has it coming into their panel box.

You could add a 208 / 220 circuit to the kitchen. Most kitchen receptacles are split 240 - a voltmeter from hot to hot will show this.

Are you sure it isn't 50 cycle?

Some are, some ain't - depends on how old the kitchen is and the electrician's customary way of wiring.

Wouldn't make any difference - 50 hz. machines will run just fine on 60 hz. and vice versa - the slight difference in speed does not affect the performance significantly.

On Mon, 11 Dec 2006 12:16:44 -0500, news.rcn.com Has Frothed:

Easy enought to run 240 volts outlet, not easy to rework the coffee machine for 120. Is this device 50 hertz also? Can't you return it and get one made to work on 120?

?????????

--
Pierre Salinger Memorial Hook, Line & Sinker, June 2004

COOSN-266-06-25794

Most likely it's 230 volts 50 Hz (cycle). I think the only country in the world with standard outlets being 240 volts is Australia, and I'm not sure about that.

England standardized on 240 volts, Europe on 220. Israel on 230 so you could use either. Since then all of the E.U. has standardized to 230, the U.K going down, the rest of Europe going up.

Unless it has a timer in it, it will work just as well on 240v/60 Hz, from a U.S. outlet. Probably a lot better than trying to get a transformer to convert the voltage up. A coffee maker generally uses 1500 watts, and a home transformer loses about 15%-20% in the process of converting it.

If you want a really good home machine look at the Sunbeam line. I don't know if they are sold in the U.S. There was a TV series called "Living Coffee" by Paul Basset (or Bassett, I'm not sure), which was done by the Austrailian Broadcasting Company and shown on food networks in the U.S.

He won an award for being the best "barista" (coffee maker at an espresso bar) and worked with Sunbeam on the design of their machines and marketing them.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com  N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667  Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838 

My problem is that whichever of these options I use will be exceptionally unsightly in my tiny kitchen which has already-over used power sockets: Is there any way of arranging joining up the circuits so that this wouldn't be unsightly?

BTW all sockets on the circuit to the kitchen are the same as all sockets all around the living room and bedroom. Maybe they aren't 208? (this is something I have been complaining about ever since we moved in: Every time we try to turn the microwave on, all lights, televisions, computers etc go off all over the flat as the fuse trips!

There is a possibility that the cooker has a 208 volt supply somewhere near it: The building does have 208v at the A/C units at the OTHER end of the living room.

I DO have one of those transformers but again it is huge and there is nowhere in the kitchen to put it. The alternative is to put the espresso unit somewhere near the transformer in the living room but as this would be nowhere near the water supply, this is also impractical.

Is there really any difference between this unit and a Baby?

"Jack Denver" wrote in news:GNadnbRUkvu9OuDYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

1. Cut the plug off the cord.

1. Install 240V plug like the one on your dryer.

2. Make your coffee in the laundry room.

Picked it up at a flea market for virtually nothing 'cos I saw it in what looked like mint condition. Didn't notice voltage. Unlikely the vendor knew about voltage. I bought it from him just after he had bought it from someone else. I suppose I must take it to England next time I go and put it on Craigslist. Inconceivable it can be worthwhile shipping it to Europe from US so outlets like EBay out of the question, unless this unit is REALLY worth nine hundred bucks!

On Mon, 11 Dec 2006 19:30:11 +0000, Geoffrey S. Mendelson Has Frothed:

I have a Saeco Italia:

It's the best home unit money can buy.

--
Pierre Salinger Memorial Hook, Line & Sinker, June 2004

It sounds like the wiring in your building is very old and undersized. Probably a 120V Gaggia would trip the breakers also. If you have a 240V A/C outlet in your apartment but it's in the wrong place, an inexpensive solution would be to get a long extension cord. Based on what you describe, I really doubt that you have 240V service in your kitchen now unless there is an electric stove.

"news.rcn.com" wrote in news:4vudna8TKIkfD-DYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@rcn.net:

I'll need more info before I can give an answer. What kind of upper boiler is in your machine; the old type with heat element attachments on the side or the four attachments on top? Does you machine have a 3-way solenoid valve?

If you have the newer boiler top the elements can be rewired (the same elements are used in all voltage). You'll still need a 110 volt pump & solenoid valve (if so equipped).

I've converted several Gaggia from 240 to 110 volt & if you can read a wiring schematic it's a piece of cake.

Robert (Let 'em eat cake!) Harmon

--
http://tinyurl.com/pou2y 
http://tinyurl.com/fkd6r

Jim Land wrote in news:Xns98968B51FD245RrrrFfffTttt4396hotm@216.168.3.44:

Revised, after learning that you have a 240v air conditioner in the living room:

1. Cut the plug off the cord.
2. Install 240V plug like the one on your air conditioner.
3. Make your coffee in the living room.

How do I get it apart to see which one it is? It looks brand new and unused and is the one in the picture at

as opposed to the one with the three vertical switches on the left: Does this assist?

How do I identify whether I have such a pump and solenoid and how is it rewired please?

I can't but isn't it a matter of disconnecting and reconnecting in-place connections if I have the right type?

"news.rcn.com" wrote in news:1OKdnaMjhvLjiOPYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@rcn.net:

My best advice; if you're not comfortable doing the conversion have someone else do it.

That said: Open the Gaggia by removing the four screws on the top of the machine & lifting off the top.

Some Gaggia Coffee machines have this boiler:

If you have this boiler I can't help you.

Some Gaggia Coffee machines have this boiler:

If you have this boiler here's the schematic for wiring it to 120 volt. Schematic:

The 120v pump will cost $40 - $75 depending on whose advice you listen to. I recommend the cheapest Ulka from partsguru.com. The lower the wattage the quieter it will be.

The 3-way solenoid is only found in the Classic & Baby machines. Ifyour machine has such a valve there will be a chrome tube to the left of the brew group. If you don't have this, great! You've just saved $50 - $75. If you machine is equipped with the valve you'll need to replace the coil only - that's the square or round part similar to the blue 3-way valve shown in the first link above.

As far as rewiring it goes, I was very serious about not trying this yourself if you're not comfortable with it. Gather all the parts; machine, new pump & solenoid valve, & take everything to a reputable appliance repair shop. Most will do the wiring for $50 - $100, but no warranty.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Robert

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Regardless of the standard, my friend in England had a voltage monitor set up for a while and it had pretty large fluctuations, anything from around 223 all the way up to 245V depending on the time of day. These small percentages don't matter for most things.

Why don't you just install a 240V receptacle in your kitchen?

this whole project is NOT a good idea.

I would never undertake this for myself or a customer, period.

Dave

186

What I am wondering is whether this is worth either the effort or the cost. And no one seems to have an opinion on whether the end result will be any better than my Baby, which despite having been rebuilt by Importika endemically cant produce crema. (I suppose I can live with all the leaking their repair has caused which they wont recitfy)

"news.rcn.com" wrote in news:C-ednQ0YOv6IWePYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@rcn.net:

The steam will be the same IF both machines are in good order. They use the same heating elements & boilers. So, based on that I'd say it's not worth doing.

Robert (duck & cover) Harmon

--
http://tinyurl.com/pou2y 
http://tinyurl.com/fkd6r