Raw & Post Processing, Printing > Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks

Epson 3880 not printing black

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Jeff-Grant:
My 3880 sat for two months while I was travelling. On my return, a quick head clean resurrected it. I have printed a few images over the last month which were fine. Today, I tried to print with weird results. Having just upgraded to El Cap, I assumed that I must have a driver issue. That was wrong.

I am not getting any black. The occasional nozzle check shows two or three segments but mostly it's zero. My suspicion is that I must have air in the lines. Both PK and MK were very low. I have changed PK so far but nothing changed.

My assumption is that it's not the ink changing solenoid as I'm not getting PK or MK. I don't think that I have a clog, so I'm left with air. I'm hoping that someone has solved this before. and can comment.

howardm:
have you done the Windex clean?  The wiper/purge pad clean?    (youtube, look for 'jtoolman')

I would think that if it's just air in the lines, repeated printing of real images on bond paper (or something like a TV test chart that is B/W) to exercise those inks.  Repeated consecutive cleanings, esp power cleans are quite bad for the health of the head.

BillK:
Check out this forum thread.
http://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=99549.msg815190;topicseen#msg815190

The 3880 has been know to leak black ink and run dry while the printer still shows ink in the cartridge.
Its related to a stuck PK/MK change over valve.
Did you do a cleaning or 2 after putting the new PK in. This would be needed to purge the air out of the lines.
You could also try to print a page or 2 of solid black.

howardm:
If you think the valve is leaking, then weigh the black carts.  A fully empty cart is somewhere between 65-70 grams (a full cart is 150g)

It has not been my experience that a cleaning or 2 is required after a cart swap.

BillK:

--- Quote from: howardm on February 07, 2016, 11:06:06 am ---
It has not been my experience that a cleaning or 2 is required after a cart swap.

--- End quote ---

In this case it would be because the cartridge was run dry. This never happens normally.

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