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Author Topic: Epson 9900 - O & LLK about 1/3 gone - Electrical head failure or maybe smth else  (Read 2980 times)

bjenkins

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Out of nowhere, about 1/3 of the Orange & LLK nozzles aren't printing anymore.

Ran a bunch of cleaning cycles with test prints between.  Even power cleaning, service mode CL4, and yes after being ready to give up, even a service mode SSCL.

Cleaned wiper.  Ammonia-free Windex on paper towel.  Got nowhere.  (Actually got slightly worse, but then cleared back up to where it started.)

I'm not printing a lot anymore, so it's probably time for me to move on anyway.  Most prints have been test patterns to prevent a clog, for the few customers that once and a while need something.

Not considering replacing the printhead.  With how little real usage it gets, it's just too expensive.  And, it wouldn't be worth doing to then sell the unit because I'd get about as much from it as the printhead costs - and that's if it fixed the problem.

I'm tempted to remove the printhead and run piezoflush through it in reverse, sucking it out with a syringe, just in case it actually is a clog.

Everyone else thinking electronic head failure?  Could it be something else?  I haven't seen the dampers.  Not sure if it could be something less expensive like that.  Can't find what nozzle check pattern indicates dampers needing to be replaced.

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dgberg

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With that much cleaning with no result it just may be the head.
My 9900 did the exact same thing and yes it was a bad head. Replaced the head, damper and left ink bay to the tune of $2900.

kers

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I am sorry to hear about your printhead problem.
My understanding is the HP and Canon options are better for persons that do not print everyday.

In my case the HP Z3100 is working like a charm already 10 years and problems with printheads ( it has six) are rare and cost me 55€ a head.
Maybe i had to replace 5 printheads in 10 years- two have never been replaced. Also it cleans without using much ink and you can swap from matte to gloss without purging ink.
(The Z3200 has better reds on matte paper so i would go for that one if had to choose now)
Mark Lindquist spotted some cheap z3200- in the US below the 2900$ mentioned...
regards, PK


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Garnick

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I agree with Dan.  This is a classic example of a toasted printhead in my opinion.  In Jan. 2016 I replaced the head in my 9900, $2200 CDN.  In that case it was the Green channel that went south.  Almost the same situation that I'm seeing in your example, especially with the Orange channel.  When you lose the separation between channels, as in the Orange and Yellow, that's a bad sign.  The LLK is looking rather unhealthy as well, so a new head is in the future for your printer I believe.  You might be able to reap a few $$$ for parts online, or perhaps someone who would use the printer for piezographic B&W printing, where either the Orange or Green channel would be used for one of the "K" inks.  It's worth advertising, and you might start here.  There are also a number of folks on this site - https://groups.io/g/EpsonWideFormat who use that method of B&W printing, so could advertise there as well.

Gary   
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Royce Howland

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It's a bit tough to be sure since the areas of of the uploaded test chart where the print failures occur are a bit blurry. But from what I can see, this pattern is completely diagnostic of a failed head. Obviously feel free to try running piezoflush through it or anything else you might like to try to clean it, if you like to roll up your sleeves and work with the internals and maintenance of large format printers simply for the sake of the experience doing so. But I would predict none of that will help the head at all.

JohnHeerema

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I would agree that it's almost certainly the printhead.

I replaced the printhead on my 9900 myself, and found that it wasn't particularly difficult. I spent a solid half day on it, but that's just because I was going slowly and methodically. I'm pretty comfortable with taking stuff apart, so your mileage may vary.

Eric Gulbransen has created a nice video on how to do it: myx900.com
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deanwork

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If you can pick up some empty refillable carts from mis or somewhere running the Cone flush fluid is your best possibility of saving it. Cone has brought several 9900s back to life. You read on their site how to do an initial fill. Leave the fluid in there for a couple of days then do another or even two more initial fills . That is what I would do. There is a big difference n doing an initial fill vs a power clean. You pattern is not that bad. Often they disappear alltogether..




Out of nowhere, about 1/3 of the Orange & LLK nozzles aren't printing anymore.

Ran a bunch of cleaning cycles with test prints between.  Even power cleaning, service mode CL4, and yes after being ready to give up, even a service mode SSCL.

Cleaned wiper.  Ammonia-free Windex on paper towel.  Got nowhere.  (Actually got slightly worse, but then cleared back up to where it started.)

I'm not printing a lot anymore, so it's probably time for me to move on anyway.  Most prints have been test patterns to prevent a clog, for the few customers that once and a while need something.

Not considering replacing the printhead.  With how little real usage it gets, it's just too expensive.  And, it wouldn't be worth doing to then sell the unit because I'd get about as much from it as the printhead costs - and that's if it fixed the problem.

I'm tempted to remove the printhead and run piezoflush through it in reverse, sucking it out with a syringe, just in case it actually is a clog.

Everyone else thinking electronic head failure?  Could it be something else?  I haven't seen the dampers.  Not sure if it could be something less expensive like that.  Can't find what nozzle check pattern indicates dampers needing to be replaced.


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Wayne Fox

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As mentioned by others, classic print head.  I didn't read through all the replies so this might have been mentioned, but basic rule in determining print head failure is none of the missing nozzles change between cleanings. No matter what you try nothing changes.

Regarding ammonia free windex, not helpful.  Windex used to work because of the ammonia and it didn't harm the head.  There is sufficient anecdotal evidence that the newer generations of heads can be damaged. So without the ammonia not sure if that is helpful, and still might be harmful.

So either a known piezo flush solution, or distilled water is generally best practice.
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