Epson 7900 Head Blockage

[Bluebottle]

My 7900 has a head blockage in one nozzle that I can't clear. It has been working fine up untill last week have been able to carry out all the maintenance.

First error message was heads needed cleaning.  I made a nozzle check print this indicated that the Cyan nozzle blocked, did a pairs clean, new error message that the clean failed, did a full clean -fail, did the max clean that failed as well, then a nozzle check which indicated the nozzles were all clean, next print  - error heads need a clean,

My next step was the SS clean and a full power clean, full power clean failed, did a nozzle check which again indicated clean nozzles.

Made a print with light sky this showed lines in the print.  Making another nozzle check print indicated the nozzles clean althought the print had lines.   

I have been through all the cleaning processes twice and can't resolve the blocked nozzle problem.

This has been through heaps of ink and a new maintenance tank.

Any wisdom as to what I can do?

Thanks
Rob

[Brian Gilkes]

Call Epson.
Good Luck
Brian

[BradFunkhouser]

I've had a lot of success on my 9900 keeping the head clean by moistening the head cap columns whenever I see any nozzle problems.

Lift the lid when the head is moving across.  Turn the printer off and slide the head all the way to the left.  Gently dab the 5 color-pair head cap columns with a small wedge of clean wet foam.  Turn the printer back on.  It will re-seat the head onto the moistened head cap.  Wait a minute to let the water do its work, then perform a basic cleaning which fires ink (and the moisture you added) through the head cap pads and pumps it into the maintenance tank.

This way you never touch the head itself, you're just adding a little water to the cleaning process that goes on within the head cap assembly.

[Bluebottle]

I have called for Epson support, this printer is on its last week of warranty. First thing I had to do was contact the supplier who then contacted Epson.

No word back from Epson yet! Good Luck is certainly that I need now. Been a week.

Placing some water on the pads and letting it soak seems like a cleaning method used on consumer ink jet printers. This will break/soften the crust formed on the nozzles. I have used a window cleaner instead of water - this contains ammonia, methylated spirits and water making it a better more powerful solution its suitable for dye or pigment inks.

Still can't figure out why I get a clean nozzle check after a clean and the print has bands accross it. I can do a nozzle check after the print that shows clean patterns.

One of the concerns is the inks used to try and rectify the problem - shows 40% loss and a full maintenance tank. Without any joy.

rob

[Farmer]

Epson will arrange a technician as soon as the supplier contacts them to advise of a warrantable issue, so if it's been a week, something has gone wrong - you need to follow up with the supplier.  Also, since it's under warranty, I wouldn't be doing anything to the heads.  There's a repair agent near you (in Wollongong) so it should not take long at all to get sorted.

Also, if you've gone through 40% of your ink through cleaning, you've done too much cleaning!

[Bluebottle]

Not sure of the agents qualifications here after my scanner episode with them, a follow up call from Epson I gave them a 2/10. Idiots.

The cleaning I did was as per instructions from the retailer whom I purchaced through, which the instruction came from Epson. SS clean 2 full heavy cleans plus nozzle checks etc.  Just reading the ink off the panel.

Rob

[JohnHeerema]

For what it's worth, if you get a clean nozzle check, it means that your nozzles don't have major clogs  (technically there could be tiny clogs that you don't see in the check pattern, but not big enough to cause visible banding). So if you are seeing banding in prints, the problem has to be in the ink delivery system, rather than the nozzles per se, although there could still be a line blockage inside the head leading up to the nozzles.

Hopefully you will be fortunate enough to get a service call from a technician who has the expertise to diagnose the problem accurately!

[Farmer]

Rob - still, I'd be following it up.  Also, that amount of cleaning shouldn't have used 60% of your ink (unless, maybe, it's original starting cartridges which would have been significantly used during installation to charge the lines?)

[Wayne Fox]

Still can't figure out why I get a clean nozzle check after a clean and the print has bands accross it. I can do a nozzle check after the print that shows clean patterns.

If your nozzle check is clean then your bands are not being caused by clogged nozzles. You need to look elsewhere.  Using wrong media types, paper advance issues, using lower resolutions, head alignment ... these are all things to look at.

[Bluebottle]

Each time I have run the extra,normal or pairs clean, its come up as a failure. 

Its always clogged at the last two rows. on bottom of the pattern



rob

[Wayne Fox]

Still can't figure out why I get a clean nozzle check after a clean and the print has bands accross it. I can do a nozzle check after the print that shows clean patterns.

Each time I have run the extra,normal or pairs clean, its come up as a failure. 

Its always clogged at the last two rows. on bottom of the pattern

Sorry, I'm confused.  These two statements seem contradictory, in the first you imply you get nozzle checks showing clean patterns before and after making a print, then the second you say it's always clogged.

[Bluebottle]

getting confusing I know but its all over the place.

Started with banding, nozzle check patern failures and failed cleaning. Phoned the dealer who ran me through a cleaning sequence from Epson which included a SS clean which I followed. I tried this twice and kept the prints and notes of the second attempt.

1.  After a SS clean - nozzle chk failed on cyan.
2. Back in the normal mode did pairs clean - nozzle check OK (but said clogged nozzles clean recommended)
3. Did a full clean (full clean failed) nozzle check ok
4. Made print showed banding.
5. Nozzle check after print was clear. but recommended a clean.

Two things that are the same, nozzle checks which show problems its always Cyan in one particular place, which ever clean I do its a failed clean.

Looking back through my testing does shows both.

I have given up on it and now await Epson techo.

Rob

 

[Bluebottle]

Just a wrap on this topic

Finally after Epson played with the printer for so long replaced the capping device and circuit boards they decided to replace the printer.


rob