MK print issue on my Z3100

[Jim Cole]

Hi folks,

I haven't visited here much for the last couple of years, but now I have a problem I'm hoping to get a suggestion or two on how to fix it.

I started getting issues with my MK printhead a few weeks ago (I had issues with the MK head right after getting the printer, but it was solved with a new print head) and for the last year, I haven't done much printing. All of my ink carts and all of my print heads are out of date. The printer is nice enough to tell me this after every print.

Anyway after removing the R/BK print head, I cleaned around the housing and gave the contacts a wash. Then I did the distilled water/lint-free towel trick to clean the head and the problem got worse. I removed the MK ink cart and gave it a good shake and tried a few more times. At some point, I no longer got anything out of the MK head while printing the diagnostic image.

I gave up and ordered a new print head and a new MK ink cart in case the ink had settled too much in the old one. These arrived this afternoon.

I installed the new head and the new cart and finally got a spotty diagnostic print. After a couple of diagnostic prints and a head alignment print it got better, but I still have horizontal lines across the solid block of MK color and the little lines print with gaps. Actually about 70% of the top two lines are missing. I've done 5 diagnostic prints and 1 head alignment print so far.

Any idea if I need to keep going to clean out any bad MK ink that was in the lines or do I have a bigger problem?

Any help will be greatly appreciated. I've had almost 5 great years with this printer with only a couple of hiccups along the road. I hope I don't need a tech visit.

Thanks,
Jim

[Ernst Dinkla]

The head contacts cleaned on both the head and in the head slot?

Done a normal head cleaning with the printer firmware?



met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst
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[Jim Cole]

Ernst,

Thanks for the reply. The head contacts in the printer were cleaned with distilled water and then alcohol. I did not clean the contacts on the new head since I thought it unnecessary for the new head. After installing the new head, and getting poor results, I ran one head cleaning.

Maybe try cleaning the contacts on the head and in the printer again and then run a few more head cleanings?

Jim

[Ernst Dinkla]

Could not do any harm.

met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst
Shareware now:
Dinkla Gallery Canvas Wrap Actions for Photoshop
http://www.pigment-print.com/dinklacanvaswraps/six-canvas-wrap-actions.htm

[deanwork]

Do you keep your printer plugged in all the time so it can do the random head checks and pump ink through the system?

My gut feeling is that since it isn't used much you probably have some ink dried in the lines somewhere. Some kind of blockage is going on. The head is fine and the inkcart is fine. These are pretty straightforward ink to head systems and there has never been any discussion that I've seen of pressure to the cart issues like Epson has or even any talk of clogged nozzles at all that I've seen in the last 6 years on various forums.

On thing you could try... there is a company that makes empty Z3100 carts that you can refill from what I remember. You could put the Cone flush fluid in it and do several pairs cleanings. This flush fluid is really effective and can totally clean out the system without damaging any heads or anything.

Here is one of them but not the one I remember. I think Ernst might know.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/287924070/Refillable_Ink_Cartridge_Compatible_HP_Z2100.html

John

[Ernst Dinkla]

Is it bit early to do the drastic methods in my opinion. Could well be solved with some cleanings, there is ink flowing but not on all nozzles. And if necessary I would use a bad head to connect a tube to the ink channel and pull ink through with a syringe. Done something similar on an HP office printer loaded with a quad set.

Be aware that those refillable cart systems have to have all carts chipped that way to work and I have seen Z2100 eight carts advertised + pictures but seldom 12 ink systems. There is another solution though with other disadvantages.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst
Shareware now:
Dinkla Gallery Canvas Wrap Actions for Photoshop
http://www.pigment-print.com/dinklacanvaswraps/six-canvas-wrap-actions.htm

[Jim Cole]

John,

Thanks for the reply. I do keep the machine plugged in all the time so it can do self-maintenance. I'll keep your suggestion in mind if I can't clear the problem.

Jim

[Jim Cole]

Ernst,

Another cleaning of the contacts and a head cleaning and it is improving. I'll keep going with a couple of more.

Thanks again and I'll report back.

Jim

[Jim Cole]

Did about 8 more print alignments and then quit after improvement stopped at about 85% good. I get the same gaps in each of the two MK blocks at the bottom of the printout.

I think I'll call HP or IT Supplies on Monday and see if I can get a replacement head. Maybe this one is defective. It wouldn't be the first time. This is my 5th MK head while none of the others has needed replacement. Obviously something wrong somewhere.


Jim

[deanwork]

This is the first time I've heard of this situation on a Z. Doen't sound like a bad head, you've tried a new one. Sounds like the ink line is blocked before it is getting to the head.

j

[Jim Cole]

Yeah, don't know what to do about that yet.

[Ernst Dinkla]

Two Zs here, one 5 years, the other 3 years, and one or two MK-Red heads replaced in total. Wonder if there is something with your "electronic" feeding of that head if 5 are gone over a similar period. For example a flat cable with a bad connection or the cable itself. The ink channel should have been fine in the past and probably still is.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst
Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

[Jim Cole]

I'm thinking that because I get the exact same missing dots on the print alignment printout every single time now, it shouldn't be an ink line issue. If that was it, it would seem that I would get differing patterns with the ink restricting affecting different jets on the printhead. This is just my guess.

Four of the MK/R printhead changeouts came during the first few months of operation, when it took several replacements from HP to get one that solved the same darn problem. Then for four years, all was wonderful until now.

So, I either keep getting bad replacement printheads (rather unlikely) or the contacts inside the printer are picky and cause an issue until they finally seat correctly with a printhead. I think I'll go ahead and try to get another printhead and if that doesn't solve the problem, maybe tackle the contacts inside the printer.

Has anyone ever tried to change out the printer contacts for a printhead? I don't know if this is a used serviceable problem or not. I guess I could look in the repair manual, but I'm avoiding that for now. I really can't afford a $1000+ repair job.

Thanks for everyone's help here. Keep the ideas coming, please.

[Jim Cole]

OK, so I just decided to remove the printhead again and clean the printer contacts one more time with a Kimtech wipe with no distilled water or alcohol. I just rubbed and rubbed until no sign of residue was left. Then I gently wedged a tool just a little bit under the top part of the contact ribbon on each side and pulled up ever so slightly, wiped the contacts on the printhead one last time and replaced the printhead. First print was ugly as was expected after replacing a printhead. The second looked more promising and by the 4th, I was getting only 2 or 3 spots missing on the alignment printout and the diagnostic printout.

I think I will leave this alone now and if the problem was caused by old MK ink and/or contacts that weren't making a connection, it might be finally sorting itself out.

I think all total, I did about 11-12 printhead allignments, 10-12 printhead cleanings and printed about 12 diagnostic images, not to mention cleaning the contacts at least 6 times.

Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions. I think with time and a few prints, the MK printing will return to 100%. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[namartinnz]

Good news Jim that your problems would seem to be solved - the Z3100 is very reliable when it comes to not needing head cleans or extra work. I might be a bit cheeky in adding that what you've done sounds more like a common chore on some of the Epson machines...

Neal

[Jim Cole]

Neal,

Yeah, this is the first time that I've had any issues since the same problem shortly after buying the printer five years ago. It has been a very reliable printer and I have absolutely no complaints.

Hopefully, my Z is done with its little tantrum.

[deanwork]

It could also be that the contact points inside the printer got bent. If you haven't already I would use a bright light and look down there carefully.

Sounds like you are getting very close.

[Jim Cole]

It could also be that the contact points inside the printer got bent. If you haven't already I would use a bright light and look down there carefully.

Sounds like you are getting very close.

I'll do that. Thanks!