Clogged nozzle question (hopefully different)

[Michael Lloyd]

I think it's time to try something new. I've done countless cleanings, prints, check prints (with roll paper), etc. I even changed the offending ink cartridge even though it wasn't even close to the end of it's life. LLK is still  WWW (white white white). Nothing prints. Not even a hint of ink under magnification.

There are three parts that I could replace that may or may not get the printer back up and running

Head: No thanks... not yet anyway

Selector unit (w/dampers):

http://www.compassmicro.com/parts_detail.cfm?ID=6812&form.mfg=Epson&form.printerstyle=Inkjet&form.printername=Stylus%20Pro%204900

Pump Unit:

http://www.compassmicro.com/parts_detail.cfm?ID=6811&form.mfg=Epson&form.printerstyle=Inkjet&form.printername=Stylus%20Pro%204900


I'm not sure if I should replace the Selector Unit and Pump Unit or start with the Selector Unit

Would anyone care to spin the roulette wheel?

[jpegman]

Just another option to consider - have you tried Qimage Ultimate?  Mike Chaney has added a routine to print individual (or all) color patches in specific patterns to try and eliminate ink clogs.

You can try the 14 day free trial to see if it helps or fixes the problem.

http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u/downloads.htm

Jpegman

[Michael Lloyd]

I haven't but I won't be able to test it. He only makes Win7 or Why8 versions. I'm on a Mac and I don't run windoz emulators

[Michael Lloyd]

Apparently but not surprisingly preventive maintenance, or the lack of, is the root cause of a lot of nozzle clogs. Since I haven't done any PM to the printer that gives me a place to start.

I think this says a lot...I made a quick snap with a 180 macro lens and ring flash. The 180 was too long for a good view of the entire area but the rest looks about as bad.

I see all kinds of "advice" on the web as far as cleaning solutions. The Compass Micro video showing how to clean a capping station says the solution they use is a 1:1 mix of Simple Green and water.

Thoughts?

[HSakols]

Michael,
I finally got fed up with my Epson 4800 and replaced it with 3880.  I must say I got years of use and did not print every day so I guess I can't complain. My Epson 4800 now resides in my 6th grade classroom here in Yosemite.  I've instructed the kiddos not to throw pens, crayons, or assorted plastic math manipulatives into the printer and that if I can fix it we can start to print photographs in the style of Ansel Adams.  I started out by using cleaning fluid in separate carts that I purchased from MIS.  This did start to unclog the machine but not completely.   I am planning on trying it again but letting the fluid sit longer to give it time to break up any ink globs.  I also have tried the simple green solution which has really cleaned up the dampers.  I plan to start this process again after I receive a chip resetter.  No you don't need to buy a new maintenance tank.  Instead just reset the chip and fill it with paper towels.  The fact that Epson wants you to buy a new maintenance tank is really irksome, and not to mention environmentally wasteful.  Take what I say with a grain of salt.  I'm a better sixth grade science and math teacher than an Epson engineer. For now I'm glad I have the 3880.  Good luck and I feel your pain. 

[Michael Lloyd]

The 3880 is nice but I'm not ready to throw in the towel on the 4900. Considering my "batch usage" history it's been a decent printer.

BTW

I found these during my searches

Hex and RGB Values for these 10 colors

Light Light Black, Hex Value: #c6c6c6 (R:198 G:198 B:198)
Light Vivid Magenta, Hex Value:# ff80ff (R:255 G:128 B:255)
Light Cyan, Hex Value: #80ffff (R:128 G:255 B:255)
Light Black, Hex Value: #808080 (R:128 G:128 B:128)
Matte / Photo Black, Hex Value: #000000 (R:0 G:0 B:0)
Cyan, Hex Value: #00ffff (R:0 G:255 B:255)
Vivid Magenta, Hex Value: #ff00ff (R:255 G:0 B:255)
Yellow, Hex Value: #ffff00 (R:255 G:255 B:198)
Orange, Hex Value: #FFA500 (R:255 G: 165 B:0)
Green, Hex Value: #008000 (R:0 G:128 B:0)

Link: http://www.marruttusa.com/printer/support/epson-stylus-pro-4900-help.php

[Mark D Segal]

Hi Michael,

Thanks very much for posting that link to MarruttUSA. I like their generic advice on printer usage and maintenance and clog clearing; also, the free downloads they provide look useful. I wonder whether any one reading this thread has experience using their Magic Bullet solution in an Epson 4900. Their demo videos are for an R3000. I may just inquire of them whether they warranty the product in respect of causing damage to the print head; that said, I haven't yet experienced the kind of problems severe enough to require cleaning products; but who knows....for future reference good to have an arsenal. 

[Michael Lloyd]

Hi Michael,

Thanks very much for posting that link to MarruttUSA. I like their generic advice on printer usage and maintenance and clog clearing; also, the free downloads they provide look useful. I wonder whether any one reading this thread has experience using their Magic Bullet solution in an Epson 4900. Their demo videos are for an R3000. I may just inquire of them whether they warranty the product in respect of causing damage to the print head; that said, I haven't yet experienced the kind of problems severe enough to require cleaning products; but who knows....for future reference good to have an arsenal. 

No problem. I appreciate your help. I've downloaded the manual and 4900 adjustment program. I'm going to clean what I can. Hopefully that will clear the blockage. I've got to decide on a cleaning solution. The 1:1 Simple Green / Water seems like a good start. I may wait for a response concerning the Magic Bullet solution though.

I would caution anyone that reads this thread that there is a lot more bad or useless advice on the web (present site excepted) than useful. I found one YouTube link that will send you a video for how to replace the ink supply unit if you buy it from them. The problem with is that their price for the unit is very high when compared to other sites.

I may replace the ink supply unit and selector unit. It's a lot cheaper than replacing the head and my maintenance negligence may have caused more problems than I can solve with cleaning. When I print a check page I have a couple of other nozzles that are showing clogs but not blocked. I've been wasting a lot of ink with a net result of causing other problems. The upside is that the best method of maintaining a healthy printer is to use it... I know how to do that

[jpegman]

Another great resource of info is Joe Rodriquez (JToolman) on DPReview.

He has some 17+ Epson and Canon printers in his house and has published dozens of youtube videos on maintenance and 3rd party inks.

His VIDEO CHANNEL. PRINTING and personal videos. are https://www.youtube.com/user/cheo1949


Jpegman

[Michael Lloyd]

Success...

I spent quite a bit of time cleaning the pad that ink is purged through when you select cleaning, the capping station, and the wiper. The wiper was nasty. I went through a lot of Q-tips before the wiper stopped inking the Q-tips. Both ends of around a dozen Q-tips.

I purchased the Service Program for the printer and used it to move the wiper and capping station into cleaning position (one at a time).

Once I had everything cleaned I ran a print (10 channel that I downloaded from MarruttUSA). The print had an LLK stripe but it didn't look right so I did a nozzle check. There was about a 1/16" stripe of LLK and that was it. I saw that as success.

I used the Service Program and did a CL3 clean on LLK/Y. Then I printed the 10 channel sheet (clean then print, clean then print). I could tell that I had a much better LLK stripe. The nozzle check confirmed it. No more LLK clog. I have a little bit of a C and PK clog, more on PK, but I'm hopeful that can be cleared easily. The printer is off now and I'm going to let it sit for a few hours before I work on C and PK. When I start the printer again I'm going to put the 50/50 mix of Simple Green and water into the capping station and I'll clean the wiper just in case. Then I'll do a head cleaning if nozzle check shows the C and PK nozzle have issues.

Does anyone know which colors got to which area of the capping station?

Somewhere on this site I read something about filters on the dampers???

From now on, I'll print much more frequently. Even if it's just a test document. I have a jpg that is wide range of small images that will work perfectly for exercising the nozzles.

Simple Green can be found in the automotive section of Walmart. I tried the cleaning isle but it wasn't there.

This doesn't have a lot of info for how to clean but I took my lead for what to clean from this

http://www.digital2you.cc/blog/epson-790099004900-clogged-ink-jet-head.html

[Ray R]

I had two channels on my 4900 drop out, a couple of cleans and still nothing. I contacted the local Epson dealer, but they stated they weren't able to deal with the 4900.

I found the service program, I can't remember the name or link but I will look. There was a charge to download it. It allows a recharge of either the left or right side or both together.

It did the job.
i had left the printer on in order for Harvey Head Cleaner to run, but it didn't seem to run.

I don't know if there is a difference when the printer is ON compared to Off, but I guess that the ink moved back down the lines, therefore repeated cleanings may have brought the ink back, but I have read that repeated cleanings are not recommended.

I do not print every day, and have found that if I know that I am going to do some printing to do a nozzle check the day before. If there is a blockage then run a clean, then a nozzle check, and if the block isn't too bad just leave it till the next day.

Ray

[Michael Lloyd]

Ray- that's what I've done for the last 3 years and this year- it bit me in the posterior regions. Maintenance and consistent printing are the key to 4900 longevity (I hope)

[Ray R]

Yes consistent printing is the key. But not always possible.

The program is the Epson 4900 Adjustment Program

http://www.2manuals.com/product_info.php?products_id=1365

Ray

[Michael Lloyd]

Yessir. That's where I got the adjustment program from.

[darlingm]

I wish you continued progress.

Regarding the test patterns, if you don't need a roll in so it can print unattended things (like Harvey Head Cleaner) 8.5x11 xerox paper works great!  You can load it as a cut sheet, and once loaded, change the printer to see it as a roll to advance it an inch or so past a previously printed test pattern.  In the future, flipping it upside down, you can come at it from the other direction.  5 test patterns per side, and use both sides.  Can't get cheaper than that, I think.

[Michael Lloyd]

No clogs detected. Check pattern was perfect. I'm sold on the cleaning trick and NOT using the clean function for clogs.

I checked out Harvey Head Cleaner and it's not Mac compatible. The website indicated that they are working on it.

[Mark D Segal]

Which cleaning trick?

[Michael Lloyd]

This one (should have said maintenance because that's what it really is). A dirty wiper will cause a clog

I spent quite a bit of time cleaning the pad that ink is purged through when you select cleaning, the capping station, and the wiper. The wiper was nasty. I went through a lot of Q-tips before the wiper stopped inking the Q-tips. Both ends of around a dozen Q-tips.

[Mark D Segal]

OK, thanks Michael.

[darlingm]

FYI you can get $20 replacement wiper blades at https://dtgprinterparts.com/index.php/en/wide-format-parts/dtg-printer-parts/wiper-blades/epson-7700-wiper-blade-detail

Not related to them - that's just where I've gotten mine.

Perhaps cleaning it gets the job done, but I could see nicks getting in the rubber blade over time, etc.