HP z 3200

[dseelig]

HP Z 3200 bought a used one help there was ink all over the place both sides of the print path and a lot of ink right below the print path in a straight line about a foot and a half long. There was also ink in the head area along the walls that are white being the heads is this normal. Was told no it was not . Thoughts? One more thing when I print out a head check my E side of the E G has some white lines through the gray they seem to change this is with a new head and in several of the other heads I am getting an occasional broken line but the prints do not look bad. Like I said Before thoughts?

[kers]

this is not very informative...

please attach some photographs...
i would start to clean the printheads ... carefully ... do not touch the print surface.. only the suruoundings and the carriage... and if needed the inside of the printer...

use methanol/ethanol or distilled water

maybe one printhead is faulty?  did the spilled ink has a colour?

pk

[jferrari]

Any chance you live in an area where the printer was frozen?

[Mark Lindquist]

I think he's OK - here's a PM thread:

HI Mark
Well after a few weeks my pritner is not passing the nozzle test and the gray patch on the e when printing out the patch has a lot of white lines thorugh it. But the pritns are looking good i can still return should I? I do have one other problem a pro came over and gave it a cleaning but thinks based on the amoutn of ink was on both sides of where the ehad goes and ing on the white wall in the head chamber area I might have leak have you ever seen ink on that white wall where the head goes? Thanks David

If it was me and I had the opportunity to return it, I would, and ASAP.

I warn people of the pain and heartache of buying a used Z3200.

You have to be a mechanic and engineer to make them run right when bought used.

What can I say?

Mark

Hi Mark
Funny thing they did not want it back and give me money back and said you get rid of it. Well I agreedded to a 200 dollar hit they gave me a bunch of paper to make up for all my time the 200 was a repair for cleaing it. So I figure use it while it works thought the head test is flawed the prints look good. When it dies I buy new. Thanks for all you help

Depending on how old it is, the heads may be too old to work correctly. 
If you can, try reading this page really carefully:
http://robogravure.com/HP_Z3100-Z3200_Cleaning_Print_Heads_Mark_Lindquist_Photography.htm
After performing stamp or blot tests on each head, see which ones are close to right and which ones are most clogged.  Get rid of the ones most clogged and buy new heads.  you can do this all at the same time from the front panel.  go to change print head and pull all the heads at the same time.  Do any cleaning on them all, clean inside the print head carriage, etc.,do the stamp/blot test, shake vigorously, etc., then put the all back in and do an align printheads.

Once that's finished-do a print head cleaning all printheads, then a diagnostic print.  Concentrate on the ones that are reading the worst.  It's probably best to replace the bad heads.  Just do it.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Hi Mark
Well my head test look like the last of your head checks in the link you sent me just a few broken lines and no more then two in any of the printouts. So I assume this means do not worry about the prints? The prints have looked good. The heads are all new though they probably sat around for a bit the earliest  date was july 2015.  My other worry of corse if this starts leaking if so game over and I buy a new one. Which is what the tech was afraid of their might be a leak.
Thanks Again David

Yeah, sounds ok, David - just keep printing with it.  I reread you previous PM where you talked about the ink in the white area of the printhead.  It's hard to read your PM's - assuming you are using a phone  or whatever.  Yeah, the area where the printhead plugs in to the carriage gets ink in there from time to time.  Just clean it when you get the chance and it should be fine.

Sounds like you have a good printer - maintenance is key.  Also, be sure to keep it plugged in 24/7/365.

-Mark