Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: kuau on May 02, 2016, 10:05:57 pm

Title: HP Z3200PS MK Clogged
Post by: kuau on May 02, 2016, 10:05:57 pm

I have been doing battle with my Z3200 printer lately. My MK aka Matte Black is clogged when I print the test chart I attached a picture.
I have replaced both the MK-R printhead and MK Ink Cartridge yet no improvement.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Steve

Title: Re: HP Z3200PS MK Clogged
Post by: shadowblade on May 03, 2016, 12:17:05 am

Quote from: kuau on May 02, 2016, 10:05:57 pm

I have been doing battle with my Z3200 printer lately. My MK aka Matte Black is clogged when I print the test chart I attached a picture.
I have replaced both the MK-R printhead and MK Ink Cartridge yet no improvement.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Steve

It's a complete dropout - this isn't due to head clogging. The entire ink line is probably clogged by something, usually an air bubble.

Title: Re: HP Z3200PS MK Clogged
Post by: kuau on May 03, 2016, 09:32:06 am

Any idea on how to clean just the MK line to clear the air bubble?

Title: Re: HP Z3200PS MK Clogged
Post by: shadowblade on May 03, 2016, 09:49:17 am

Quote from: kuau on May 03, 2016, 09:32:06 am

Any idea on how to clean just the MK line to clear the air bubble?

Actually, just looked at it again - was half-asleep earlier and thought it was an Epson test chart. Looks like it's not the whole channel which has dropped out, just certain nozzles.

If you've just replaced the head, that looks a bit unusual - on an HP printer, which remaps the nozzles when they become clogged, losing nozzles like that would usually indicate that you've lost a lot of nozzles in the head - too many to be remapped. Was it a brand-new head?

Title: Re: HP Z3200PS MK Clogged
Post by: kuau on May 03, 2016, 10:45:19 am

Yep a brand new head and not one that has an expired date

Title: Re: HP Z3200PS MK Clogged
Post by: Mark Lindquist on May 03, 2016, 07:27:48 pm

Pull the printhead back out and clean all the contacts both on the printhead and the carrier in the carriage.  Use distilled water only and lint free cloth.

When you have the printhead out, put it in a plastic bag and seal the bag and shake the head really well.

Re-install the printhead, let the printer align it, then do a printhead cleaning.

After that do another diagnostic chart.  Compare with original.  If it's better, keep forcing ink through it - another nozzle cleaning, etc.

If the chart is the same or worse, you could have a bad printhead.  Call your supplier for a replacement.

Title: Re: HP Z3200PS MK Clogged
Post by: tonywong on May 04, 2016, 01:30:58 am

+1 on the contact cleaning.