Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: FRA_ on May 26, 2023, 12:26:18 pm

Title: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 26, 2023, 12:26:18 pm
Hello, I just joined the forum (but I've been reading your posts for years  ;D)
I'm having a problem with my 9890, the black head seams to make horizontal banding despite the printhead test is perfect. I've also ran the printhead alignment many times. You can see what I mean looking at the attachments
Do you have an Idea of what to do?

Thank you  ;)
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: tastar on May 26, 2023, 03:04:00 pm
Could you submit a nozzle check that we can look at?

Thank you.

Tony
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 26, 2023, 04:12:32 pm
Yes, sure!
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 26, 2023, 04:15:44 pm
There is a missing line in the yellow column but I'm pretty sure it's not the cause of banding in deep black
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: rasworth on May 26, 2023, 05:13:21 pm
Does the banding occur if you run single direction?

Richard Southworth
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 26, 2023, 05:18:05 pm
Does the banding occur if you run single direction?

Richard Southworth

Yes it does, it's the first thing I tried...
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: mearussi on May 26, 2023, 08:16:10 pm
Yes, sure!
At least your head doesn't show any signs of delamination. Can you see any banding when you make a regular print?
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 27, 2023, 02:58:59 am
At least your head doesn't show any signs of delamination. Can you see any banding when you make a regular print?

I see banding on black areas of photographs, both on glossy and matte papers. I get the same banding with photo black and matte black.
Now I'm printing at 2880dpi to make it less noticeable, lines are closer to each other and lighter, you hardly see them but it takes a lot of time.
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 27, 2023, 05:25:08 am
I made this new test, gives you a better idea of the black printhead status
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: mearussi on May 27, 2023, 06:28:29 am
I assume you've run a cleaning cycle or two?
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 27, 2023, 06:37:44 am
I assume you've run a cleaning cycle or two?

I switch black ink type quite often during the week and the cleaning is done every time. You make me thinking I haven't tried the "deep cleaning" yet... can it help?
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: mearussi on May 27, 2023, 01:00:32 pm
I switch black ink type quite often during the week and the cleaning is done every time. You make me thinking I haven't tried the "deep cleaning" yet... can it help?
Sometimes, but use it only once as it can heat up the head causing damage if used several times in quick succession. Then let the head cool down for a while before running a nozzle check.
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: deanwork on May 27, 2023, 04:10:25 pm
I have this printer and I’ve noticed missing nozzles sometimes when that ink channel is low, something to do with ink cart pressure.

The black inks contain mostly carbon which is generally the first to show issues when the dampers get clogged. I replaced my ink selector unit that contains this damper filters. I rarely ever see that now as long as the inks aren’t really low. It’s also important to shake the ink carts every now and then, especially if it’s been sitting unused.

John



quote author=mearussi link=topic=142511.msg1253072#msg1253072 date=1685206832]
Sometimes, but use it only once as it can heat up the head causing damage if used several times in quick succession. Then let the head cool down for a while before running a nozzle check.
[/quote]
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: Lessbones on May 27, 2023, 08:18:43 pm
have you done a paper feed adjustment?  This banding can happen if the paper is feeding slightly too far on each pass.
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 29, 2023, 03:58:02 am
Sometimes, but use it only once as it can heat up the head causing damage if used several times in quick succession. Then let the head cool down for a while before running a nozzle check.

I did the deep cleaning but nothing changed
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 29, 2023, 04:02:53 am
I have this printer and I’ve noticed missing nozzles sometimes when that ink channel is low, something to do with ink cart pressure.

The black inks contain mostly carbon which is generally the first to show issues when the dampers get clogged. I replaced my ink selector unit that contains this damper filters. I rarely ever see that now as long as the inks aren’t really low. It’s also important to shake the ink carts every now and then, especially if it’s been sitting unused.

John

Black cartages are about 70% full and I shake them every 2-3 weeks. If it was a clog problem It was visible in the printhead check I think
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 29, 2023, 04:11:37 am
have you done a paper feed adjustment?  This banding can happen if the paper is feeding slightly too far on each pass.

The problem seems to affect the black only, If it was a paper feed problem i suppose It was visible in every color.
Anyway, Is there a way to automatically calibrate the paper feeding for the 9890? I can't find it  :(
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: deanwork on May 29, 2023, 05:00:53 pm
Not that I know of on this unit.

What I would do is make a large rectangle of pure black and print out a couple of those. Sometimes
there are impurities that happen in the k channel that need to be flushed out. Carbon gets separated from the base and you might not see it in nozzle checks though you usually do. What’s strange though is you are seeing this in both MK and Pk.

It’s possible there is something in the lines.

Have you cleaned the capping station and the wiper blade recently?

Just don’t keep doing cleaning cycles because that’s not working and you can blow your head.

If none of these things are working I would buy some of the piezo flush from inkjet mall and put that  in the k channel and print some rectangles and then leave it in the lines for 24 hours.


quote author=FRA_ link=topic=142511.msg1253087#msg1253087 date=1685347897]
The problem seems to affect the black only, If it was a paper feed problem i suppose It was visible in every color.
Anyway, Is there a way to automatically calibrate the paper feeding for the 9890? I can't find it  :(
[/quote]
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: Lessbones on May 29, 2023, 08:44:31 pm
The problem seems to affect the black only, If it was a paper feed problem i suppose It was visible in every color.
Anyway, Is there a way to automatically calibrate the paper feeding for the 9890? I can't find it  :(

you're right, if it were a feed issue you'd see it in all channels.  Does it happen with PK as well? You can see on your nozzle check that the MK is not printing super cleanly, but there's unfortunately nothing you can do about that without replacing the head (besides hoping that increasing your dpi/pass mode will hide the problem). This is the kind of thing that happens when heads get "tired" and need their voltage boosted a bit... but that's not something you can control with Epson unless someone can decode a head rank ID.  Matte black is a bit harder to jet because of bigger pigment particles, but unfortunately besides replacing the head, all you can really do at this stage is print with a higher quality mode.  At least in my experience I've never seen a way of solving this-- every head starts doing this eventually and once you've gone to the limit of your quality modes, if you still see it it'd be time for a replacement.
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 30, 2023, 03:01:57 am
you're right, if it were a feed issue you'd see it in all channels.  Does it happen with PK as well? You can see on your nozzle check that the MK is not printing super cleanly, but there's unfortunately nothing you can do about that without replacing the head (besides hoping that increasing your dpi/pass mode will hide the problem). This is the kind of thing that happens when heads get "tired" and need their voltage boosted a bit... but that's not something you can control with Epson unless someone can decode a head rank ID.  Matte black is a bit harder to jet because of bigger pigment particles, but unfortunately besides replacing the head, all you can really do at this stage is print with a higher quality mode.  At least in my experience I've never seen a way of solving this-- every head starts doing this eventually and once you've gone to the limit of your quality modes, if you still see it it'd be time for a replacement.

Yes, the pattern is the same for both MK and BK, printing at 2880dpi hide the banding quite well for now but it's painfully slow... I think I should consider a head replacement at this point

Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on May 30, 2023, 03:16:13 am
Not that I know of on this unit.

What I would do is make a large rectangle of pure black and print out a couple of those. Sometimes
there are impurities that happen in the k channel that need to be flushed out. Carbon gets separated from the base and you might not see it in nozzle checks though you usually do. What’s strange though is you are seeing this in both MK and Pk.

It’s possible there is something in the lines.

Have you cleaned the capping station and the wiper blade recently?

Just don’t keep doing cleaning cycles because that’s not working and you can blow your head.

If none of these things are working I would buy some of the piezo flush from inkjet mall and put that  in the k channel and print some rectangles and then leave it in the lines for 24 hours.


quote author=FRA_ link=topic=142511.msg1253087#msg1253087 date=1685347897]
The problem seems to affect the black only, If it was a paper feed problem i suppose It was visible in every color.
Anyway, Is there a way to automatically calibrate the paper feeding for the 9890? I can't find it  :(

The capping station looks clean, I clean it sometimes with a specific liquid

Is there an alternative to piezo flush? I'm located in Italy and at a first check it's hard to find

I can try to print some black rectangle to see if something changes
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: MatkoD on June 02, 2023, 10:53:55 am
Is there an alternative to piezo flush? I'm located in Italy and at a first check it's hard to find

You can get it here in EU
https://taosphoto.fr/en/

Cheaper solution:
https://www.easy-inks.de/en/shop/inks/agfa-grand-sherpa/agfa-sherpa-24-44/264/cleaning-fluid-for-dye-pigment-or-sublimation-inks-1-liter?c=584
Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on June 02, 2023, 12:09:53 pm
You can get it here in EU
https://taosphoto.fr/en/

Cheaper solution:
https://www.easy-inks.de/en/shop/inks/agfa-grand-sherpa/agfa-sherpa-24-44/264/cleaning-fluid-for-dye-pigment-or-sublimation-inks-1-liter?c=584

Thanks! 



Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: FRA_ on June 05, 2023, 11:02:37 am
So, please, can you tel me if I'm doing the right way before a make a big mess?

- Buy 220ml Piezoflush liquid (is it enough?)

- Buy a 350cc refillable cartridge for PK or MK (should be the same)

- Fill the cartridge with maybe 100ml of liquid, put it on and do some black square prints to let the Piezoflush replace te black ink. Should I print until I don't see any black color left?

- Leave everything still for a couple of days

- Switch to the real black cartridge and keep on printing until the ink replace the Piezoflush liquid

Thanks

Title: Re: Epson 9890 print heads problem
Post by: deanwork on June 05, 2023, 07:47:42 pm
Yea that’s good. I would put all your piezo flush in the cart to make sure you are getting good pressure then  do one normal pair cleaning. Print out black rectangles until you see most of the black being removed . It will probably be grayish red if that’s piezo flush.

If you were cleaning out the whole system you would do an initial fill but you can’t do that without wasting all the other inks.

Let that’s sit for two days or twice that much if you are in no rush . Then do another pairs cleaning and put your black in and start doing black rectangles till all the red is gone.

What you are trying to do is clean out any dried sludge in the lines and damper. If you are having the same trouble after that you need to replace the ink selector unit.

John






quote author=FRA_ link=topic=142511.msg1253343#msg1253343 date=1685977357]
So, please, can you tel me if I'm doing the right way before a make a big mess?

- Buy 220ml Piezoflush liquid (is it enough?)

- Buy a 350cc refillable cartridge for PK or MK (should be the same)

- Fill the cartridge with maybe 100ml of liquid, put it on and do some black square prints to let the Piezoflush replace te black ink. Should I print until I don't see any black color left?

- Leave everything still for a couple of days

- Switch to the real black cartridge and keep on printing until the ink replace the Piezoflush liquid

Thanks
[/quote]