Ink smudge on Epson P900

[tsinsf]

Two part problem. First, I made a 5x7 print on the wrong side of the paper using my Epson p900. Generic Epson instruction for cleaning the mess is to run paper through using "eject" until the paper is clear. Therre is no "eject" that I can find on a P900 so I did about 10 or 12 print head nozzle checks using regular printing paper until the paper was clear, and then did four more. I made a nummber of letter sized prints with no problems. I made a 17x25 print of Zion and got the three ink smears noted below. They are the same color as the orange rock in the photo. So, what to do now? Is this related to the wrong sided print I made and just didn't appear until I made a large print? I am confused by the fact that the smudges are the same color as the orange in the print. So is this a dirty print head? I know how to deal with that. Or something else?What do you think? What woiuld you do next to fix the pproblem?

[Eric Brody]

I'm no expert, but am on my third P900. The first wouldn't feed paper and was replaced at seven months of age by Epson with a refurbished one that 8 months later began having a multitude of problems. Epson said the one year warranty is on the original purchase (?) so good luck. I have a ton of P900 ink, and might get a 5370 when that ink is gone but decided to get another P900 which thankfully seems to be running well. You can look at my posts on this forum which detail all of this.

Regarding solutions... I'd go into the Epson Media Installer and be sure you have adequate platen gaps set for the paper(s) you use. Also, set the "thick paper" setting in maintenance in the menu and remember that it turns off and must be reset each time the printer is turned on. I put a small sign on my printer to remind me to do this. I'm pretty meticulous about these settings but can't say for sure if that's why it's currently working but I'm pleased. Try to be certain you're not getting head strikes which can be death to a printer. Make sure your paper is flat, not curled.

I've heard and read about multitudinous problems with the P900 which simply does not appear to be as well designed and or put together as the older printers. My 3880 ran for 13 years until I was seduced by the matte-luster switching of the P900. My local dealer said they get more returns of Epson than Canon printers. I've used Epson machines since the old dye printers and have done well until the P900. I have a number of friends with P900's that have been running well for years so it can happen.

Best of luck to you and let us know how this turns out over time. I'm anxious every time I run a large (expensive) piece of paper through it. So far, so good.

[tonysiciliano1]

Thanks for the comment. My go to printing paper is Red River Arctic Polar luster, and I have made hundreds of prints on this paper with no problem. The current photo issue is with that paper. I am not an expert on platen gap problems, but it doesn't make sense to me that this problem could be from the incorrect gap setting after hundreds of photos with no problem. Correct me if I am wrong please.

[langier]

I ditto the issues to the P900 that Eric had.

Brand new P900 never fed more than a sheet or to at the git-go and when I printed on Exhibition Fiber Paper, scratches. After most of the year, Epson suggested I use the front-feed to print on EFP but the feed never could be pulled out and the printer bricked.

The replacement, a refurb worked great and the feeder worked and didn't scratch the paper. First, the blobs along the margin of EFP, then it pulled in several sheets of Prem. Luster and it, too, bricked.

Took it to authorized service provider and it's beyond repair.

Solution from Epson after giving them a call? Buy a new printer...

So I did, I bought a 3880 that had the black valve issue for a good price, had the authorized repair place rebuild it and now I have a reliable printer that will outwork the two P900 printers that didn't last a year each without a sweat.

Now instead of having to worry about the next failure, I'm printing up a storm.

In the mean time, like Eric, I've got a bunch of P900 carts and waste tanks sitting around...