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Author Topic: Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?  (Read 1949 times)

FrankG

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Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?
« on: October 03, 2016, 08:04:17 pm »

Please see the picture that someone else (I hope he doesn't mind me showing it) posted online in another printer forum which more or less replicates my problem with ink puddles and streaking. Except I get those streaking puddles on both sides of the paper.
My printer is an Epson 3880. I have tried to clean the purge pads and wiper blade and under the head with lint free towel and windex/ammonia..
I also replaced the maintenance cart which showed as full. And I replaced the PK ink cart which wasn't printing in a nozzle check but didn't register as empty. It seemed very light in weight and I was concerned it wasn't pressurised.
Anyone know what causes this?
Thanks
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schertz

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Re: Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2016, 08:42:12 pm »

You have a leak in your black channel, all the ink has drained out of the cart and and gone into the waste maintenance cartridge... It has also leaked all over your print, that's why you have the black marks on the paper. The printer doesn't know how much ink is in the cart, it just monitors how much has been used for printing, that's why the cart was empty, and not printing a nozzle check even though it didn't register as empty in the driver/menu.
The problem is almost assuredly the valve that switches the PK to MK... Every time I've seen this issue come up that's been the culprit. You might be able to "fix" the problem by switching between MK and PK, moving the valve "might" stop the leak but really it needs to be repaired.

Sorry ☹️

MS
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Re: Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2016, 08:49:48 pm »

This sounds exactly like what happened to my 3800 recently. There is a thread on this forum somewhere that discusses this. The best suggestion I heard was that there is a problem with the mechanism that switches between MK and PK inks, which lets it leak all over. I went through two PK cartridges that each in just a few days dumped all their ink out, with some going onto prints (mostly margins). Both cartridges still read as "full" on the Epson Print Monitor, but they were obviously completely empty.

The suggestion was to take it to an Epson repair center where the offending device can be easily replaced and isn't fearsomely expensive.

My 3800 (NOT the 3880) was old enough that I decided to upgrade to a new SureColor P800 while there was a $300 rebate available.

If you are not too far from an Epson repair facility, I would call them and make inquiries.

As I was writing this, Schertz responded with exactly what I was talking about. I think he may have been the one who commented in that other thread.
I did try switching between PK and MK a couple of times, and that worked for about a week in my case, but then the problem got much worse, and finally spilled ink all over a 13x19" print that a client had ordered. That's when I put the P800 into service.
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-Eric Myrvaagnes (visit my website: http://myrvaagnes.com)

FrankG

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Re: Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2016, 10:24:09 pm »

"The problem is almost assuredly the valve that switches the PK to MK... "

Thanks this seems to make sense. I just set it to make a matte print and the test was good.
But of course I need the Pk ink.
I downloaded the service manual (2Manuals.com) to see if I can fix it.
But I cant find this valve to see how to repair or replace it.
Are you able to provide any further info?
Or, could I share the manual via a dropbox link for you to see if you can ID the part?
Thanks
Frank
« Last Edit: October 03, 2016, 10:44:15 pm by FrankG »
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schertz

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Re: Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2016, 12:20:35 am »

Fortunately for myself, I've never had this problem with one of my printers, so I'm only speaking secondhand through what I've seen in various forum posts over the years, so I can't be of much help in the disassembly and repair of the printer... I should also mention that the damper assembly on the printhead has also been mentioned as a point of failure and ink leaks.
Perhaps someone more handy might stop by and provide more guidance.

Best of Luck

Mike

Some previous threads:
http://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=107994
http://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=110346
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David Good

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Re: Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2016, 02:52:52 am »

I have just recently experienced the same thing, my 3880 drained two PK inks while the MK still works. Five to six years appears to be the lifespan of these switching valves. I'm not repairing mine.
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FrankG

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Re: Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2016, 10:34:44 am »

Thanks guys. Onward
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howardm

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Re: Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2016, 11:47:33 am »

Frank,

I responded to your PM

In case others need it, here is my collection of 3800/3880 service stuff:

https://app.box.com/s/m21zhqt4a8r0ojatrhxylawb5ci6d76f

FrankG

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Re: Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2016, 11:32:27 pm »

Thank you v much
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pluton

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Re: Big Sreaks & Puddles of bl ink?
« Reply #9 on: October 05, 2016, 12:39:36 am »

I was a thread starter here about two years ago when my 3800 started blopping ink.  What I learned from that thread here, and many other threads and links since, is that the part that has gone bad is replaceable and not terribly expensive.  The caveat:  If you have a service center do the labor, and add the cost of some-to-all of the ink cartridges needing to be replaced for the service, it's within a few hundred dollars of buying a new P800.  UNLESS:  You are willing to disassemble the printer yourself.  That prospect looked like it would be about as exciting (not in  good way!) as taking apart an automatic transmission.  YMMV.
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