z3200 faulty cartridge error

[claudio1666]

Hello everyone. This is my first post here, I have subscribed looking for some help and advice.

I have found an old (2010) Z3200 for $350. The current owner says that the printer was working perfectly until 3 months ago when he replaced all the print heads as regular maintenance procedure.

After the installation of the new printheads, the printer started showing the faulty blue cartridge error. We have tried to put the old print head back and to replace blue cartridge, same problem.

He would sell it with the blue, GE, Magenta and Matte black cartridges, I would have to buy all the others, and hope that I can fix the problem. Otherwise I will find myself with a lot of ink and no printer! :-)

Any advice or experience about this problem? Should I keep looking around? Or is this something that can be fixed easily?
Is there a way to try to troubleshoot the problem without having all the inks installed? I was there to look at the printer, and I was not able to see the error until all the cartridges were installed.

Thanks,

Claudio

[Ernst Dinkla]

It is always difficult to guess what is happening in a case like that:

Nope, you have to put in all the cartridges and heads.
I understand you tried a new blue cartridge already, more likely the fault is at the printer side then.

In no particular order:

Reset the cartridges but do the blue one halfway that exercise, not as the last one.
Dirty electronic contacts in that cartridge slot. Clean the contacts of both cart and slot.
Ink spillage further down the wiring of the inkslots, there is a connector down there that bundles the wires from more slots to one cable.
Check the weight of the cart, should be more than 50 grams if there is still usable ink in it.
Check whether the rubber membrane of the cart pump is not collapsed (concave instead of convex), pump will not work.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
March 2017 update, 750+ inkjet media white spectral plots

[Mark Lindquist]

To add what Ernst has said, I think it would be wise to pull all cartridges and all printheads.

If the printer initializes, then during startup, wait for the carriage to move left out of its home position, then pull the plug on the printer quickly.  Now the carriage can be easily moved and the printheads all removed.  Remove all cartridges then begin doing a thorough cleaning of all contacts, particularly following the lines down as Ernst indicated.  Use a lint-free cloth and rubbing alcohol mixed with windex (as some have suggested) and use an old soft, fine toothbrush to gently scrub the contacts on printheads, printhead receptacles and all contacts associated with the ink delivery system.

Also, there must be at least 50% ink in the cartridges. Restart the printer and wait for it to ask you for cartridges.  Put the blue one in first, then go on and replace all the inks, but not until first putting them in a sealable freezer type bag and vigorously shaking for several minutes.

Once the cartridges are installed, the printer will ask you for the printheads.  Again, start with the blue, then move on.

Allow the printer to go through printhead alignment, etc., and see how things go.  If you have done a good job cleaning all contacts, you may just get lucky and the reset of the IDS (ink delivery system) may go through smoothly.

The idea of pulling all carts and printheads is to enable the printer to set up like it is happening for the first time (without starter carts of course).

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

Mark

[claudio1666]

Thanks for your answers. unfortunately you confirmed to me that I should buy all the cartridges just to try to diagnose the problem. I think I'll pass this time.

Thank you very much.

[kers]

You can buy old/ hardly used cartridges on ebay to test... Just a thought...

[deanwork]

He’s right, you can use expired carts to test the printer with.

You can buy old/ hardly used cartridges on ebay to test... Just a thought...

[claudio1666]

You can buy old/ hardly used cartridges on ebay to test... Just a thought...

I know... But even in that way it will be around $200 plus $350 plus renting the van and maybe it doesn't work.
I have found empty carts in ebay for $20. Will the printer report the faulty cart or the empty ones...?? Mmmm

Claudio

[Mark Lindquist]

So here's a reality check Claudio.  The printer you are thinking about buying will likely need a new belt and it might shred within a matter of weeks or could go for a year or two depending on when it was last changed, if ever.  You have no guarantee even if you are handy that you'll be able to change the belt out and get it working. If it's a Z3200 and not a Z3200ps model, there will be even less support for it, than a newer model Z3200ps (both of which have reached end of life-meaning no HP support).  You will have to get carts that are at least 1/2 full to be able to have the printer fully reset itself.  There should be new printheads to give it a fighting chance. There's a steep learning curve to pull the best quality out of these printers, and people spend years, if not a decade mastering these machines making their art.

Many think, "oh boy a practically free printer" and don't fully count the cost before diving in with both feet.  Been there, done that many times, but in the end, when you add it up, (like you seem to be doing), it begins to take a toll.  So you could just pass on it and wait for one that is actually working, that has a known history, continuous use and has the ability to get into the error and warning logs, not to mention take it for a spin before buying. You jumping in there hoping for the best, won't make it so if it's got issues, and with these printers, even new ones have issues.

Some free sage advice for you.  Let it go.  Move on.  Wait for the right printer to come to you.

FWIW/YMMV

Mark

[claudio1666]

So here's a reality check Claudio.  The printer you are thinking about buying will likely need a new belt and it might shred within a matter of weeks or could go for a year or two depending on when it was last changed, if ever.  You have no guarantee even if you are handy that you'll be able to change the belt out and get it working. If it's a Z3200 and not a Z3200ps model, there will be even less support for it, than a newer model Z3200ps (both of which have reached end of life-meaning no HP support).  You will have to get carts that are at least 1/2 full to be able to have the printer fully reset itself.  There should be new printheads to give it a fighting chance. There's a steep learning curve to pull the best quality out of these printers, and people spend years, if not a decade mastering these machines making their art.

Many think, "oh boy a practically free printer" and don't fully count the cost before diving in with both feet.  Been there, done that many times, but in the end, when you add it up, (like you seem to be doing), it begins to take a toll.  So you could just pass on it and wait for one that is actually working, that has a known history, continuous use and has the ability to get into the error and warning logs, not to mention take it for a spin before buying. You jumping in there hoping for the best, won't make it so if it's got issues, and with these printers, even new ones have issues.

Some free sage advice for you.  Let it go.  Move on.  Wait for the right printer to come to you.

FWIW/YMMV

Mark

Thank you Mark. I am aware of the maintenance cost.

My question is about buying the printer + invest in parts and hope it works, or just wait for another printer that I know it's working.
Maintenance cost will be the same.

We are talking about betting $600. It may be worth it, or I may throw away $600.

For $350 I would take the chance, for $350 + ink not sure. Maybe it is better to spend more money on a working one.

Also, this would be just for fun; to print a couple of pictures of my kids. I do not sell print, and I do not print in quantity.


Again, thank you!

Claudio

[kers]

...
Also, this would be just for fun; to print a couple of pictures of my kids. I do not sell print, and I do not print in quantity.
Again, thank you!
Claudio

Well then there are less difficult/uncertain ways to get to that result...
If you would live next door i would like to try the machine, having spend already some time in learning how it functions.
Amsterdam....

[dgberg]

If you do go for it I would offer much less, maybe $100. It doesn't work!
If you could get it for free it now may be worth trying to get it going.
Better yet offer the present owner $650 if he gets it running with no issues.
Doesn't work, no pay.

[Pouln]

As mentioned here: https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=129472.0 in reply 5, I had some advice from Tim Wert at LPS regarding the faulty cart situation.
He mentions that air in the tubes or the cart will lead to this and that ans once the cart is flagged as faulty, it will not be possible to reset it.
Don't quite understand why seller is selling without a number of cartridges.
Like Dan says, offer him a really low price. If it isn't working and incomplete, I don't think it is worth what he asks.
 

[claudio1666]

As mentioned here: https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=129472.0 in reply 5, I had some advice from Tim Wert at LPS regarding the faulty cart situation.
He mentions that air in the tubes or the cart will lead to this and that ans once the cart is flagged as faulty, it will not be possible to reset it.
Don't quite understand why seller is selling without a number of cartridges.
Like Dan says, offer him a really low price. If it isn't working and incomplete, I don't think it is worth what he asks.

Thank you! I will try a low offer.
He is not selling the carts because he has another z3200. He is selling this one because he is printing less recently.

Thanks,

Claudio