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Author Topic: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help  (Read 9326 times)

mcbroomf

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Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« on: April 17, 2020, 12:11:58 pm »

I've had an Epson P8000 for exactly 4 years now without any significant cleaning issues (Mass, so humid in the summer, normal spring/fall but dry in the winter).  However it just developed an impossible to clean issue with LK.

It tried an auto clean yesterday and failed and the nozzle check showed 1/2 a dozen or more missing bars from 2 lines.  I tried 5 cleans yesterday, 3 normal 2 heavy, LK and PK head only, result may be even a little worse.  The manual recommends leaving it for 24 hours and trying again if it doesn't clear so I did, no change (heavy clean) today although I lost 1 bar on the Cyan head so cleaned all.  Cyan cleaned up fine but again no change on the LK head.  Image attached.

Any ideas?  I have read (I think) just to keep trying more cleans, and I will, but wonder if there is anything else I could try.  I am intermittently printing on it (2 yesterday, 1 today), just avoiding images with mid to dark continuous tones which I imagine might band.

Thanks

Mike
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MichaelKoerner

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2020, 12:36:12 pm »

Mike, have you considered wiping the printhead using some cleaning fluid? In this video (at about 6:50) one can see the process. The video is about a larger printer, but that might work with a P800, too.

dgberg

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2020, 12:41:39 pm »

Oh Mike I wish I could help but I think you know all the tricks. Might be worth trying the large format cleaning kit with Piezo Flush from Jon Cone.
My P8000 is running a different inset (dye sub ink) and fingers crossed it stays healthy.

mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2020, 03:02:29 pm »

Mike, have you considered wiping the printhead using some cleaning fluid? In this video (at about 6:50) one can see the process. The video is about a larger printer, but that might work with a P800, too.

Thanks, I will give that a try.  The P8000 is a 44" printer so if it's similar enough to the ones in the video it may work.
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mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2020, 03:03:15 pm »

Oh Mike I wish I could help but I think you know all the tricks. Might be worth trying the large format cleaning kit with Piezo Flush from Jon Cone.
My P8000 is running a different inset (dye sub ink) and fingers crossed it stays healthy.

Thanks Dan, if the wipe does not work I'll try a flush.

PS.  Lucky that I got that 40" square abstract printed just before this happened  :)
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deanwork

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2020, 04:18:52 pm »

yes follow that inkjet mall video. They have a large studio full of Epsons of every size shape and generation.

First all do everything in that video. You don’t have to use piezoflush unless you have a big buildup, you can use a damp cloth with  distilled water. Clean the bottom of the head, the entire cap station where the head sits, and also the wiper blade. Make sure none of your ink carts in these problem channels are low on ink. It has been my experience that the older the printer the more the pump seems to loose some pressure, which cleans the nozzles

If tyat cleaning doesn’t work you could buy a small bottle of piezo flush and apply it to the cap station and so cleaning and let it sit overnight..

If none of this works probably either the dampers are clogged, which filter the ink before it gets to the head ( that’s an inexpensive part ); or the pump cap assembly might need replacing. Buy looking at the nozzle check you don’t have a de laminated head. So you probably have some dried ink somewhere.




Thanks Dan, if the wipe does not work I'll try a flush.

PS.  Lucky that I got that 40" square abstract printed just before this happened  :)
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mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2020, 05:35:16 pm »

yes follow that inkjet mall video. They have a large studio full of Epsons of every size shape and generation.

First all do everything in that video. You don’t have to use piezoflush unless you have a big buildup, you can use a damp cloth with  distilled water. Clean the bottom of the head, the entire cap station where the head sits, and also the wiper blade. Make sure none of your ink carts in these problem channels are low on ink. It has been my experience that the older the printer the more the pump seems to loose some pressure, which cleans the nozzles

If tyat cleaning doesn’t work you could buy a small bottle of piezo flush and apply it to the cap station and so cleaning and let it sit overnight..

If none of this works probably either the dampers are clogged, which filter the ink before it gets to the head ( that’s an inexpensive part ); or the pump cap assembly might need replacing. Buy looking at the nozzle check you don’t have a de laminated head. So you probably have some dried ink somewhere.


Thanks John, I'll give DI a go 1st ...
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mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #7 on: April 18, 2020, 09:16:13 am »

The P8000 menu appears to be different to the older model in the video link above.  When I turn on the machine into maintenance mode (bottom, center and right buttons depressed while turning the printer on) there is no maintenance option, and no wiper exchange.  There's only "mecha adjustment" and "life" and I don't see anything obvious in mecha adjustment. 

Has anyone done this on a Surecolour wide format printer and can point the way?  I do recall with an older printer (HP I think) that you could unplug it during startup as the head moved when turned on and the head would stay unlocked.  My plug isn't easily accessible (for quick access) so if I can do this through the menus I'd prefer it.

Thanks
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mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2020, 10:30:50 am »

I found the procedure to uncap the station in this thread (post 42).  Slightly different words in the menu now but more or less the same
https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=118131.40

I didn't have any foam swabs so I left the capping station which did not look very dirty.
I pulled and cleaned the wiper blade (also did not look too dirty)
I cleaned the flushing box
I cleaned the head twice

On startup I got a 1439 error which was worrying.  Had to power cycle 3 times to get rid of it.

On startup it ran a clean.  I ran a double 14 balls image then a nozzle check but no change to the LLK.

Next I think is to get some of the cleaning agent in the video to see if I have some persistent dry ink on the head.

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mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #9 on: April 18, 2020, 10:36:22 am »

BTW my LK ink level is OK, a little under 50%.  My PK which shares the head is low though, maybe 10%'ish.  I have read about low ink causing problems (on specific heads) but not on large format printers.  Thoughts?
« Last Edit: April 18, 2020, 12:26:07 pm by mcbroomf »
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deanwork

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #10 on: April 18, 2020, 02:42:01 pm »


Since your printer is not old and your head doesn’t look damaged and the other channels look normal,  I don’t think your capping station or pump should need replacing. If after using the piezo flush you see the same I would replace the dampers. They can be gotten from Compas Micro. Always make sure printer is unplugged before doing any of this stuff. The black and gray channels are carbon so if the inks were sitting in there for awhile and you didn’t shake your cart, you can often see more clogs in those channels. If you haven’t tried printing a large 30x40 ish rectangle of light gray on some cheap paper a few times I would try that also before replacing dampers.



BTW my LK ink level is OK, a little under 50%.  My PK which shares the head is low though, maybe 10%'ish.  I have read about low ink causing problems (on specific heads) but not on large format printers.  Thoughts?
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mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #11 on: April 18, 2020, 04:02:38 pm »

Since your printer is not old and your head doesn’t look damaged and the other channels look normal,  I don’t think your capping station or pump should need replacing. If after using the piezo flush you see the same I would replace the dampers. They can be gotten from Compas Micro. Always make sure printer is unplugged before doing any of this stuff. The black and gray channels are carbon so if the inks were sitting in there for awhile and you didn’t shake your cart, you can often see more clogs in those channels. If you haven’t tried printing a large 30x40 ish rectangle of light gray on some cheap paper a few times I would try that also before replacing dampers.

Thanks for the additional suggestions.  I ordered the cleaning fluid today.  Not sure how long it will take to ship these days ...
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mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #12 on: April 18, 2020, 04:05:00 pm »

PS, what level of grey should I be printing to exercise the LK channel heavily if I have to do that?
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deanwork

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #13 on: April 19, 2020, 08:13:27 am »


Light Gray


PS, what level of grey should I be printing to exercise the LK channel heavily if I have to do that?
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mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2020, 09:04:02 am »

In PS there is only a mid-grey 50% option to fill with.  Is that what you mean?  Just wondering if it should be a little lighter or heaver for the LK channel.

Thanks

Mike
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deanwork

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #15 on: April 19, 2020, 10:37:38 am »

Many ways you can do that. If it’s easier for you, fill with  gray ( you can fill with less than 50 % ),or  just make a levels layer to lighten whatever you fill with. This doesn’t have to be any exact percentage just lighten until you see some form of light gray on your screen. I would use something in the range of 10% - 15%.   Do it in grayscale so you don’t use any light color.

If you don’t see any improvement after a couple of 30x40s it’s probably not going to help you. I would do this after applying the piezo flush and letting it sit there at least overnight. You want to put the piezo flush on the capping station and have it sucked into the head with one power cleanings,  and let it sIt there for 12 hours or so. If you see an improvement but not full nozzle you can try it again. If you see no improvement personally I would stop and replace the dampers.



In PS there is only a mid-grey 50% option to fill with.  Is that what you mean?  Just wondering if it should be a little lighter or heaver for the LK channel.

Thanks

Mike
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dgberg

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #16 on: April 19, 2020, 11:02:24 am »

You could try the printer purge file from Marrutt. I believe the RGB on the Light Black is 127/127/127.

mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #17 on: April 19, 2020, 05:26:56 pm »

Thank you gents.  I'll get a file ready to go.  Just waiting on the Piezo Flush which I ordered yesterday, but running a daily with Qimage Ultimate to try to ensure it doesn't get worse and other heads don't develop a problem.
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mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #18 on: April 26, 2020, 04:05:12 pm »

The piezo flush arrived and I did another external head clean.  The kit included some foam swabs for cleaning the capping station so I cleaned that as well this time.  I also noticed some (telling?) grey particles on the white strip below the capping station.  Possibly dried gray ink?

Once cleaned I ran a heavy clean of MK/LK (I had switched from PK) then a heavy clean of all inks and ran a nozzle check, but no joy, looks pretty much like the original clog.

I'm leaving it capped overnight and will try another clean tomorrow.  If that doesn't work I guess I'll have to try the line flush.

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mcbroomf

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Re: Epson SureColor P8000 head cleaning help
« Reply #19 on: April 27, 2020, 07:46:13 am »

Ran a clean this am, then two 22x22 grayscale mid grey prints (I have 24" paper loaded), then a nozzle check.  No change so I just cleaned the head and capping station again and I'm going to leave it to sit until this pm and try another clean, 4 grey patches and a nozzle check.  If that doesn't show some change I'll see what I need to buy and do to flush the line with the Piezo Flush.

BTW no lines on my grey squares, is that expected?  I would have thought I'd get some pretty bad lines from the missing nozzles, especially as just about a whole row is gone
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