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Author Topic: Z3200PS won't allow me to replace head  (Read 728 times)

Lewando_Images

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Z3200PS won't allow me to replace head
« on: May 07, 2022, 02:10:04 pm »

         I have a 4 year old 44" Z3200 PS I am quite aware that these printers can be troublesome, but when they work there isn't a better fine art printer. Last November the yellow channel started to act up and drop out at times. A cleaning solved the problem , but I purchased a new Magenta Yellow head. The old head needed more and more cleanings so I decided it was time for the new head. When I installed the new head and closed the cover......it moved over the service station then came back out and said "re-seat Head".  I tied this a few times cleaning all contacts but still the same result.
        I contacted HP and they said they would send me a new head. It arrived and I proceeded to try and install the replacement head. Same result as the 1st new head. What I should mention is I can install the old head that had yellow problems and it initializes right away no problem and I can print.
        I contacted HP again and they connected me with tech support. We were on the phone trying different things for 2 and 1/2 hours. We updated firmware, cleaned contacts, replaced to head multiple times and shutdown and restarted the printer many times. Inserted the original head a few times and each time it proceeded without a problem. But every time we tried a new head it would move in over the service station, come back out and say re-seat head. The tech said he was baffled and I may have just received two bad heads. He said that he would send out another new head. I tried to install the 3rd new head.....but same problem ! It won't move past the same point and keeps saying to re-seat head. 
       At this point I'm more frustrated then I have ever been with this printer. I can still print Black and whites, but with out a properly working yellow channel color prints are out. Does anyone have any idea what could possibly be going on ? Any help or ideas will be greatly appreciated.   
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Peter LeWando

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Re: Z3200PS won't allow me to replace head
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2022, 02:15:19 pm »

Z3200 mark ( ithink ) would  say : get all ink and inkheads  out; the power off  and at the rear...unplug the cord...
then startup ilke new and try again...
maybe it works...
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Pieter Kers
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deanwork

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Re: Z3200PS won't allow me to replace head
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2022, 03:25:34 pm »



I’ve been using two of these forever. This is highly unusual what you describe and I’ve never had a bad new head.

What I have seen in the last year is sometimes when I shut down the machine during a lightning storm and start it back up sometimes I get this error message to reseat the light magenta print head. If I go through all the trouble to do that and let it reinitialize taking a lot of time it goes back to normal. Lately though I just shut it down again and unplug and replug in in a couple of minutes and it doesn’t have the error when starting the second time. It’s all strange and others have seen the exact same thing and do the same restart to normal.

This started when I reinstalled the new driver/firmware that is designed to work with with the latest Mac OS on my Mac mini m1 chip.

Since I never experienced anything like that on either printers in 13 years on macs or pcs, I think all of it is due to software glitch with that new driver.

All in all, it is not a significant issue in my case and I am very happy and feel lucky that I can print and linearize with the up to date os and new computers.

This latest Mac driver was designed to work with several legacy Z printers so it well be something screwy there with you too.

It was a good sign that they even gave you any tech support since these have been totally discontinued.

John



         I have a 4 year old 44" Z3200 PS I am quite aware that these printers can be troublesome, but when they work there isn't a better fine art printer. Last November the yellow channel started to act up and drop out at times. A cleaning solved the problem , but I purchased a new Magenta Yellow head. The old head needed more and more cleanings so I decided it was time for the new head. When I installed the new head and closed the cover......it moved over the service station then came back out and said "re-seat Head".  I tied this a few times cleaning all contacts but still the same result.
        I contacted HP and they said they would send me a new head. It arrived and I proceeded to try and install the replacement head. Same result as the 1st new head. What I should mention is I can install the old head that had yellow problems and it initializes right away no problem and I can print.
        I contacted HP again and they connected me with tech support. We were on the phone trying different things for 2 and 1/2 hours. We updated firmware, cleaned contacts, replaced to head multiple times and shutdown and restarted the printer many times. Inserted the original head a few times and each time it proceeded without a problem. But every time we tried a new head it would move in over the service station, come back out and say re-seat head. The tech said he was baffled and I may have just received two bad heads. He said that he would send out another new head. I tried to install the 3rd new head.....but same problem ! It won't move past the same point and keeps saying to re-seat head. 
       At this point I'm more frustrated then I have ever been with this printer. I can still print Black and whites, but with out a properly working yellow channel color prints are out. Does anyone have any idea what could possibly be going on ? Any help or ideas will be greatly appreciated.   
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Lewando_Images

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Re: Z3200PS won't allow me to replace head
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2022, 04:51:20 pm »

        Thank you both for your replies. When I install the new head and it asks me to re-seat it I can't turn the machine off.......it won't let you do anything actually. But I have tried pulling the plug to turn it off. Then plug it back in, turn it on and it goes through it's start up routine. But then it goes to "re-seat Magenta Yellow head" and you can't get by it. What is really weird is I can put the old head that is having problems with the yellow channel and it accepts the old head no problem. One time it said re-seat head for the old one.......but I re-seated it and then it worked fine.
        I have a show coming up and I have to make some Black and White prints (going to just have to forget about more color prints for this show). It still does B&W fine with the old head and I'm worried about it not accepting the old head......then I can't print at all. So once I get enough done for this show I will go back to trying to get a new head installed.
        Does anyone know if the process that Mark uses for pulling all the heads and starting over again is explained anywhere ?
        Well thanks again for all your help.......maybe Mark will show up with some advise.......I'll let you know if I find any solution. Or where I end up.
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Peter LeWando

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Re: Z3200PS won't allow me to replace head
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2022, 07:35:19 am »

     ..
        Does anyone know if the process that Mark uses for pulling all the heads and starting over again is explained anywhere ?
...
the printer is not that delicate..

i would just go to -  replace printheads.

pull all the printheads out...
check if the contacts are dirty - if so clean them... ( on printhead and carriage)
close without printheads.. let it do its routine.. .
put the printer out on top. and then put the printer out on the rear. ( also if top does not work)
pull the plug..
get all the ink out... let it rest some time ( day) then start up ( rear on button) with nothing in it and do what the printer ask you.. use the new Y/M print head...

cheers!

PK



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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200PS won't allow me to replace head
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2022, 04:35:49 pm »

Z3200 mark ( ithink ) would  say : get all ink and inkheads  out; the power off  and at the rear...unplug the cord...
then startup ilke new and try again...
maybe it works...

Yep.
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Mark Lindquist
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200PS won't allow me to replace head
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2022, 04:55:24 pm »

the printer is not that delicate..

i would just go to -  replace printheads.

pull all the printheads out...
check if the contacts are dirty - if so clean them... ( on printhead and carriage)
close without printheads.. let it do its routine.. .
put the printer out on top. and then put the printer out on the rear. ( also if top does not work)
pull the plug..
get all the ink out... let it rest some time ( day) then start up ( rear on button) with nothing in it and do what the printer ask you.. use the new Y/M print head...

cheers!

PK


Just Pull the plug in back. Turn the on/off button to off.
Plug it in, and as the carriage moves toward center, quickly unplug.
Move the carriage to the printhead replacement position on the right.
Pull ALL printheads and put them in a big plastic bag.
Pull all the carts - put them in a big plastic bag.
Shake both bags vigorously.
Let printer sit unplugged overnight.
Plug in printer next day turn printer on from back using on/off switch.
Wait for it to ask for the ink carts.
Plug them in one by one and wait for beep - go on to next.
Wait for printer to ask for printheads.
One by one replace.
See if you can get through the sequence. If the yellow says "no go" keep replacing with all the yellow printheads you have.

Hate to say it, but if it doesn't work, do it again the next few days, same routine, up to three times.
If no luck by that time, call support again and tell them to keep figuring it out.

PAIN IN THE ASS.  But well worth it if/when you get it back running.

I won't tell you it's maybe a print mech board because that leads to spending a lot of money and pain.

Look for one that's running if you've reached your last straw.

Mark

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Mark Lindquist
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Lewando_Images

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Re: Z3200PS won't allow me to replace head
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2022, 01:55:59 pm »

      Thanks so much for your advise.....I really appreciate all the information you make available for Z3200 users. Your experience and knowledge with these printers is very valuable to us and thank you for taking the time to reply. Thank you to everyone else that replied with advise. These Z3200's are amazing printers when they work. I have used the other two printer brands and much prefer the output of the old Z.
      I'm headed off to two shows back to back and have a break the beginning of June......I will go back to trying to get the Z working properly then. I was able to print a large portion of what I needed for these shows.....luckily I've been leaning to mostly Black and Whites these days. The Z still works perfectly for B&W's and I still had enough color prints in inventory to get by.
       Thanks again.....this is a great forum ! 
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Peter LeWando

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Re: Z3200PS won't allow me to replace head
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2022, 12:07:04 am »

For what it's worth, I had a very similar problem with one of my z3200s a few months ago which I've not been able to resolve. The only difference is that it won't accept any printhead, not even the original one. I bought an entire set of new heads and inks, endless restarts and resets and it still didn't work. LPS suggested I try to prime the heads with a syringe which didn't solve it either. HP service made a few suggestions but then wanted me to pay for a service call which I declined. It's the only issue I've never been able to solve with these on my own and with the help of this forum. If you happen to find a solution please report back and good luck!
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2 x HP Z3200, Canon 4100, Epson p-800
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