Topic: what can I do with a Z3100PS GP ? (Read 15265 times)

Endeavour · « **on:** July 17, 2025, 03:27:13 pm »

I have a working Z3100 (regular model)

I have been given a z3100ps GP for free.

Its super clean inside, looks like it had very limited use. Sadly though, its been sat for a long time and everything is a bit dried up. I can see when removing the printheads the connectors are all gunged up with ink.
Printer keeps moaning about replacing printheads

I cant afford to replace all the print heads, and 5 or 6 of the inks, so I am planning on stripping it down and maybe grabbing any bits from it which are in better condition than my original (thinking particularly the service station, mine's a real mess)

Or is it worth trying to clean it all up. and maybe transferring my printheads over? I am reluctant to introduce gunky ink into my working printheads, potentially leaving me with two non working printers.
How feasible is it to clean out all the lines?

Kyle Jackson · « **Reply #1 on:** July 19, 2025, 09:46:39 am »

Hi, if maintaining both isn't an option, I'd switch to the PS model. It enables** quite a few features that the non-PS doesn't, particularly in the Embedded Web Server. Things like onboard job queue and storage, consumables accounting, etc. Plus you get full gigabit ethernet connection instead of only 100 Mbit.

(** I say enables because the non-PS model simply disables those features by firmware, and cloning a PS drive into a non-PS model unlocks them.)

Not sure what you mean by introducing gunky ink into printheads. The ink in printer lines, cartridges, and heads is generally fine -- it's very stable with excellent life (I'm still using 15+ yr old ink!). Ink crud on external surfaces is easily cleaned off. So it's easy to clean the printheads, the printhead contacts in the carriage, and any "dirty" spots on the carriage itself and around the service station (the latter more easily done with the right side cover removed).

To get the "new" PS model going I'd clean it up, and make sure the belt looks okay (replace if not). Then install the fullest ink carts I have (ideally 80%+ for all 12). Use a purge kit syringe to remove any air bubbles from the printer ink tubes. Weigh all the heads to check for air (60g is full) and purge and re-prime them as needed (use the same ink pulled from the printer tubes). Then fire it up, run the usual checks, do a purge plot if you want. May need to run printhead cleaning a few times if they're spotty on the diag plot. Then cal, profile, and start printing!

Endeavour · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2025, 02:44:16 pm »

thanks, appreciate the response

I took a closer look. And the belt was shredded. So I replaced that yesterday.

I've been purging the ink lines of air, or at least I have successfully been drawing out ink with no airbubbles from the printhead connection point. And cleaned everything up.

Whilst I wait for a new green ink cartridge to turn up, I weighed all the printheads:

the lightest is 52g, heaviest 58g. other 4 are 56g

Does this seem likely to have air? if so, is how are they purged?

Endeavour · « **Reply #3 on:** July 19, 2025, 04:00:50 pm »

ahh seems I need to buy a kit for priming the printheads after they've been purged

Kyle Jackson · « **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2025, 04:24:50 pm »

I saw a company selling purge kits say anything below 57g should be re-primed, but that may be really conservative. The 58g is okay, I'd prime the 52g. The 56g are probably okay for now but might need it eventually so check them maybe 1~2 times a year.

An empty head weighs about 44g so there's only 16g of ink total, about 8g per colour. But we can't see how much of each colour is missing, and sometimes it's mostly just one colour. So when a head gets down to around 52g, it could be a single colour missing all 8g and running dry and having ink delivery issues, and risk of burning out the head.

Yeah LPS and others online sell the priming kits. (LPS includes a cleaning solution but personally I prefer to avoid putting anything other than ink in the heads.) So I just get a kit with the funnel, nozzle cap, and suction syringe, plus the separate syringe to pull ink from the printer tubes (sounds like you already have that). Note there are 2 styles of nozzles cap and the newer/preferred one only pulls from a single colour at a time. Pics here: https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=141083.msg1260281#msg1260281

Endeavour · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2025, 04:58:09 pm »

Cheers
Getting stuff from LPS is expensive for us up here in Canada

Kyle Jackson · « **Reply #6 on:** July 19, 2025, 09:05:25 pm »

Yeah I been burned there too. They use UPS but a crappy option that doesn't include brokerage. I buy there sparingly because of that.

I bought mine from this place in Canada https://www.inkowl.com/inkjet/ink-refill-tools/hp/printhead-repair-tool-for-hp-70-72-73-88-91-761-762-771-773-774-940/P5035/
Problem is the nozzle cap is the dual-side version not the single-side, so end up using a lot more ink (at least the version I received in early 2024 was). But there's single-side versions out there, some might be mentioned in this thread:
https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=141083.40

Endeavour · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2025, 05:19:32 pm »

thanks for your suggestions, I got the dual side kit, and pretty much have the printer back to life

Printheads are all doing ok - but I noticed when priming, that the MK ink isnt being drawn through to the printhead. The cartridge is full (and I can extract ink directly from the cartridge) but when removing the printhead, I cant draw any blank in through the line.
annoyingly I'd just got the printer all bolted back together again after the belt change

Kyle Jackson · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2025, 09:48:39 am »

Quote from: Endeavour on July 30, 2025, 05:19:32 pm

thanks for your suggestions, I got the dual side kit, and pretty much have the printer back to life

Printheads are all doing ok - but I noticed when priming, that the MK ink isnt being drawn through to the printhead. The cartridge is full (and I can extract ink directly from the cartridge) but when removing the printhead, I cant draw any blank in through the line.
annoyingly I'd just got the printer all bolted back together again after the belt change

Hey congrats on getting it running again!! Now you have 2 and can race 'em

Ok so you mean when you try to draw ink/air from the tubes in the printer, nothing is coming out? I've had similar at times. Sometimes the suction on the syringe feels very high and then something "pops" and the ink starts flowing. So I wondered if we're actually fighting a checkvalve somewhere that is intended to prevent ink flowing when the printer is off. A while back I did some researching about the bongo pump/valve system in the printhead but tbh by now I completely forget what I found... There's a thread on here somewhere discussing it, with some photos showing the inside of the ink cartridges.

Anyhow if you're encountering similar with the high suction and nothing coming into the syringe, it could be similar case and just need to keep trying?

Edit: I also wonder if it could be the syringe tip getting blocked depending on how we hold it. Despite the design with the side hole in the needle tip, if that's pressing against the seal area somehow then maybe it's being blocked. Try rotating the syringe or maybe a slight angle (or not angle) to see if there's a position where it draws easier.

Endeavour · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2025, 11:29:11 am »

yeah, there's a lot of suction pressure, and the tiniest amount of ink bubble comes through
I hate taking the printhead carriage out - I always forget about the little height sensor clip and of course it snaps when pushing the carriage back onto the rails

Kyle Jackson · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2025, 11:35:48 am »

Why are you taking the carriage out? I mean it's not required for just pulling air from the ink lines. Did something else need repairing? I've only taken it out to replace the belt.

Endeavour · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2025, 11:44:55 am »

only because the line feeds into it

I should probably try the other end first eh?

how easy is it to get at the line under the cartridge block? i recall it being a big block of gears and leavers with the lines hidden inside

Kyle Jackson · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2025, 12:33:19 pm »

Ahhh ok I'm totally lost what you're doing now lol... Probably better to explain from the top again what you're working on. I thought you were just purging air from the ink tubes in the printer and purging/priming the printheads, but it sounds like you're working on other things?

Endeavour · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2025, 02:31:45 pm »

No, all the printheads were removed, primed and replaced and a calibration/alignment was done - everything was working ok

then I did a diagnostic print, and noticed the black was faint. So I removed the red/black printhead and tested with a syringe getting ink. Whilst I could easily draw red ink from the red printhead port, I couldn't get any black. its a full cartridge so I know thats not the issue

So there is some clog/blockage between the ink cartridge and the printhead port in the supply line

Kyle Jackson · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2025, 03:24:21 pm »

Ah ok I get ya now. And trying the syringe tip in different positions/angles doesn't help? And making sure the check valve ball under the needle tip is pushed down when drawing?

Well if there is a clog in the line somehow my guess is it would be right at the carriage end where there might have been some air ingress over time. Anything upstream of that should still be completely liquid the whole way back to the ink cartridge. You can probably see some of that tube in the printer, and maybe even squeeze it to see if it changes anything.

At most you could remove the top of the carriage that has the ink tube connections, but I would think no need to remove the entire carriage itself from the printer.

Endeavour · « **Reply #15 on:** July 31, 2025, 06:22:06 pm »

oh, whats the check valve ball ?

Kyle Jackson · « **Reply #16 on:** July 31, 2025, 08:24:29 pm »

As I understand it there are check valves in each tube where the printheads insert, basically a spring-loaded ball bearing. The pin in the printhead pushes down on it to allow ink to flow into the head. When the heads are removed the spring pushes the ball up to seal off the line.

So when the syringe is inserted it's pushing down on the ball. That's also why there is a side hole on the needle tip because otherwise the tip would just seal against the ball. So really it's drawing the air/ink in thru that side hole on the needle tip.

Anyhow I'm just speculating that the needle hole might by blocked depending on how we hold it, making it harder to draw anything from the line. Or could still be a legit blockage.

Does that MK-R head work ok in the other printer? Might help narrow down whether it's the head or the ink tube.

Endeavour · « **Reply #17 on:** August 01, 2025, 10:10:24 am »

ah so taking the printhead carriage doesnt require removing the whole thing, the supply line part can be lifted out leaving the main carriage assembly left in place

So now I have both ends free for inspection of the lines and connections to the needles/ports. It appears that the are not designed to be removed? I was hoping to disconnect the tube and determine if the blockage (if there is one) is in the tube, the needle or the port. But I dont know if the tubes can come off and be re-attached. For something like this I would imagine trying to heat with hot water on the tube to expand it a little but I dont want to force it.

Looking at replacement supply line parts, its the entire assembly, with tubes, needles/nozzle ports etc all pre-connected

Kyle Jackson · « **Reply #18 on:** August 01, 2025, 01:38:33 pm »

Yup the top of the carriage is held on with a few screws I think. The belt replacement video on LPS website shows removing it (as one of the steps to eventually remove the entire carriage).

I've never worked on the ink supply tubes, but assume the service manual has something on them. Wouldn't surprise me tho if it's an entire assembly like you said instead of just the tubes.

Silly question, is the MK ink cartridge low?

Endeavour · « **Reply #19 on:** August 01, 2025, 01:45:58 pm »

well I cleaned up the supply station, reseated all the needles in the caps with springs and put everything back together again - and it started drawing through the MK ink fine.

Did a bunch of printhead cleaning cycles, aligning and diagnostic prints, and everything is now looking pretty good. All my printheads are at 60g or very close to it, and prints seem to be alright.

So I just want to say a huge thank you Kyle, you've been an immense help, and I really appreciate the advice & suggestions

Author Topic: what can I do with a Z3100PS GP ? (Read 15265 times)