resolving Epson head clog permanently

[alifatemi]

Since I kept the humidity of my studio around 50% since last month, clogging problem has reduced dramatically,  and I am very happy with my 11880. no banding or other problems here anymore. sometimes even after not printing for 3 days, have no clogging even with out dated inks!  I need more time to confirm it for sure but so far so good.

[dgberg]

OK, here goes. I posted this response to a similar thread a few months ago:

"We are a small Epson dealer in Pittsburgh, PA - we generally sell to end-users within our geographic area. I won't share total sales stats, but I will say that as far as I know from our experiences with our customers, we have had less than a 5 percent print head failure rate with the 79/ 9900 series printers that we have sold (in and out of warranty). One of them was one of our demo units (about 2 1/2 years ago) - it was used very infrequently, and the other was with a customer's printer* - the printer's head was damaged from a repeated head crash on a torn piece of heavy weight paper (the printer was running unattended)."

Threads like this really bother me - I talked to my Epson sales rep who just returned from a sales meeting in California. One of the topics that they covered was the reliability of the printers - and, based on their service records, they have about a 3 percent failure rate due to manufacturing problems. Epson's overall experience very closely matches our experience with these printers.

There are environmental conditions that will definitely cause problems, and there are operator errors that will cause problems as well. No specifics were given for the conditions under which this printer operated. It could have been abused (it definitely was at the end of the video), it could have been in a non-recommended environment, it could have been left to sit for long periods without recommended maintenance, or the problem could have been as simple as a bad capping station or a bad damper.

And, I guess that this is a problem with the internet in general, people who may or may not know what they are talking about become experts. And, people who may or may not realize this listen to their opinions and follow their advice. And, based on our knowledge and experience, I would be very reluctant to listen to a lot of the advice presented in this thread.

Tony

*our customer who had the 9900 with the head crash sold his printer for $1,000.00. Maybe the guy who smashed his printer could have done the same and donated the $1,000 to a charity. I guess that the video wouldn't have been as entertaining...

 

"or the problem could have been as simple as a bad capping station or a bad damper"

That is just a simple $1500 or $2,000 fix from Decision One!

[Paul Ozzello]

Threads like this really bother me - I talked to my Epson sales rep who just returned from a sales meeting in California. One of the topics that they covered was the reliability of the printers - and, based on their service records, they have about a 3 percent failure rate due to manufacturing problems. Epson's overall experience very closely matches our experience with these printers.

You bother me.

I bought a 9890 NEW in November and I haven't gone through one printing session without some sort of clogging issue. I keep the printer on all the time, and humidity is ~55%. Now I've wasted the last 3 hours trying to unclog the CYAN channel, can't. And I have prints to deliver this afternoon.

These EPSON printers are COMPLETE PIECES OF SHIT and I regret not getting a Canon or HP.

Tell your __________ rep to get a clue - most other users experiences I'm sure more closely resemble my own.

"they have about a 3 percent failure rate due to manufacturing problems. Epson's overall experience very closely matches our experience with these printers"

BULLSHIT.

As much as I hate frivolous lawsuits someone should start a class action lawsuit against Epson !!!!!!!!!!!!

[HKYcountry]

After everything I have read (not a single forum without complaints about Epson), the responses to my own threads and that I recently found out that some of the print shops I have been researching replaced their Epson fleets (ie 4+ printers) with Canon's has really helped me make my decision.

The 3% failure rate figure sounds like it's based on a technicality/semantics. Meaning Epson doesn't recognize the clogging, ink pump and print head issues as a "manufacturing" issue. Which concerns me, because IF I had bought one, at what point during my warranty (1yr or extended) would Epson turn around and tell me this isn't covered...or only part of the repair is covered because they deem this to be more "user" error than anything else.

So Tony "TASTAR", I would be interested in you going back to your "rep" and asking him what the rate is of customer complaints about printhead clogs or other related issues. Not Epson deemed "manufacturing" defects (3%)....but how about the number of service calls (even in just the last year) for printhead issues. I think that would be a much more interesting number.

[JimGoshorn]

The count of service calls will probably still be inaccurate for your question because how many people call and find out they need a printhead and just decide to replace the printer…

Jim

[HKYcountry]

The count of service calls will probably still be inaccurate for your question because how many people call and find out they need a printhead and just decide to replace the printer…

Jim

Very true, but it would still be more accurate than the 3% being touted by sales reps.

[BrianWJH]

I bought a 9890 NEW in November and I haven't gone through one printing session without some sort of clogging issue.

You may be in the 3% category, given the conditions under which the printer operates you shouldn't be having clogs every time you print, it should be covered under the initial 12 month Epson warranty so get Epson to make a service call and check it out.

Brian.

[alifatemi]

You bother me.

I bought a 9890 NEW in November and I haven't gone through one printing session without some sort of clogging issue. I keep the printer on all the time, and humidity is ~55%. Now I've wasted the last 3 hours trying to unclog the CYAN channel, can't. And I have prints to deliver this afternoon.

These EPSON printers are COMPLETE PIECES OF SHIT and I regret not getting a Canon or HP.

Tell your __________ rep to get a clue - most other users experiences I'm sure more closely resemble my own.

"they have about a 3 percent failure rate due to manufacturing problems. Epson's overall experience very closely matches our experience with these printers"

BULLSHIT.

As much as I hate frivolous lawsuits someone should start a class action lawsuit against Epson !!!!!!!!!!!!

Why you keep your printer on all the time? Is it any benefit in it?

[HKYcountry]

It's supposed to keep the inks agitated and the print head from drying out

[Jeremy Roussak]

You bother me.

I bought a 9890 NEW in November and I haven't gone through one printing session without some sort of clogging issue. I keep the printer on all the time, and humidity is ~55%. Now I've wasted the last 3 hours trying to unclog the CYAN channel, can't. And I have prints to deliver this afternoon.

These EPSON printers are COMPLETE PIECES OF SHIT and I regret not getting a Canon or HP.

Tell your __________ rep to get a clue - most other users experiences I'm sure more closely resemble my own.

"they have about a 3 percent failure rate due to manufacturing problems. Epson's overall experience very closely matches our experience with these printers"

BULLSHIT.

As much as I hate frivolous lawsuits someone should start a class action lawsuit against Epson !!!!!!!!!!!!

The lack of numeracy displayed by this post, the willingness to extrapolate from a single, personal bad experience to the universal and the wilful blindness to the simple fact that large numbers of prints are produced from large numbers of Epson printers is really quite staggering.

Jeremy

[tastar]

Re. Dan Berg's post above:

97.10: list price for damper assembly (US $)
239.40: list price for capping station
14.99: list price for wiper
351.49: total cost of parts
250.00: 2 hours of labor (I don't know what Decision One's labor rate is)
601.49: total coat of damper, capping station and wiper replacement

Re. everyone else's comments: we work with photographers, offset printers, screen printers, and graphic design firms every day. We see lots of Epson printers, some that we have sold, others that we haven't. Our experience, and our observations of Epson printers in general, matches Epson's experience - there is a very low failure rate (printers running non-Epson inks (sublimation or third party inks) are not included in this statement!), and they are very reliable printers.

Tony

[BobDavid]

Decision One is the killer. I remember the days when a TV man had to come to the house to fix the big Philco two or three times a year. There were dozens of TV repairmen listed in the Yellow Pages. They did not charge the 1962 equivalent of $300 just to cross the threshold into a customer's home.

I recently sold my four-year old 9900 for $125. I didn't want to pay $2K to replace the head. I paid $2K for a new 7890 instead. My days of 40" wide printing are behind me, and I am happy to have more breathing room in my office. When the 7890 blows up, if it is out of warranty, I'll probably replace it with something else.

It's a good idea to change the wiper blade once a year. It is also a good idea to shut the printer off when it is not in use. I have my printer plugged into a UPS, being in Florida the humidity issue is moot. I highly advise running at least a nozzle check every day. More than anything else, these printers like to be used on a daily basis.

There is a great thread about taking a 7900 apart on this forum. It took me a day to read the entire thread. One thing that I learned from reading it is that cleaning cycles are destructive to the print head. I've opted to limit my MK printing to a few times a year, as the printer will go into a cleaning cycle to rid the line of MK for PK and vice-versa.

Since following these procedures, I've only had one cleaning cycle over the past five months--and that was due to the MK/PK swap.

[jferrari]

The 9900, same as 11880 or any other of this series; is a water-based die ink system. This system is air tight except at 2 end points; the receptacles at the ink cartridge connection, and the print head. When the print head is capped on the pump cap feet and sitting idle, there is still a pocket of air at that connection. Water evaporates. And leaves behind the dye. The print head also collects dust and debris from the media through a static attraction as the platen runs across the paper.

Over time - the drying ink caked with dust and paper particles continue to build and collect until you end up with a gooey, thick syrup kind of resin. This builds on the print head platen, carriage, wiper blades, flushing box, rubber feet on pump cap, etc. it can sometimes even bridge between the carriage assy and a random edge around the printer's feed platen.

Floating nozzle checks indicate several things; most common of which is the wiper blades / print head platen are caked with ink (or air in lines). Instead of cleaning the print head during regular power cleanings,  the wipers are just smearing the goo from one area to another. Static nozzle checks are more concerning as the debris on print head are either more solidified or have worked their way into the injection ports.

Resolve head clog permanently? Keep everything that touches the print head clean with routine, preventative maintenance, and keep ink flowing through the system instead of sitting idle for extended periods - run nozzle check/power clean minimum if not used. These machines are designed to be ran and are workhorses in production houses. Try to avoid media that releases a ton of particles in the printer, if possible... I wouldn't say this is permanent, a tiny head crash can zap a channel if the media hits a sweet spot. But you'll certainly get a lot more life out of your machine.

Another tip, don't put the printer under the air conditioner / heater vents! Not only is it bad for your media, but rains humidity and dry spells on your machine.
Hope this helps, probably stuff that's already been said anyway

good luck

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner!!!! This post should be a sticky for anyone with an Epson LFP. The only change or addition I would make is that the ink is pigment not dye. Think latex paint - a pigment suspended  in a vehicle. The pigments have been ground by Epson (OEM inks) to fit through the filters in the damper unless the ink has started to thicken. Nice job Chris!

[prolamart]

I really liked the video!  Wish I could do that to mine, but I need it for my specific customer base!  My head is probably a victim of the humidity issue.  I have tried a number of things it is still dry as a bone where I am(kind of ironic as I live in Washington State, US).  Will continue trying a few other tricks I have learned of recently, but I gotta admit to another frustration... I cannot find a reliable place to purchase a 9900 head from.  I was technician in a former life and have serviced all manner of gear including inkjet printers of all sizes.  Anybody out there know of a reliable source where I may get one?  It appears that Epson has restricted access to this part!

Roger

[tsjanik]

I really liked the video!  Wish I could do that to mine, but I need it for my specific customer base!  My head is probably a victim of the humidity issue.  I have tried a number of things it is still dry as a bone where I am(kind of ironic as I live in Washington State, US).  Will continue trying a few other tricks I have learned of recently, but I gotta admit to another frustration... I cannot find a reliable place to purchase a 9900 head from.  I was technician in a former life and have serviced all manner of gear including inkjet printers of all sizes.  Anybody out there know of a reliable source where I may get one?  It appears that Epson has restricted access to this part!

Roger

Try here:

http://www.compassmicro.com/?gclid=CMee3LXSxb0CFTMV7AodkRIAUw

Also before replacing the head,try some of the cleaning solutions from 3rd parties, e.g., AIS ; it worked for my 4900.

Tom

[dgberg]

Re. Dan Berg's post above:

97.10: list price for damper assembly (US $)
239.40: list price for capping station
14.99: list price for wiper
351.49: total cost of parts
250.00: 2 hours of labor (I don't know what Decision One's labor rate is)
601.49: total coat of damper, capping station and wiper replacement

Re. everyone else's comments: we work with photographers, offset printers, screen printers, and graphic design firms every day. We see lots of Epson printers, some that we have sold, others that we haven't. Our experience, and our observations of Epson printers in general, matches Epson's experience - there is a very low failure rate (printers running non-Epson inks (sublimation or third party inks) are not included in this statement!), and they are very reliable printers.

Tony

Tony,
That is very resonable.
Decision One is who we are stuck with unless we want to pay you to come cross state or country.
I think the labor rate for Decision is $175.00 (A little steep for a $35.00 an hr. technician don't you think?)to come out plus a half days labor for that fix.
Still more then twice your estimate,crazy expensive.

To add a personal note. Since adding a humidifier my clogging issues with my 9900 have decreased by 75%
Thats major!