Purge channels and converting a 9800 to PiezoPro

Hello all. I have been trying to convert a 9800 from OEM inks to PiezoPro. I have made a number of mistakes and also run into a number challenges, the combination of which have left me running low on ink while yet to make a single print! The latest challenge was a persistent missing nozzle in the Yellow channel which only showed up when loaded with the WarmLight. It can be difficult to spot gaps in the Yellow nozzle check, I should have looked closer before converting. I was advised that even a single missing nozzle can have an effect so I decided to swap the WarmLight (loaded in Y) with the GO (loaded in LLK) and then remap the curves, hoping that the missing nozzle would be less of an issue in the GO. But physically swapping the inks has been A LOT more wasteful then expected. Swapped carts and started printing purge files. After a while the ‘new’ inks started coming through, but even after about 60x220cm (24x86inches?) there still appeared to be ‘contamination’ from the previously loaded inks.

It seems to me that the new ink takes a lot longer to dislodge residue in the dampers than PiezoFlush?

In the end a combination of purge files and a full power clean seemed to dislodge most of residue from the dampers. Flushing out a channel and damper takes A LOT of ink. If I had to do it again I would consider ordering new dampers and changing those out as soon as the lines were fill. Feels like it would work out cheaper.

Is there anyway to confirm that a new ink has fully flushed and is printing “uncontaminated”?
Is there a way of printing a purge file or test image and then reading the print with a spectro to confirm based on numbers if the channel is printing ‘pure’?

Thanks

Neil

Old printers (9800s are at least a decade old) should generally get flushed or at very least damper replacements as there is very old pigment in those filters. Yellow tends to be the hardest to get out, yes. PiezoFlush (when you let it sit in the dampers for 48hrs between cleanings) gets rid of this gunk and for older printer conversions can pay for itself.

In general we advice one replace the dampers every 2 years so if the dampers have never been replaced on this printer you may think about doing this in the near(ish) future. Clean dampers require much less ink to get rid of stain.

Old printers can be a pain to convert. I know this from personal experience having converted well over 7 9800 and 9880s over the years (before I worked here). But once they are converted they work pretty beautifully. They are very dependable printers all things considered.

best,
Walker

Thanks Walker!

Is there any way, other then to eyeball it, to confirm that a new ink has fully flushed a channel and is printing “uncontaminated”?

Cheers
Neil

Best way is to print using the neutral curve and eyeball from there.

Also, because the warm inks are in the warm (ish) channels and the cool inks in the cool channels you have a bit of wiggle room where you can print a bit warmer or a bit cooler as the inks ease into their true color.

best,
Walker