4900 Clog after good PiezoFlush nozzle check

InkjetMall Customer Support Printer Maintenance & Cartridges
1

Hi,
I bought a used 4900 and used PiezoFlush to purge and clean/store. After a couple years I nozzle checked and needed to do a couple cleanings but got good pattern with PF after doing initial fill again. I installed IJM refillable carts with Cone inks.
Frustratingly I have not the best pattern on home side and, at first, no pattern shows at all on the Full (L) side despite multiple ini charges on L and a couple on R (or together) with utility program, and several cleanings. All Inks on the Full side came back after cleanings and initial charge (oddly, i got the best check after accidentally selecting eject inks) but soon the orange dropped out and now i can only get 10% ink pattern on test. All the inks on the Home side now show 90-95 good check on each color but clogs will not improve.

Any thoughts? Tapped air? Change dampers?

Air (orange) plugs are removed and tanks were all primed. The ink lines across the front of the machine all look full of ink except the bottom (I assume air). The LCD reads the Left side carts as somewhat down from initial reading indicating it recognizes ink supply change.
Also, I did a Dana-Video inspired cleaning of wiper, docking station and Ink waste area along with shoe polish cleaning technique and overnight damp bounty towel. Humidity is good.
Argh?
Guy

2

How old are the IJM carts / ink? Was the IJM ink sitting in the IJM carts for that long?

Do you have LOT #s ?

Best,
Walker

3

Both excellent points,
Bought at the same time and shipped from IJM early sept/2014.
Carts for ink sat in original box and plastic bag untouched and filled just 10 days ago (or so).
Bottles sat in original unopened bottles, agitated well one day prior to filling carts and gently inverted just before filling.
Batch # on ink (LC for example) is: 131120

4

Are we done?
Any suggestions?

6

Thanx Walker,
Does that explain the Orange channel and BK, LBK, & C channels too?

5

Sorry for the late reply. Ok, so due to your purchase date (3+ years ago) and due to LC batch (131120) I can confirm that your ink is expired. Generally these inks go well beyond their expiration date (epson and conecolor both!) but Magenta is the one ink that does not want to sit around for years.

You need to PiezoFlush this channel and get another bottle (current lot is late 2017). Then your problems will be solved.

best regards,
Walker

7

Most likely. However, it’s always a gamble with this printer. The design is not the most stellar. 9 times out of 10, clogs that appear are more related to dampers and cleaning assembly than ink. The Magenta, yes. The rest of them? If the Flush was good, most likely.

-Walker