9890 LK Nozzle Woes

InkjetMall Customer Support Printer Maintenance & Cartridges
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1

Hello,

I’m posting on my personal account for Latitude Chicago, as we’re in the process of getting activated to post.

On Saturday a client was printing some 24x36ish mural prints. She notified me after two prints had gone visibly lighter.

[ul]
[li]I suspected a cart had gone dry so did a nozzle check. Half of the pattern was gone on the LK nozzle, and the cart itself was really dry (the cart is an older refillable IJM cart with a bladder in it).
[/li][li]Refilled the cart and reset the chip.
[/li][li]Printed a nozzle check. LK channel gone.
[/li][li]Did a regular cleaning + printed nozzle check. LK still gone.
[/li][li]Called Lab Manager and explained chain of events. He advised a power cleaning. Did power cleaning.
[/li][li]Nozzle check revealed a few nozzles on top were returned.
[/li][li]Called Lab Manager again. He advised letting printer sit so that ink settles into line and head.
[/li][li]Printer sat for a day and a half until Monday AM.
[/li][li]Monday AM nozzle checks + one cleaning attached.
[/li][/ul]

Any course of action worth trying? Initial Fill?

Incidentally, saw this post from Walker on Epson Wide Format group this morning, would any of this apply to us or is it too late?

[I]When nozzles start failing after a nozzle clean it could mean a few things. Here’s the rough sequence in order for check.

  1. Cruddy cleaning assembly (flushing box, capping) that is letting air stream across the head during the vacuum. (most often seen as a full channel drop after cleaning in the x900s).
  2. Dirty wiper that is actually plugging the nozzles after a clean. (random nozzles clogging after a clean)
  3. Crud is is straight-up dried onto the head (usually not a factor).
  4. Dampers screen are full of crap (happens w/ OEM and non-OEM).
  5. Head Manifold is full of crap.
  6. Piezo actuators are plugged (semi permanent nozzle death where you see 1/2 deflected fire of a nozzle every once and awhile).
  7. Piezos are burned out or TFT film is separated (permanent nozzle death usually starting in the middle of the print-head and working it’s way outwards accosted with a delayed fired at the very beginning pre-burnout.)[/I]

Annotated image attached in-line below.


Thanks for any advice and help!

Andrew @ LATITUDE | Chicago

2

You have back-pressure in your LK damper.

You need to boot into maintenance mode and do a CL3 cleaning on the LK/PK channel pair to re-prime the O-rings.

CL3 is quite a bit stronger than a Power clean fyi. If this doesn’t work do a CL4 (which is basically the same as an init-fill of that channel pair).

best and hello to the peeps in Chitown,
Walker

3

Also, make sure you re-prime the cartridge well. There is most likely air in the ink outlet.

-W

4

Thanks for the advice!

There was definitely air in the lines, as I could see it.
[ul]
[li]
[/li][li]Did a CL3 on LK/PK, with change in pattern (see below), but not improvement per se. (There were still air pockets at this point).
[/li][li]Did a CL4 on LK/PK, and LK was completely gone again.
[/li][/ul]
Don’t want to do any more cleanings if they’re going to do harm, and am hoping for the best here! JP says hi!

Andrew


5

By the way, the bubbles that were visible have cleared up after I did the CL4, so that is good!

6

I think the cartridge is fragged.

Do you have a backup cart?

I suggest using that and doing init-fill.

-Walker

7

We do have a backup. We also have an extra ink selector unit and pump/cap.

We’ll try this first. If it doesn’t work is there any evidence that replacing the above parts are worth trying?

  • Andrew
8

Try ink cartridge first as this was the thing that went dry. There is probably a big’old air lock near the ink selector though.

W

9

That worked the magic and we’re back to happily printing. Thanks and, whew what a relief!

There’s another older bladder cart in the same printer, would you recommend replacing it immediately or just let it be for now?

Andrew

10

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

best,
Walker

11

Well, LK is dropping out again, about 1/4 on the bottom part of the nozzle check. Printing through the week has gone fine as far as I know. It shifts slightly in successive nozzle checks. New cart is installed. One paired power cleaning was run this morning. I was not present for any of this, but wondering if we should try another of the CL cleanings (more air or pressure problems)? Or is it time to try another strategy?