Could someone help diagnose nozzle check please?

InkjetMall Customer Support Printer Maintenance & Cartridges
1

I ran a nozzle check on my 4880 this morning after three days out, and it showed a blocked nozzle (LLK) and some gaps, so I ran a cleaning cycle. Still showed some gaps, so ran a second cleaning cycle, and then a power clean when I still had some gaps.

After the power clean, the nozzle check showed this:

EDIT: Can’t get image to show up. Here’s a Dropbox link: Dropbox - File Deleted

I ran through the cleaning process that IJM recommends (paper towels, PiezoFlush, etc), with no apparent change to nozzle check.

Anybody have any guesses as to what may have caused this, and if it’s something I can fix? Or do I need a new printhead?

Thanks.

-Mike

1 Like
2

The middle and delayed fire indicate a shorted out contact inside of the head where the ribbon cable connects to the internal electronics of the head. I’ve seen this all to often with Epsons . . .

All other channels are working and this is using a classic K7 ink set, this printer could be easily turned into a K6 printer . . .

-Walker

3

Thanks Walker.

I’m already running it P2, which means I have to give up one of my blacks. I want to keep PK for DN, which is unfortunately the bad channel, so I need to move it over to the MK slot. How much “rinsing” of the MK channel do I have to do before I install the PK?

-Mike

4

Switch chips on your cartridge and just put the PK in there. Run purge sheets (about 15) and you should be good.

best,
Walker

5

Thanks Waker.

Anything I should do (or not do) to keep it from shorting in other channels?

-Mike

6

On the 48xx printers there are no channel pairs so you really don’t run the risk of shorting.

You’ll be ok I think.

-Walker

7

As a side note, if you have GO in your LLK channel you could put MK in there and then just hand-spraygloss your glossy prints with Hahnemuhle Archival spray . . . It would take some re-mapping of the curves but this would let you continue with K6 and MK/PK.

8

Good idea, thanks, I’ll probably do that.

9

Walker-

How will removing GO affect my DN negatives? I know I’ll have to zero out the LLK in the DN curves, but other than making them a little less durable, will I need to reprofile?

Thanks.

-Mike

10

It will not effect them. Really the GO is there to harden the negs if you are doing an edition of prints more than 3 or 4 prints per neg.

best,
Walker