EPSON 9800 PRINTHEAD CLOGGED (WHAT ELSE IS NEW? HA, HA...)

1

Hello everyone I am new here and I am sure there have been plenty of discussions here about this topic (I scanned through them) without sounding pompous, I would like to point out that I have been in the business for quite a while and that all the answers I have seen here, on YouTube, etc. I am already aware of and have already “been there and done that”. At some points some of those solutions have worked…and no there is nothing wrong with the printhead other than not having been used for a while. Never mind how long…I made it work previously. I am looking for good technical advice and have already seen all the InkjetMall videos related to the problem and have learned how to apply those procedures. What is my question then?..

Well, first of all to ask you all respectfully, not to rehash old solutions already mention in this forum about this subject or to suggest I call a technician. Been there done that + it costs over $1K just to travel to my location as I am in a rural area + there is no way I am shipping this monster for repair or buying a new one. I have already ordered a printhead in the past and have installed it and maintained successfully. I know about temperature, humidity, etc. That is why I took the time to explain about me being in business for a while without sounding pompous or dismissive so please respect that. I am looking for a non-futile discussion without offending anyone as I may be able to repay the favor by helping you with some of solid, practical advice from problems I have already encountered and solved. So please, don’t tell me if “I have done a nozzle check or if my printer is plugged in!” ha, ha…

I can’t explain it enough to make you see that I am going through a very stressful time with a deadline looming and that a frank, concise advice would be most appreciated. Even if I order the printhead it will be too long to get it from China before my deadline.

I have also researched the flushing of the printer by getting a whole new set of cartridges and filling them with cleaner and therefore “print my way out this problem without doing head cleanings” but, that is also out of the equation as besides being costly (220 ml cartridges, cleaner for the cartridges, more ink for the wasted ink that was in the lines, time, blown deadline) better at this point to order the printhead from China.

Now, you see that “I have been there and done that” + I have thought this trough. That is why I beg you to understand why I explained all this at great length to avoid opening a Pandora’s box of “Unusable, although well meaning advice”.

Thank you so much for understanding!

Merry Christmas and a Happy NON CLOGGED New Year to all!!!

Hugo Prado


(715) 580-0404

2

There are multiple ways a printhead can either get clogged or appear clogged and you have listed exactly zero pieces of information related to that. So respectfully, if you want to have an honest discussion here you need to provide some relevant detail to this complex (and very old model) machine.

  1. How long have you had it? How many owners if you go it used?
  2. How many print heads have you used?
  3. What ink do you have?
  4. How old is the ink?
  5. How old are the dampers? (they need to be replaced every 2 yrs).
  6. How dry is your work space? (35-55 RH is required. Anything under 35% will kill your printer, non-negotiable)
  7. What is your repair history (sans print-heads)?
  8. What type of media to your print and how flaky is it?
  9. What is your normal per-month sq/footage? What is the mileage on this printer.

The 9800 is now simply dying of old age. Unless replaced, the peristaltic pump in the vacuum cleaner is by now mostly worn out. The ink pressure pump is also going. The flush box plate should have been replaced 4 yrs ago if it is the original. The wiper blade should be the 6th one put into the body.

So again, be respectful of our time and knowledge by giving us some information we can work with.

China heads are simply reconditioned (hint, flushed) and will often go bad in a month or less by the way . . . take if from someone who has gone to China and met with these suppliers first hand.

-Walker

3

Um … what was the question?

4

Never mind. Thank you. No need to respond.