I have a 4900 with a partially clogged Vivid Magenta line. I bought a cleaning kit with one cart for VM. I’m confused at what needs to be done to clean the head. Wells suggested I install QTR software to clean the one line. However, I don’t think QTR works on a network printer. I can connect a Macbook Pro via USB and use QTR.
Will I need to connect to the Epson via USB to use QTR?
Elsewhere on this forum, I see that to use the cleaning kit I need to access the ink lines, dampers and head. I thought all that was needed to flush one line was to run the flush solution through the line. Have I misunderstood the procedures? Please clarify. Links to specific articles are much appreciated.
I see you purchased a 4900 VM position refill cart and PiezoFlush. You can use this cleaning cartridge to flush ink from your VM line and damper, and hope PiezoFlush can help clear the clog.
The print head cleaning kit is different from what you have- and meant to be used directly on the print head to help clear stubborn clogging in the print head it’s self. Most people try flushing the line with a cleaning cartridge, as you are doing, before dismantling the printer and cleaning further.
To flush your VM line and fill the channel with PiezoFlush, you have a few choices: 1. use QTR calibration mode to print from the VM channel to draw PiezoFlush thru the line until it reaches the print head, 2. Do several paired power clean cycles with the VM channel to fill the line with PiezoFlush, or 3. Do an initial fill cycle (which uses ink in all channels, so can be wasteful when trying to clean just one channel). I actually recommend the paired power clean cycles over printing, as cleaning sucks ink thru the head, and printing fires it thru using the piezoelectric crystals (which can wear out over time of use).
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have further questions, or there’s anything else I can help you with.
Best regards~ Dana
I have the exact same clogging problem with 4900 - same color every time (VM). Usually I have been able to get it ok after some cleaning cycles, but a day or two without printing then it is clogged again.
Now I am not able to get it to work at all using cleaning. I also tried to wash the cap station and scrub the heads with Piezoflush - without any improvement.
So I guess the next thing will be to flush the print head using PiezoFlush(?)
I have been searching through your forum for description on how to do this - there seems to be several options - three of them you describe above and from reading other posts I understand
that initial fill is the recommended method(?)
You can not flush a single position on the 4900. The only mechanism to move the ink out and PiezoFlush in is by using our recommendation of the INITIAL INK CHARGE. You would have to remove the print head in order to clean out one channel by hand and it entails a lot of disassembly. The ink dampers are located on the print head itself. It is very easy to damage the print head. WE have little luck in doing it by hand when the INITIAL INK CHARGE / PIEZOFLUSH does not work… These printers are amazing but should not be purchased without extended warranties (in our humble opinion!)
I have just done an Initial Ink Charge With Piezo Flush - then a regular cleaning - without any immediate change in the clogging situation - maybe it has to sit for some hours(?)
I discovered that the service program has a tube cleaning section where you can choose between “Tubes Cleaning” or “Ink Charge” AND you can choose which color pair to clean. This is supposed to be done With Epson Cleaning Cartridges - have you tried this with your cartridges and Piezo Flush?
we recommend that you perform the initial ink charge. powerful paired cleanings can actually be destructive to the print head.
Did you at least confirm that when you performed the nozzle check that there was no ink being printed - rather what was being printed was the pink PiezoFlush??
If yes - then turn it off for 48 hours and run the initial ink charge again.
If no - let us know so we can help you - but first let us know if the ink lines are empty (clear), filled with ink, or filled with pink piezoflush.
Problem solved - hurray - using Piezoflush and ink charge. I Guess it just had to sit for a bit longer. Have ordered and received more Piezofslush and the rest of the cartridges. Some of the cartridges had a new type of chip, without resetters - assume this is auto-reset type(?). Also noticed that the PiezoFlush was much lighter (looks more diluted) than the previous I received. (Tried to upload picture for comparison here - but the upload does not work.) Is it a new formula or could there be something wrong with the batch? Please comment.
Best regards Jon
Excellent, I’m glad PiezoFlush cleared your clog after allowing it to sit in your printer for a while.
Yes, some of the new chips are a different design, and don’t have batteries or reset points n front of the chip. The new battery-less chips automatically reset ink levels when a cartridge reads empty, is removed from the printer and refilled with ink, then reinserted into the printer- upon reinstallation, the chip will be reset to full again.
I don’t believe there has been any change in the PiezoFlush recipe, but will check with the manufacturing dept to find out for sure.
Hi Dana.
Regarding the possible change of Piezo Flush recipe - I would like to send a picture showing the difference between old and new solution - the color change is distinct - but the upload picture function on this forum only gives error. Is there some other way I can send the picture?
Best regards
Jon
Thanks for the tips Mack! Yes, I always copy my messages before pushing “post” to avoid having to re-type if I get a time out (I learned after losing a few long messages, and had to re-type).
From your order history, I see you bought two 700ml bottles on 12/8 and one on 10/12. Is the darker (purplish?) PiezoFlush from the one bottle you bought in Oct? Do both bottles you purchased in Dec match in color and density? I have contacted manufacturing to determine what caused the difference you’re seeing.
The darker is from the bottle bought in October lot # 20140924). The lighter (bought in december) is from lot 102614. I have not opened the second bottle from the december purchase, but from viewing through the bottle, they look the same.
Best regards
Jon
Hi Dana.
I would appreciate knowing what the conclusion was on this matter. I have now spent a bottle of the lighter lot, and I have problems getting rid of clogs i.e. I have not the same experience as I had with the darker lot. Could this be because the lighter lot is diluted?
Best regards
Jon
The difference is simply the amount OR the color of Magenta Dye that was added. Magenta dy is added only for coloring, so you can see the Piezoflush on a Nozzle Check pattern as well as when it’s in the lines, so you can distinguish between Piezoflush and Ink(s). This does not indicate a diluted Piezoflush solution, instead it ONLY indicates the Magenta dye was probably a different shade then we have resourced in the past. Nothing to be alarmed about, every batch of Piezoflush is slightly different in color depending on what color Magenta dye we use.
Kindly,
Kelly
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