I just acquired a used R2880 I’m planning to use for matte prints so I don’t have to switch all the time on my R3000. I knew when getting it that some of the channels were blocked:
the missing segments are the same from nozzle check to nozzle check.
Other colours are OK.
What concerns me is that I see cyan being deposited heavily onto the wiper and dripping all over lever system for the wiper. When I got the printer, the capping station and wiper was a mess. Ink was caked hard on the wiper and it took many scrubbings with a Q-tip soaked on piezoflush before I got it clean.
I will forward more information as I do more checks and cleanings. I’m currently concerned about the Cyan dripping onto the wiper mechanism.
Nozzle check after cleaning capping station, wiper, head.
Since the last nozzle check, I’ve tried soaking the head overnight. I will try a clean and nozzle check again shortly.
I’ll try to summarize what I’ve done so far:
The previous owner said he tried cleaning the wiper, and had tried piezoflush and windex to clean the head. I’m not sure what else he tried.
When I got it home, I immediately cleaned the capping station and wiper. The pump seems to suck liquids through the capping station OK.
I moistened a paper towel and placed it underneath the head to clean the head.
I then removed the cartridges and used a Q-tip to clean around the base of each point from the head that pierces each cartridge.
I then made sure each cartridge was filled, and used the “ink charge” function of WicReset.
I was unable to upload the jpg of two nozzle checks. To summarize:
Before June 29: June 29 after cleaning
LLK 2 missing segments: 2 missing segments
VLM many missing segments: almost all segments missing
LC none missing: none missing
LK 1 missing segment: 1 missing segment
PB 2 missing segments: 5 missing segments
C 7 missing segments: 2 missing segments, + one segment angled up (!)
VM 16 missing segments: 16 missing segments
Y 8 missing segments: 7 missing segments, one misaligned
Who did you get this printer from (if it’s one of our customers, it may be helpful to check if we had any support/communication with them about this machine before you got it).
Does it have Epson carts installed, or some other ink?
There can be a lot involved in cleaning a printer and trying to get it working well again. I would start by manually cleaning the printer as per our instructions (some of which you have already done, but may need to be done again, since the printer was/is so dirty): clean the capping station, wiper blade, and bottom of the print head, then use our print head cleaning kit to flush the internal ink channels.
Cleaning instructions (as well as videos) can be found here: http://www.inkjetmall.com/tech/content.php?133-Printer-Cleaning-and-Preventative-Maintenance
You can get the print head cleaning kit here: http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.362672/it.A/id.6605/.f?sc=18&category=68412
Yes, this printer had Cone inks in it. I don’t want to post the owner’s name/location etc here. However, you may be able to figure it out given that he lives fairly close to my location. Or, I can e-mail you with that personal information.
I’ve already cleaned the capping station, wiper, and head several times. I ordered the cleaning kit and more piezoflush from you last night.
If it’s just a bad clog that will be fixed with repeated cleanings and a head flush using your kit, I’ll be extremely happy! If you can tell if the head is still in decent shape from viewing the series of nozzle checks, that’d be great, but I don’t know if that’s possible. I’m wondering if I will also be needing a new capping station. If that’s the only part I’d have to buy to get it going, other than cleaning, again, I’ll be happy.
It looks as if I’ll have to wait for the head cleaning kit to do the next phase. However, if you have any further suggestions for me until then, I’m open to ideas. I believe I’ve done all the manually cleaning as per your instructions.
Thanks for the additional info Larry. We have customers all around the world, and have sold hundreds of sets of these refill carts over the years, so if you want to email me (techsupport at inkjetmall .com) the person’s name I can check if we have any support history.
Just so you know, the last head clean didn’t dump a whole pile of cyan on the wiper mechanism this time. what you see is what I haven’t cleaned up yet from before. Yesterday cyan was finding it’s way onto the white plaster near the top of the wiper mechanism. Improvement? Luck?
Just so you know, the last head clean didn’t dump a whole pile of cyan on the wiper mechanism this time. what you see is what I haven’t cleaned up yet from before. Yesterday cyan was finding it’s way onto the white plaster near the top of the wiper mechanism. Improvement? Luck?
Because I plan to use this printer for matte prints, and I had some “better” nozzle checks, I decided to try a matte print on 13x19. If just doing a few prints would help to clear things out, why not? The print looked OK until it got to the last 6 inches when it started losing cyan.
So, I noticed vertical banding, but that’s not my big concern now.
The C almost completely clogged. It had been the one of two that had no segments missing on the nozzle checks, and now is almost completely clogged. The MK also has a partial clog, missing about 30 segments. Before this channel was only missing 2 segments.
I am also getting ink spilled onto the wiper mechanism again. it makes me want to remove the capping station and clean things up. But then, it would just make a mess again.
Have you done the “paper towel under head” cleaning? It seems to me that ink is falling out of the print head. How else would you get such a large amount on the wiper? I’ve had one experience with that on my 2880, after I moved it (in my car) with inks. Cyan drained completely, leaving a similar mess. Are you noticing inks draining fast?
Yes, I used the paper towel like Dana shows in her video. A couple of colours improved a little. I then used the paper towel under the head overnight. This restored one colour. Then last night I lost the cyan. I’m currently soaking the head again while I’m making breakfast for the kids.
I don’t think there’s much more I can do until I get the flushing kit.
I just completed another head soak using piezoflush on a paper towel underneath the head, for about 1 hour. I also cleaned the capping station one more time.
Since yesterday, the nozzle checks are slowly improving, but not enough for me to say so definitely. Head soaks seem to be working, but I’m afraid I’ll run out of piezoflush! (I’ve got some more coming in a week or so.)
I finally received your email, which was sent to sales, and directed to me. We have many customers with the first name you supplied, but I think I narrowed it down by location and order history, and the customer who I believe you got this printer from bought two sets of R2880 refill carts- the first in 2010 with ConeColor ink, then bought more ink in 2013, along with a second set of carts, and a print head cleaning kit recently, though he has no support history, so I have no knowledge of problems he may have been experiencing, what he did, history of the printer, etc…
I am not an Epson technician, though have learned a lot from personal experience with many printer models over the years, so can offer some advice based on my experience, but the support I/we can provide in a situation like this of buying a used printer with problems and unknown history is limited. In addition to my suggestion of flushing the print head with PiezoFlush (using our print head cleaning kit), I recommend you get a fresh set of carts, as these are order, and may not be providing good ink flow.
I understand the risks of buying a used printer with problems. I didn’t pay a lot for it. I may have paid too much still, but if I can get it going reliably, I’ll be happy.
He didn’t include the head flushing kit for some reason. I just didn’t want to throw too much money at it until I am more comfortable that the head is OK. The nozzle checks seem to improve with each head soak with the paper towel soaked in piezoflush, so maybe I can take a chance on new carts now, as you suggest.
I just wanted to comment on Epson printers and my experience with this particular printer. To those of you reading of my troubles, don’t let this scare you off. I don’t believe most people clean the capping station and wiper regularly. Both these were pretty gummed up. I don’t believe the capping station was sealing very well and may explain why I was finding ink on the outside of the capping station.
Dana,
I know it’s hard to diagnose what you cannot see. However, I installed the matte black cartridge which had never been used. The nozzle check for this channel looks identical to the nozzle check I got when I had the photo black cartridge in place. I have no doubt it’s time to get new cartridges, but at least for the matte black, a “new” cartridge didn’t cure the problems. I will order new cartridges. I just want to see if I can find any 1/8" tubing locally. It’s cheap enough from IJM, but if I can get it here, I can set up the waste tank this weekend instead of a couple of weeks from now.
Sorry for so many posts on a printer with unknown history, hard to diagnose. I read in other threads that Kelly found that a worn out capping station created a ton of trouble. They’re not too expensive, I’m just not sure if it’s possible for a homeowner to change it. I’m also not sure if that is the problem or not.
InkjetMall Information
Why buy from us
My InkjetMall account
Contact Info