Problem with MK Cart Creating Air in the Line

InkjetMall Customer Support Printer Maintenance & Cartridges
1

Hey guys i’m having a really frustrating problem ever since I started using your refillable cart set. At first I filled all the carts according to the directions and everything worked great for about 20-30 prints.

Then the MK channel starts missing lines. I tried to clean the print head and all that happens is that the missing parts of the nozzle check pattern for MK just move from one spot to another. One time the top is missing the next time the top is fine and the bottom is missing, i did this about ten times and figured it must be air in the line. because it would not get any better and just kept moving around.

So I refilled all the carts and ran an initial fill and cringed while watching the ink pour into the external waste bottle. I figured it was possible it may have been my fault so I was extra careful when refilling all the carts this time. To my happiness the initial fill fixed the MK channel and I went on printing for another 20 or 30 prints or so and the problem returned. I was desperate to print some stuff for work and was forced to do another initial fill which worked but now it’s doing it again, I can’t keep dumping ink like this. What could be the actual problem? Is the MK cart defective? Or is something actually wrong with my printer? I never had this problem with disposable 3rd party carts.

I have cleaned my capping station, pads ect… Nothing has helped.

Thanks for your time.

2

Hi.

The R3000 has ink lines and it is possible that there is a slight blockage in the MK line which is restricting flow. Try flushing the MK line with Piezo Flush using the QTR MK channel flush image. Keep doing this until this channel is printing pure Piezo Flush. Leave the printer standing for two or three days and then check that the channel is still printing Flush. If all is ok, change back to the cart with the Mk in it and run QTR MK channel flushes until it is printing pure MK. I know, from experience, that this is one way of clearing the problem you have outlined.

Regards.

Michael

3

You could very well have airflow restriction in either the air inlet or air-blocking on the outlet of the ink cartridge. This may require refilling with the vacuum method or a priming of the cartridge, however if there is inlet air-flow issue, a new cartridge is needed. It’s very easy to mess the air-inlet up if there’s ink they gets dropped in there and dries.

I think it’s time for a new cartridge, a backup chip (if you don’t have one) and some Piezoflush + a flush cartridge as per Miachael’s suggestion. It’s very very handy to have Piezoflush on hand regardless.

best,
Walker

4

[QUOTE=walkerblackwell;10821]
I think it’s time for a new cartridge, a backup chip (if you don’t have one) and some Piezoflush + a flush cartridge as per Miachael’s suggestion. It’s very very handy to have Piezoflush on hand regardless.

best,
Walker[/QUOTE]

This was from a brand new set of carts, there was no error on my part in filling the carts. I didn’t spill ink in the intake ect…

Will you guys be providing me these things that I need now after using your kit? Or are yous saying i’m just on the hook for a new cart, a backup chip, piezoflush, a flush cart and all the ink I had to waste on 3-4 initial fills. This doesn’t seem right to me. As stated before the problem started when I purchased your kit. This has not been a good experience so far.

5

Oh! I’m sorry, I totally thought these were the carts you had printed with for years!

We’ll get you a new MK cart, Piezoflush bottle, and Piezoflush MK cart out today.

ps: Did you vacuum fill it the first time like the instructions said?

Best,
Walker

6

[QUOTE=walkerblackwell;10825]Oh! I’m sorry, I totally thought these were the carts you had printed with for years!

We’ll get you a new MK cart, Piezoflush bottle, and Piezoflush MK cart out today.

ps: Did you vacuum fill it the first time like the instructions said?

Best,
Walker[/QUOTE]

Thanks so much that will be very much appreciated. I actually just purchased a new MK cart with some replacement ink I needed from from all the initial fills. I still have to do one more initial fill most likely, which is very difficult with carts all at different ink levels.

Yes I did vacuum fill it, with your supplied syringes. The rest of the carts appear to be working perfect during all the fills and head cleanings.

I have however run into a situation now from all the head cleanings where the printer says my PK cart is too low to change to photo ink but still has not tripped the out of ink signal yet to reset the cart. Essentially rendering it unusable with the current cart. I can’t even do an initial fill. I cant see any way to solve this without another PK cart or chip.

If you could send me a PK cart or chip instead of the MK since I just purchased a new one, that would be very helpful.

Thanks,
Brandon

7

[QUOTE=irishwoodpecker;10820]Hi.

The R3000 has ink lines and it is possible that there is a slight blockage in the MK line which is restricting flow. Try flushing the MK line with Piezo Flush using the QTR MK channel flush image. Keep doing this until this channel is printing pure Piezo Flush. Leave the printer standing for two or three days and then check that the channel is still printing Flush. If all is ok, change back to the cart with the Mk in it and run QTR MK channel flushes until it is printing pure MK. I know, from experience, that this is one way of clearing the problem you have outlined.

Regards.

Michael[/QUOTE]

Thank you Michael, I will try this as an alternative to doing an initial fill again just to restore the MK channel.

8

Sending you a reply off list. MK to PK uses more ink so it’s a design “feature” that probably makes epson millions of dollars per year every time someone has to chuck a PK cart that has 35% ink left in it . . . backup chips or 1 or 2 extra PK prints until switch is something one has to do until we can get freak’n resetters.

Again, will send reply off-list with specifics.

best,
Walker