I have an Epson 9600 and a 7900. I have a set of your HDR conecolor inks. I worked on the 9600 for some time to get the old inks flowing and was finally successful after changing dampers and flushing. On Well’s advice i filled new 9600 carts with the 7900 HDR ink and placed them in the 9600 without flushing. All stopped printing. Changing capping station, dampers etc no help. All channels blocked. I have removed the ink and placed flushing fluid in the 9600. I get a spotty nozzle check in hald the channels now. My question: could the inks have clogged in the lines with the pre-existing old ink, or at the ink chamber nipples?
Nothing is exiting the print heads.
It sounds to me that you have either not removed the Vents (so no ink can exit the cartridges)…or you did not prime the carts (and no ink can exit the cartridges). With no ink leaving the printer - is it evident that you have air in your ink lines?
To answer your question. What we usually see in old printers is that pigment does coat the ink lines. We recommend flushing first - to chase out this pigment - then change the dampers which can fill with it. Sometimes, the second charge of ink (using the INIT FILL) can remove the rest of the plaque. So look at your dampers and give them a rinse in distilled and see if you can see some solid matter in the screens or floating in the distilled. If you do - another set of dampers should fix this if it was not the carts (venting or priming). The air in the line would have been obvious.
Of course I removed the vent plugs and primed the carts.
Did all of this. Wells assured me that I could use these inks directly without flushing. I have done all these things you mentioned, as I stated in my first post. My question was, could ink have congealed with the original ink in the ink station screens? The new ink never got through the lines. Is the HDR ink in fact compatible with the 9600?
I am not complaining, just want as much info as I can get to solve this problem so I can use this printer.
I’m sorry, Joel. I jumped to some conclusions because I thought that you were using our PiezoFlush and our cartridges to prepare this 9600 printer. I thought that you flushed the old printer out with PiezoFlush, printed perfect nozzles either before or after you changed the dampers. And then charged it with fresh ink. I looked up your account and I see that you haven’t purchased PiezoFlush nor cartridges nor dampers from us. I need a lot more information now in order to advise you.
You wrote that you were able to successfully get the old inks flowing and that you flushed the printer. Then you wrote that you put HDR inks in into the printer without flushing. This is a huge difference and I can’t answer the first question about if the new ink clogged with the old ink in the lines without knowing whether you flushed the printer or not - and if you did - what did you use for flush fluid and how did you flush it. And if you did not - how long were the inks sitting in the printer and what brand were they? What did successful mean?
The second question is easier to answer. HDR ink is compatible with the 9600 hardware but not compatible with the 9600 color gamut/space. You would need ICC profiling if color is critical to you.
HDR ink would not congeal if it came into contact with OEM ink, or PiezoFlush, or Piezography ink, or even InkThrift for that matter. It may be another matter if it came into contact with Lyson ink, or Lyson Flush, or a dye sublimation ink, or a solvent ink of some type, and possibly other inks, or flushing fluids, or chemical agents, or if a cartridge was used that was not compatible with one of these fluids or inks. Mixing chemistries is always experimental in nature and possibly with unforeseen consequences.
I need to know a lot more before I can advise whether you have a gelled-up mess on your hands or a machine that is not yet properly prepared for a change in ink.
I acheived several perfect nozzle checks with old (2yrs or more) Epson inks. I then swapped out the carts with new refill carts filled with Conecolor HDR ink without flushing lines. So there was Epson ink in the lines and conecolor in the carts. The printer stopped printing very soon after that. I then changed the dampers and reprimed them by drawing ink into the dampers with a syringe and rinsed the face of the head with cleaning fluid to no avail (without touching the surface).
I then pulled the carts and replaced them with cleaning carts that I made. After several initial fills. I have half of the channels printing erratically and the other half blank. That is where I am now.
You answered the question about coagulating HDR with OEM ink, and thank you for that. Still don’t know what’s next but I’ll keep plugging. At least I know I won’t have to use a different ink, as I use the HDR in my 7900 as well.
[QUOTE=jon;233]I’m sorry, Joel. I jumped to some conclusions because I thought that you were using our PiezoFlush and our cartridges to prepare this 9600 printer. I thought that you flushed the old printer out with PiezoFlush, printed perfect nozzles either before or after you changed the dampers. And then charged it with fresh ink. I looked up your account and I see that you haven’t purchased PiezoFlush nor cartridges nor dampers from us. I need a lot more information now in order to advise you.
You wrote that you were able to successfully get the old inks flowing and that you flushed the printer. Then you wrote that you put HDR inks in into the printer without flushing. This is a huge difference and I can’t answer the first question about if the new ink clogged with the old ink in the lines without knowing whether you flushed the printer or not - and if you did - what did you use for flush fluid and how did you flush it. And if you did not - how long were the inks sitting in the printer and what brand were they? What did successful mean?
The second question is easier to answer. HDR ink is compatible with the 9600 hardware but not compatible with the 9600 color gamut/space. You would need ICC profiling if color is critical to you.
HDR ink would not congeal if it came into contact with OEM ink, or PiezoFlush, or Piezography ink, or even InkThrift for that matter. It may be another matter if it came into contact with Lyson ink, or Lyson Flush, or a dye sublimation ink, or a solvent ink of some type, and possibly other inks, or flushing fluids, or chemical agents, or if a cartridge was used that was not compatible with one of these fluids or inks. Mixing chemistries is always experimental in nature and possibly with unforeseen consequences.
I need to know a lot more before I can advise whether you have a gelled-up mess on your hands or a machine that is not yet properly prepared for a change in ink.[/QUOTE]
I think that if you flush it one more time in one of two ways - you will be good. I would not print through it anymore at this point. And it is important to get flush into the heads as well now. I hope your flush fluid is non-damaging as well as effective. Please do not use any ammonia for what I am going to suggest. I think that you are comfortable enough working on the printer to remove the print head and using a silicone tubing between the syringe and ink stem, easily push some flush into each head so that it comes streaming out all of the tiny jet orifices. Don’t let the silicone inflate. Then set the aside to “soak” - but not on an absorbant cloth. Keep it moist but and on a non-absorbant surface. If you have doubts whether your flush is safe for a long soak, use some distilled. Water is a great solvent.
You need to get the old ink out the ink lines but not through the print heads and dampers. Probably a lot of really old pigment that was lining the ink lines had partly dissolved and was drivin into the dampers. That is what I hope is happening now because it is the easiest to remedy.
So either use a syring to draw flush through the lines including some back flushing - which the cart should accomodate easy enough. Depends on your cart if it allows fluid pressure back into it. The valve probably remains open both ways. If not you will see the mess and you can rig up something to the cart stem, just don’t bend it. The tubing may stay “color stained” but they should still clean up to be “transluscent”. You will see if there are deposits in clumps or larger areas or as a fine sort of intermittent covering. If they are not transluscent they are not cleared. Use a flashlight as a backlight if you need to. There is a chance that the pigment is still fully in the ink lines and only a narrow channel has been cleared through it.
You can then let everything soak - hit one more time the next day - with fresh flush fluid. Don’t reuse. Finally, reattach the head and charge ink into it with an INIT FILL. I would strongly recommend you change out the dampers the after the INIT FILL as I think it may dislodge anything else lining the tubing. Might as well start with fresh dampers. See if it prints. If you want to chance and see if the dampers are still usable, it only means removing them again to replace. But, if you have clogged nozzles don’t fight them at that point - probably the dampers. If not, then a new head may be needed. Probably still worth it. The 9600/7600 last for ever. Yours may have an original print head in it. Do you know? They are the least expensive of the available print heads. You already have a new capping station you said. So you are near rebuilt as it is.
Keep trying and let me know how it works out. If you do something that you think will benefit others - please reply back with it. Others will benefit from your experience.
Thanks!
I did in fact find clumps of ink in some of the dampers and they were new dampers, so the new ink must have flushed old ink into the lines. I am in the process of manually flushing the lines and changing the dampers. I guess I will pull the head and try to soak it because some of the old ink must have gotten through to the head. I will not pressurize the head yet as you suggested. I will save that for a second try if the first change doesn’t help. I am becoming more adept at this and inventing tools as I go. I find that the tips you provide in the 7900 cart set are perfect for flushing the lines and dampers of the 7600.
My flushing solution is made up of :
distilled water 64 oz
glycerine 32 oz
propelene glycol 12 oz
Edwall LFN 24 drops
Would this be strong enough?
TIA
Joel
I think that if you let that soak for 48 - 72 hours - it should penetrate. I think you are going to save this printer! 
[QUOTE=jon;244]I think that if you flush it one more time in one of two ways - you will be good. I would not print through it anymore at this point. And it is important to get flush into the heads as well now. I hope your flush fluid is non-damaging as well as effective. Please do not use any ammonia for what I am going to suggest. I think that you are comfortable enough working on the printer to remove the print head and using a silicone tubing between the syringe and ink stem, easily push some flush into each head so that it comes streaming out all of the tiny jet orifices. Don’t let the silicone inflate. Then set the aside to “soak” - but not on an absorbant cloth. Keep it moist but and on a non-absorbant surface. If you have doubts whether your flush is safe for a long soak, use some distilled. Water is a great solvent.
You need to get the old ink out the ink lines but not through the print heads and dampers. Probably a lot of really old pigment that was lining the ink lines had partly dissolved and was drivin into the dampers. That is what I hope is happening now because it is the easiest to remedy.
So either use a syring to draw flush through the lines including some back flushing - which the cart should accomodate easy enough. Depends on your cart if it allows fluid pressure back into it. The valve probably remains open both ways. If not you will see the mess and you can rig up something to the cart stem, just don’t bend it. The tubing may stay “color stained” but they should still clean up to be “transluscent”. You will see if there are deposits in clumps or larger areas or as a fine sort of intermittent covering. If they are not transluscent they are not cleared. Use a flashlight as a backlight if you need to. There is a chance that the pigment is still fully in the ink lines and only a narrow channel has been cleared through it.
You can then let everything soak - hit one more time the next day - with fresh flush fluid. Don’t reuse. Finally, reattach the head and charge ink into it with an INIT FILL. I would strongly recommend you change out the dampers the after the INIT FILL as I think it may dislodge anything else lining the tubing. Might as well start with fresh dampers. See if it prints. If you want to chance and see if the dampers are still usable, it only means removing them again to replace. But, if you have clogged nozzles don’t fight them at that point - probably the dampers. If not, then a new head may be needed. Probably still worth it. The 9600/7600 last for ever. Yours may have an original print head in it. Do you know? They are the least expensive of the available print heads. You already have a new capping station you said. So you are near rebuilt as it is.
Keep trying and let me know how it works out. If you do something that you think will benefit others - please reply back with it. Others will benefit from your experience.
Thanks![/QUOTE]
Thank you
I have two questions;
First - you metioned replacing the head. Do you know where to get one?
Second - is it possible to send fluid back throught he print head by suction on the damper nozzles, instead of gently forcing fluid through the damper nozzles into the head and possibly de-laminating it?
My reasoning is as follows: I have taken apart an old print head and I see that the dampers feed into large tubes in the head and then separate into the tiny print nozzles. If there is any ink clogged before the tiny channels it will never feed through to exit into the capping station. Some of the clogs in the old dampers never did dissolve even with very strong fluids like simple green or windex and frequent flushing (just as an experiment). Am I mistaken?
I have the head off now and sitting in a VERY shallow dish of distilled H2O. Even though I had run many “initial fills” there is colored ink in the water from the head!
Again, thank you so much for your time!
I would try Compass Micro to see if they are still selling this print head direct.
You can pull back through the head. Just be gentle. You should be able to connect to the damper or the connect to the damper. Place the head in a shallow tray of PiezoFlush. Draw gently!
It is amazing the efforts you are making to revitalize this old printer!
I have the head out so I would pull directly through the head from a shallow dish.
I have 2 7600s and 2 9600s which I paid very little for. So it’s worth the effort. If I’m successful you’ll be selling me alot of ink! I’m sure Compass Micro will not sell them to me and I don’t think they have any. Arditos can get them but will not sell them directly. He will rebuild for $1K. not bad but I’d have to drive them to Long Island. I see the heads advertised by alibaba from China but I’m cautious about that.
I will try to get at least one of the printers working by canabalizing the others. Two would be even better. If I found one new OEM head I would buy it.
I have 2 7600s and 2 9600s which I paid very little for. So it’s worth the effort. If I’m successful you’ll be selling me alot of ink! I’m sure Compass Micro will not sell them to me and I don’t think they have any. Arditos can get them but will not sell them directly. He will rebuild for $1K. not bad but I’d have to drive them to Long Island. I see the heads advertised by alibaba from China but I’m cautious about that. I will try to get at least one of these working by canabalizing the others. Two would be even better. If I found one new OEM head I would buy it.
One more question. What can I use to color my flush solution that will not cause further clogging?
Would your Vivid Magenta Inkthrift be a good coice or is it overkill?
The purpose is to stain the flush so you can see it faintly printing on the nozzle check.
Thanks so much
You are very welcome!
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