I will try to explain my issue in a brief, bullet point form:
I have been using glossy K7 WN inks on my 7880 for over 2 years without issue and have been able to print on matte papers with PK inks with much success
I ordered a matte cart and matte ink to put in position one to REPLACE the PK ink already in that position
I did NOT do at PK to MK ink swap in the Epson printer
I did the position 1 line purge as Wells suggested
I was able to print but got a weird, muddy, flat look in the shadows and darker mid-tones. It had zero detail
I swapped BACK to the PK ink by simply removing the MK ink and inserting the PK in position 1 and did several line purges and a power clean to clear the lines
I am NOT able to print on matte paper at all (Hanhamuhle Photo Rag) with my PK inks where as prior to me messing with things I was able to do so
Depending on the image printing on glossy paper (Canson Baryta and Epson Exhibition Fiber) I still have the muddy or “solarization” look, I would call it flat or faded really in the shadows. As in the image is totally non-usable
I have since done a position 1 like purge and it still has the same issue. The Epson paper is not as bad as the Canson and contrasty images or images with deep shadows is where the issue is painfully obvious
I printed the same problem images on the same papers on my 3880 loaded with Cone Color inks and printed on grayscale with zero issue
it almost looks like a Dmax issue. I know this sounds weird but thats the best way I can describe the issue.
I have attached 3 samples of what I am talking about all are printed on Canson Baryta papers with PK ink
Technial equipment: I use a iMac 27" late 2014 5K retina system running OS Yosemite. I use QTR Print with the proper profile. I shake the printer monthly and manually cleaned the print head, capping station and wiper. I ran a head alignment and 2 power cleans. I print all images in grayscale and have my monitor calibrated using a Spyder Pro3
It is not allowing me to inset a photo of the nozzle check. It tells the file must be a .jpg or .gif etc an it is a .jpg file. Not sure what to do now. Also at the end of the nozzle check it told me I had a “cleaning error” on the LCD panel on the 7880
Your auto nozzle check from top to bottom shows the shade 2/cyan (2nd from left) position lost density, and got darker after a few cleaning cycles.
The reason your printer kept telling you nozzles are clogged with the auto nozzle check, is because shade 7 is so light the printer’s sensor can’t see it, so will think/report that channel is clogged/missing (but I can see it’s there).
The second photo you attached is an alignment pattern, not a manual nozzle check, but I can see what I need from the first four channels of your auto nozzle check.
The cause of your solarization/ loss of density is actually in your shade 2/cyan channel, so it’s just a coincidence that it happened after you changed black inks.
After reviewing your order history, I see you bought a 110ml bottle of WN#2 ink last month, but the last time you got WN#2 was in 2013 when you bought a set of 110ml WN bottles.
Please tell me, are you using WN#2 ink from the bottle you bought recently, or from 2013?
What is the lot# on the WN#2 ink bottle you’re currently using?
How often do you use the printer vs. how long does it sit unused?
How often do you agitate the ink cartridges?
Do you always shake ink bottles before filling/refilling carts?
Please let me know so I can help you get past this and back to happily printing.
Warmly~ Dana
I ask because I get the identical problem with my 3880 using WN. It is certainly shade 2 dropping out but in my case changing ink has not cured the problem.
Irishwoodpecker~ Your issue will be resolved by installing the new ink I’ve sent, and Scott was having the same problem as you (caused by the same WN#2 ink), though I haven’t heard back from Scott from my last post above, I see he bought fresh ink, so assume he’s happily printing again.
I have not come back to you yet as I am still waiting for the ink to arrive. Are you indicating that there was a problem with the batch of shade 2 that we were using?
In readiness for the installation of the new ink, I have had a new cart. filled with Piezoflush in the cyan channel for the last ten days or so. I have been carrying out a series of QTR C flushes with the following results:-
Printed 9 A4 sheets to achieve correct Piezoflush shade.
Let stand for 3 days.
Took another 3 A4 sheets to remove further dissolved shade 2 ink.
Let stand for another 2 days.
Took another 2 A4 sheets to print true.
I fully expect to have to keep this going for a while yet as it would appear that there is trapped shade 2 in the line.
Yes, the issue is specific to the lot# ink being expired/almost expired, and will be resolved by installing fresh ink.
I just tracked the replacement ink I sent, and see it’s on the way, so you should receive soon. The tracking# is CJ448951553US
Your workflow sounds good for flushing out your cyan channel in preparation for new ink to arrive. When the new ink arrives, fill a new cart (or the one that was previously used with older WN#2 ink, and has been emptied- but NOT the cart you’re currently using with PiezoFlush, because it can/will contaminate/dilute the ink), then print cyan purge sheets thru QTR Calibration Mode to get the fresh ink to the print head.
And thank you so very much for your quick response, I really appreciate you and your whole team.
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