Need Help Brand NEW DX4 - Stops working randomly

[stagosal]

Here is the short story. I installed 2 brand new dx4 printheads on M&C-1&2 on my Roland SJ-1045ex. Worked about a month. The test-print on both of them is nearly perfect. BUT! the magenta one suddenly stopped firing (test print still perfect). After some powerful cleanings it worked again but after some time printing it stopped again.

• The test print is always perfect
• The dampers are full
• On service mode FILL PATTERN at the beginning of the line there are some gaps "not regular banding"
• I have tried swapping the dampers with the other magenta head but nothing changed.

I have attached some pictures with the fill pattern, the test print and the moment it stops firing.

I have a massive experience on this machine (have changed over 10 printheads and many many other parts) but this is the first time i encounter something like this. If anyone had this problem and knows the solution, it would be great to share the info.

Thanks!

 

[ProPDF]

Here is the short story. I installed 2 brand new dx4 printheads on M&C-1&2 on my Roland SJ-1045ex. Worked about a month. The test-print on both of them is nearly perfect. BUT! the magenta one suddenly stopped firing (test print still perfect). After some powerful cleanings it worked again but after some time printing it stopped again.

• The test print is always perfect
• The dampers are full
• On service mode FILL PATTERN at the beginning of the line there are some gaps "not regular banding"
• I have tried swapping the dampers with the other magenta head but nothing changed.

I have attached some pictures with the fill pattern, the test print and the moment it stops firing.

I have a massive experience on this machine (have changed over 10 printheads and many many other parts) but this is the first time i encounter something like this. If anyone had this problem and knows the solution, it would be great to share the info.

Thanks!

That looks like ink starvation from either a small leak, bad damper or a damper that was not charged with ink properly before install. Also double check you didn't buy a china head and it was a water base one with a aftermarket solvent manifold. Always use stock manifolds on DX4 heads even if they are older and from another color head. If you got a real solvent head from China then you don't need to change the manifold. The old soljets were great printers and sometimes can be picky using aftermarket parts.

 

[stagosal]

Thanks for the reply.

The printhead was bought from here:
https://www.digiprint-supplies.com/en/epson-dx4-solvent-pphep10so.html?category=

I am using the default manifold.
The dampers are brand new and it is printing about a month now without a problem.

Is there a chance that the printhead is defective?
Should i change the dampers and the manifold?

What would you suggest?

 

[stagosal]

That looks like ink starvation from either a small leak, bad damper or a damper that was not charged with ink properly before install. Also double check you didn't buy a china head and it was a water base one with a aftermarket solvent manifold. Always use stock manifolds on DX4 heads even if they are older and from another color head. If you got a real solvent head from China then you don't need to change the manifold. The old soljets were great printers and sometimes can be picky using aftermarket parts.

Thanks for the reply.

The printhead was bought from here:
https://www.digiprint-supplies.com/en/epson-dx4-solvent-pphep10so.html?category=

I am using the default manifold.
The dampers are brand new and it is printing about a month now without a problem.

Is there a chance that the printhead is defective?
Should i change the dampers and the manifold?

What would you suggest?

 

[ProPDF]

Thanks for the reply.

The printhead was bought from here:
https://www.digiprint-supplies.com/en/epson-dx4-solvent-pphep10so.html?category=

I am using the default manifold.
The dampers are brand new and it is printing about a month now without a problem.

Is there a chance that the printhead is defective?
Should i change the dampers and the manifold?

What would you suggest?

Show a pic of the head manifold on the printer top and side.

If you charged the dampers before sitting it on the head it shouldn't be the damper but no matter what I would disconnect the cap top hose at the pump. Grab a plastic syringe hook it to the cap top hose. Make sure its silent in the shop then pull ink though the cap top hose while heads are parked on the caps and see if you hear a leak and or see bubbles get inside the damper. My first guess would be bad damper and or leak. Second guess is cracked manifold or cap top not sealing up the head so double check your springs are in correctly along with cap top. Just listen though as you pull ink through and it should give you a better idea. If you go to pull and it feels like a lot of resistance I would check your ink carts are seated properly and a needle isn't clogged stopped up from the rubber cart seal. Lastly make sure your damper bracket is put back on and is putting slight pressure on the dampers before any test prints.

I really don't think it's the head itself. It's always something a little off or not sealed right or a bad aftermarket part.

 

[stagosal]

Show a pic of the head manifold on the printer top and side.

If you charged the dampers before sitting it on the head it shouldn't be the damper but no matter what I would disconnect the cap top hose at the pump. Grab a plastic syringe hook it to the cap top hose. Make sure its silent in the shop then pull ink though the cap top hose while heads are parked on the caps and see if you hear a leak and or see bubbles get inside the damper. My first guess would be bad damper and or leak. Second guess is cracked manifold or cap top not sealing up the head so double check your springs are in correctly along with cap top. Just listen though as you pull ink through and it should give you a better idea. If you go to pull and it feels like a lot of resistance I would check your ink carts are seated properly and a needle isn't clogged stopped up from the rubber cart seal. Lastly make sure your damper bracket is put back on and is putting slight pressure on the dampers before any test prints.

I really don't think it's the head itself. It's always something a little off or not sealed right or a bad aftermarket part.

Thank you very much.
I understand everything you say! I will check the dampers, manifold and captop for leaks and also the flow of the ink cartridge.

I will post the results.
Thank you again. You've been a great help.

 

[Jim Hill]

One other thing that some times gets over looked is the rubber O ring on the tube connected to the damper.
It's a good idea to install a New O ring but to cut off a piece of the tubing before you install a New O ring. That could also create a small air leak.

We all change cap tops but how many of us replace the two springs under the cap tops?

Sometimes simply looking very close at a part like a damper can help you figure out what's going on.
On my yellow damper I noticed there was a small amount of yellow ink next to it on the metal case and on the nipple on the manifold I noticed the damper was not sitting properly because the length of tubing was to tight and pulling on the damper lifting it just slightly so it could not sit correctly on the nipple.

Jim

 

[stagosal]

One other thing that some times gets over looked is the rubber O ring on the tube connected to the damper.
It's a good idea to install a New O ring but to cut off a piece of the tubing before you install a New O ring. That could also create a small air leak.

We all change cap tops but how many of us replace the two springs under the cap tops?

Sometimes simply looking very close at a part like a damper can help you figure out what's going on.
On my yellow damper I noticed there was a small amount of yellow ink next to it on the metal case and on the nipple on the manifold I noticed the damper was not sitting properly because the length of tubing was to tight and pulling on the damper lifting it just slightly so it could not sit correctly on the nipple.

Jim

Great advice Jim. Thanks.

I will double check all the dampers and the ink flow system generally. I will also cut the tube tip just a bit to be sure.

I will also replace all of the cap top springs just in case.

Thank you very much,
Have a great day.

 

[stagosal]

Hello guys.

When i tried to remove to dampers from the new printhead, both the nipples from the manifold just broke. I was 100% sure that they where cracked and i had some kind of leak from there. So i replaced the manifold and the dampers. I sucked ink from the captop tube and the ink flow was perfect.The captop seals nice on the print head. It was not so hard to pull and i didn't hear any kind of leak or air bubbling or anything. BUT!!! The problem didn't go away. It god better but didn't go away. When i do the FILL TEST PATTERN at the beginning of the NEW MAGENTA print head i see some gaps(i have attached a photo on the first post) AND when printing the magenta leaves some mist-spray on the white area of the print(i will attach a photo). The weird thing is that some heads (one new and one old) are leaving gaps on the FILL TEST PATTERN but in a smaller grade.

I am really on a dead-end guys.
I have already ordered 2 NEW printheads and a bunch of dampers-captops-tubes etc. that will arrive next week. But i have no idea which head to replace. I have 2 old that need replacement for sure, but i am starting to thing that theres is some problem with the new printheads.