HELP! Mimaki JV33-160 leaking ink

[dghound42]

Yellow ink is flowing freely from our JV33-160 . Yellow is bleeding into all other colors. You can see droplets forming on the bottom of the printer head.

We are printing on canvas. I have attached a photo.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. We are a small business and this is our only printer.

Danny

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

First things first! Shut it down and remove the EXPENSIVE canvas. Now, what has changed since the last time your JV33 printed properly?

 

[nashvillesigns]

take the print head cover off. it sounds like a damper blew up. you need to shut at all down before you short out the print head. and start cleaning EVERYTHING.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

Remember, SHUT DOWN everything means unplug it from the wall.

 

[dghound42]

It first began when we were printing a Very large canvas (60"x90") 2 weeks ago. We ran a standard system clean and it has been running fine up until this week.

Should I buy a new damper?

 

[petesign]

It does sound like a damper has sprung a leak. I'd replace them all, think about a capping station too while you are at it. How old is it, and have you replaced them before?

 

[petesign]

First thing you need to do, is turn off your printer, and remove the maintenance panel on the left side. Put a BUNCH of paper towels in there on the bottom. Slide the head over there like you are cleaning it.

To remove the head cover if you havent done it before, there are two small phillips screws on the head cover. Not the big flathead plastic screws for raising or lowering your print head... when you take that off, you will see 8 white plastic ipod looking things held in place with two metal clamps (those are your dampers). The metal clamps pull straight up off the top of the damper. Pay attention to how those sit on there, it will be important to remember later. (take a picture if you have to.)

The dampers pull straight up out of the head assembly, and it's straight forward from there. Once you get the new dampers on there (or just the one depending if you want to buy one now, and replace the rest as they go bad sporadically from now on), you can either push and tape the valves open behind the ink cartridges on the back of the machine, or do an ink fill from your maintenance menu. If you do an ink fill, lower your head all the way so you are sure to get a good seal with the capping station.. the pump will pull the ink and fill your dampers for you. You will waste more ink this way than gravity feeding your dampers by opening the damper and the valve up top... but its quicker.

I just went through something kind of similar, so send me a pm if you have any questions. Good luck!

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

Could also be caused by wicking, if you have a peice of string on the bottom of your yellow head it can cause that.

I had the same thing happen on my JV3 not long ago and sure enough there was a peice of string on one of my heads from banner material.

 

[dghound42]

Wow thank you guys so much! This is my first time using the site and you all have been awesome! I have ordered a new damper and cap top. We will find out tomorrow if that does the trick.

I attached a picture of the damper that appears damaged.

 

[dghound42]

jv33 discharge issue

When running jv33 discharge and wash function ink is not exiting the lines.

Pump system is working properly. When we ran pump cleaning we saw liquid run through system.

After doing the discharge should all of the ink be out of the dampers?

Any suggestions?

 

[petesign]

Hmm, try doing an ink fill. see if you are getting movement in the lines. I am trying to remember, when you do a discharge, it asks you to remove cartridges, and then when you do a flush, you put the flushing cartridges in.. so yeah - I think your dampers should have been empty, or very close to empty. Once full, you should be able to push them in and ink come out. Pull the cover off behind the ink cartridges and tape a valve open, and open the damper. Ink should flow freely from the cartridge to the damper, if it isn't, post back on here and I can tell you how to check the valve.. better get ready to go get a 10cc syringe from a pharmacy.