Helping a school with a VS-540i that won't print.

[dom]

Hi Folks. An old friend gave me a call that her school has a plotter that doesn't print. I went to look at it and did several powerful cleanings as well as manual cleanings. Every time I do a test print nothing is coming through, absolutely nothing not even a mark. I opened the waste bottle and it has a bulldog clip on it, she believes it was leaking and that is why it was tied off. Unscrewed the hoses and the ink has not dried up in the lines. But I can't get it to print anything at all.
The machine has been unplugged for over a year. As a school they have no money, I gave the vendor a call but they are no longer in business. Any ideas where I should start? I appreciate any help. Thank you.

 

[Zoogee World]

Unfortunately with these kind of printers, they cannot sit un plugged with ink in them for long, otherwise they dry up and ruin the head. You could try a 48 hour head soak. You'll need to clamp off the line after the cap top and fill the cap top with cleaning liquid and top it up after 24 hours and see if that helps. Also make sure the fuses on the main board aren't blown.

 

[dom]

I downloaded the "Print Roland VersaCamm VS-640i Service Notes" as I read on someone's thread. So helpful, thank you to who posted the link.

 

[dom]

Thank you. I will try soaking to start. I will also look at the fuses. I am assuming that the 640i and 540i are basically the same machine as far as maintenance goes, is this correct?

 

[Zoogee World]

That is correct, even the VS-300i, which I have. They are just different lengths. They pretty much have all the same parts.

 

[damonCA21]

If its been sitting for a year then head soaking is very unlikely to get the heads back working fully. The solvent evaporates and leaves the pigment, which blocks the nozzles in the head. Really it is going to need new heads, probably a new pump, dampers, wiper and captop.

When you do a poweful clean, is any ink coming out of the heads into the waste bottle? If it's not then you know the heads are clogged. If it is flowing as normal then it could be the fuses or another electronic problem, but more likely to be a damaged head at this point

 

[damonCA21]

Also, there may be ink in the hoses, but they can still be blocked at the cartridge dock end. They really need removing and fully flushing

 

[dom]

I am heading there this afternoon taking a syringe with me and I will look at the inks at the docking station and look at soaking the head and check out the fuses. It's a start, we will see what that does and where to go from there. Thank you again for your guidance.

 

[premiercolour]

1. Change a new cap top. When we pick up a used Roland printer. That's 1 thing we do.
2. Soak the head for a week if soaking over 24 hours is not enough.
3. Slowly pull with a syringe from the end of cap top
4. Replace dampers
5. Use a new syringe with solution and inject through the head slowly. (dampers have to come off) If you see solution is leaking through the edge of the printhead. It has a blown gasket. Key is slow push.
6. Time to decide if they want to change a printhead.
7. We have all the parts in stock if you need them.
8. Happy to help over the phone. 949-209-7306

 

[damonCA21]

I agree, but would never suggest pushing solution through the head from the top. This is really a last resort as it is very easy to break the internal ink pouch ( it's not a gasket, it's a very thin plastic bag that holds the ink inside the head ) if you don't have experience doing it !