Need Help Loss of printing, capping/maintenance station not performing cleaning

[David40]

I noticed my yellow started fading and then quit completely. I did a cleaning and noticed the wiper was totally clean so that tells me no ink is getting pumped out of the head while it does the cleaning cycle. Can anyone advise me on the steps to trouble shoot this?
I replaced the maintenance station about a year ago, could the pump have failed so soon? Can I replace only the pump with replacing the entire station?

Thanks for any advice/information.

 

[Solventinkjet]

After only a year, you probably just need a cap top. Those stations and pumps last much longer and usually just the cap top wears out.

 

[David40]

I just checked and I discovered I have a couple of extra cap top, but it's been so long since I replaced one I forgot how to do it. The old one looks perfect but it's worth a try.

 

[David40]

Replaced the cap, ran a cleaning, and still no ink.

After only a year, you probably just need a cap top. Those stations and pumps last much longer and usually just the cap top wears out.

Do you stock the maintenance station for the 1204?

 

[Solventinkjet]

We do but we're waiting on a stocking order at the moment. But like I mentioned above, try a cap top first. It's way cheaper and it's usually the issue. The old one can look perfectly fine and still not be sealing correctly due to the rubber becoming more brittle over time.

 

[Print1]

What machine are you running?

 

[David40]

What machine are you running?

It's the 1204GA. I replaced the cap top and it still will not pull ink. I ordered a new maintenance station. In the meantime I have been soaking the head by placing a couple of pieces of microfiber cloth in the cap top and soaking it with cleaner. So far I have been able to clear all the nozzels except for Magenta. I'll just let it soak all night and see if that one clears up. Then I should be good after I get the new station installed.

 

[Print1]

Personally I’ve found if using tons of banner or the pre-grom style change cap every 90 days +\- likely you’ve lost channels on that head now. I can sonic wash them or if you need replacement and service I do offer that as well, just to kinda get you out of the bind

 

[David40]

Personally I’ve found if using tons of banner or the pre-grom style change cap every 90 days +\- likely you’ve lost channels on that head now. I can sonic wash them or if you need replacement and service I do offer that as well, just to kinda get you out of the bind

Thanks, you may be hearing from me.

 

[RG]

Why not check to see if you can use a syringe and push cleaning solution through the maintenance station. I had a 1204 and several times the drain lines would get badly stopped up. The ink would just turn into a tar-like mess in one or both of the lines. Sometimes it was so bad that I had to use 2 syringes and push through one of the top lines and at the same time pull through the bottom (exit) line. I think that everyone who has a printer like this should keep a supply of syringes and different size tubing for things like this. It's not rocket science.

 

[David40]

That is an excellent suggestion. I have a number of syringes and fittings. Just running low on solvent, but yes, I will definitely give that a try and if it works I'll keep the station I ordered as a handy spare.

Have you ever dissected one of those pumps? I did this morning. It's designed just like the pump in a kidney or heart lung machine where you have a roller that rotates squeezing a loop of soft tubing. What that means in relation to the flushing method you suggest is that, for this to work, that roller must stop at the neutral position where the tubing is not being squeezed shut. Otherwise you will not be able to push any solvent through the thing. Also I made another discovery. The wires going to the pump are not for an internal motor. It's actually some sort of sensor that counts the rotations of the pump which it reports to the controller.

 

[David40]

FYI, I discovered why my maintenance station failed. The little black tubes coming off the cap top were clogged with dried, tar like ink. I could have avoided replacing the station if I had just known to clean those tubes by removing them and cleaning them. So, I have adopted a new cleaning routine where I use a syringe to fill the cap top with solvent and then use another syringe connected to the discharge tubes to suck the solvent through those tubes and the pump. I figure if I do this I'll never need to buy another maintenance station for the life of the printer.

I also wanted to share this little tip. After installing my new maintenance station my printer started throwing an E074 CR2 Current error. This is because the CR motor encountered mechanical resistance it's not strong enough to overcome while parking the head. I solved this issue by loosening the two screws closest to the front of the printer that hold up the maintenance station. I loosened them enough to let the station drop down about 1/64th of and inch. Just that tiny bit of extra space was enough to allow the head assembly to park with throwing an error. So all is good, the head cleared up after a few cleanings and I am back in business.