Mimaki JV3 Ink Pull

[Mak]

Greetings All,

My shop bought a Mimaki JV3 - 130SPII used and got it up and running- well it acts like its running, but no ink is coming out. No errors, but no ink. After inspecting the lines, they seem pretty translucent. We called Mimaki and registered but they wont get back to us for service(the closest rep they have is in Dallas and were hundreds of miles west in Abilene) We called the service tech who maintained the printer in Wisconsin and he said we need to get a tech to do an ink pull. Well if there was a Mimaki tech in Abilene, Texas, We would hire him! With no option but self service(which I'm capable of) I'm going for it. Wait, I need to open the print heads up with a maintenance code only Mimaki techs have? I cant find documentation anywhere on doing an ink pull for a Mimaki JV3 - 130SPII for some reason. I must be missing something and hope you guys can help!

Thanks in advance,
Mak

 

[Samurai_Screwdriver]

The special code is not all that special; simply power the machine on while holding the FUNCTION and REMOTE keys - this will turn on the service menus.

That said, there is no special "Ink Pull" option in the service menus so I'm not sure what your tech was referring to. What you need to do is take a large (like 50cc) syringe and manually pulk ink through the Capping Station. To access the lines, remove the lower left cover (when viewing the printer from the rear) and one at a time, disconnect the Capping Station lines from the pumps, connect your syringe and pull until you get ink.

After doing this, run a normal cleaning and then do a Test Draw. If you still get nothing then you likely have an electrical issue with the heads or a bad linear encoder.

good luck!

 

[Mak]

Thank you for the response, I was told that I had to enter a code to open up the calipers in the print heads to pull the ink through but apparently that was incorrect so please let me make sure I understand: while the print heads are resting in the caping station, I use a large syringe to suck through the waste lines to pull ink from the cartridges all the way through the print heads. Sounds fairly common sense but the maintenance code thing the tech mentioned through me through a loop. Anyway, if that's all there is too it then I'll give it a go. If that don't work I bet it's the encoder strip as that seems pretty common with this printer. Thanks again.

 

[Mak]

Sorry, thought I would clarify before you think im a total baffoon but I will disconnect the caping station lines from the pumps and pull from there-and not through the pumps, thanks again

 

[Mak]

Ok, after trying to doing an ink pull with no success (it just pulls the plunger in the syringe back. Are there not solenoids that I have to open up in the print head with a specific setting or something? Im sorry to be so noobish and I am super appreciative for your help again, thanks