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My Roland SP300i doesn't print black and cyan after replacing new print head

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Anthony999

New Member
I recently bought a new compatible print head for my Roland SP300i. I followed the YouTube video instruction to replace it. I entered the head rank correctly within service mode but I stuck in the final step with perform the head replace function (in the ink control menu). the machine ask me to take out all the 4 inks and then insert the Cleaning Cartridges. I don't have it. so I skip the head replace function and directly fill the ink into head. I really wonder I have to completely finish the replace function or not? After I filled the ink into the new head and made a normal and power clear and then printed a test but It didn't print the black and cyan color at all. But I can draw out some ink from bottom before the waste bottle and I can see the black and cyan inks on the cap top. anyone know how to fix the problem? do I have to finish the head replace function? Thanks:)
 

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FrankW

FrankW

New Member
If the print head is filled, it should print. Except there is another technical issue. Often when replacing the head without disconnecting the power cable, or if switched on with head cables not correctly connected, the head fuses blow. This are small fuses which should be near the head cable connectors on the main board.
 
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Jim Hancock

Old School Technician
First question is where did you get the "new compatible print head".? As this printer only has 1 fuse for both heads, I would recheck all the ribbon connections. I presume the black/cyan head is the one you replaced. You can do a ribbon swap to check the head itself. With the printer off and unplugged, at the printhead side only, swap the ribbons from the black/cyan head and the magenta/yellow head. DO NOT CRISSCROSS the ribbons on each head. To clarify, the left ribbon from the black/cyan head will now be connected to the left side of the magenta/yellow head and the left ribbon from the magenta/yellow ribbon will now be connected to the left side of the black/cyan head. The same for the right side ribbons for each head. The turn on the printer and do a test print. Post the result of this test print and we'll go from there. If you aren't sure what to do here, call me.
 
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damonCA21

Active Member
You don't need to finish the head replace part in the menu, if the head is getting ink and you can draw it out ( so you know ink is flowing through the head ) then it should show up at least something on the test print.

As the magenta and yellow are printing, you know the main board is ok as as Jim says it only has one fuse for both heads.

9/10 when your problem happens it is bad head cables. Often just removing them and replacing them is enough to stop the head working. I always replace the ribbon cables with the head just to make sure!

And as Jim said, where did you buy the head? Beware the cheap chinese 'refurbished' heads. There is no way to rerurbish a DX4 head, they just sell flushed out second hand heads, and 50% of the time they don't work at all.

The other possible option is the print carriage board could be damaged and need replacing. Was your old head printing at all, or was it completely dead?
 
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Anthony999

New Member
Thank you Jim I bought the print head on one web site and the servicer said it's new. I exchanged the 2 ribbons of black/cyan with the 2 ribbons of magenta/yellow. And then the machine is still only print magenta/yellow. I think the 2 pair of ribbon both are good. I will change the new head to old one and check what's going on tomorrow. if there is only one fuse working for both print heads the fuse should be ok. if this fuse blow the machine cannot print anything including the magenta/yellow. anyway thanks DamonCA21, if the head replace function is not necessary to perform so I don't need buy the cleaning cartridges.
 
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damonCA21

Active Member
If the old head still prints then at least you know everything else is working properly, so the only issue can be the new head. Even new ones can be faulty sometimes ( digiprint seem to get a lot of faulty ones, and they are a nightmare to deal with for returns ! ). It is also possible a head could get damaged in shipping if it received a sharp blow as the insides of them are delicate.
 
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Jim Hancock

Old School Technician
Please confirm, you swapped the ribbons only at the printhead side and left them in their original position on the carriage board. That is crucial for this to be a valid test! Otherwise, you are only confirming the ribbons are good. See the attached illustration. It's for a 4 head setup, so only pay attention to the first 2 heads, as indicated.

The ribbon swap test confirms you have a bad head. You can pull ink through the head, as evidenced by seeing black and cyan ink in the cap after pulling with a syringe. So, you know you have ink in the head, meaning ink supply isn't the issue. The test print doesn't show a single nozzle firing. When you do the ribbon swap, you are sending a known good magenta/yellow signal to the black/cyan head and testing the black/cyan signal by sending it to a known good magenta/yellow head. The magenta/yellow still fires, so your black/cyan signal is good. The known good magenta/yellow signal doesn't fire the black/cyan head. These tests confirm all 4 color signal paths and ink supplies are good to the printheads. You have ink, you have a signal, but no output. This confirms a bad head. There is no need to physically move the printheads, as these 2 tests tell you everything.

Would you please tell us who the supplier is?
 

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Anthony999

New Member
My machine has been changed to old print head and at once print out something. this prove my machine is working properly but the only issue with the new head. Thank you guys.
 

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damonCA21

Active Member
Thats good, at least you have ruled out all the other parts so can get sort it out now with the person you bought the head from :)
 
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Anthony999

New Member
Jim Hancock said:
First question is where did you get the "new compatible print head".? As this printer only has 1 fuse for both heads, I would recheck all the ribbon connections. I presume the black/cyan head is the one you replaced. You can do a ribbon swap to check the head itself. With the printer off and unplugged, at the printhead side only, swap the ribbons from the black/cyan head and the magenta/yellow head. DO NOT CRISSCROSS the ribbons on each head. To clarify, the left ribbon from the black/cyan head will now be connected to the left side of the magenta/yellow head and the left ribbon from the magenta/yellow ribbon will now be connected to the left side of the black/cyan head. The same for the right side ribbons for each head. The turn on the printer and do a test print. Post the result of this test print and we'll go from there. If you aren't sure what to do here, call me.
Click to expand...
Hi I tried to do a ribbon swap as your said:“the left ribbon from the black/cyan head will now be connected to the left side of the magenta/yellow head and the left ribbon from the magenta/yellow ribbon will now be connected to the left side of the black/cyan head.” but I got a wrong message :"the temperature is too low 0" when I turn on the machine.
 
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damonCA21

Active Member
Anthony999 said:
Hi I tried to do a ribbon swap as your said:“the left ribbon from the black/cyan head will now be connected to the left side of the magenta/yellow head and the left ribbon from the magenta/yellow ribbon will now be connected to the left side of the black/cyan head.” but I got a wrong message :"the temperature is too low 0" when I turn on the machine.
Click to expand...
The temperature sensor is in the black head, so if the printer can't read it it comes up with the low temp warning.
 
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Jim Hancock

Old School Technician
Your Oct 23 post seems to confirm you got a bad head. The old head prints, even though it's missing lots of nozzles, but the new one doesn't print...
 
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damonCA21

Active Member
Have you contacted the seller you got the head from? I agree with Jim. If the old head prints, but the new one doesn't then there is a problem with the new head. Did you get the head replaced by the seller or are you still working with the original one they sent you?
 
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Anthony999

New Member
Jim Hancock said:
When you did the ribbon swap, you did it as pairs, not just the left ribbons, correct?
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I have changed back to new print head and try again. I think there is something wrong with circuit board of old head. Can I just remove the circuit board of old head and then reinstall to the new print head? I used a syringe to push the new print head and there is some ink out. I think the new print head could be working but the circuit board doesn't.
Yes, I follow your diagram to swap as pairs only on the head side.
 
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