Problem solved but who want's to play tech

[sfr table hockey]

This was on a CJ 500 (6 color) but could have been any printers problem.

I have fixed this problem but who wants to play tech and have a guess at the cause?

Here was the issue: Left print head ( orange, green & yellow ) would not recharge the color yellow after printing, and the print head ran dry. A basic dropout of yellow but would come back after a couple cleanings and then proceed to do the same thing once the ink in the head was gone it was not recharging the yellow. The damper was still full.

Leading up to the problem it was printing fine and the yellow cart ran out. Replaced with a half used cart and got air gaps in the line to the degree that the damper would run dry before the air bubble had passed so the damper could not refill. I took the damper off and used a syringe to draw out the air bubbles and refilled the damper. From then on there was no more air in the line.

Here were some symptoms: I was getting some splatter of ink and some drops from that head. Ink pooled in the captop a couple times while cleaning but would drain by the end of the cleaning cycle (it did not always pool). Ran a solid fill test pattern and had some ink drops in parts of the print that looked black. By the end of that test print I did a regular test print of the heads and the yellow was almost gone again.


I have seen similar problems on other posts so this may help some others.

 

[J Hill Designs]

half-clogged yellow pump?

 

[sfr table hockey]

half-clogged yellow pump?

That was one of the first things I checked ( pump was fine and drawing propper) Also for others note that my CJ has two heads (set of three colors on each) and one pump with a line to each captop.

So no not the pump or lines to and after the pump.

what's the next step???

 

[J Hill Designs]

slight break in captop lip

 

[sfr table hockey]

slight break in captop lip

Good second check point but captops were also fine and sealing propper.
They did not end up being the problem........

 

[J Hill Designs]

o-ring in damper-to-head fittings?

 

[sfr table hockey]

o-ring in damper-to-head fittings?

Damper was changed (I too thought the damper was blocked or air leak)but the problem did not change, so the damper was not the issue in the end.

By the way thanks for playing, there is room for others if they wish.

Winner gets a free trip to Winnipeg ( and can stay with Pat )

 

[J Hill Designs]

not damper...the o-rings

 

[sfr table hockey]

not damper...the o-rings

Sorry, was not the orings. This may help. I did the test Artbot always says to do. I swapped the yellow damper (the problem color) with another color (orange in this case) and re-did the test fill pattern and what happened is now the yellow line printed fine ( in a new spot ) but the color I changed it with ( orange) was not refilling the head, just like the yellow did.

 

[synergy_jim]

hmmmm...

you got the mogwai wet and then fed them after midnight???

 

[sfr table hockey]

you got the mogwai wet and then fed them after midnight???

Yeeerr not going to Winnipeg.........

 

[J Hill Designs]

whelp, I'm stumped...but its a good thing, as I dont want to go to winnipeg

 

[CS-SignSupply]

Cracked head manifold?

 

[sfr table hockey]

OK we'll end the game seeing as there were too many players anyway......

The print head itself must have gotten damaged inside the head and even though it would still print fine as long as the initial load of ink was there, there must be something inside the head to trigger the release of ink from the damper. It may have been possible that the nib on the yellow head got cracked when I took the damper off the first time (breaking the seal but why would it load with a cleaning) or the heads time was just up. It printed test prints fine but would not reload unless you did a cleaning cycle.

I replaced the print head and the problem is gone. I really thought it was the line from the cart but thankfull it was not as the print head was only $110.

 

[MikePro]

Air in ink lines?

edited: crap, missed the part about you pulling air out of the ink lines...

 

[sfr table hockey]

Cracked head manifold?

Did not notice your post till after mine. You got in under the wire......

Do you really want to go to Winnipeg.........

I take it that is the propper term " head manifold " and not nib.

Actually my plan was to find out who I should really call first next time I have a problem.....

 

[CS-SignSupply]

Air getting into the system from the head. Cracked manifold/ reservoir. Did I win?

 

[MikePro]

Sorry, was not the orings. This may help. I did the test Artbot always says to do. I swapped the yellow damper (the problem color) with another color (orange in this case) and re-did the test fill pattern and what happened is now the yellow line printed fine ( in a new spot ) but the color I changed it with ( orange) was not refilling the head, just like the yellow did.

Capping station not making seal with print head!

edited: crap, i did not win a chance to turn down a trip to winnepeg! cracked head manifold wasn't even on my radar.

 

[sfr table hockey]

Air getting into the system from the head. Cracked manifold/ reservoir. Did I win?

Do you really know where Winnipeg is....

 

[sfr table hockey]

Capping station not making seal with print head!

edited: crap, i did not win a chance to turn down a trip to winnepeg! cracked head manifold wasn't even on my radar.

Sorry covered in post #5