Roland SC-545 EX new pump style upgrade

[bovegas]

I have question regarding new style pump for my roland sc-545ex. Right now my printer has old style pumps I just have purchased new style pumps on ebay for $39 free shipping from China. Thats a good deal since those pumps are running here in US for 120. I just have pumps, I dont have any additional hardware. Can I install just pumps without additional hardware or no. I saw online somebody is selling upgrade kit and it comes with some metal bracket. Do I need bracket or I can use one that is originally installed with old pumps. Also I heard that I have to upgrade firmware. Curently I have v7.9 firmware which on Rolanddga website shows as latest. I read somewhere on this site that system switch needs to be changed. I guess page 12 needs to be 1. Right now page 12 shows 0000000(not sure how many 0, but they are all 0). So should page 12 be 00000001 or 10000000? Is there any other changes I have to make other than pg12. Thanks a lot in advance

 

[FrankW]

You need the upgrade kit. There is no possibility to mount the pumps without the upgrade kit. It's more than just one bracket, the pump motor positions will change, the ink tubes will be connected differently, and much more.

 

[bovegas]

When you say pump motor positions will change, do you mean system switches will change or pump motor physical position will change. I am trying to avoid purchase of whole kit since price is $500. I thought new pump will go directly on pump motor, than 2 lines will go from capping station on one side of the pump and 2 lines from other side of the pump to waste bottle

 

[FrankW]

I thought new pump will go directly on pump motor, than 2 lines will go from capping station on one side of the pump and 2 lines from other side of the pump to waste bottle

Yes, the new pumps will go directly on their pump motors, but to mount a pump motor to a pump a special bracket is needed (3 of them contained in the kit). When the motor is mounted to the pump, the 3 pump/motor-assemblies were mounted into one new bigger bracket (part of the kit too, with all screws) which will be fixed in front of the capping assembly. After that, the motors have changed their orientation (axis vertical instead of horizontal) and position. Because of this change in the position, at minimum 2 of the 3 motor cables mounted to the machine are not longer long enough to connect the motors, cable extensions are included in the kit too.

2 lines from the capping station will be connected to one connector of the pump (an Y-fitting per pump, little connection tubes and stoppers for the remaining open connectors of the pumps are enclosed in the kit). On the other side one tube only per pump will be connected to the waste bottle (the tubes and stoppers for the second connection on output side is enclosed in the kit too).

The complete bracket will then be mounted on the place where the old pumps were mounted. See attached pictures.

Without the kit, you will not be able to do anything with the new pumps. You will not be able to mount the motors to the pumps, and not able to mount the pumps to the printer.

 

[bovegas]

Yes, the new pumps will go directly on their pump motors, but to mount a pump motor to a pump a special bracket is needed (3 of them contained in the kit). When the motor is mounted to the pump, the 3 pump/motor-assemblies were mounted into one new bigger bracket (part of the kit too, with all screws) which will be fixed in front of the capping assembly. After that, the motors have changed their orientation (axis vertical instead of horizontal) and position. Because of this change in the position, at minimum 2 of the 3 motor cables mounted to the machine are not longer long enough to connect the motors, cable extensions are included in the kit too.

2 lines from the capping station will be connected to one connector of the pump (an Y-fitting per pump, little connection tubes and stoppers for the remaining open connectors of the pumps are enclosed in the kit). On the other side one tube only per pump will be connected to the waste bottle (the tubes and stoppers for the second connection on output side is enclosed in the kit too).

The complete bracket will then be mounted on the place where the old pumps were mounted. See attached pictures.

Without the kit, you will not be able to do anything with the new pumps. You will not be able to mount the motors to the pumps, and not able to mount the pumps to the printer.

Thanks a lot for your detailed input. I really appreciate. How about System switches? Which one needs to be changed? Anything else needs to be changed?
Thanks a lot

 

[FrankW]

You're welcome.

The last (right) digit of Page 12 needs to be changed from 0 to 1.

The pump will work too with 0, but the modification of the value will adapt the number of rotations per cleaning cycle to the flow capacity of the pumps.

Minimum firmware requirement is 6.80.

 

[bovegas]

Thanks a lot. I just bought upgrade kit from ebay. Around $165 from australia. Is it big diference with pump upgrade?

 

[FrankW]

Thanks a lot. I just bought upgrade kit from ebay. Around $165 from australia. Is it big diference with pump upgrade?

Difference in what?

The biggest difference between new and old pumps is that the new pumps lasts longer than the old ones (200'000 rotations instead of 60'000 rotations estimated lifetime, with less rotations per cleaning cycle). And they sound different, it is a more permanent "rrrrrrrrrrrr" with a "click"-sound for every rotation.

 

[bovegas]

With old style pump, i had to take it apart at least once a month to clean dried ink in tubes. I hope with new pump its not gonna be like that

 

[FrankW]

How old are the old pumps? Regularly, if old or new type,that should not happen. Sometimes in this case the ink is the problem. Do you use original ink?

 

[bovegas]

How old are the old pumps? Regularly, if old or new type,that should not happen. Sometimes in this case the ink is the problem. Do you use original ink?

I guess tubing is the problem. I am using white tubing because others are hard on pump. My printer cleans it self every 24 hours but still tubes get clogged often