SP540v Carriage not connected, encoder strip & sensor cleaned now printing off!

[Tizz]

Has anyone experienced this before and what steps did you take to correct this issue?

I've cleaned the encoder strip and also the sensor that reads it, but now my prints are off and some parts are blurry.
It's Saturday night and I have some orders I need to get done. I've been printing since this morning and everything was working fine.
Though a week ago I received a tool carriage disconnected error. After powering off the machine it worked fine afterwards.

I'm at a loss to what it could be... Do I need to flip the encoder strip? or perhaps it needs to be replaced?
Would love to get some advice as a Tech may not be able to come out till possibly mid week or even worse the following week!

Please help!

 

[player]

What did you clean the encoder strip with?

There are some calibrations that can be done in service mode.

The carriage disconnected message has been a switch that needs to be clicked by the head at the docking station for me.

I have had all these things happen but have had a tech help me on the phone, so I cannot help a whole lot. Maybe one of the merchant members on the forum could help you over the phone?

Good luck!

 

[Tizz]

I cleaned the strip with isopropyl alcohol.

I just performed a Limit Initialization and run through a print. The first half metre printed out perfectly and the colour was spot on but the last half went off again!

Im gonna flip the encoder strip in the morning and see how this goes.
Is there anything else I'm missing?

 

[player]

Have you done the basic calibrations for the heads from the menu?

Also the environment calibration...

 

[Tizz]

Ok. I think I've fixed the problem. Well so far so good and I've printed a few meters.
I'll note down exactly what I did for those who may come across the same issue as I had.

First I cleaned the top half of the Encoder strip, both sides with Isopropyl alcohol using a swab, then used a dry swab over the area again. Next I removed the sensor and cleaned that with a lint free cloth with Iso alcohol also, then put it back. I then removed the entire Encoder Strip, flipped it and placed that back. Prior to all of this I cleaned everywhere whilst it was all apart. Next I carried out the Linear Encoder Setup (service mode). Completed without any errors. Last I performed the Linear Calibration (service mode), no errors also.
Environment Calibration once media was loaded and printed away.

I think I'll get an encoder strip soon just in case in may need to be replaced.
Thanks Player for your replies.

 

[DRamm76]

Call a local dealer.

 

[Tizz]

Hard to get a dealer out on a saturday and sunday here. However, saved myself some mulah and figured it out myself.