Problem with Epson 1400 black

Zone8,

The past few days I very carefully cleaned around the head ink injector (the nib that inserts at the base of the cartridge to supply ink to the head), in case there may have been something there preventing a good seal to the cartridge.

This did no help: the nozzle check made right after this showed at least 20 - 25% missing segments. Then did a cleaning and next nozzle check showed all segments printing.

Made about 8 - 4 x 6 prints and all prints were great.

Waited about 4 hours and did another nozzle check (preparing to make some more prints) and nozzle check showed about 8 - 10 segments were missing again.

Let system set over night. Did nozzle check and even more segments were missing.

OK, then I put some cleaner into the black head ink injector (that I got from InkJetFly) and let it sit in there for about 25 minutes.

Now did another cleaning operation to flush out the cleaner and another nozzle check. All segments were showing OK.

Made 8 - 10 more 4 x 6 prints and all perfect.

Waited about 4 hours and another nozzle check made getting ready to make more prints. All OK, this time. Prints turned out fine.

Next morning (about 8 hours later) made nozzle check before making some prints. Again, about 15 - 20% of the segments missing.

Why after doing all the cleaning, including with a cleaning solution, nozzle checks are fine and the a few hours later nozzle checks show a bunch of segments missing.

So, in a couple of days after doing many nozzle checks, standard cleaning operations, and even a cleaning operation with ink solvent, I am only able to make decent prints immediately after the cleaning operations. Wait a few hours and printer again not working properly. I am really wasting a lot of ink through all these cleaning operations, almost 3/4 empty on some colors, since putting in the new (refillable) cartridges (had same situation with the InkJetFly Big Foot CIS system).

What is wrong here?

Thank you,

William

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Gritty