Clogged nozzles. My remedy.

[JulesJ]

Like all of you who print I'm sure, My printer suffers from clogged nozzles time to time. I run an Epson 7890 24" printer. I run a nozzle check before i start a print run and sometimes get clogged nozzles. So rather than going straight to the ing on the printer, or running the Qimage routine I print an A4 on the paper from my waste paper pile and print a print I have created. The theory behind it is from my thinking, as follows. It consists of all colour but in dots or small lines all over the page. this causes all of the colour jets to repeatedly blast ink on and off for lots of very short durations as the head travels fast left and right across the paper, excercising the the nozzles and blasting out clogs. I find that just running this will cure a clog say eight out of ten times.

I post in the image here. Please feel free to give it a try next time you have a clog.









--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

 

[Mark McCormick]

Yours was a timely post! Yesterday, I ran sequential cleaning cycles and nozzle check printouts on my Epson P600 printer. It had a clogged VM channel that persisted even right after installing a brand new VM OEM cartridge. All that work got the printer back to about 99.9%, but the nozzle check pattern still wasn't perfect in that VM channel. I decided to let the printer sit overnight, and then run another nozzle check. This produced a nozzle check pattern that was again almost perfect, yet a little worse than the almost perfect nozzle check pattern I produced yesterday after the three sequential cleaning cycles (and ink supply levels showing a direct hit as well!).

Fortuitously, right after this morning's imperfect nozzle check printout I saw your target design in this thread along with your comments, and I thought, "why not try this target before going another round of cleaning cycles on my P600?", or resorting to more draconian approaches to clearing the head. Bottom line: After running one print of your target, I then ran another nozzle check print, and it was perfect!

I like the concept (wish I'd thought of it myself). I'm not sure I agree with everything in your hypothesis, but on balance I think it's an elegant approach and another nice method to add to my inkjet printer cleaning toolkit. The proof was in the pudding.... It worked in my situation without me having to go another round of cleaning cycles!

thanks,

Mark

--
Mark McCormick

http://www.aardenburg-imaging.com

 

[JulesJ]

Yours was a timely post! Yesterday, I ran sequential cleaning cycles and nozzle check printouts on my Epson P600 printer. It had a clogged VM channel that persisted even right after installing a brand new VM OEM cartridge. All that work got the printer back to about 99.9%, but the nozzle check pattern still wasn't perfect in that VM channel. I decided to let the printer sit overnight, and then run another nozzle check. This produced a nozzle check pattern that was again almost perfect, yet a little worse than the almost perfect nozzle check pattern I produced yesterday after the three sequential cleaning cycles (and ink supply levels showing a direct hit as well!).

Fortuitously, right after this morning's imperfect nozzle check printout I saw your target design in this thread along with your comments, and I thought, "why not try this target before going another round of cleaning cycles on my P600?", or resorting to more draconian approaches to clearing the head. Bottom line: After running one print of your target, I then ran another nozzle check print, and it was perfect!

I like the concept (wish I'd thought of it myself). I'm not sure I agree with everything in your hypothesis, but on balance I think it's an elegant approach and another nice method to add to my inkjet printer cleaning toolkit. The proof was in the pudding.... It worked in my situation without me having to go another round of cleaning cycles!

thanks,

Mark

--
Mark McCormick

http://www.aardenburg-imaging.com

I'm so glad that it helped Mark. I hope it can help others. Most uncloggers like my 7890's own method, and Qimage's which I have also used seem to go for the "blast loads of the blocked colour" to free it. Mine is a more subtle one of pumping the ink a tiny bit , then stopping, then a bit more etc and randomly. It certainly uses less ink. Lots of my lines you will see are vertical and only one pixel wide, which is but a tiny amount of ink for a very short time as the head whizzes past. there is sanity in my madness!

Jules

--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

 

[Petruska]

Yours was a timely post! Yesterday, I ran sequential cleaning cycles and nozzle check printouts on my Epson P600 printer. It had a clogged VM channel that persisted even right after installing a brand new VM OEM cartridge. All that work got the printer back to about 99.9%, but the nozzle check pattern still wasn't perfect in that VM channel. I decided to let the printer sit overnight, and then run another nozzle check. This produced a nozzle check pattern that was again almost perfect, yet a little worse than the almost perfect nozzle check pattern I produced yesterday after the three sequential cleaning cycles (and ink supply levels showing a direct hit as well!).

Fortuitously, right after this morning's imperfect nozzle check printout I saw your target design in this thread along with your comments, and I thought, "why not try this target before going another round of cleaning cycles on my P600?", or resorting to more draconian approaches to clearing the head. Bottom line: After running one print of your target, I then ran another nozzle check print, and it was perfect!

I like the concept (wish I'd thought of it myself). I'm not sure I agree with everything in your hypothesis, but on balance I think it's an elegant approach and another nice method to add to my inkjet printer cleaning toolkit. The proof was in the pudding.... It worked in my situation without me having to go another round of cleaning cycles!

thanks,

Mark

--
Mark McCormick

http://www.aardenburg-imaging.com

and there are other purge prints out there.

Just a comment here for additional help. The Quadtone RIP program allows one to print a complete page of a single cartridge color. That way you only consume a single color. A lot of purge print colors are made of a composite of many cartridge colors. so it may or may not exercise the color you need to do so.

http://www.quadtonerip.com/html/QTRprinttool.html

Also when you run a nozzle cleaning cycle it pulls a vacuum on the nozzles which is a much more aggressive cleaning operation that just printing.

That said, I have had an occasional VM blockage with my R3000, would try a purge print and then a few complete pages of VM using Quadtone RIP and the clogs would still be there. Run the Epson R3000 cleaning cycle with a resulting perfect pattern.

A lot of times where an Epson print head looks like clogging and the resulting cleaning makes it better and worse is really air.

Bob P.

 

[JulesJ]

Yours was a timely post! Yesterday, I ran sequential cleaning cycles and nozzle check printouts on my Epson P600 printer. It had a clogged VM channel that persisted even right after installing a brand new VM OEM cartridge. All that work got the printer back to about 99.9%, but the nozzle check pattern still wasn't perfect in that VM channel. I decided to let the printer sit overnight, and then run another nozzle check. This produced a nozzle check pattern that was again almost perfect, yet a little worse than the almost perfect nozzle check pattern I produced yesterday after the three sequential cleaning cycles (and ink supply levels showing a direct hit as well!).

Fortuitously, right after this morning's imperfect nozzle check printout I saw your target design in this thread along with your comments, and I thought, "why not try this target before going another round of cleaning cycles on my P600?", or resorting to more draconian approaches to clearing the head. Bottom line: After running one print of your target, I then ran another nozzle check print, and it was perfect!

I like the concept (wish I'd thought of it myself). I'm not sure I agree with everything in your hypothesis, but on balance I think it's an elegant approach and another nice method to add to my inkjet printer cleaning toolkit. The proof was in the pudding.... It worked in my situation without me having to go another round of cleaning cycles!

thanks,

Mark

 

[Petruska]

Quite. Images purge will just do one or more of your choice of colours.

You can not select individual cartridge colors to print with anything but a RIP program.

With all purge prints out there on the web the colors printed are composite colors of the individual ink cartridges, even the black. Again, the only way to print individual ink cartridge colors is with a RIP.

Bob P.

 

[Mark McCormick]

Yes sometimes I've run a cleaning and more colours get blocked.

But there is little (ink) to be lost in trying my method.

Yes, I agree, Epson cleaning cycles sometimes cause things to get worse. I think the general notion of clogged nozzles needs to be expanded to entrained air bubbles and even gunk on the head surface such that proper ink drop flight is not taking place. What I like about JulesJ's target is that sometimes less is more!

Sure, there are other heavy ink purge methods including individual channel controls that exercise only one offending color channel at a time, but again, sometimes less is more! Moreover, the idea to exercise nozzles intermittently rather than trying to fire them continuously with extended firings and higher ink volume, perhaps allowing the solvents time to free up the nozzle before the next onset of the nozzle firing is pretty novel, IMHO.

Thank you, JulesJ.

--
Mark McCormick

http://www.aardenburg-imaging.com

 

[JulesJ]

Yes sometimes I've run a cleaning and more colours get blocked.

But there is little (ink) to be lost in trying my method.

Yes, I agree, Epson cleaning cycles sometimes cause things to get worse. I think the general notion of clogged nozzles needs to be expanded to entrained air bubbles and even gunk on the head surface such that proper ink drop flight is not taking place. What I like about JulesJ's target is that sometimes less is more!

Sure, there are other heavy ink purge methods including individual channel controls that exercise only one offending color channel at a time, but again, sometimes less is more! Moreover, the idea to exercise nozzles intermittently rather than trying to fire them continuously with extended firings and higher ink volume, perhaps allowing the solvents time to free up the nozzle before the next onset of the nozzle firing is pretty novel, IMHO.

Thank you, JulesJ.

You are welcome.

 

[SantaFeBill]

Quite. Images purge will just do one or more of your choice of colours.

You can not select individual cartridge colors to print with anything but a RIP program.

With all purge prints out there on the web the colors printed are composite colors of the individual ink cartridges, even the black. Again, the only way to print individual ink cartridge colors is with a RIP.

Bob P.

I have some nozzles on the VM in my R3000 that aren't delivering ink. I've printed the Marruttusa VM purge file enough times to make a noticeable drop in the indicated VM ink level.

At least two of the other inks were extremely close to showing the need to be replaced at the start of the VM purge printing, which is one reason I didn't want to run a number of cleaning cycles.

None of the other inks have shown a drop in levels. So the Marruttusa purge at least is using only the VM ink.

 

[Petruska]

Quite. Images purge will just do one or more of your choice of colours.

You can not select individual cartridge colors to print with anything but a RIP program.

With all purge prints out there on the web the colors printed are composite colors of the individual ink cartridges, even the black. Again, the only way to print individual ink cartridge colors is with a RIP.

Bob P.

I have some nozzles on the VM in my R3000 that aren't delivering ink. I've printed the Marruttusa VM purge file enough times to make a noticeable drop in the indicated VM ink level.

At least two of the other inks were extremely close to showing the need to be replaced at the start of the VM purge printing, which is one reason I didn't want to run a number of cleaning cycles.

None of the other inks have shown a drop in levels. So the Marruttusa purge at least is using only the VM ink.

I printed the Marrutt VM purge print for the Epson R3000 using no color management so it should print the VM raw data only. I also printed the VM Quadtone RIP print which is guaranteed to print only the VM cartridge color. I pasted the QTR print on top of the Marrutt print and scanned them. The dot at the top of the print is a swipe of the actual cartridge ink. Notice the differences, which one do you think is a composite?

Yes purge prints have their place but never think that they are printing an actual cartridge ink color, most of the time, if not always, they are made of composite colors.



Bob P.

 

[Robert Snow]

NEAT!!! That really shows it nicely. I have used QTR with success for a long time, and it does get the job done.

bob snow

 

[Vernon D Rainwater]

Like all of you who print I'm sure, My printer suffers from clogged nozzles time to time. I run an Epson 7890 24" printer. I run a nozzle check before i start a print run and sometimes get clogged nozzles. So rather than going straight to the ing on the printer, or running the Qimage routine I print an A4 on the paper from my waste paper pile and print a print I have created. The theory behind it is from my thinking, as follows. It consists of all colour but in dots or small lines all over the page. this causes all of the colour jets to repeatedly blast ink on and off for lots of very short durations as the head travels fast left and right across the paper, excercising the the nozzles and blasting out clogs. I find that just running this will cure a clog say eight out of ten times.

I post in the image here. Please feel free to give it a try next time you have a clog.



--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

Did you purposely include the small "light smoke spot" on the right about 1/4 down and 2/3 to 3/4 to the right of page. Is there a specific purpose for that.

--
Vernon...

 

[jtoolman]

Like all of you who print I'm sure, My printer suffers from clogged nozzles time to time. I run an Epson 7890 24" printer. I run a nozzle check before i start a print run and sometimes get clogged nozzles. So rather than going straight to the ing on the printer, or running the Qimage routine I print an A4 on the paper from my waste paper pile and print a print I have created. The theory behind it is from my thinking, as follows. It consists of all colour but in dots or small lines all over the page. this causes all of the colour jets to repeatedly blast ink on and off for lots of very short durations as the head travels fast left and right across the paper, excercising the the nozzles and blasting out clogs. I find that just running this will cure a clog say eight out of ten times.

I post in the image here. Please feel free to give it a try next time you have a clog.



--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

Did you purposely include the small "light smoke spot" on the right about 1/4 down and 2/3 to 3/4 to the right of page. Is there a specific purpose for that.

--
Vernon...

I was wondering the same thing.

Joe

--
MY VIDEO CHANNEL. PRINTING and personal videos.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9YXaSulpM90vC24lmAeZA

Micromachining and Miniature Cabinetmaking channel
JTOOLMAN1949 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFPD5beoll9TvvW2u_dR0hQ

 

[JulesJ]

Like all of you who print I'm sure, My printer suffers from clogged nozzles time to time. I run an Epson 7890 24" printer. I run a nozzle check before i start a print run and sometimes get clogged nozzles. So rather than going straight to the ing on the printer, or running the Qimage routine I print an A4 on the paper from my waste paper pile and print a print I have created. The theory behind it is from my thinking, as follows. It consists of all colour but in dots or small lines all over the page. this causes all of the colour jets to repeatedly blast ink on and off for lots of very short durations as the head travels fast left and right across the paper, excercising the the nozzles and blasting out clogs. I find that just running this will cure a clog say eight out of ten times.

I post in the image here. Please feel free to give it a try next time you have a clog.



--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

Did you purposely include the small "light smoke spot" on the right about 1/4 down and 2/3 to 3/4 to the right of page. Is there a specific purpose for that.

--
Vernon...

Ha ha! No, I did it by mistake and it stayed. Think of it like the intentional flaw in carpets that the Persians made so as not to offend Allah

http://www.orientalrugexperts.com/deliberate-mistakes-in-handmade-persian-rugs-and-carpets/

--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

 

[JulesJ]

Like all of you who print I'm sure, My printer suffers from clogged nozzles time to time. I run an Epson 7890 24" printer. I run a nozzle check before i start a print run and sometimes get clogged nozzles. So rather than going straight to the ing on the printer, or running the Qimage routine I print an A4 on the paper from my waste paper pile and print a print I have created. The theory behind it is from my thinking, as follows. It consists of all colour but in dots or small lines all over the page. this causes all of the colour jets to repeatedly blast ink on and off for lots of very short durations as the head travels fast left and right across the paper, excercising the the nozzles and blasting out clogs. I find that just running this will cure a clog say eight out of ten times.

I post in the image here. Please feel free to give it a try next time you have a clog.



--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

Did you purposely include the small "light smoke spot" on the right about 1/4 down and 2/3 to 3/4 to the right of page. Is there a specific purpose for that.

--
Vernon...

I was wondering the same thing.

Joe

See my answer to Vernon, Joe.

--
MY VIDEO CHANNEL. PRINTING and personal videos.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9YXaSulpM90vC24lmAeZA
Micromachining and Miniature Cabinetmaking channel
JTOOLMAN1949 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFPD5beoll9TvvW2u_dR0hQ

--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

 

[Vernon D Rainwater]

Like all of you who print I'm sure, My printer suffers from clogged nozzles time to time. I run an Epson 7890 24" printer. I run a nozzle check before i start a print run and sometimes get clogged nozzles. So rather than going straight to the ing on the printer, or running the Qimage routine I print an A4 on the paper from my waste paper pile and print a print I have created. The theory behind it is from my thinking, as follows. It consists of all colour but in dots or small lines all over the page. this causes all of the colour jets to repeatedly blast ink on and off for lots of very short durations as the head travels fast left and right across the paper, excercising the the nozzles and blasting out clogs. I find that just running this will cure a clog say eight out of ten times.

I post in the image here. Please feel free to give it a try next time you have a clog.



--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

Jules, I hope this is Ok. I prepared a "JulesJ Modified File" to use with my R800 and R1800 printers to also show printing status of the various colors.











--
Vernon...

 

[JulesJ]

Like all of you who print I'm sure, My printer suffers from clogged nozzles time to time. I run an Epson 7890 24" printer. I run a nozzle check before i start a print run and sometimes get clogged nozzles. So rather than going straight to the ing on the printer, or running the Qimage routine I print an A4 on the paper from my waste paper pile and print a print I have created. The theory behind it is from my thinking, as follows. It consists of all colour but in dots or small lines all over the page. this causes all of the colour jets to repeatedly blast ink on and off for lots of very short durations as the head travels fast left and right across the paper, excercising the the nozzles and blasting out clogs. I find that just running this will cure a clog say eight out of ten times.

I post in the image here. Please feel free to give it a try next time you have a clog.



--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

Jules, I hope this is Ok. I prepared a "JulesJ Modified File" to use with my R800 and R1800 printers to also show printing status of the various colors.



--
Vernon...

Nice one Vernon. No problem.

--
Save money on expensive telephoto lenses. Stand closer to the subject.

 

[l_d_allan]

So rather than going straight to the ing on the printer, or running the Qimage routine I print an A4 on the paper from my waste paper pile and print a print I have created.

Interesting. Thanks.

Do you have a "master original" in higher resolution? Perhaps a .tif that can have an annotation text layer?

Or does higher resolution not make any difference for this purpose?

 

[JulesJ]

So rather than going straight to the ing on the printer, or running the Qimage routine I print an A4 on the paper from my waste paper pile and print a print I have created.

Interesting. Thanks.

Do you have a "master original" in higher resolution? Perhaps a .tif that can have an annotation text layer?

Or does higher resolution not make any difference for this purpose?

I don't think a higher res would make much difference. The theory is the same. But you can easily make your own if you use such a programme as PS or aany image prog with a pen. just draw lots of lines, mostly vertical, using a pen thicknes of one pixel and use as many different colours, and black as possible.

 

[l_d_allan]

JulesJ wrote:
just draw lots of lines, mostly vertical, using a pen thickness of one pixel and use as many different colours, and black as possible.

My observation is that with printers having Photo-Cyan, Photo-Magenta, and/or Gray, it can be difficult to "exercise" the nozzles for the lighter colors.

That might be even more the case for Canon non-pro printers that have different nozzle sizes to simulate PC, PM, Gray, and Photo-Gray. I've got several CMYK+Gray Canon printers that have 5 picoliter nozzles for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. (MP990 & TS9020)

There are 3 pl and 1 pl nozzles to simulate PC, PM, Light-PC, Light-PM, and three shades of gray.

My impression is that Epson uses a different piezo technology, so that factor isn't applicable, or perhaps less so.

FWIW:
In some ways, this refiller prefers the variable nozzle sizes and only 5 ink colors that the CMYK+Gray printers have, compared to printers like the Pro-100 (8 colors and all nozzles are 3 pl) and the Canon Pro-9000-2 (8 colors and all nozzles are 2 pl).

MTYEWTK ?
To tackle clogs, I have a set of "cleaning cartridges" and print a test .tif that has narrow strips of various colors. The intent is that the same nozzles are only heating up to spray for a relatively short amount time, to reduce the potential of further kogation.