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Free Jv3-160sp With Head Issues Worth The Investment?

debeer920

New Member
Hello. This is my first time post to the forum and could use some advice. I have an opportunity to get a JV3-160sp for free. The machine powers on and everything works fine except for the heads. All of the heads seem to be clogged. The owner said first the cyan started to become spotty then the rest of them took a dump all at once.The owner bought a new machine and just wants to scrap it. It has been unplugged and sitting for a few weeks. I've checked prices on heads from digiprint and to replace them all it would be roughly $2400. Would this be a wise investment or just let him scrap it?
 

Solventinkjet

DIY Printer Fixing Guide
Scrap it. These machines have been riding on their last legs for years now. It's time for them to retire. They were work horses when they were new and one of the most popular machines but age has caught up with them.
 

MikePro

New Member
yeah, could be a can o' worms. If the heads took a dump at once, there may be other issues that require service as well, aside from the 8-12hrs you'll spend replacing the heads in the first place (i could do it in <6hr, no big deal).

If you're feelin' froggy, and it's truly a FREE machine, you could take it off his hands, disassemble, and package up certain high$$$ parts like motors/boards/cards/power/etc. that may be worth listing on ebay. its still what I intend to do with my Jv3 that's just been sitting in a closet since I upgraded.
otherwise, at $2400+your valuable time, you're nearly on your way to a NEW printer. (well, at least a new-previous year's model)
 

New2Fabric

New Member
Buy printhead and put it in yourself. And it will be alot less than 2400 ... And they usually come with instructions.
 

debeer920

New Member
(i could do it in <6hr, no big deal)

Lol yeah it is a pain in the a$$ I've replaced 3 on Roland sc540 which uses the same heads, and it was very nerve racking. That was my other thought maybe it has a bad board or something else. And I replace the heads and end up just wasting money. But on the other hand I was hoping maybe the capping station wasn't sealing or it had bad dampeners. I would love to get a brand new machine but I'm just starting off and my budget is tight so I guess I'll just keep saving wait for something else to come along.
 

OmegaAdv

New Member
What you mean stopped working, you dont have no shots in test print??, When I buy my jv3 the cyan was with 50% not firing, when change the pump and the caps, week after Ive get 100% firing.. If you dont have no firing at all printheads it is encoder sensor! JV3 for not big shop, arround 300-500m2 month it is the great mashine!
Year later I have a near perfect test page after buying the bargain. When I buy it it have arround 20% clogged, after year I have (1k,2m,0c,2y nozzles cllogged)Ive change only encoder strip and the consumables and the head cables.
Also you can make it to print not 2xCMYK, only 1xCMYK with two new heads.


". The owner said first the cyan started to become spotty then the rest of them took a dump all at once.The owner bought a new machine and just wants to scrap it. It has been unplugged and sitting for a few weeks."
Only if you have printhead test page with firing heads (bad but firing) - I will change the caps and pumps, wiper put new fresh inks or head cleaning solution and will start it to make cleaning at every hour, and if you have some good results will think to buy something very expensive and risky like heads!
 
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debeer920

New Member
Thanks for the info
What you mean stopped working, you dont have no shots in test print??, When I buy my jv3 the cyan was with 50% not firing, when change the pump and the caps, week after Ive get 100% firing.. If you dont have no firing at all printheads it is encoder sensor! JV3 for not big shop, arround 300-500m2 month it is the great mashine!
Year later I have a near perfect test page after buying the bargain. When I buy it it have arround 20% clogged, after year I have (1k,2m,0c,2y nozzles cllogged)Ive change only encoder strip and the consumables and the head cables.
Also you can make it to print not 2xCMYK, only 1xCMYK with two new heads.


". The owner said first the cyan started to become spotty then the rest of them took a dump all at once.The owner bought a new machine and just wants to scrap it. It has been unplugged and sitting for a few weeks."
Only if you have printhead test page with firing heads (bad but firing) - I will change the caps and pumps, wiper put new fresh inks or head cleaning solution and will start it to make cleaning at every hour, and if you have some good results will think to buy something very expensive and risky like heads!
thanks for the info. After some consideration I decided to pull the trigger and get it. It's truly free so I'm going to start off with doing the cheaper solutions to try and diagnose the problem and go from there. As others have stated I can always sell the valuable parts from it, if it does end up being a expensive fix
 

GaSouthpaw

Profane and profane accessories.
Scrap it. These machines have been riding on their last legs for years now. It's time for them to retire. They were work horses when they were new and one of the most popular machines but age has caught up with them.
Absolutely. Weren't they replaced by the JV33 series in 2008? And the 33 series has been replaced with the 300 series.
If the printer was fully functional and they were giving it away, that'd be one thing- but why would you want to dump money into something that's obsolete on the off chance you could get it to work?
 

tomence

New Member
If you are lucky you may get this printer to work by only replacing capping station, pumps, printheads and dumpers, as long as there is no dry ink in the tube lines you should be up and running for about $3K and whatever time you gonna spend replacing those parts. But what happens if it doesn't work after you spend $3k and your time replacing parts?
 

Dallas225

New Member
I've got a 2008 jv33-160 running dual cmyk on oem inks that's running and shows a perfect head and I'd send it out the door for 3k if anyone wanted it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

OmegaAdv

New Member
"I've got a 2008 jv33-160 running dual cmyk on oem inks that's running and shows a perfect head and I'd send it out the door for 3k if anyone wanted it. "
If you was near to Bulgaria I will get it at the moment :D.... Here are double and cant find.
The new mashine will be much than US, the market is very little, also the service is pooor and we work, It is better to can maintaince the mashine by yourself.

The man tells that havent budget for new mashine. If get it and make it worked, yes it is slow but It can make money for new. I dont know how much is the m2 in US but here mashine have to print me arround 1000 m2 to be paid... For march I have arround 400m2 with mimaki jv3-160 which cost me a little and it runs and runs. For not big shop with not serious clients it will make good quallity. Im happy to know that the expensive thing in it is the mainboard...not head for 2000euro like JV150/300. And every tell " whatever time you gonna spend replacing those parts. " the parts are changing like drag&drop, only the heads have to be alligned at all. If it is for small shop why not to try to get it worked.
 
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