Blotchy (Splotchy) Solid Colors HP Latex 315

[shepherddesigns]

What is the most likely culprit of blotchy prints (see attached)? This is a fresh calibration. Inks or printheads? Printheads were installed about 6 weeks ago and this is probably the 3rd or 4th print on them. Inks are expired, but have not been used much; I still have about 600 mL left in each. This is on a brand new roll of Orajet 3751ra. Because the printer was sitting for a few weeks, I did have to manually clean the printheads.

 

[victor bogdanov]

My first guess would be the expired inks, how long ago did they expire? Give the inks a good shake to mix, inks probably settled from sitting for so long.

Test on another media to rule out media

 

[balstestrat]

Lack of Optimizer if you think the roll is good.

 

[shepherddesigns]

My first guess would be the expired inks, how long ago did they expire? Give the inks a good shake to mix, inks probably settled from sitting for so long.

Test on another media to rule out media

They expired about a month ago. I'll give them a shake and see what happens.

 

[shepherddesigns]

Lack of Optimizer if you think the roll is good.

The profile started off as the .icc from Orafol. I'd assume optimizer is set between 18-22%, which I believe is the recommended amount. Or are you saying the optimizer printhead is bad?

 

[shepherddesigns]

I thought it could be a plasticizer issue. I wiped down the media with alcohol, but no change.

 

[balstestrat]

It's optimizer issue. Say you have anything over 15% in the profile you know you have an issue with the printhead if you see that.

 

[shepherddesigns]

Looks like a media issue. Ran some wall vinyl on it and it printed great. What's everyone's experience dealing with getting replacements on vinyl? The vinyl was bought from Grimco.

 

[ddarlak]

Call orafol and check on serial numbers, I have sent back many rolls that were expired.

 

[shepherddesigns]

Anyone know how much ink is inside the printer? Meaning, how many mLs of ink are there in between the cartridges and the heads? This issue looks like it's the inks. I installed all new inks, and after several prints, I'm still having issues. I've run about 11 mL of ink from each color since the new inks were installed.

 

[shepherddesigns]

Okay, this problem is really killing me now. I have new printheads and new ink. Everything looks good, but I'm getting zero yellow after the printhead change. Yellow was, more or less, fine before. When I pulled the M/Y printheads, there is a bunch of ink inside. Is this a bad printhead?

 

[shepherddesigns]

Put the old M/Y printheads back in and it prints fine.

 

[Creative Sign Guy(s)]

Bad media or an optimizer issue.

 

[Geneva Olson]

optimizer print head

 

[Creative Sign Guy(s)]

Oh. This looks to have been resolved.