Encoder strip 08 error code

[MrPixelPuppy]

1st Post ever.

First and foremost, thank you to everyone that contributes to Signs101 this is an inmesuarable resource for everyone out there.

Problem: Recently purchased two JV33's from different sources. Brought to shop and have worked for the past 4 weeks like a charm. Last week both of them started giving me error code 8- Encoder strip.

I have exhaustedly cleaned the encoder strip and the reader. Now every couple of hours i have the same error. Encoder strip?? I am stumped and cant figure out what it is? Oh,, forgot to mention one of the machines is putting out some serious overspray. Dont know what to do...

Today i printed a 5 foot by 80 foot banner at the 75' mark my print just vered to the side and everything became pixelated and went off to the side.

Called service tech - Felt robbed Charged $180.00 travel time and $ 180.00 for 45 mins. He said all was ok after he did what i had done cleaned encoder strip and reader. 40mins after he left same thing happend.

Please share thoughts.

Thanks

Daniel

 

[artbot]

you can't just clean it. the encoder strip has to be inspected. a single speck of ink will cause an error. get: magnifying glass, flashlight, business card. bend the card so that it can slide behind the encoder use the flashlight and magnifying glass to look very closely at the strip. i believe the strip is a laser print. on my jv3 the image/lines printed are on the back. so you can aggressively clean the front. i've heard to never go stronger than iso' for cleaning but if you use a speck of acetone on a q-tip and with the magnifying glass work sparingly and quickly, ...that sometimes is the only way a speck of ink is coming off.

also, i once had an issue and it turned out to be a single cat hair in the encoder reader.

if you do find a speck, i'd try to photo it. show it to the tech' and ask for a refund.

 

[asgp07]

Encoder Strip Cleaning

Hello guys... Im new and i find ultra important the stuff you say here.

Can you guys tell me how can I clean the encoder strip? How should I do it? I just bought a mimaki jv33 want to clean that encoder strip, is the only onw part missing the cleaning, thank you in advance.

 

[MrPixelPuppy]

Cleaning

I find myself in the same boat. I have been told by one technician to clean with water and alcohol. Another tech said just alcohol I have tried both and cant tell which one worked best. What i am sure of is whatever you do DO NOT use the cleaning solution for your printeheads. This will burn your encoder strip.


PS... i asked a Mimaki dealer to sell me and encoder strip. Cost was $ 400.00 took a chance and purchased one from overseas for $ 60.00 installed it and it is working like a charm.

 

[tbaker]

typically in the past, when I have seen a printer veer to one side or the other, it's a bad encoder, or encoder reader. From time to time it will be caused by a dirty encoder strip, but if after you clean it, the problem persists, it's time to suck it up and buy another encoder strip.

As for the cleaning solution to clean it, I've always used isopropyl alcohol ( 91%), it leaves no residue, it evaporates fairly quickly, has no oil involved in it, and lastly, I've never seen it damage an encoder strip.

All that being said, if you have big ink drops on your encoder strip, plain alcohol won't be enough to remove it. You can't "scratch" it off, that will damage the strip. What I've done with much success is, and I know this is going to raise eyebrows, use mimaki cleaning solution ( on a foam swab) clean the affected area, as quickly as possible, then go over it with isopropyl alcohol. The way I figure it is, it's broken already, can't really hurt it more. I've never messed up a strip, but I'm very careful, and every time I do it, I get that funny feeling in my stomach ( you know the one, UGH I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO F**** up EVERYTHING!) yet it works well.

 

[artbot]

tbaker is right. i've done the same using pure acetone because if it's fast drying properties. the strip is PET so the strip itself is solvent resistant. the lines on the strip are on the back side of the strip, the look laser printed. i've had some pretty nasty dots of ink that would only come off with this method.