Epson DX4 Print Heads - Are they all the same?

[natasjlp]

difference between dx4 water and solvent heads

From what I understand the only difference (besides head ranking) between the water based and solvent based DX4 heads is the black plastic piece that has the head ranking sticker on it.. replace that with a solvent resistant black plastic piece and you have a solvent print head.

I have done tech work for years and heard you can use solvent heads on both solvent and water based machines and water based heads you can only use on water based machines... unless you replace the non solvent resistant plastic piece. Which I guess makes sense considering they are both made with the same piezo crystal.

Can anyone else verify this?? I have never actually tried but am thinking of doing so. I have replaced the black piece with another one because it was broken and didn't have issues, but never tried a water based head in a solvent machine with the black plastic piece switched from a solvent head.

(see attached)

 

[genericname]

Excellent first post, natasjlp! Next time I have an aqueous head get physically damaged, I'll try the solvent manifold switch-out.

Science!

 

[lookinc]

Dx4 heads

I am having big printer problems right now and I was told the xc-540 has a special dx4 head made just for Roland.(has different electrical configuration or chip patented by Roland) can any one verify this as true or not?

 

[francesco1]

help

good day,,.
we have, installed, a print head, aquistata, at a good price, by: www.digiprint-supplies.com/.ed was, defective.
by regulation, we have returned to the sender, so that they can, change it, or give back the money.
you can, help, about, please?

 

[kapaz]

Epson stylos pro 9500 light and dark colors printheads

I'm an Epson printer tech who has specialized in repairing Epson 3000's for several years now. I just joined this forum today as I'm looking to expand my services and I'm interested in learning what printers are using the 3000 heads (DX2?) as well as the newer DX4 & DX5 heads. I know this thread is about the DX4 but I thought I'd ad my experience on the earlier heads. Here's what I know: The 3000 color head was used in the following printers:
ROLAND FJ40, FJ42, FJ50, FJ52
ROLAND CJ400, CJ500, SC500, SJ500, SJ600
MUTOH RJ 4000, RJ 4100 (FALCON OUTDOOR JR. 38")
MUTOH RJ 6000, RJ 6100 (FALCON OUTDOOR 48" & 62")
MUTOH ROCKHOPPER I 38"
MUTOH ROCKHOPPER I 48"
MUTOH ROCKHOPPER I 62"
MIMAKI JV2
KODAK 3042, 3062
AGFA SHERPA 43i, 43DS2
PRISM JET EXTRA
IRIS OPAL
EPSON STYLUS COLOR 800, 850, 1520 & 3000
EPSON STYLUS PRO 5000, 7000, 7500, 9000 & 9500

The part numbers for the heads were different for each Epson printer but the heads are the same. Epson does not sell heads for other printer brands to the general public or resellers knowingly. They have contracts with those companies. The voltage is written on the side of the sc series and is an alphnumeric sticker on the top of the Pro series. In the adjustment software for the 3000 there is a process for converting a 6 letter alphanumeric Pro series voltage into the 7 digit voltage required for the 3000. The reason for installing the Pro series head is to eliminate microbanding issues when a printer is brought in for service. This tells me that even though the heads are the same, Epson has a way of determining that some heads do perform better than others and designate those heads to the higher end models. I have verified this in my opinion through testing of different part numbers and comparing the results. Mimaki, Mutoh and Roland buy their heads from Epson and I know this is fact. They have contracts with these companies and Epson is not giving them any breaks. Thus the high cost when buying direct from those companies. Remember Epson makes all the real money from ink sales. Once they sell a head to another company they can't make any money on it. By the sound of what Mutoh and others are charging for heads Epson is really sticking it to them. One of the reason Epson has made it very difficult to get the "good" pro series heads is because some DTG guys who had contracts to buy the heads from Epson learned they could get the higher quality heads from parts suppliers for much cheaper.

As for head voltage, the Epson trainer who teaches Epson ink jet classes to Epson techs says the voltage sets the oscillation of the piezo element inside each head. The element is unique for each head thus the need for a different voltage for each head. The voltage is not unique to the brand of printer and I know this for a fact.

Is it necessary to enter the voltage? I don't know. The Epson trainer says you must to avoid undesirable effects and won't elaborate. I always do because I can. I've also screwed around with heads that were "not fit for service" to see what changing the voltage would do. I ran printers for months with the wrong voltage to see what would happen. End result - nothing I could tell even under high magnification. I can say F055XXX series heads designated for use on the 9000 Pro prints a higher quality than the head designated for a sc 3000. I always install the 9000 Pro heads for this reason.


~Dave Parker
503-875-5719

Hello Dave Parker

Do you know if it the LIGHT and DARK(c/m/b) printheads from an Epson stylos pro 9500/7500 are the same , and can be interchanged ?
One is the F055050 and the other is F055040.

In the SERVICE MANUAL froam Epson tel to do not do that , but i am not sure.
I had assembled a espson 3000 printhead in the dark colors from the Epson 9500 and works fine , even not have changed the ID voltage.
Thanks in advance
Antonio