Falcon Outdoor Jr. help

[tshirtz]

Hello everyone.
After sitting unused for an a few weeks, our printer was not printing properly. While troubleshooting, I discovered two leaks in the lines around the pump gears, and also a stripped gear under the maintenance station. I replaced the entire maintenance station. It helped the problem some. When doing a nozzle check, black is printing good. Cyan and yellow have a few missing nozzles. Magenta is barely printing at all. I have done ink fills, head soaks, head wash, cleans and power cleans. I have pulled ink from the capping station and the waste lines. I removed the magenta damper and gently pushed denatured alcohol through the magenta. Still no improvement.

It sounds like I am sucking air when pulling ink from waste lines and the capping station. I get no magenta ink and very little yellow or cyan. Being a new capping station the rubber seal looks good and it seems to be sealing on the head properly. I replace the o ring on the magenta damper. Could the damper itself be sucking air? I am going to order parts today. I am trying to decide if I should replace the print head or just the dampers and o rings. Also, if anyone knows where I can get a service manual, please let me know.

Thanks

Randy Cunningham
Grafix South - Hueytown, Al.

 

[tshirtz]

I ordered new dampers and o-rings. If this doesn't work I will order a new print head.

Is it possible to take the print head off and clean it?

 

[randya]

Yes, but it is easier to do a head soak.

Take a NON-SHEDDING clean room wipe and wet it with cleaning solution and lay it across the capping station.

Recap the head and rewet every 15-20 minutes, either run a strong clean or pull ink with a syringe after about an hour.

Repeat until no more nozzles unclog.


You might also just want to wet the cap with cleaning solution to improve the seal before you start all of this.

You can break open a cleaning cart for cleaning solution.

Denautured alcohol may work, but cleaning solution works much faster and doesnt dry out at fast.

 

[John L]

Randy, I just wanted to say thanks buddy. I have trouble from time to time too and many times your posts are the bullseye.

I am sure you get tired of posting the same things over and over but it does help others.

 

[randya]

John,

You are very welcome.
Thanks for the kudos.

There are many here all doing the same thing and they and Signs 101 really deserve credit as well.

I am just trying to help people out....

 

[tshirtz]

I appreciate the help. This forum is a great source of information for people just getting started in the sign business. My wife actually owns the business. I just work on the equipment when it breaks. I can work on a embroidery machine with no problem. The printer She has been doing screen printing for about 20 years, embroidery for 15 years, and vinyl cutting and printing for about 2 years. The sign part of the business is growing pretty fast.

 

[Larry L]

Yes, but it is easier to do a head soak.

Take a NON-SHEDDING clean room wipe and wet it with cleaning solution and lay it across the capping station.

Recap the head and rewet every 15-20 minutes, either run a strong clean or pull ink with a syringe after about an hour.

Repeat until no more nozzles unclog.


You might also just want to wet the cap with cleaning solution to improve the seal before you start all of this.

You can break open a cleaning cart for cleaning solution.

Denautured alcohol may work, but cleaning solution works much faster and doesnt dry out at fast.

I was told the print heads are very hard to align so you must ship the whole printer back, (a $2000+ cost for me going from OH to Sign Warehouse TX) I thankfully only needed to replace the maintenance station.

Can they be aligned without the big $$?

 

[randya]

I wouldnt say they are hard to align, but you will want a trained tech to do it correctly.

 

[Larry L]

I wouldnt say they are hard to align, but you will want a trained tech to do it correctly.

AT $500 to drive 50 miles to my door and $225/hr mechanical fixes only, I learn fast. Can you get the inside scoop on it easy?? The techs I've spoken with do not share much.

 

[Jackpine]

"stripped gear under the maintenance station"

Sounds like you need a new maintenance station.Those gears are not replaceable. They are not solvent resistant.

 

[dayusmc]

I had that printer before. Had similar problems. I took lint free cloth, placed it accross the capping station, poured solvent cleaner on it and parked the heads on it over night. Did this 3 nights in a row and got all the nozzels to fire perfectly. The one thing I did notice is that you HAVE to use solevent cleaner, not rubbing alcoho on this stuff. In fact, I use TechInk solvent cleaner- it is stronger than OEM cleaner. Just my 2cents- but it worked like a charm

 

[Larry L]

I had that printer before. Had similar problems. I took lint free cloth, placed it accross the capping station, poured solvent cleaner on it and parked the heads on it over night. Did this 3 nights in a row and got all the nozzels to fire perfectly. The one thing I did notice is that you HAVE to use solevent cleaner, not rubbing alcoho on this stuff. In fact, I use TechInk solvent cleaner- it is stronger than OEM cleaner. Just my 2cents- but it worked like a charm

Have you ever replaced heads?

 

[dayusmc]

Have you ever replaced heads?

After I let them sit on the lint free cloth soaked I didn't need to. Barely any nozzels were firing before I soaked them, after I soaked them all nozzels fired perfectly. Chuck at Mutho suggested that I do that- worked like a charm. One thing that I remeber is that sometime the head carrige dind always return all the way and park. Sometimes after printing, I had to push it over and park it so that the heads sealed on the capping station.

 

[Larry L]

After I let them sit on the lint free cloth soaked I didn't need to. Barely any nozzels were firing before I soaked them, after I soaked them all nozzels fired perfectly. Chuck at Mutho suggested that I do that- worked like a charm. One thing that I remeber is that sometime the head carrige dind always return all the way and park. Sometimes after printing, I had to push it over and park it so that the heads sealed on the capping station.

,BTW I have a hard time with spelling too.