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Galaxy UD-251LA Printer (Epson DX5 problem)

vance

New Member
Hi all, still same problem. I checked the black cartridge top and its fine.

I am waiting for some parts, like a data cable to the printhead to rule out a data issue, also changing the tubing and connectors to the dampers ...

Also changing the waste pump, maybe its too weak and not creating sufficient grafity...

With the cap top. I have looked very carefully and it seems fine..

I will try this and post back

Thanks
 

KevSign

New Member
My was lucky to return to Paradise Imaging (SID) distributor. Same as your problems in 6 months, problems after problems.
Hope you get this fix to recover your investment.

Do not buy Chinese printer until you master like Artbot.
 

vance

New Member
Still early days but finally some good news!!!! I can print again, and it seems that everything could be ok...

Received the datacables a few days ago. I Switched the cable from the printhead to the printboard and cable from printboard to the mainboard.

Also to make sure that there is vacuum / negative pressure from the printhead; In the printer software I clicked on fill ink that enables the ink to flow through the printhead to the waste bottle. With this working I then loosened the printhead cap module and moved it around until I could see and hear a good vacuum. Tightened the printhead cap module and ran a few cleanings. Now I am not seeing any air in the tubes. Even after 2 full days on standby.

I am able to print solids, etc... Here are some photos.

Just yet I am not sure if it was the ink (changed to the original galaxy ink), the printhead cap module not creating a proper negative pressure or the data cables....

Will keep updating.

With the blue solid, I can see some very faint color changes... could be the banner material... is this normal?? see photo.
 

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vance

New Member
DX5 head clogging problem

All has been fine....the problem I had was completly solved. I had a bad vacuum. I now unerstand the principle of the machine.

However, just recently the yellow has got clogged up on the dx5 and with lots of effort and time I have had no success in resolving the issue. Still thinking what to do....

All the other colors are perfect. Air must have got in the capping station and dried the yellow part of the head... its so frustating!!! with the roland vp 540 I have has been going for years with no issues...

Also just to note. Unlike the roland machine that i never turn off (automatic cleaning cycles every 5 hours or so), with this galaxy machine i turn off completly and place some cleaning solution in the cap, then move the head over it. I wonder if there is a way to program some cleaning cycles......

I have tried the syringe method, head soak , little ultra sound....nothing!

Does this mean I need a new head?
 

John Thomson

New Member
My Chinese Tjet printer is the same......no automatic cleaning function.

It is imperative that the capping station seal is perfect or you will have head drying out issues.

John
 

vance

New Member
John, How long have you had your machine? is it also a DX5 eco-solvent?

Is there any way to check if I have a perfect seal, or its just a case of visually making sure...

Say I left the printer two days without printing anything and I had a bad seal, would this cause a head blockage?

Thanks
 

artbot

New Member
one thing to add to this thread concerning drying issues. i'd get a gallon of butyl carbitol. this is a glycol that is used in the ink, a retarder. it's almost impossible for it to evaporate. you can hardly torch it away. i used to have my mimaki turned off for several days and i would use this to keep the ink on the capping stations edge and the wiper from becoming dry. you can also lightly paint the platen of the head. this will combine with the latent ink and make it impossible for it to dry out.
 

vance

New Member
Thanks Artbot, Exactly what I need!!!!!

Because I have to turn the machine off everyday, sometimes without printing for several days to a week.. would you think its a good idea to use the butyl carbitol in the capping station then move the print head over it.

Would possibly the ink inside the printhead still dry out?

Also ....I read from other posts that the butyl carbitol is a good printhead cleaner. Could I try to unclog the DX5 with it and a syringe or head soak?

Thanks again
 

artbot

New Member
straight butyl carbitol is not as strong/hot of a solvent as conventional cleaning solution. it does
dissolve ink but more slowly. i would definitely use it for filling/parking capping stations. that's what i used it for.

the inside of the print head will not dry out.

a long time ago i had two other methods of doing a quick flush. one easy way is i modified a cartridge and had eight leads of ink line coming off the main one with dampers on each end. i would pull my dampers then fit the cleaning octopus to the heads. i'll often not print for an entire month but not want to flush the printer in that i may need a test print before going into production.
 

vance

New Member
Thanks Artbot for the advise, the butyl carbitol seems to work great. Will keep updating.

I have another problem.

When printing a complete black background, (seems to be only with black, made up of all CMYK) the black print nozzles seem to clog or loose their negative preassure. I can see when printing that the individual black nozzles start failing, I need to pause the printer and run a manual cleaning, the ink gets sucked in this process ...and then the printer prints fine for another 100cm .

I found this device to measure the negative preassure.. was thinking to some how hook it up.. But dont know if its possible..


unnamed.jpg

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Negative-pressure-meter/1241148405.html

any ideas anyone?

thanks
 

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TCBinaflash

New Member
It won't dry out unless you have air infiltrating from somewhere else. I've done this trick to recapture clogged nozzles several times. Works like a champ. Roland cleaning solution is the same stuff I belive.
 

artbot

New Member
that's the classic negative pressure readout found on most every chinese printer with secondary tanks.

your printer is gravity feed where by comparison this device is for a printer that purposefully loads the lines with too much positive/gravity then with a tiny amount of adjustable vacuum pulls back on that ink line in order to balance the flow to the heads. if you turn this down on such a printer, the heads will start dripping.

what you need to do is diagnose the ink supply issue. it could be a number of things starving your black channel under a heavy load. i'll start with the quickest/easiest to check first.

1- change the damper to the black lines. they may be clogged.
2- you might not have full positive pressure at that line. pull a vacuum from the waste line to make sure that the black channel isn't vapor locking.
3- clogged lines. black has a lot of sediment and at the low spots in the ink train, there can be deposits. cleaning the lines consists of blasting solvent backwards through the
printer into empty cartridges. also a piece of paper from a cart can clog the piercing needle. backwards flush will knock this out. (this may be your issue)
4- bad batch of ink. if the ink viscosity is off, it will starve the head. epson heads need very low viscosity.
5- bad cartridge. some ink carts collapse incorrectly and cause the cart to pull a vacuum as they feed ink.
6- kink in the black line.
7- clogged print head manifold filter. each head has a screen in it. this can clog and starve ink. a damper swap is an easy to see if black will more willingly flow at a different port on your manifold.
 

Tina Thaiyaalan

New Member
I have problem with my dx5 printer, the printing quality as in picture.
 

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vance

New Member
If anybody has a problem with these chinese printers. The problem I had was the printhead height .. It has to be a perfect height for the ink vacuum to occur.
 
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