How do I clean the back side of the heads?

[TheSnowman]

I have this thing...for lack of a better term "dingleberry" of inking hanging on the back of one of my print heads. I've soaked it for 10 minutes, tried cleaning w/ swabs like 6 times, and I just can not get it off of there. I've ruined a banner four times printing it because it'll start dragging leaving ink in the middle of the print.

I can't figure out how to get rid of this thing! It's making my life miserable and costing me money. Anyone got any tips on how to clean the back side that I can't get to very well?

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Can you grab said "dingleberry" with tweezers?

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

The only way to clean it that I know of is with a cleaning swab dip it in your cleaning soloution and rub it, you should clean the backs everytime you clean the fronts and side of the heads.

 

[TheSnowman]

Tweezers couldn't get it, I clean them as good as I can every time w/ the swabs, and I put them in the solution yes...but I can't get to this one. I'm gonna print some "less critical" stuff that doesn't have to be perfect and see if I can get it to fall off just by printing some more. I've never had one this bad before.

 

[SightLine]

Not sure what model your machine is but both the JV3 and JV33, when powered down and unplugged you can move the heads all the way to the left end of the machine - remove the lower cover there. There is a deep open well giving you access to the bottom of the head carriage where you can get short swabs in there to clean really good around the bottom of the heads and the entire head carriage. Oh - and the booger is not going to fall off on it's own either. Gotta get in there - if the buildup is real bad you may have to use something metal to scrape the worst of it off. Just be very careful to not slip and let something damage the actual nozzle surface on the bottom of the actual heads.

 

[TheSnowman]

Wow...I've NEVER noticed that before...but I'd been moving the head back and fourth...just never noticed the clean out area...I'll do that now! Thanks. For the love. You'd think after 6 years w/ the machine I'd have noticed that by now!

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

LOL, you didn't know about the cover on the left side of the printer? Another thing you can use and I saw a tech do it before is use an X-cato knife and scrape very carefully and make sure you have a steady hand while doing it, hate to see you ruin a good head.

 

[TheSnowman]

I don't think I need to get to the "doctors surgery" with a knife yet...but we'll see. I've got a few more things to print...I may be making headway w/ it. But I'm gonna scream if it drags one across my banner prints again!

 

[MikeD]

if yo have time to keep wetting it with solvent until it can be easily pushed off with a swab, that would be the way to go. You can set a mirror on the floor of the cleaning bay to get a better view. I would be hesitant to use a metal scraper on it...if by chance you create a bur on the side of the print head it may cut into the rim of your capping station preventing a good seal.
I am wondering how the buildup got there...sounds like you are cleaning regularly. Maybe one of those o-rings needs to be replaced; it is 6 yrs old! Is the build up a certain color?
Good luck!

 

[MikeD]

also, the cover has to be put back in place just right...there is a sensor that detects the cover. If it is not replaced correctly, you will get that "close cover - press enter" error.

 

[TheSnowman]

I'm not sure how it got there...I'm not generally an everyday cleaner, but at least a once a week at minimum on weeks that I don't print much. She's been like a tank so far, but now I'm starting to have to learn a lot about fixing it and troubleshooting things.

 

[MikeD]

I have the operators pause every 4 hrs and do a quick wipe around the print heads, wiper and capping station. it only takes them 3 minutes, and doing so makes it so the equipment never has the opportunity to get really dirty; warranting a 45 minute cleaning ordeal.
Some components can't withstand prolonged exposure to the solvent (rubber/plastic rim around capping station...) so be careful there.

 

[TheSnowman]

I just printed a bunch of vinyl no problem...now I moved to banner material, and it's dragging lines across it again...I don't get it. I'm starting to get annoyed. I'm gonna drop it down to the other end of the printer and clean the heads and see how that goes.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

Once a week?, you should be cleaning your heads everyday. No wonder why you have gunk build up.

 

[TheSnowman]

I did for the first three years, then I got out of rhythm and nothing ever happened to cause me grief till now. It's weird...I printed one banner fine, now somethings rubbing or something causing marks getting rubbed across the print on my 2nd one. It's like the head isn't all the way up or something?