HP Latex Print head nozzles dropping

[ikarasu]

Still kind of new to the Latex printer, so I'm not sure about this one. If it was the solvent, I'd just think the heads going bad.

Whenever I go to print something after the printers been sitting, The black nozzles are completely gone on both heads, Cyan, and every other color is perfect... just the black is having issues. It takes me 2-3 cleanings, but then the black is back to perfect.

Seeing as how it's 2 heads, I'm reluctant to think it's a head issue... especially since the machines pretty new, and has under a liter of ink through each head.

This just recently became an issue after it sat for a few weeks not being used - I also did change the black ink a few days before, but how common is bad ink?

I'm presuming having to run 2-3 cleanings isn't normal, and thinking I'm right in both heads shouldn't be bad, and if they were... wouldn't Cyan also be bad?

Could it be an ink issue? pump issue? The machine is 1 month out of the 1 year warranty, so I'm hoping it's an ink issue! Anyone else experience anything similar? thoughts?

 

[papabud]

depending on what model printer it is.
i would look at a vacuum leak. or watch the cleaning cycle.
are you turning off the printer at night or leaving it on.
i now my hp 360 gets 8000 ml through a head before i normally start seeing any issues.

 

[bannertime]

Pull the heads out and see see if there is anything physically wrong. One time one of the little data strips was broken from a tiny head strike. That's the only time I've seen anything like that.

 

[EffectiveCause]

Still kind of new to the Latex printer, so I'm not sure about this one. If it was the solvent, I'd just think the heads going bad.

Whenever I go to print something after the printers been sitting, The black nozzles are completely gone on both heads, Cyan, and every other color is perfect... just the black is having issues. It takes me 2-3 cleanings, but then the black is back to perfect.

Seeing as how it's 2 heads, I'm reluctant to think it's a head issue... especially since the machines pretty new, and has under a liter of ink through each head.

This just recently became an issue after it sat for a few weeks not being used - I also did change the black ink a few days before, but how common is bad ink?

I'm presuming having to run 2-3 cleanings isn't normal, and thinking I'm right in both heads shouldn't be bad, and if they were... wouldn't Cyan also be bad?

Could it be an ink issue? pump issue? The machine is 1 month out of the 1 year warranty, so I'm hoping it's an ink issue! Anyone else experience anything similar? thoughts?

If it sat for a few weeks it very well could be a bad head. Its not uncommon for only one color to be affected when a head goes bad. I would try swapping them out with new heads and seeing if that works. If that fixes your problem then at least the bad ones are still under warranty.

 

[AKwrapguy]

Still kind of new to the Latex printer, so I'm not sure about this one. If it was the solvent, I'd just think the heads going bad.

Whenever I go to print something after the printers been sitting, The black nozzles are completely gone on both heads, Cyan, and every other color is perfect... just the black is having issues. It takes me 2-3 cleanings, but then the black is back to perfect.

Seeing as how it's 2 heads, I'm reluctant to think it's a head issue... especially since the machines pretty new, and has under a liter of ink through each head.

This just recently became an issue after it sat for a few weeks not being used - I also did change the black ink a few days before, but how common is bad ink?

I'm presuming having to run 2-3 cleanings isn't normal, and thinking I'm right in both heads shouldn't be bad, and if they were... wouldn't Cyan also be bad?

Could it be an ink issue? pump issue? The machine is 1 month out of the 1 year warranty, so I'm hoping it's an ink issue! Anyone else experience anything similar? thoughts?

Which printer? When you installed the heads did you shake them first?

 

[ikarasu]

It's a baby Latex 110.

There was a headstrike or two when I was learning it doesn't like cheap media like 8 months ago, nothing since though.

It's two heads, and it's the black in both. Once I run it through 3-4 cleanings... I can print 50-75 FT of mainly black, and it stays perfect, which is what makes me think it's not a pump issue.

I pulled both heads out and they look ok. The heads are the originals that came with the printer, but when I took them out I re-shook it before putting them back in.

The printer did sit for a couple weeks... But I was always under the impression they can sit for years and the heads wont get clogged/jammed like this. Plus, it's only the black on both print heads, nothing else. I'm thinking tonight I'll try another nozzle print, see if it fixes anything. Then buy a new black ink + a new head, see if either of them fix the problem. It only started doing this after I went on vacation for 2 weeks, other than that it's been perfect! Just a pain when I'm printing on 680 and it starts doing it... I hate wasting media constantly running nozzle checks.

Luckly ink / heads are cheap at least!

 

[AF]

Latex cannot “sit for years” without head clogs. After 2 weeks I would expect some nozzles to be clogged and most to come back through use and cleaning cycles. If they clogged within 48 hours of sitting idle, I would agree that something is wrong.

Pull the print head cleaning kit out and check for debris fouling the caps. Sometimes a piece of poly material comes loose and gets itself in a good spot to cause issues.

 

[ikarasu]

Hm, I thought I remember HP touting since the ink doesn't dry without heat, you can unplug the machine / not use it for long periods of time, and plug it back in months later and it'd be fine. A bit of googling does say you're correct though.

I suppose that could be it then - I do leave the printer on / plugged in... However I think it froze, because It wouldn't wake up and I had to power it off / on. So maybe it just wasn't doing its cleanings... Hopefully thats the issue.

 

[papabud]

the ink wont cure with out heat, but it will turn to a powder and that really messes print heads up

 

[AF]

The water in the ink does eventually dry at the nozzle. You should leave the machine plugged in and in standby mode.