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identify DX5 head model on Chinese printer

P

player

New Member
I would say no to the desktop printer head. It has to be a DX5. The price they are quoting you is really low as well. Is it original or a knock off? Or a second?

How long have you had the printer? How do you like it? Have you used or owned other printers to compare?

Thanks
 
SightLine

SightLine

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Actually the DX5 is used in a few Epson desktop printers like the R2000, R2880..... but about a year ago Epson started locking the heads print width to match the printers so when someone rips the heads out and puts it in a wide format machine it only prints 26 inches or something. The Chinese have already cracked it by using a small board to go between the head and the machine.

That being said, for the most part a DX5 head is a DX5 head. There are a few variations though but as long as it is the same physical size head it "should" work. You can find them on eBay as well as tons of gutted Epson desktop printers that are brand new and never used but are missing the print head for dirt cheap. Epson caught on after a couple of years that people were buying their printers for $300 to $600 just to rip the head out so they would not have to spend $1000 to $2500 for an OEM head from the maker of their printer. I have actually been running a DX5 head I personally ripped out of an Epson R1900 for probably close to 2 years now. Works great, and still does. Got the printer directly from Epson's factory refurbished store on their website for a whopping $350. :Big Laugh I think it actually lasts longer since it has the gold colored Teflon coating.... Only thing I had to do was re-use the solvent resistant manifold from my original head. Of course on a Mimaki JV33 I also had to downgrade the firmware to 2.40 since Mimaki also has a little bit of electronics on their DX5 head with the green connector....

Djeeke - the only way to be certain which one you have is to look at it. Then you can compare photos to ones on eBay. But as I mentioned, many that you see on eBay are also noted as "locked" which means it will probably only partially work in your printer. Ones not specifically noted as "locked" might still be locked but the seller does not know or does not care to note that. Some do advertise them specifically as not locked as well.
 
Robert M

Robert M

New Member
Dx 5

You can no longer use a desk top DX5 for large format. You will also want to make sure you get a solvent DX5 head. The price you were quoted is not that bad if it comes with a warranty.
 
SightLine

SightLine

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I'd have to agree.... if it has a warranty and has a solvent resistant manifold that really is not that bad of a price. Much of anything lower and you will probably have no warrantee/guarantee.
 
djeeke

djeeke

New Member
Yes that quote is for an unlocked DX5 and should be with warranty....
So this price seems fair, that's good news...
Indeed I wondered why I saw so many different prices on the internet so I was expecting this kind of restriction as there are many different prices...

Why is Epson trying to make such astronomous profit margins :banghead:

Now as far as the 'locked' heads are concerned, I read the R1800, R1900, R2400 heads still should work without 'unlock board'...
This decoder-board-for-print-head-DX5 is on the market for less than 100 USD...


So a gold colored Teflon coating from an Epson R1900 would still be an option, actually I could get two for the same cost ...
 
SightLine

SightLine

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Yes a gold Teflon head from an R1900 "should" work fine.... SHOULD being the key word here, there is no guarantees. However, as I said, that is the exact head I have been running in our 63" Mimaki JV33 for about 2 years. Still has a 100% perfect nozzle test too. :) You will need to swap the manifold from your existing head or get a new solvent resistant manifold for it though. The stock manifold on the R1900 head is for water based inks and will literally melt if you try to use it with solvent ink. You can find the manifolds for about $70 to $100 each. If you suspect at all that your existing manifold might be clogged I'd suggest getting a new one.

Also make sure you see a picture of the type of head you get to make sure you are getting the correct style DX5. There are a few variations of the DX5 heads including a vertically oriented version which is commonly but mistakenly referred to as a DX6, there is also a 6 channel version of the DX5 head used in some Epson desktop printers like the Artisan 1430 which is also a true DX5 head but only has 6 channels. I think there is also a 4 channel version of the DX5 (essentially half of a DX5) but I'm not sure what printers use that. The most common DX5 though is the standard 8 channel one and came in a few variations itself with the dark grey nozzle plate, gold Teflon coated nozzle plate, both with a black connector, and then the OEM Mimaki version which will have the dark grey nozzle plate with a green connector. Mimaki has in their firmware a check for something that is different on the green connector ones - as far as I have been able to determine it just has a couple of extra resistors on one of the electrical lines and the Mimaki firmware checks for that specific resistance value.
 
djeeke

djeeke

New Member
:thankyou: Sightline,

I'll try to go your way :thumb:...
I'm ordering a new solvent resistant manifold and even all the tubing (also replace these as well while I'm at it)...

I'll start looking for an R1800/R1900/R2400 to rip out the head :cool:...

This way I should have a replacement DX5 head for about (or even less) than half the price...

Hopefully I won't go:frustrated:when ripping the head / installing it in my TJ-1601...
 
F

fabiocrummy

New Member
SightLine said:
Yes a gold Teflon head from an R1900 "should" work fine.... SHOULD being the key word here, there is no guarantees. However, as I said, that is the exact head I have been running in our 63" Mimaki JV33 for about 2 years. Still has a 100% perfect nozzle test too. :) You will need to swap the manifold from your existing head or get a new solvent resistant manifold for it though. The stock manifold on the R1900 head is for water based inks and will literally melt if you try to use it with solvent ink. You can find the manifolds for about $70 to $100 each. If you suspect at all that your existing manifold might be clogged I'd suggest getting a new one.

Also make sure you see a picture of the type of head you get to make sure you are getting the correct style DX5. There are a few variations of the DX5 heads including a vertically oriented version which is commonly but mistakenly referred to as a DX6, there is also a 6 channel version of the DX5 head used in some Epson desktop printers like the Artisan 1430 which is also a true DX5 head but only has 6 channels. I think there is also a 4 channel version of the DX5 (essentially half of a DX5) but I'm not sure what printers use that. The most common DX5 though is the standard 8 channel one and came in a few variations itself with the dark grey nozzle plate, gold Teflon coated nozzle plate, both with a black connector, and then the OEM Mimaki version which will have the dark grey nozzle plate with a green connector. Mimaki has in their firmware a check for something that is different on the green connector ones - as far as I have been able to determine it just has a couple of extra resistors on one of the electrical lines and the Mimaki firmware checks for that specific resistance value.
Click to expand...

Hello Sightline!
seems you have a lot of experience in this, so i'd like to ask you one thing: i have a Jv33 with SS21 inks which printhead DX5 have i to buy the F186000 is the right one? are there more than one kind of F18600 DX5 or is only one kind? i buy it from here: http://it.eetgroup.com/i/F186000-Epson-Print-Head-OEM is it the right one? where can i buy the decoder board? Do all the decoder boards for Dx5 work on a Jv33 printers? is this solution good also for CJV30? Thank you in advance and forgive me for too much questions ;-)
 
SightLine

SightLine

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I do not know which DX5 heads are which by the Epson F18XXXX number nor do I know specifically where to buy one of the decoder boards. Most places selling DX5 print heads will be able to tell you if it is one of the ones that are locked and need a decoder board and the seller should also be able to tell you if the head has a solvent resistant manifold or if it is a head intended for water based inks. Even if you get a head intended for water based inks, as long as your current head manifold is not cracked, clogged, or damaged in any way you can remove it from your existing head and install it on the new head. Or you can get a head with a solvent ink manifold already on it.

The OEM Mimaki DX5 heads will have a green connector for the head cables. If you get one with the green connector you will not need the decoder board nor will you have to worry about your firmware rejecting the head. If you get any other DX5 head that will have a black connector then you may or may not need a decoder board as well. I have no idea how to tell you if one will or will not need a decoder board. The seller of the head should be able to tell you that as well as if the head has a solvent manifold or not. If a seller cannot tell you these things than I'd suggest you find another seller. Also if you any non-Mimaki OEM head (any head with a black connector) you will need to be sure your JV33 firmware is below version 3.0, version 2.4 is what you would need. Firmware above 3.0 on a JV33 will reject any head with a black connector, decoder board or not. I'm not sure about the firmware on CJV machines.
 
F

fabiocrummy

New Member
SightLine said:
I do not know which DX5 heads are which by the Epson F18XXXX number nor do I know specifically where to buy one of the decoder boards. Most places selling DX5 print heads will be able to tell you if it is one of the ones that are locked and need a decoder board and the seller should also be able to tell you if the head has a solvent resistant manifold or if it is a head intended for water based inks. Even if you get a head intended for water based inks, as long as your current head manifold is not cracked, clogged, or damaged in any way you can remove it from your existing head and install it on the new head. Or you can get a head with a solvent ink manifold already on it.

The OEM Mimaki DX5 heads will have a green connector for the head cables. If you get one with the green connector you will not need the decoder board nor will you have to worry about your firmware rejecting the head. If you get any other DX5 head that will have a black connector then you may or may not need a decoder board as well. I have no idea how to tell you if one will or will not need a decoder board. The seller of the head should be able to tell you that as well as if the head has a solvent manifold or not. If a seller cannot tell you these things than I'd suggest you find another seller. Also if you any non-Mimaki OEM head (any head with a black connector) you will need to be sure your JV33 firmware is below version 3.0, version 2.4 is what you would need. Firmware above 3.0 on a JV33 will reject any head with a black connector, decoder board or not. I'm not sure about the firmware on CJV machines.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your answer, one last thing: on your JV33 are you using a "new" F186000 DX5 with decoder board?
Thanx again
 
SightLine

SightLine

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I am using a non-Mimaki DX5 head with a black connector that has the gold colored Teflon coated nozzle plate. I removed the head from an Epson R1900 printer a couple of years ago. I did have to swap the head manifold from my original head since the one I pulled our of the R1900 was for water based inks. I am not using a decoder board - back then Epson did not have anything in the heads to lock them from being used in other printers. Our printer firmware is at 2.40, I cannot upgrade the firmware any higher. If I do the printer will not work and rejects the print head with a "Device Construction" error. I do not know that the F18xxxx part number is on the head in our machine.

Might I suggest this search - http://www.signs101.com/forums/search.php?searchid=295637

You will find a lot of thread with a lot of information specifically about DX5 heads in Mimaki printers.
 
F

fabiocrummy

New Member
SightLine said:
I am using a non-Mimaki DX5 head with a black connector that has the gold colored Teflon coated nozzle plate. I removed the head from an Epson R1900 printer a couple of years ago. I did have to swap the head manifold from my original head since the one I pulled our of the R1900 was for water based inks. I am not using a decoder board - back then Epson did not have anything in the heads to lock them from being used in other printers. Our printer firmware is at 2.40, I cannot upgrade the firmware any higher. If I do the printer will not work and rejects the print head with a "Device Construction" error. I do not know that the F18xxxx part number is on the head in our machine.

Might I suggest this search - http://www.signs101.com/forums/search.php?searchid=295637

You will find a lot of thread with a lot of information specifically about DX5 heads in Mimaki printers.
Click to expand...

thank you, but your link doesn't show anything
 
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