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Is it too risky to buy SP540 that doesn't print?

M

Mattc

New Member
Hi, all.
I was looking for sp540 for a while, but no luck to find it locally.
However, I found one today.
One problem. Seller says it won't print for some reason. It seems like it is off lease item and seller doesn't know about it's history other than it is 3 year old.
This is what seller explains about it.

THIS UNIT IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. IT POWERS ON, HEADS AND CUTTER INITIALIZE, HEADS CLEAN, DETECTS PAPERSIZE AND DOES TEST CUT AND PRINT BUT NO INK PRINTS ON PAPER. AFTER VISUAL INSPECTION I WOULD GUESS THE LINES ARE DRIED (BLOCKED) BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE BLANK SPACES WHERE THE LINE CONNECTS TO THE PALSTIC DAMPER. THE SUPPLY LINES WILL PROBABLY NEED TO BE REPLACED OR CLEANED OR IT MAT BE SOMETHING ELSE ALL TOGETHER.

Is it too risk to buy this unit and try to fix it by myself?
Or, if the price is good, can I call Roland tech to come an fix it even if I have no idea how much they charge for the problem.

Thanks in advance.
MattC
 
M

macmedia

New Member
At the very minimum, you will need to flush out the lines. Easy enough for you to do if you either buy cleaning cartridges OR, get the flush and use 3rd party carts and fill them up.

After flushing, and then doing an ink fill up, you can do a test print. If all 4 colors print ok, then you are set. If not, then you may (I'm guessing that you will) need to get 2 new print heads at about $1800 in change - more if you have someone else install them. Worst case, the main board is fried and you will either replace or repair it (we repair boards) - between $200 repaired to $1800 new.

So, IMHO, if the printer is going to be less than $5000-$5500 or so, then I would take a chance. More than that, keep searching.

Kent
Mac Media USA, Inc.
www.macmedia.com
 
M

Mattc

New Member
Thank you macmedia!
That was a VERY clear answer to me.:notworthy:

macmedia said:
At the very minimum, you will need to flush out the lines. Easy enough for you to do if you either buy cleaning cartridges OR, get the flush and use 3rd party carts and fill them up.

After flushing, and then doing an ink fill up, you can do a test print. If all 4 colors print ok, then you are set. If not, then you may (I'm guessing that you will) need to get 2 new print heads at about $1800 in change - more if you have someone else install them. Worst case, the main board is fried and you will either replace or repair it (we repair boards) - between $200 repaired to $1800 new.

So, IMHO, if the printer is going to be less than $5000-$5500 or so, then I would take a chance. More than that, keep searching.

Kent
Mac Media USA, Inc.
www.macmedia.com
Click to expand...
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
its worth about $200..............AS IT SITS............if you can get it for that ........worth a shot.
if the guys askin any more..................LET HIM FIX IT..........to sell it ..........
 
J

JET

New Member
Make a deal with him for a good price with the option you do not pay if you can't fix it. This way you will only lose out on the cost of repairs. Buy the cleaning cartridges and a large bottle of cleaning solution. Flush it like the others said with cleaning cartridges and then do a soak and complete cleaning of the tubes, dampers, heads and drain tubes you will get a good deal. You may need to run a wire down the tubes or just replace them. These things all clog when not used for a while. It is very common. But the cleaning solution will loosing any dried ink even when it is printed on vinyl and heat bonded. One wipe and it disolves. So as long as it runs all the tests the machines it working. It sounds like you have dried lines. You may need to remove the heads and soak them and replace the dampers. They can be soaked and cleaned but are very delicate to work with. So you would be looking at a three hundred dollars to take a chance on a good deal. Make sure you make the deal before you get it working.
 
J

javila

New Member
If you're handy and the Price of broken printer + New Heads + new pumps < market price of used SP540 then it's worth it.
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
make it simple to understand, i bought a car from a dealership, that IF IT WAS RUNNING RIGHT, woulda sold for $3000.00. he or his mechanic, didnt know much about VOLVO'S. so he advertized it at $400.00.
i went and looked at it, started it up and it idled great. step on the gas and it sounded like someone living in the oil pan and opened a BLACKSMITH SHOP........with all the hammering sounds.
i offered him $300..............AND DROVE IT HOME!!!!!! 3 days later i went back to him, to sign some papers he forgot and i DROVE THE CAR THERE............runnin as smooth as a new one.
I KNEW HOW TO FIX IT........FOR $40 in parts and 4 hours labor.
like i said $200 AS IS..................
in the same frame of things..........i OWN AN ENCAD 736, and got same type of deal with it. cost me more to repair it.......then i paid for it. but still way cheaper then if i woulda bought one in working condition.
 
M

Mattc

New Member
Thank you for all very useful info.

OK, I went to see the printer. It was huge.
It was OK. It turned on, head ran smooth, LCD menus were all working fine and doesn't show any error message. So, I guess main board is OK.

I saw a dried tube. I never had experience with solvent printer but using Epson 7800 printer and other inkjet printer for long time and I know it is pretty common problem.

Printer heated up good. One of the wheel for the stand is broken, but not a big deal.

Take up roller and sensor working fine.

I thought it was pretty good deal. So I offered him $5k+tax and he accepted. It was about $900 off from his asking price. I asked a little bit less, but he said it was from bankruptcy and there is minimum required price from the trusty. I don't know what that is though.

Everything went fine, until...

I checked manuals and softwares and found something's missing.
I couldn't find Versaworks. It has a box with Versaworks label, but in the box there were only 2 CDs, Roland Print Server and Cutting driver or something. He told me he didn't know there was any missing things and will try his best to locate missing software CD by contacting original owner. He told me that if original owner couldn't find CD, the original owner might request replacement CD from Roland. But, who knows.

It was a show stopper.
I didn't know what to do.
In the worst case, I have to pay a couple of thousand dollars for repair and additional $1500(as I learned form this forum) for Versaworks software. Then it is not a steal but still reasonable investment, I think. Because, it was very hard to find here unlike east, or west coast.

So, I signed it and paid $5400. Yeah, he even gave me $12 discount. whohoo~:doh:
So, I will need a lot of help from experts here at signs101.
Also, wish me luck to find Versaworks CD, and fix this printer at minimum expenses.:rolleyes:

Thank you!
 
S

signrios

New Member
Also, wish me luck to find Versaworks CD, and fix this printer at minimum expenses
Click to expand...

call roland tech support give them the serial # for the machine and they will grant you access to their server, where you can download the latest versa rip for for free,
download versaworks rvw cd_303
i just did that yesterday after upgrading to a new printer and losing my cd.

i hope you get it going!
 
M

Mattc

New Member
That's goooood!
Thank you so much for the info!


signrios said:
call roland tech support give them the serial # for the machine and they will grant you access to their server, where you can download the latest versa rip for for free,
download versaworks rvw cd_303
i just did that yesterday after upgrading to a new printer and losing my cd.

i hope you get it going!
Click to expand...
 
ddarlak

ddarlak

Go Bills!
i think you got an ok deal. I don't think i would have went that high. i doubt the ink is 'dried' in the tubes. i have left machines idle for 6 months and recovered them nicely (lines, not heads)

$200 OP???, put down the pipe....
 
M

Mattc

New Member
So, the printer will be delivered tomorrow. I am so excited.
What is the first step to try? Do I have to start with ordering 4 cleaning cartridges, cleaning fluid, and swabs?
What else I need for the first try?
Thanks!
Matthew
 
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