Jv3-160s - cyan not printing

[JTpro]

I picked up a Mimaki JV3-160s used about 8 weeks ago. Everything is printing well and I've run several jobs on it. The machine was set up with a Triangle bulk ink system.

Yesterday when attempting to print a graphic with heavy blues I noticed it wasn't printing so well. So I did a cleaning / nozzle wash and ran the test print and noticed the head that is supposed to fire cyan / yellow was actually just yellow and the cyan portion was blank, all other head are printing fine. I been scouring the web trying to find an explanation. I came across a possible air in the line of the bulk ink system explanation. This sparked / jogged my memory. Three days prior I was topping of the bulk ink for the first time and when I undid the cyan container it literally fell to the ground getting ink EVERYWHERE!! Apparently the previous owner failed to tell me that the hinge was broken on the cyan tank!!! It looked like a lot of ink had spilled, but it was only minor. Regardless, I think I may have air in my line and I'm not sure how to test to see if this is true or how to simply remove it. I did change the inline filter prior to this post thinking perhaps that from dropping it the it let loose something in the bulk tank to clog hole in which the ink comes out of, but this isn't the case.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JTpro]

I can now see the tube past the filter on the bulk system is empty! so the ink is not being pulled from the tank. I would think it was the ink pump, but correct me if I'm wrong but the pump services the cap in the capping station right? There are three pumps (I assume) one for each cap. So in my mind one for magenta / black, one for cyan / yellow and one for light cyan / light magenta. Like I said the yellow side of the head is printing just fine, but the cyan side is blank.

So there has to be a air leak someplace right? How can a manually draw ink into the damper / up to the head. I've heard of the syringe method???

 

[artbot]

yeah. just pull the damper and draw the ink from the bottom with a syringe. there are many ways to adapt a syringe to fit into the bottom of a damper. when the ink gets to the damper turn it upside down so that the ink falls to the "roof" of the damper. when it gets to 3/4 full flip it right side up and your done. look for two things before putting it back on the manifold. one does the PET membrane stay concave? or does it relax? staying concave means you have a restriction in the line. also let the damper hang for about five minutes. it should neither drip or let the ink draw backwards. drawing backwards means you have an air leak. if so, gently retighten the fitting to the damper. also you can change the o-ring to it inside the compression fitting. you may have a leak way back at the bulk system. that is likely because of the spill. i'd look over those connections.

 

[JTpro]

Thanks I'll get that a try this morning..... fingers crossed

 

[JTpro]

well... that didn't work.

I was able to pull ink through the cyan head and nothing dripped or ink went backwards.

Any other suggestion?

 

[artbot]

if nothing dripped or went backwards... and the membrane relaxed. then you should assume that the line is okay and there is no leak at the line.

it seems you are a newbie to jv3/solvent repair so it won't be as easy for you to go through this machine and get your colors going. before any of us type a novel's worth of diagnostic options, i'd suggest you do a search on this forum about things like:

ink starvation
damper swap
data swap
head soak
pump tube swap

...not saying you won't get a of help. but i'd do about an hour of reading some 30 or so posts first. so at least the lingo and stuff is more familiar.

 

[JTpro]

I did the damper ink pull one last time in a "just in case i missed something" and I'm back in business!! I appreciate your help! I think I didn't fully seat the damper into the top of the head

I used to run a Mimaki JV3-160 (4 color machine) at the shop I used to work at. I was there 12 years and of those we had that machine for 8-9 of them. We ran into similar problems, but it was always during the work week and tech support was a phone call away.

Being independent has sure brought its little challenges!

Thanks again for your help!!

 

[artbot]

make sure when you are pulling those dampers just to use gentle upwards force. the head manifold is brittle and will crack... leading to a bad ink leak that will fry your head. glad to hear that you are running.