JV3-160SP (ink goes through heads but won't print)

[wavegypsy]

After not using printer for a few weeks, test pattern printed poorly.
I ran a few clean cycles and got yellow,cyan, and black back to 100%.
There was c,y, and k ink in in the caps, but the magenta cap was dry.
Soaked heads for 99 minutes and left overnight. The next day, the machine showed a no communication with cyan head error. Unplugged and re-plugged
ribbon cable, still showed error. To test, I plugged the ribbon cable into an old head that had been replaced to test connection. Error went away. At this point, no colors would print at all. Tried a few clean cycles, did an ink fill, still no print. Unplugged the lines under the capping station before the pumps and used a syringe to pull ink through. All lines had negative pressure when heads were capped. Was able to pull ink through on c,y, and k right away. After a few soakings of magenta head, I was able to get ink to flow through. There is ink in all four capping stations, but test print or file printed from flexi or wasatch put no ink on substrate. I have restarted computer, changed settings in flexi, reset factory settings on printer, still no print. If anyone has any ideas, let me know.. Thanks

 

[artbot]

you do have an odd problem... something that should be simply mechanical is acting more like a data issue. just to rule out any data issues, i'd do a data swap right away. attache the ribbons across the slider board to see if the head will print from a different data port. this will rule out slider board or ribbon issues. i doubt it will print from a different ribbon/port, but it will eliminate a whole chapter of what ifs.

i attached a diagram of a data swap if you haven't done this before.

also, i'm developing an automatic cleaning system much like the konica/minolta systems for jv3 160sp's and all other dx4/dx5 printers. maybe you'd be a good candidate for this system. it'd allow you to custody wash your printer in just about one minute without removing a single cartridge or damper.

 

[wavegypsy]

Fixed 1 thing, another problem

Thanks for the help. I tried the data swap, still didn't print. Restarted the printer, attempted a test print, fan cranked up, but nothing happened. Restarted printer again and got a "y" motor error press <ent> message.
I pressed ent and a test print began. y,m,and k printed. (cyan is unplugged from head in printer and is plugged into head outside of printer to test ribbon cable issue. Then executed regular test print. y and k are printing 100%, magenta is at about 10%. I then re-plugged ribbon cables into cyan head in machine and got error again. The other day when testing cables, I forgot to turn off the printer and got an arc. Is it possible to take the circuit board from the head not showing an error and attach it to the head in the machine?

Thanks again.

 

[artbot]

i think i looked at that once and it seemed to me that the board would have to be hard wired into the head with tiny wires to each head. as far as the arc is concerned, it seems you eliminated the slider board. did the arc just kill the cyan head (i'd suggest ebon or special color for a new head for super cheap)? remember when you are powering down the machine to do the front/back/unplug/then push the front button four times (this may help the printer start acting propersly. it seems to be acting odd). that is the only insurance that the machine's latent static energy is gone. i personally have a cord with all but the ground broken off. so when i work on the machine, it is earth grounded but no positive/negative entering the machine.

 

[wavegypsy]

Yes, the arc only affected the cyan head. I have an old head that I replaced a few months ago, when I plug the ribbon cables into it and let it ride on top of the other heads, the printer starts up with no error.

 

[artbot]

yup, that head is most definitely the problem.

i've got some catalogs that have some super cheap heads, if you want me to email one.

 

[wavegypsy]

That would be cool,

Thanks for all your help...
http://www.signs101.com/forums/images/smilies/rock-n-roll_headbanger.gif

 

[vinylbytim]

Same Problem

I am having the same problem. I brought back a JV3-160SP back from the dead. New everything pretty much. 3 recovered printheads and 1 new one. I get no errors. I try to test print and I get nothing. Not even in the #test check pattern. I got my new head to do it once at 25% and since then nothing. Any ideas?

 

[MikePro]

I am having the same problem. I brought back a JV3-160SP back from the dead. New everything pretty much. 3 recovered printheads and 1 new one. I get no errors. I try to test print and I get nothing. Not even in the #test check pattern. I got my new head to do it once at 25% and since then nothing. Any ideas?

so much to diagnose that I don't know where to start.
define "bring back from dead", as when i use the term... it means it wasn't working, but now it is. seems like you're still just, dead.

where did you get the printer? how long did it sit? when was it working last? how well? how did you install it? what did you do after installed? flush it? have you changed printheads before on this machine? etc. etc.