JV3 ink pumps question

[PDD]

Again a newbie question.. I see a lot of references to changing the peristaltic ink pumps on these printers. What typically fails on these pumps? Are people changing them because the pump(s) actually break or do the lines just clog and people replace them to be ride of the blockage.


If you have changed pumps would you mind replying why you changed them and how often you typically do so?

Also I hear things about one pump is better than another, is this really the case based on actual experience?

Thanks for your help. -Brent

 

[artbot]

just the tube inside the pump for me. my mimaki oem pumps are five years old and work perfect. as far a clogs. just dump solvent down the cap and have a partner pull at the waste line. no need to remove anything.

 

[PDD]

repaired my pump

I had a clogged black line. So I opened the pump up and replaced the tubing that is at the heart if the peristaltic pump.

It took about 10 minutes to open the pump and change the lines. While open, I flushed the mechanism with propanol (iso-propyl alcohol) as there was lots of white 'dust' from the tubing being abraded. Metal rollers and the carriage that holds them were in fine shape. There are only a couple of screws to be removed, you just need to go slowly. And if you mess up you always can look at the other pump for reference of have your digital cam handy.

Now it seems like I have new pumps. For what its worth the tubing had gone rock hard and had collapsed inside the pump mechanism, probably just worn out from continuous contact with the pump rollers.

Not sure if that info helps anyone, but it seems to be a quite doable job to replace the tubing.

 

[SightLine]

and yes - big difference in brands.... I know this from hard learned experience. As artbot mentioned - oem pumps are as good as they get. Over the years I tired no less than 4 aftermarket pumps and all had problems and lasted less than a few months while the original OEM pumps lasted years.

 

[PDD]

and yes - big difference in brands.... I know this from hard learned experience. As artbot mentioned - oem pumps are as good as they get. Over the years I tired no less than 4 aftermarket pumps and all had problems and lasted less than a few months while the original OEM pumps lasted years.

and when your pumps broke/died, can you tell me what exactly happened to them that forced you to replace them?

 

[SightLine]

The aftermarket ones had assorted issues. Anything from the pump housing itself cracking, to the tubing splitting open (very messy), to being poorly designed in such a way that over a period of a few weeks parts of the tubing start making contact with the gear (also messy), to just not providing the required suction, etc.

On the original pumps - just over the years the tubing and small flaps inside will wear out. You can re-tube them though and replace the little flaps.

and when your pumps broke/died, can you tell me what exactly happened to them that forced you to replace them?