Mimaki CJV150 only printing magenta

[aboom]

After having some issues with color accuracy and being busy with work, I let my printer sit powered off for sometime because I had to move it from one room to another (it was powered down for maybe a month).

So, now my issue is only having some magenta nozzles print. This is a 8 color configuration.

I've done multiple overnight head soaks, replaced the cap, tried ink fills, and cleanings. Nothing has helped.

There is faint signs of ink in the cap periodically. But I'm assuming I've looking at a new printhead...

Any other suggestions or help is appreciated.

 

[netsol]

SOMEONE stops at our shop EVERY DAY to do a cleaning and AT LEAST a nozzle check or a small print on every printer. leaving the machine unplugged for a month doesn't give me a lot of hope

you could pull the head, package it properly & ship it to someone reputable to attempt a recovery
there are MANY SCAM ARTISTS in this field
I WOULD CALL VLAD, who developed the print head doctor series of machines.
see if they will attempt recovery.

THEY ARE IN CANADA, so shipping will be a pain in the ass

or, bite the bullet and just buy a head (solventinkjet is my vendor of choice and a member here who helps MANY MEMBERS with tech support)

 

[netsol]

Recovery Fluids

Recovery fluids for Print Head Doctor

digitalsigntech.net

call during normal hours and they will let you talk to vlad, the owner about your machine

 

[Neil]

Make sure that the cleaning is actually working properly.
Put fluid in the cap - does the fluid drain away when you do a cleaning? Take the bottom cover off and make sure you see fluid flowing through both tubes.
Is the cap sealing properly? Did you plug up the third hole?
Can you inject cleaning fluid into a nozzle and get it to come out the head?
The dried solvent ink will usually re-wet with cleaning fluid. You should be able to get it back.

 

[netsol]

Make sure that the cleaning is actually working properly.
Put fluid in the cap - does the fluid drain away when you do a cleaning? Take the bottom cover off and make sure you see fluid flowing through both tubes.
Is the cap sealing properly? Did you plug up the third hole?
Can you inject cleaning fluid into a nozzle and get it to come out the head?
The dried solvent ink will usually re-wet with cleaning fluid. You should be able to get it back.

i hope you are right, but, 30 days might as well be 2 years.

nothing would make me happier than being wrong

 

[aboom]

Make sure that the cleaning is actually working properly.
Put fluid in the cap - does the fluid drain away when you do a cleaning? Take the bottom cover off and make sure you see fluid flowing through both tubes.
Is the cap sealing properly? Did you plug up the third hole?
Can you inject cleaning fluid into a nozzle and get it to come out the head?
The dried solvent ink will usually re-wet with cleaning fluid. You should be able to get it back.

It's able to fill and drain the cap with fluid. How do I confirm the cap is sealing properly? It was just replaced with an OEM one.

Are you talking about injecting fluid by removing the dampers and pushing fluid through the head? I was told this will immediately damage these printheads.

 

[aboom]

Recovery Fluids

Recovery fluids for Print Head Doctor

digitalsigntech.net

call during normal hours and they will let you talk to vlad, the owner about your machine

Thank you. I will reach out to them. I'm willing to try anything. My Mimaki rep says I should be able to recover the printhead.

 

[netsol]

i have a chinese knock off of the print head dr.
(an aquarium pump, some tubing 8 little valves and an ultrasonic cleaner)
i modified it and added a timer and a mall aquarium heater

the problem is it is "good" for routine maintenance when your prints are still good enough that you really. wouldn't be inclined to use it yet. hopefully a head like yours will benefit from using"the genuine article"

 

[aboom]

Yesterday I did a bunch of cleanings, ink fills, and removed the dampers in hopes of agitating something to get my printhead back, but it did the opposite. Now I have nothing.

When I push on the dampers ink will drip out, so I can assume from the cartridges to the dampers is OK?

 

[netsol]

did you spill or drip or splah any ink?
the ink is CONDUCTIVE. a drop on a circuit board, electronics for a printhead or one of the white ribbon cables causes a short & AT BEST blows one of the fuses. we many many rolands & 2 mutohs, but, i am not your man for mikaki's.

i you remove one end of the ribbon cables, you must be very careful that one of the conductive pins doesn't bend and touch another

 

[aboom]

So I was able to get some nozzles back. I noticed the orange line from the damper looks much more transparent compared to the line from the solenoid. About 6 inches back from the damper is transparent.

I removed the dampers again and noticed some weren't even filled all the way. What are the chances on the ink drying up in the damper?

 

[netsol]

if the captop isn't sealing againstbthe head, it can all dry out
typically, i would think captop, ink drain lines clogged, pumps clogged. printhead of course

 

[Neil]

The dampers being empty needs to be addressed. It may be due to a bad seal at the cap top allowing air in and losing prime/pressure in the ink line.
To pull ink back into the dampers (on my CJV30) I go into menu/test/cartridge valve to open the valves to let ink flow through the lines.
Then I put a syringe into the damper bottom (where it plugs into the head), INVERT the damper so the bottom point up, so no air pockets get trapped.
Pull the ink through to fill the damper. Clean around the nipple and plug back in. Close the corresponding valve.

Fill them all then do a cleaning. take note if any ink pools in the cap top.
If not its either because all your nozzles are blocked (unlikely), or the cap isn't making air tight seal (probably), or the tubes underneath are either blocked or letting air in.

When you plugged the bottom tubes into the cap top, did they fit tight?
They need to be dry to push firmly onto the small cap nipples. And there's that 3rd hole....

 

[netsol]

The dampers being empty needs to be addressed. It may be due to a bad seal at the cap top allowing air in and losing prime/pressure in the ink line.
To pull ink back into the dampers (on my CJV30) I go into menu/test/cartridge valve to open the valves to let ink flow through the lines.
Then I put a syringe into the damper bottom (where it plugs into the head), INVERT the damper so the bottom point up, so no air pockets get trapped.
Pull the ink through to fill the damper. Clean around the nipple and plug back in. Close the corresponding valve.

Fill them all then do a cleaning. take note if any ink pools in the cap top.
If not its either because all your nozzles are blocked (unlikely), or the cap isn't making air tight seal (probably), or the tubes underneath are either blocked or letting air in.

When you plugged the bottom tubes into the cap top, did they fit tight?
They need to be dry to push firmly onto the small cap nipples. And there's that 3rd hole....

and be CAREFUL the nipples are fragile like your grandmother's christmas ornaments
they love to develop hairline cracks & then we need to changevthe manifold on top of the head

solvent inkjet has tapered syringes (they fit almost any size tubing without adapters)

 

[aboom]

and be CAREFUL the nipples are fragile like your grandmother's christmas ornaments
they love to develop hairline cracks & then we need to changevthe manifold on top of the head

solvent inkjet has tapered syringes (they fit almost any size tubing without adapters)

Have they already been compromised? These dampers have been removed 3-4 times now.

 

[netsol]

with a magnifier you can see the hairline cracks,
take a magnifier and a BRIGHT light
be very scrupulous about ink splashes, though!

 

[aboom]

The dampers being empty needs to be addressed. It may be due to a bad seal at the cap top allowing air in and losing prime/pressure in the ink line.
To pull ink back into the dampers (on my CJV30) I go into menu/test/cartridge valve to open the valves to let ink flow through the lines.
Then I put a syringe into the damper bottom (where it plugs into the head), INVERT the damper so the bottom point up, so no air pockets get trapped.
Pull the ink through to fill the damper. Clean around the nipple and plug back in. Close the corresponding valve.

Fill them all then do a cleaning. take note if any ink pools in the cap top.
If not its either because all your nozzles are blocked (unlikely), or the cap isn't making air tight seal (probably), or the tubes underneath are either blocked or letting air in.

When you plugged the bottom tubes into the cap top, did they fit tight?
They need to be dry to push firmly onto the small cap nipples. And there's that 3rd hole....

How do I confirm that the cap is sealing properly? I replaced it a month ago or so. I just replaced the hose that came with the cap to no avail. I pulled ink through the damper and it seemed to refill.

I'm at a loss at this point. I'm back to having basically no nozzles again. No ryhme or reason for what it is doing right now.

 

[Neil]

How do I confirm that the cap is sealing properly? I replaced it a month ago or so. I just replaced the hose that came with the cap to no avail. I pulled ink through the damper and it seemed to refill.

I'm at a loss at this point. I'm back to having basically no nozzles again. No ryhme or reason for what it is doing right now.

There is a reason why it's not drawing ink through the nozzles. You just need to work out what it is.

Are you able to manually open the cart valves?
On my CJV30 it's in the #TEST menu. Scroll to "INK CARTRIDGE" then CART VALVE.
You see 8 dots - one for each cart. Press the up arrow to open it.

You may have to go into service mode to access the TEST menu. On mine I press and hold Function and Remote while turning it on.

Open all 8 carts, being yours is set to 8 color.
Take the bottom cover off so you can access the 2 tubes going to the pump.
Put a syringe on both of them. They need to be air tight.

Clean around your cap top and under the head to make sure you have a good seal at the head.

Now, theoretically, you should be able to draw ink through the head with your syringe.
Just like your pump would when you do a cleaning.
The other syringe stops air going in via the other tube.

Suck a bit through then have a look in your cap top.
You should see the lines of ink as they have exited the head.
If you hear hissing and your not getting any ink, you have an air leak.

Don't pull too hard or fast. Use your smarts and try to work it out from there.
Good luck.

 

[Shanks]

i hope you are right, but, 30 days might as well be 2 years.

nothing would make me happier than being wrong

I had the same problem after my printer cut off 2 colors because of date, the cartridges were still half full, by the time I replaced the cartridges was about 3 weeks, could only test print cyan. was quoted from supplier just under $8k for new printhead plus travel etc. my printer was only 14 months old.
I decided to try the hardest cleaning as often as possible. 3 weeks later i had used half my ink. A lady came in to get a photo printed, I explained to her my problem and my disappointment, but just to demonstrate I set up a picture and bingo it actually worked, I couldn't believe it, it's still printing, but using 1% of my ink per day self cleaning, I changed cleaning back to normal and every 12hrs instead of hard and every hour. hope this helps