Mutoh 1204

[signfx]

I don't really want to drag the conversation about the support I got from Mutoh but just know that my comments are the result of my frustration that is built up over the past couple of years dealing with Mutoh....

From having to cut the 54" roll vinyl to fit it into my 48" printer because the rolls coming in 48" are too expensive or not being available to having the Calgraph technician sent to my shop who was looking for a cutter on my printer and was even less familiar with the printer's key board than me.....

I apologize if I insulted anyone here.

 

[randya]

No problem, and I am not insulted, just wanted to clarify that troubleshooting by phone is very difficult to begin with, and with unusual circumstances as you describe, it can be downright impossilble, even for the best of techs.

Glad you got it resolved!

 

[signfx]

Hi Randy,
Have you ever seen this issue before? (attached pictures)

 

[randya]

Maybe,

The black looks more electrical.
As it is near the capping station, looks like it could be the cable to the head or head board cable is binding causing misfiring.

Harder to tell on the other pic.

 

[signfx]

It is weird!
The further distance the head travels from it's station the better it prints.
This problem is worst with black color. It can't print any shades of grays either.

 

[AUTO-FX]

head cable, bad connection maybe?

 

[eastboundpartners]

This happened exactly to my Mutoh VJ 1604. The magenta color print better as it travels further from the station. Initially diagnosed as ink starvation. I cleaned the heads, flushed the heads, change all new dampers, check the tubes, cables... everything and didn't resolve the problem. So lastly spend $$$ to change a new DX5 head and it prints perfects ever since. So it might be the print head problem.

 

[signfx]

Thanks for the info.
I still have this problem and no one seems to know what is wrong with my machine.
The interesting new development is that if I let the printer sit for a few days It will print a small job just fine!!! but if I continued printing it will go nuts!!
You probably can understand the frustration by having done all those things to yours....
I think I will finally get a new head for it to see if that will put an end to this.
Once again I appreciate your input.

 

[randya]

The interesting new development is that if I let the printer sit for a few days It will print a small job just fine!!! but if I continued printing it will go nuts!!

This could be a component (even the head) that heats up over time.
Even a cable with a connection issue.

Unfortunately if it is a component on a board, it could be very difficult to track down.

Keep a log and see if you can make it happen on purpose.
See what it takes to make it happen and it may be easier to find the source.

In your previous photos, irratic printing at the beginning, typically is a cable or cable binding.
Once the 'pressure' is released it prints fine.

 

[omega3]

Mutoh ValueJet 1204 Problems

Hi, friends!

I don't know that if you all understand that I am writting. I am from Puerto Rico, and the english it is not my force. Well, here I go. I buyed a NEW "WONDERFUL" machine "Mutoh ValueJet 1204". Since that I take off from the box, and install it, and turn it on, theres always an error. First, when I make a "print test", to print the "palette", in the display says: "E076 Err Pre Heat". I turned off... Then, it won't turn it on again... Bad! I try the next day, and try it again, and the same error displayed in the display. I turn it off, then, it won't turn it on again. Very bad!

Well, I called to the customer support of "signwarehouse.com", and the technician told me that the printer it has to be in a stand alone circuit, that the printer it is the only in that circuit. So, I did it. Well, when I turn it on again, It seems that it gonna work. Well, when I make a print test, theres an other error appears, E074 Current blah blah blah... It make me piss off... Sorry for those words.

I call back the technician from the company that I mentioned, and he told me that theres something blocking the print head. I looked everywhere, and theres nothing. I moved the print head accross, and everythings fine.

I do a few test to make it work, and it wont work.

Please, if you understand my words, please, tell me what to do. I am very desapointment with this "wonderful" machine.

Thanks!!

 

[Newbie_on]

Hi, friends!

I don't know that if you all understand that I am writting. I am from Puerto Rico, and the english it is not my force. Well, here I go. I buyed a NEW "WONDERFUL" machine "Mutoh ValueJet 1204". Since that I take off from the box, and install it, and turn it on, theres always an error. First, when I make a "print test", to print the "palette", in the display says: "E076 Err Pre Heat". I turned off... Then, it won't turn it on again... Bad! I try the next day, and try it again, and the same error displayed in the display. I turn it off, then, it won't turn it on again. Very bad!

Well, I called to the customer support of "signwarehouse.com", and the technician told me that the printer it has to be in a stand alone circuit, that the printer it is the only in that circuit. So, I did it. Well, when I turn it on again, It seems that it gonna work. Well, when I make a print test, theres an other error appears, E074 Current blah blah blah... It make me piss off... Sorry for those words.

I call back the technician from the company that I mentioned, and he told me that theres something blocking the print head. I looked everywhere, and theres nothing. I moved the print head accross, and everythings fine.

I do a few test to make it work, and it wont work.

Please, if you understand my words, please, tell me what to do. I am very desapointment with this "wonderful" machine.

Thanks!!

Time to get a tech in there...
My 2¢

 

[omega3]

Very disapointed!!

Time to get a tech in there...
My 2¢

It is a brand new printer. It is supose to have onsite warranty, but, the company told me that they can't come to Puerto Rico, 'cuz the onsite warranty do not include Puerto Rico and Hawaii. My God! Somebody me tomó el pelo.

Now I have a newbie machine that dosn't work. Too bad! An expensive equipment! I don't want waste my money.

Need help! Please!

 

[Jim Doggett]

It is a brand new printer. It is supose to have onsite warranty, but, the company told me that they can't come to Puerto Rico, 'cuz the onsite warranty do not include Puerto Rico and Hawaii. My God! Somebody me tomó el pelo.

Now I have a newbie machine that dosn't work. Too bad! An expensive equipment! I don't want waste my money.

Need help! Please!

Hi Omega 3,

We will get it sorted out, but you may need to call during the week when our Spanish-speaking personnel are in-house. I am not certain if we have Spanish-speakers who work weekends. But it's worth a try.

Best,
Jim

 

[bob]

...
Well, I called to the customer support of "signwarehouse.com", and the technician told me that the printer it has to be in a stand alone circuit, that the printer it is the only in that circuit. ...

Whomever you spoke with doesn't know its ass from a warm muffin. I've been running a 1204 for years on the same 20A circuit as my plotter, radio, heat press, and assorted small power tools without a problem. Very often simultaneously. The printer operating normally doesn't draw all that much. Moreover, this circuit is on a very goosey GFI.

 

[John Butto]

Bob (who by the way is Disney's real Shaggy Dog) is right about running a couple of things on the same circuit with that printer.

 

[Stealth Ryder]

I agree, so long as it a "clean" circuit... Meaning, no devices that pull a large amount of amperage when cycling on/off, IE a refirgerator, AC, Heater, etc... In a perfect world one would want the printer on an isolated circuit, in the real world this is not always possible... The laws of electronics are real and have been tested, issues do sometimes present themselves in strange ways... In my experience, the "quality" of the power source varies from consistant to not very good based upon the location, Islands tend to fall into the later catergory and can produce sometimes strange anomolies when dealing with electronics... An E074 error simply means an overcurrent in the CR movement. This could be as simple as a dirty Encoder, incorrect or not consistent voltage to the Power Supply, a defective CR Motor or quite simply anything prohibiting CR movement...

 

[njshorts]

I agree, so long as it a "clean" circuit... Meaning, no devices that pull a large amount of amperage when cycling on/off, IE a refirgerator, AC, Heater, etc... In a perfect world one would want the printer on an isolated circuit, in the real world this is not always possible... The laws of electronics are real and have been tested, issues do sometimes present themselves in strange ways... In my experience, the "quality" of the power source varies from consistant to not very good based upon the location, Islands tend to fall into the later catergory and can produce sometimes strange anomolies when dealing with electronics... An E074 error simply means an overcurrent in the CR movement. This could be as simple as a dirty Encoder, incorrect or not consistent voltage to the Power Supply, a defective CR Motor or quite simply anything prohibiting CR movement...

agreed, but just for sanity's sake... drop a dedicated circuit. it's not too expensive (at least on the mainland) and can help to isolate issues... nothing like calling SW support and having your ducks in a row, cutting out a couple hours worth of useless troubleshooting.

 

[Stealth Ryder]

agreed, but just for sanity's sake... drop a dedicated circuit.

+1

When you have spoken with a tech what have they had you do? What questions have they ask you? Have the symptoms changed based on the recommendations they have made? This error most commomly has to do with the Encoder Strip and/or sensor, dirty raceways (unlikely if this is a new machine), bad/dirty power (AC Voltage), or anything prohibiting proper CR movement including (although unlikely) a defective CR Motor... My bet would be a voltage issue or a Head Strike issue...

Question: When you get this error, is just after a Head Strike (Head Hitting/Touching the Media)? Do you see a smear on the media immediatly after the error displays itself? What media are you using and what are the 3 seperate Heaters set to? Does the error present itself immediatly upon CR initialization?

 

[omega3]

Question: When you get this error, is just after a Head Strike (Head Hitting/Touching the Media)? Do you see a smear on the media immediatly after the error displays itself? What media are you using and what are the 3 seperate Heaters set to? Does the error present itself immediatly upon CR initialization?

Hi!

1) The head stoped after touch the media. Only the sensor arrived over the media.
2) I dont see nothing over the media.
3) Ecosolvent vinyl
4) Yes, immediatly it's start to print. The fans turns off, and immediatly display the errror.

 

[Newbie_on]

It is a brand new printer. It is supose to have onsite warranty, but, the company told me that they can't come to Puerto Rico, 'cuz the onsite warranty do not include Puerto Rico and Hawaii. My God! Somebody me tomó el pelo.
Need help! Please!

Somebody WHAT????

I guess you did not do your homework and you did not ask what the warranty really covers.

I hope you get it fix soon.