Not drawing ink

[timandmikki]

Ok, I have a converted FJ-50. The magenta is not drawing through the lines to the head. I have flushed the line and changed the damper. I can draw the ink through the line to the head and into the damper. It will print a couple lines, then the ink draws back up the line away from the head. Any ideas where I could be getting air to pull the ink back through the lines?

 

[sfr table hockey]

Did you just put in a new Magenta ink cart by any chance?

Or even an old cart that had been sitting around for a while partialy used?

 

[timandmikki]

No, I use a bulk system that I refill the cartridge

 

[CS-SignSupply]

Possible damaged printhead manifold. If the black nipple that the damper slides onto has a crack in it, air is getting into the system and good seal is not possible.

These parts can be damaged or broken when removing or replacing dampers.

On the FJ-50, this means head replacement

If ink holds in the line and the damper without being connected to the printhead, line and damper good. Or it could be the o-ring on the bottom side of the damper leaking air when put onto the printhead.

 

[sfr table hockey]

If ink holds in the line and the damper without being connected to the printhead, line and damper good. Or it could be the o-ring on the bottom side of the damper leaking air when put onto the printhead.

You could do the Artbot test (which is a good way to check problems) where you swap the cyan and magenta on the print head. So now you have the damper for the cyan on the magenta print head nib and the opposite for the Magenta damper. If the problem continues on the Cyan then you know its the head. If it continues on the magenta then it is that line. At least you know for sure.

It also only takes a cleaning or two to get the heads cleared after putting dampers back in the propper spots.

 

[sfr table hockey]

Does the damper stay about the same level of ink and just the line from the brass nut (on the damper) drop back toward the carts.

Had you removed that brass nut and put back on not quite right?

 

[timandmikki]

Right, the damper seems to keep the ink in it, but the ink in the line goes back like its being drawn back into the cartridge, it eventually runs out of ink when printing.

 

[timandmikki]

Ok, I switched the lines as suggested, I didn't loose the cyan. When ever I put a syringe and draw the ink to the damper, as soon as I remove the syringe, the ink starts drawing back. Do you think my brand new damper is junk? or is there a problem in the line somewhere?

 

[sfr table hockey]

So this sounds like either the damper or the area where the line connects by way of the brass nut to the damper. There should be an o-ring around the hard tube line that helps seal tight when threaded onto the damper. Remove that brass nut and re-set. That hard plastic line should sit down into the damper a bit before threading the brass nut down. You may have cross threaded that nut and are getting an air leak. Next option is to just try another damper and be careful to thread that brass nut on right. If you have lost that oring that sits inside the brass nut you could try to make do with making one out of some of the white pump tube. In a pinch you can cut off a real thin (ABOUT 1/16") of that tube to make a small oring. This should fit over the hard plastic line from the ink carts and be tight enough to create a tight fit.

 

[timandmikki]

Thanks, I will try that, I ordered some new dampers and the o-rings, but it will be a while before they get here.

 

[timandmikki]

Well, I installed the new damper, o-ring, and nut. The ink stays in the line now, but still drops out when printing. I can draw the ink thru with a syringe, it prints the color, but drops out after printing a short time. Any other suggestions, I have several print jobs pending and need to get it fixed ASAP.

 

[artbot]

when you pull ink into the damper, you'll see the membrane concave under the vacuum provided by the syringe. let the damper hang free for a few minutes to observe. one, it shouldn't leak (it can "want to" if you have a full cartridge. but shouldn't drip). two the concaved membrane should relax in a minute or so. if it seems to stay concaved too long, that is a sign that your line is under negative pressure. the line is supposed to have very very light positive pressure. and last the ink should just stay right there at the level in the damper. ...not get lower.

i'd have to type a novel for the options for each result. but do this and get back to the board with what happens. you could have a clogged line, air leak, bad or clogged piercing needle....

 

[sfr table hockey]

I have had that happen with the waterbased ink as well. I loaded a new cart and after a while of printing the one head (new cart) dropped out but I would do a cleaning and it would be ok again till the head discharged all the ink and it would not re-charge. One time it seemed to be the head as once changed the problem went away but another time it was a couple of air bubbles in the line that caused that "negative pressure".

You could try to syringe what you think would be enough ink to refill the entire line from the carts to the heads to make sure that line did not get an air bubble in it. You would see it going through the line if there were a air bubble. You said you have refill carts so I would think that would be less chance of a negative pressure but I also thought I read that the level of fill could cause issues. Not sure there.

Another time that happed was when the room was too cold and the printer temp was possibly too low. Now in the summer should not be the issue.

Do a test print from the service menu called fill pattern. Have at least about 30" wide media or the 1 inch test strip of each color will not be wide enough to discharge the ink in the head. Then do a reg. test print to see if only that one head has dropped out. If you notice more than you may have those clear lines that run under the captops to the rectangular box on the right side blocked and this will cause drop out. You may have just not noticed that all 3 heads might be doing the same.

 

[timandmikki]

The test print is what I run, and run out of ink while its printing. I just went down to pull some ink thru to test the damper as Artbot said, and I noticed the cartridge is real loose, like there is nothing holding it in. The other cartridges are tight and have some resistance when removing them. Is it possible the seal on the cartridge is bad? I put in a cleaning cartridge, and it had resistance on it. Is the cartridge junk, or can the seal on the back of it be replaced?

 

[sfr table hockey]

If its those $10 -$15 refill carts that you can by on ebay and such, I did notice that as long as I did not remove the carts they were ok but once I removed one the oring seemed to have softened and was leaking so I would assume they would not seal as tight. That may be enough to not let the heads re charge but I am not sure. I just replace that refill cart and started fresh. Just need to stock up on refill carts. Not sure if you could replace that oring and the price of a new refill cart was not worth the time to do.

Just to confirm: after a fill test pattern print is only the one head dropping out or are there more?

 

[timandmikki]

Its just one color. There are only two heads, and one color on one head is dropping. I switched the colors as suggested earlier, and did not lose and that color, but continued losing the same color, so I know its somewhere with that line, and not the head. I ordered some new thanks, but I have jobs pending that I have to get out... so I am hoping they get here soon, and fix the problem...ready to just start over

 

[artbot]

does sound like the cart is not doing too good. you'd contaminate your line, but you could put a different cart at that spot. but if you already ordered a new one... definitely air can be leaking at the cart seal.

 

[timandmikki]

I thought about just using another cartridge, but the only one I have had cleaning solution in it, so hopefully when the new ones get here, that will fix it.

 

[timandmikki]

Well, my new cartridge came in.... In installed it, replaced the damper again, still prints about an inch, and drops the color....ready to put a bullet in it. I have replaced everything but the line its self. Any ideas?

 

[sfr table hockey]

So to confirm now..... the ink does not run back to the cart in the main ink line on the magenta?

Just the head drops out no matter where you place the magenta damper.

Are those clear tube lines that connect to the underside of the captops unblocked? Actually remove and blow through them.

The new cart is a refill cart or factory cart?