Need Help Roland SP540 not printing questions

[Wepaintemwild]

Recently acquired a Roland SP 540 that was not working when I got it. After removing and reinstalling the printhead cables, machine was booting up. I flushed the lines, installed new dampers, cleaned the heads, changed capping, and I cannot get anything to print. Machine seems like it's performing well to all commands, just won't print. I checked the three little fuses on the back boards and they seem fine. I've been reading post on blown fuse on main board..not famiIiar with that. I even exchanged the printheads with another set that i cleaned and installed....just can't get to print. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Biggermens]

I have worked on them before and it pretty easy to blow them fuses on the main board,
do you have a service manual ??

 

[FrankW]

If the dampers and heads are filled with ink, but the printer do not print, then it looks like a problem with the main board.

At first I would check the head fuses, but not visually: check them with a voltmeter. Unfortunately you do not mention if you have a SP540V (fuses soldered on the board) or SP540i (fuses plugged on the mainboard).

 

[Jim Hancock]

As Frank asked...
Specifically which VersaCamm SP-540?
And a couple of questions.
Are both sets of heads old heads?
Do you get anything at all when you do a test print or is it completely blank?
When you do a medium or power clean, do you see ink coming through the system? You can check this by cleaning the waste bottle completely, do a medium or preferably a power clean and see if there is any ink in the bottle after the cleaning is done.
Did you "initialize the limit" to make sure the heads are aligned to the caps, giving you a good seal?
Do you have a meter to do some resistance measurements?
Based on the answers to these questions, I can try to help you.

 

[netsol]

you can get a CHEAP meter at a harbor freight, auto parts store or walmart in the hardware department
anywhere from $6 - $18.(cheapest)
then we can do some actual testing

any idea how long the machine was sitting before you got it?

 

[rjssigns]

OP never mentioned if the printer was flushed with cleaning solution and set up to be stored. If it wasn't then game over.

If it was shut down correctly try pulling ink through the cap tops with a syringe. If that fails start looking for air leaks. No air leaks then it's the heads.

 

[Wepaintemwild]

I have worked on them before and it pretty easy to blow them fuses on the main board,
do you have a service manual ??

Thank you...yes,I recently acquired one. I'm thinking that's what may be going on.

 

[Wepaintemwild]

Hello Frank,
Thanks for the response. The machine is a SP540V. The machine does pump ink as I've done quite a few cleaning cycles. It just won't print anything when I run test print or service report. I have a multi meter to test, just need some directions on where to go. Thanks again

 

[Wepaintemwild]

Hello Jim,
Thank you for your response. The printer is a sp540v. Two of the heads were originally in the printer. I removed them and cleaned them, getting a nice even looking spray coming from the nozzles. After trying these and no success.... I have another 540, sc model that was taken out of service years ago by a sign shop that I removed two of those heads to try. I ran cleaning solution thru the heads just to ensure they were open. I installed them and did the head ranking with their numbers. Ran thru cleaning cycles, ink is definitely coming thru. Tried test print...nothing at all. Not exactly sure on initialize the limits you mentioned, but when I look at the head alignment to the caps, it looks like everything is aligned. I do have a multimeter, just need some direction on what/where to test. Thank you sir.

 

[Wepaintemwild]

Thank you...Yes, I do have a multimeter. As for how long the machine sat, I can be exact about that, but I'm going to say no longer than 3 months. I do know the magenta/yellow head was heavily used more than the black/cyan head as that printhead had a lot of build up and the capping was plugged tight. Thanks for the input.

 

[Wepaintemwild]

Hello RJ,
I doubt very much if the machine was flushed after it's last use. From what I was told, the previous owner went to use it, and it just didn't print. When I got it, I flushed all lines, changed the dampers, cleaned the heads(Good even nozzle flow). It pulls ink thru the system because I've watched the ink bottle when running thru clean cycles....just doesn't print. Thanks for response.

 

[hazartilirot]

What do you mean - "it doesn't print"? if the device is printing once you sent a task though the inks don't come out of nozzles - it means, you've got a dead printhead.

 

[player]

What do you mean - "it doesn't print"? if the device is printing once you sent a task though the inks don't come out of nozzles - it means, you've got a dead printhead.

Or a blown fuse, or a bad headdboard, or....

 

[Jim Hancock]

See the attached pic for fuse location. Please advise your readings...

 

[Wepaintemwild]

See the attached pic for fuse location. Please advise your readings...

Thanks for the help Jim
I removed the mainboard in case we have to do some more testing. I tested the two fuses. The inside gives the following reading...the outside appears to be dead

 

[Jim Hancock]

Those are capacitors. The fuses are in the red box. They should read 0 or very near 0. Will read open if blown.

 

[Jim Hancock]

And set your meter to 200.

 

[Wepaintemwild]

And set your meter to 200.

With the meter set on 200dcv, I'm getting 0.0

 

[Wepaintemwild]

I checked the 4 large capacitors..the one in c46 location has no reading

 

[Jim Hancock]

I should have been more clear. Set it to 200 on the ohms scale.