Roland VP-540 Black Print Head Issues

[njsignguy]

I bought a used machine about 6 months ago. It is running third party inks and have wanted to switch to OEM asap. This is a secondary machine so its use was at a minimal. When i bought it, the black print head had some deflection but it printed jobs good enough for me.

I finally got all my replacement parts ready to do the flush and then put in oem inks. (new oem inks, dampers, wipers, captops, cleaning carts). I havent used the machine in a few weeks and now i notice the black print head has no activity on a test print. The machine has always stayed on and did its regular auto cleanings. I tried 12 hour head soaks and whatever i can think of to try to get some ink flowing from the print head. I tried to push cleaning fluid directly into the head with a syringe and tube but could not get anything through the head. No air would pass through the head. I tried sucking from under the cap station and couldnt get anything. Ive dealt with a bad print head on another machine but i dont remember seeing these type of problems. My guess is that all the nozzles are clogged. I want to flush the machine with cleaning carts and put in all my new parts but i feel the black ink line and head will not get cleaned because nothing is passing through the head. When i print straight black it comes out a brown color. Im guessing that is the ink that is still in the capping station????

I get no black lines when i do my print test.

Anyone had any insight on my issue?
Thank You

 

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have you tried pulling cleaning solution through the nozzles into the syringe? (backwards?)

 

[njsignguy]

have you tried pulling cleaning solution through the nozzles into the syringe? (backwards?)

Fill the capping station with cleaning fluid and sit the head in the station and try sucking the fluid through the nozzle on top of the head?

I haven't tried that one, you recommend it?

 

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I took the head out and put it in a bowl with cleaning fluid...let it sit for a few hours and then try to suck backwards...obviously you may want to change the fluid in the bowl when it gets gooped up from the head sitting in it.

Also tape the electronics up before you do this...only about 1/4 inch of liquid in the bowl

 

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After that you should be able to 'force' some cleaning fluid through the nozzles the correct way...you should be able to get a fine mist spray coming out of it...it looks pretty neat.

Rinse and repeat a few times and you should be in business...they are fairly durable...and the worst thing that could happen is you have to buy a new print head which you would have had to do anyway...

We got some bad 3rd party inks but then switched to STS inks which Bobby Fosson of CS sign supply sells (merchant member here) and haven't had a problem since.

You do have to take the head out though..

 

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Last part is..once you get it working don't tell your boss you got help off the internet, say you thought of it yourself and get a raise.

 

[njsignguy]

I tried removing the head and i couldnt get the 4th screw out. Ive removed a head from a sp300v before but i dont remember it being as hard as this head. I couldnt get a good screw driver to fit under there to get the the rear right sided screw.

I did try to suck cleaning solution from the capping station through the nipple on top of the head and on the rear nipple i was able to get a few drops of black ink and then nothing. The other nipple i couldnt get anything. It was pure black and i dont think it came from the capping station, i guess from the inside of the head????

I think i am just going to get a new head from solventparts dot com for $780 (cheapest i have found).

Would it be worth it to have a roland tech come and install the head and do the flushing and give the machine a tune up or should i just take the plunge and take it on myself??