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sp-540 head soak

tnawards

New Member
Hello All,

I am having issues with my ink output and would like to do a head soak but when I fill the cap tops with cleaning solution they never fill. The solution just soaks in and goes away. Is this a vacuum problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks,
Gary
 

ChiknNutz

New Member
You need to block off the drain tubes. This is most easily done by using the metal rod with the flat end that came with the printer. Underneath the capping station (the very bottom of the machine) you will find an access hole. Insert the flattened end in there until it engages the shaft within. Turn that until you feel moderate resistance. What this is doing is turning the pump and by doing as instructed, it pinches the drain tubes. The pump works by suction in that it has lobes that roll on the drain tubes, drawing ink thru the heads and into the capping stations.
 

high impact

New Member
Just what Graph said.

It's good news that those capping stations drain when you put cleaning solution in them if you don't pinch the lines first.
 

tnawards

New Member
Maybe I should back up and learn how to do a proper head soak. If I use the rod and turn won't it engage the head so that I can't move them? Sorry, as you can tell I'm new.
 

ChiknNutz

New Member
Oops, sorry I forgot a step...tee hee. The instructions I gave you are for moving the capping station up and down manually. What you need to do FIRST, is to use same tool at the front of the machine (same general area) with the cover off. At the front is another access hole and THIS is for the pump. After performing this and successfully filling the stations with solution, THEN do what I said before to move the capping station into place to soak the heads. Sorry for any confusion as it's been a while since I've had to do one.
 

Capital Signs

New Member
Do you have to go into a certain service mode to get it so you can fill them, and just bring them over to sit on it? Or do you go to maintenance cleaning, then move it over, the print head, fill it, use the metal deal to move the capps up against the heads?

Anybody tell me how they did it?
 

dar_trin

New Member
Hi,

Can someone help me in explaining the head soak procedure? will this contaminate my ink supply ( Ink in the dampers)? And what is the maximum duration of same?

Thanks in advance.

Dar_trin
 

premiercolour

Merchant Member
Make sure your dampers and cap tops are in working condition. Aftermarket cap top quality varies. Some work, some don't. If you haven't replaced it for a year, replace them. They are not expensive to replace.

Fill up cap top couple times, locate the end of the cap top to the waste bottle, make a nut. fill up cap top again and now cleaning solution should stay on top of it. Move the carriage to the top of it, close the cap top. Turn off the power. Let is sit for 3 hours. Turn back on, perform strong clean. I would use choke cleaning under service manual. Good luck.
 
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