SP300 Versa camm

[MichaelS]

Hi, I'm having problems with my sp300. The black stopped printing so i replaced the damper and that helped. Now i have black again but... The printing on black and red colors is fuzzy. I replaced both caps and its still printing fuzzy. When i run a test print the red, yellow and blue appear fine but the black has some crooked lines. I have done a head soak on both heads, maybe another would help? Can you do to many head soaks? It makes sense that the black will print poorly, but why does the red (magenta) print fuzzy? Even if I run a test of just magenta it is fuzzy. Could it be something other than the print heads? Thanks for your help.

Michael

 

[CS-SignSupply]

Try cleaning your Encoder Scale/Strip. HINT: Do not use solvent cleaning fluid to do so - use rubbing alcohol and cleaning swab. Place the damp swab on the front of the strip near the print carriage and clean in one stroke to the far left of the strip. Repeat on the backside of the strip.

 

[MichaelS]

Thanks for the tip, what is the encoder/scale strip? I have alcohol and cleaning swaps I am willing to try anything, just need to know where to clean.

 

[J Hill Designs]

clear strip running the length of the print carriage thingy

 

[CS-SignSupply]

Locate the guidewire that pulls the print heads left and right.... then look behind it (slightly higher). Clear or smokey gray color plastic strip that stands on edge.

 

[MichaelS]

I found it, thanks. Now off to clean it, hope this works. By the way, what does the encoder/scale strip do?

 

[J Hill Designs]

its got little tick marks every .000001" or whatever, and tells the printhead where it is on the carriage

 

[MichaelS]

Still not good

I cleaned the encoder/scale strip and had no change. The image has an overspray of magenta offset to one side about an 1/8 of an inch beyond the image. Any more suggestions?

 

[Kevin-shopVOX]

I cleaned the encoder/scale strip and had no change. The image has an overspray of magenta offset to one side about an 1/8 of an inch beyond the image. Any more suggestions?

Check the head height..might be overspraying because its too high for the media

 

[MichaelS]

I have never changed the head height, is that something that can get accidently changed?
All this has happened since loosing the black because of a bad damper so I have been in and out of the head area.

 

[CS-SignSupply]

Check the BI-DI test prints.

 

[Pacific Coast Sign]

Hi Michael,

Assuming your Bi-Directional alignments are good:
Do your normal weekly clean. While the heads are parked at the left take a clean swab and soak it with cleaning fluid then "pat" the surface of the head. Do not scrub back and forth. This will force a bit of fluid into the nozzles and may help unclog any nozzles that have a deflecting spray. While you're at it, replace the wipers and scraper... If the wipers aren't properly wiping the heads could cause over-spray. Also, it would be good to clean or replace the captops as well. Afterwards, your printer will do it's own clean... I would then hit the clean button one more time.

It is possible that your print head has reached the end of it's life or may have a scratch on it... it may need to be replaced

 

[nwbee]

I hope that black and magenta are on the same head on the sp. If the above methods don't work and both magenta and black still won't print correctly, you will have to replace both of the heads on your machine.

 

[splizaat]

For the record, the SP300 does not have a head height adjustment. so do not worry about that.

 

[Jason_Elliott]

Black/Cyan one head Magenta/Yellow on the other

What you have is a deflection problem. As stated earlier it is mostly caused by the wiper not cleaning the head correctly. Bad news is this, once the deflection happens, it will most likely not ever go away. This deflection will cause overspray or tailing (which is little fuzzy lines that run in the direction of the printhead).

What you can do is this. Lower the caps move the prinhead out of the way, also pull off the gray cover below the cap station, the pump is behind this cover.

Pinch off the line that goes to the number 1 head (Black/Cyan) and then lay a lint free cloth over the cap and soak the clothe with solvent and then park the head and cap the system back up with cloth in place. Allow to soak for 15 minutes or so open the caps remove the cloth and repeat again. Once your done soaking with a cloth cap the system back up and hook a syringe onto the (Black/Cyan) ink line from the cap and draw lightly (do not pull agressively on the syringe) pull plunger to about 5-10 cc and allow it to fill up, then pull another 5 cc's. after you put everything back together run a medium clean and then nozzle check test print. If it doesnt improve its not going to. Just ride it out until the head fails or the fuzzy/tailing gets so bad that your forced to change it. Head with new dampers about $1000 or more.

Good Luck

 

[MichaelS]

Thanks for all the advise, after trying everything I finally gave in to the fact that my heads are old and worn out. Just replaced both of them now back to sharp Roland printing.