First yellow dropped out, did a manual cleaning and everything was fine. Then a few prints later both yellow and magenta dropped. Cleaned heads, cap station clean, check to see if ink was coming out of pump OK, dampners replaced last month, used a syringe to pull ink though lines OK. Still not a drip of yellow or magenta. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
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Sp540 no yellow or magenta
- Thread starter mrsoliver
- Start date
P Wagner
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On the Roland SP series, Yellow and Magenta inks share one head (head 2). It seems that you have looked at the plumbing-related issues, and not found the source of the problem. The would leave the electrical side of the machine.
I'd check the printhead fuses on the mainboard to see if one is blown. If they're not, you could temporarily swap the data ribbon cables from head 1 (black and cyan) to head two and head 2 to head 1 and see if the problem follows che change or not. This will help determine what component(s) might be at fault - if any.
A word to the wise: If you are not comfortable with doing these diagnostic procedures yourself, I would strongly recommend bringing a qualified service engineer in to perform the repairs. You could easily make the situation much worse (and more expensive) if you are not very careful.
I'd check the printhead fuses on the mainboard to see if one is blown. If they're not, you could temporarily swap the data ribbon cables from head 1 (black and cyan) to head two and head 2 to head 1 and see if the problem follows che change or not. This will help determine what component(s) might be at fault - if any.
A word to the wise: If you are not comfortable with doing these diagnostic procedures yourself, I would strongly recommend bringing a qualified service engineer in to perform the repairs. You could easily make the situation much worse (and more expensive) if you are not very careful.
Thank for the quick reply. I have had such bad exp with service tech that I only use as a last resort. It does seem as plumbing is ok. I took a look at the main board and do not see any fuses. There are two fuses on the power junction board which are ok. Are those the ones you are talking about? If you were going to change cables where which ones would you change at the head or the main board - thanks Scott
Sp540 no yellow magenta black cyan
Update - I tried crossing the cables and same problem so the problem is not electrical - cleaned everything really good and did a powerful head cleaning and now I have no ink printing - this is kicking my ass so bad I even called my service tech who did not answer the phone - the jobs are piling up - any ideas would be greatly appreciated - the yellow and magenta disappeared after a powerful clean also - thanks Scott
Update - I tried crossing the cables and same problem so the problem is not electrical - cleaned everything really good and did a powerful head cleaning and now I have no ink printing - this is kicking my ass so bad I even called my service tech who did not answer the phone - the jobs are piling up - any ideas would be greatly appreciated - the yellow and magenta disappeared after a powerful clean also - thanks Scott
Sabre
New Member
I dont know if this would be so elementary that it's not worth posting... But have you checked both of your carts? Whenever we get a "wierd" problem, we always check the carts first now... We had a couple goof-ups in a row that all came back to empty ink that the machine didn't warn us about.
Hopefully your head isn't gone
Sorry I couldn't be more help, our 540 has been pretty solid for us.
Good luck!
Hopefully your head isn't gone
Sorry I couldn't be more help, our 540 has been pretty solid for us.Good luck!
High Octane
New Member
Try pouring cleaning solution into the capping stations...keep filling as the capping stations soak up solution....let it set and try it.
Pacific Coast Sign
New Member
If you didn't unplug your printer before swapping cable NOW you have blown fuses!
RULE #1 ALWAYS UNPLUG the machine first before doing any electrical work
The fuses are about the size of a grain of rice and you can damage the board if you don't know what you're doing. Call your local Roland Tech
RULE #1 ALWAYS UNPLUG the machine first before doing any electrical work
The fuses are about the size of a grain of rice and you can damage the board if you don't know what you're doing. Call your local Roland Tech
Velocity
New Member
ive had a similar issue and it could be ugly. where the ink comes in the lines and enters a plastic blatter above the head. check to make sure is full of ink.
the problem we had is the pin or nipple that the blatter or dampener sits on was cracked at the base (Top of the Print Head) and air was being introduced into the system.
We had to replace the heads.
Hopefully this isnt your problem but it sounds frighteningly familiar
the problem we had is the pin or nipple that the blatter or dampener sits on was cracked at the base (Top of the Print Head) and air was being introduced into the system.
We had to replace the heads.
Hopefully this isnt your problem but it sounds frighteningly familiar
NCSignTech
New Member
As Castek Resources stated
"You could easily make the situation much worse (and more expensive) if you are not very careful.
If you are able to siphon ink via captop, it's not a supply issue. If you removed or inserted the ribbon cables on the print head while the printer was plugged in, as previously mentioned you blew a fuse. Cables must be swapped in pairs and in the same order. If possible you need to locate a tech that has the ability to replace the fuses and not just swap out the main board. You may even have a shorted head if you dropped any ink into ribbon connector on the print head or a bad ribbon cable.
This forum is a great source of information, but you are at a point that you need professional help. The main board can usually be repaired with new fuses. Now that you have no signal to either head it is impossible to troubleshoot without replacing them.
Sounds like this may have been repaired by replacing a $25.00 cap top. If they are over 6 months replace them. The ink system is not pressurized. If you don't have good seal around cap tops / heads, the pump will not be able to pull ink from the cartridge, ink lines, dampers, manifolds and then into the heads resulting in drop out.
"You could easily make the situation much worse (and more expensive) if you are not very careful.
If you are able to siphon ink via captop, it's not a supply issue. If you removed or inserted the ribbon cables on the print head while the printer was plugged in, as previously mentioned you blew a fuse. Cables must be swapped in pairs and in the same order. If possible you need to locate a tech that has the ability to replace the fuses and not just swap out the main board. You may even have a shorted head if you dropped any ink into ribbon connector on the print head or a bad ribbon cable.
This forum is a great source of information, but you are at a point that you need professional help. The main board can usually be repaired with new fuses. Now that you have no signal to either head it is impossible to troubleshoot without replacing them.
Sounds like this may have been repaired by replacing a $25.00 cap top. If they are over 6 months replace them. The ink system is not pressurized. If you don't have good seal around cap tops / heads, the pump will not be able to pull ink from the cartridge, ink lines, dampers, manifolds and then into the heads resulting in drop out.
Pacific Coast Sign
New Member
One thing I forgot to ask...do you have the new style pump on your SP540?? The old style pumps wouldn't last very long, get holes in the hoses and stop either the black/cyan or magenta/yellow (each set is on their own lines in the pump). You may simply have a bad pump...but if you have the new style then I doubt it's the pump. If you hook a syringe to the (mag/yellow) cap hose and draw air then you have a bad cap...or you are getting air introduced into the lines from somewhere...ie the ink lines have o-rings that go bad at times....but the syringe method is the best way to diagnose problems.
stillhasdust
New Member
it sounds like the fuses to me...Which luckly are inexpensive...The fuses are about $7 ea and I have a guy in my area that fixes eletrical boards in xboxs, ps3, amps, and etc. and he charges me $10 a piece to solder the old ones off and put the new ones on.
