SP540v lost Yellow and Magenta print functions - PLEASE HELP

[phototec]

HELP!!!

Very lightly used SP540v lost yellow and Magenta print functions, tried several cleanings and still nothing.

Printed test images, however only black and cyan print.

This is the first time I have ever had any print problems.

What are next steps to try and recover the yellow and Magenta print functions?

Thanks for any help, suggestions.

 

[gregwallace]

Absolutely no magenta or yellow on test print? Yellow and magenta on the same head? Clean the wipers for the yellow and magenta and then run a cleaning cycle. If yellow and magenta ink appears on the wipers after cleaning cycle then you have ink flow. Next I would disconnect all power and remove the cover directly behind the control panel on the back of the machine exposing the boards. Look for the two ribbons that go through the machine to the carraige. Kind of below and between them are two small white fuses with contacts on each end. Test for continuity.

 

[phototec]

Absolutely no magenta or yellow on test print? Yellow and magenta on the same head? Clean the wipers for the yellow and magenta and then run a cleaning cycle. If yellow and magenta ink appears on the wipers after cleaning cycle then you have ink flow. Next I would disconnect all power and remove the cover directly behind the control panel on the back of the machine exposing the boards. Look for the two ribbons that go through the machine to the carraige. Kind of below and between them are two small white fuses with contacts on each end. Test for continuity.

Yes, NO no magenta or yellow on test print (after sitting unused last week).

I cleaned the wippers, doing some MED head cleanings now, 50% of the magenta is back and most of the yellow is back. I'll keep cleaning and send a test file with just yellow and magenta t see if that will help.


I guess it's NOT a fuse, because the magenta and yellow are firing something, yellow 90%, magenta 50%.

 

[gregwallace]

yeah sorry ive had the fuse problem before. trying to explain it all at once. You might need to soak the heads in solvent.

 

[phototec]

yeah sorry ive had the fuse problem before. trying to explain it all at once. You might need to soak the heads in solvent.

Ok, Can you explain how to do that, I have never had to do anything like that before.

 

[mark in tx]

Keep doing the medium cleanings if the colors are coming back. Depending on how old your SP-540v is, you have to print something every day.
I have one that is 8 years old, I had to replace the small O-rings in the ink lines a few months ago, that was a messy job but not difficult and it made a huge difference in print quality, also expect to need to change the capping sponges and wipers more frequently.

 

[phototec]

Keep doing the medium cleanings if the colors are coming back. Depending on how old your SP-540v is, you have to print something every day.
I have one that is 8 years old, I had to replace the small O-rings in the ink lines a few months ago, that was a messy job but not difficult and it made a huge difference in print quality, also expect to need to change the capping sponges and wipers more frequently.

Mark, thanks for the info, I had another fellow from Canada spend hours with me all night, he talked me thru the Head Soaking process, that is going on right now.

Going to let it soak for 6-8 hours and see if it clears up.

My printer is 4 years old, the wippers are curling forward, so I need to replace them, where do you get parts for yours?


Have you changed out the capping stations yet?

Thks

 

[FrankW]

A SP540V can't be 4 years old, the printer is not available for new anymore since around 2007.

As soon as such problems appears, the condition of the pump, the cap tops and so on will be very important for solving these problems. Roland for example suggests to replace the cap tops every 6 months (!). The reason for such problems can be a defective cap top (damage of the rubber ring or a closed tube), a reason for that such problems can't be solved by simply cleaning can be the cap top too.

 

[phototec]

A SP540V can't be 4 years old, the printer is not available for new anymore since around 2007.

As soon as such problems appears, the condition of the pump, the cap tops and so on will be very important for solving these problems. Roland for example suggests to replace the cap tops every 6 months (!). The reason for such problems can be a defective cap top (damage of the rubber ring or a closed tube), a reason for that such problems can't be solved by simply cleaning can be the cap top too.

Frank, thanks for your feedback, important to know about the defective cap tops and "O" rings, I will order some to have on hand. All the tubes look good.

My cap tops look good, is there a way to tell if they are leaking air?

I think I read something about adjusting the the heads so they have a better seal at the cap tops, I have never done that, maybe that would help.

The reason I said the printer was 4 years old, it was delivered brand new in the box on July 30 2008, ok it's now 4 years, 10 months, and 25 days old, be 5 years old on July 30 2013.

However the printer has only had ink it it and been used since Last October, it sat in the box for 39 months, (long story), so I was thinking the mileage per say, is very low, only 11 months of actual use.

 

[phototec]

Well after soaking the heads for 11 hours, doing one regular cleaning, and three medium cleanings between printing test prints, almost all nozzles are back.

However (see attached test print), what should I do next to get 100%?

When the test print is printed, printer prints one block of the four colors with one nozzle blocked, them prints the second block of four colors and it also has one blocked nozzle, question is this considered one or two blocked nozzles?

BTW: The printed nozzle check lines are not fuzzy, that's just the poor quality digital image, the printed lines are very crisp

Thanks

 

[FrankW]

There is only one nozzle still with problems, this should not have an effect to the print quality. It could be that the nozzle will start working again during printing.

I check cap tops with a syringe connected to the tube of the cap top. Depending on how easy how much ink can be pulled with the syringe a problem can be detected,