STUcK...Rowland VersaCamm VP 540i....STUcK

[rrrtzme]

Let me start by saying I am glad that I found Signs 101, it appears to be full of a variety of different things I have loved doing throughout my life.
I do look forward to using, and sharing different things that I can offer, if anything that may be helpful to anyone else.
I am currently stuck trying to get my VP 540i going. My story is this...This plotter has been at my work and has been awesome. However, it has only been used to cut vinyl since I have been there. (about a year and a half)
Our Graphic Designer, decided we needed a GraphiTec Plotter instead of the Rowland. No big deal, let him have it right? I was given the opportunity to buy it for a great price and did.
So, the took The Rowland down and I made some payments and brought it home. Thinking everythings cool I plug it in and it starts up as always with the little beep, says cleaning like it always briefly does and then goes to the K_C_M_Y for two flashes and two beeps then 1_2_3_4 for two flashes and two beeps and just continues...forever if I let it I bet. I then thought maybe its because I hadnt loaded Versa Works on my computer..nope. Next day at work I ask about it being because its a new envirornment and its trying to do a completly new set up? Nobody had any idea. Of course the guy who needed The GraphiTec had quit after getting it. Not complaining, just funny to me. I did find out that they haven't used that for printing for 3 years. I think no brainer, the ink is drying up. Find out that ink cartridges havent been installed on it for the same three years. So i assume its an ink problem and contact Rowland who wants the serial number before they will even talk to me. I give it and get a reply that I am out of warranty and that I cannot get any form of support from them. I am not asking to replace print head or anything I am just wanting to know how to get past that window or what i need to do. So I found a video about moving the print head carriage out of the way, pouring cleaning solution in each reservoir and slide the head back and leaving it over night. The guy said this will fix most clogged ink probems. Didn't work and I cannot find anyone with a solution. I put brand new ink cartridges in all four slots as well. I also called Grimco and they were so helpful right up until I told them it was a Rowland. The exact answer I received was...well, we dont have a relationship with Rowland. I can't even let you talk to a tech. So if anyone has ANY insight please share. I will even leave my cell 801.428.9632 thank for reading in advance...Troy

 

[balstestrat]

It for sure needs good flush on the lines and new printheads. Even then it's a gamble as you don't know if everything is going to work or not.

 

[damonCA21]

OK, the printer doesn't know if heads are blocked or not, that is not the problem. Doing a head soak will only clear very lightly clogged heads. After the amount of time this printer has not been used then it will need all new heads, you have pretty much zero chance of recovering them. You will also need to replace the dampers and captops, flush or replace the ink lines, and probably needs a new pump as well.
The flashing ink problem is more likely the printer not being able to read the cartridges when they are inserted. This points to either a failed servo board, or ink tank board. This is quite possibly why the previous owners stopped using it for printing.
I would look for an independent Roland tech to come and look it over otherwise you are going to be chasing problems forever trying to get it up and running. You didn't say how much you paid for the printer, but it may not be worth repairing by the time you have to pay for all the parts

 

[MNT_Printhead]

This reminds ms of interviewing with a company run by a guy who smelled too much paint in the early years and bought a Summa because his employees couldn't learn how to perf cut on a Graphtec. I later learned he grew weed also, but the paint had fucked his brain and his employees didn't know what they were doing.

 

[rrrtzme]

OK, the printer doesn't know if heads are blocked or not, that is not the problem. Doing a head soak will only clear very lightly clogged heads. After the amount of time this printer has not been used then it will need all new heads, you have pretty much zero chance of recovering them. You will also need to replace the dampers and captops, flush or replace the ink lines, and probably needs a new pump as well.
The flashing ink problem is more likely the printer not being able to read the cartridges when they are inserted. This points to either a failed servo board, or ink tank board. This is quite possibly why the previous owners stopped using it for printing.
I would look for an independent Roland tech to come and look it over otherwise you are going to be chasing problems forever trying to get it up and running. You didn't say how much you paid for the printer, but it may not be worth repairing by the time you have to pay for all the parts

The flashing came before I put the cartridges in. I understand about needing to probably change the printhead I thought that might be the case. They quit using it because they have two huge printers they're way more efficient than that that would be that's why they just stepped up to a lot better set up they have two huge hp's that work pretty well. A 700 and a 300 I think they are HP. But the other one worked fine all the time I don't know why it doesn't ignore that and keep letting me use it like it we did I don't care if it prints be honest with you I just want to cut vinyl again and yeah I got it from steal I only paid 500 bucks for it and I look them up online and they're 5 and 6,000 so I know I got a deal I don't mind fixing it I just need to know what I need to do I'll look up the idea of doing it getting a tech to come out I appreciate your input thanks

 

[rrrtzme]

This reminds ms of interviewing with a company run by a guy who smelled too much paint in the early years and bought a Summa because his employees couldn't learn how to perf cut on a Graphtec. I later learned he grew weed also, but the paint had fucked his brain and his employees didn't know what they were doing.

I'm just going to assume that you're not talking about me. The situation is what it . The plotter worked fine and that's all I need it to. I bought it, thinking we were good to go, however it decided I guess to start over and do a new setup because I moved it. I'm not . It doesn't really matter to me if it prints. The situation is what it is and I'm trying to get past it. Any positive info would be fine if you have any.

 

[damonCA21]

Ah ok, if you are only going to use it for cutting then personally I would sell it for what you bought it for an spend the money on a dedicated cutter instead. Print and cut machines are a lot more complicated than dedicated cutters, so there is a lot more that can go wrong that you may need to repair in the future.
One other quick thought. Did the new cartridges you installed come with chips on them? Not all of them do, or don't come with the fitted onto the cartridge would explain why the printer isn't recognising any of them

 

[cornholio]

Old Rolands with very old firmware may not recognize cartridges with the latest generation of chips.
Update the firmware first, if the cartridges aren't recognised.

 

[MNT_Printhead]

I'm just going to assume that you're not talking about me. The situation is what it . The plotter worked fine and that's all I need it to. I bought it, thinking we were good to go, however it decided I guess to start over and do a new setup because I moved it. I'm not . It doesn't really matter to me if it prints. The situation is what it is and I'm trying to get past it. Any positive info would be fine if you have any.

No; Unless, you run/own a shop out of Commerce City, CO

 

[rrrtzme]

Old Rolands with very old firmware may not recognize cartridges with the latest generation of chips.
Update the firmware first, if the cartridges aren't recognised.

Yeah here's the deal to that the cartridges weren't even in when it threw that first window up with the blinking and the ink call out but the problem was it worked fine here when I was at work all day long there was nothing wrong with it and they didn't have cartridges even put in it not for 3 years they unplug it I take it home plug it in and it's wanting to start over maybe with a new setup because it now stalls on that we never used ink before or not for 3 years anyway so I decided okay it needs cartridges in and stuck a minute so that was already going on before the cartridges were there the plotter was fine it's never had an issue it's a great blotter with the exception of yeah I'd like it to print but I don't care if it doesn't be honest I just want to cut with it for sure right now

 

[damonCA21]

How were they running it for years with no cartridges fitted? The only way you can do that is if you modify the wiring of the printer, otherwise it will always be asking for the cartridges to be inserted as they aren't designed to run without them in...

 

[d fleming]

Do not ever buy a used machine that you cannot see run or have a nozzle check in hand. If it sat for three years with no carts it's most likely toasted to the point of costing more to fix than it is worth. Trade it in on a new one and get the discount for trade in and you'll have a nice new machine under warranty and can get to work. Keep the graphtec. Excellent plotters.

 

[rrrtzme]

How were they running it for years with no cartridges fitted? The only way you can do that is if you modify the wiring of the printer, otherwise it will always be asking for the cartridges to be inserted as they aren't designed to run without them in...

But I remember as he took it down there were no cartridges in it. That part maybe I could be wrong on the cartridges being in it but they haven't printed anything on that thing for 3 years meaning it would be dried up anyway whether it was in there or in the cartridge because they told me we haven't used that for printing for over 3 years so I don't know how it was working fine without that unless it's because it hasn't wasn't unplugged and it was still connected to the same computer all this time not sure the same network anyway and now bringing it home it just doesn't it does that it stalls on that I just thought maybe there's a way to get around that code if not we'll understand that but if I have to replace all this stuff then it worked fine it worked fine that's why I thought it would still work the same way as it did apparently it's not going to be the case so if I buy new printhead and clean out those I forgot what they're called Wells are whatever underneath the head and the caps maybe I'll get away with it right I'm hoping

 

[rrrtzme]

Do not ever buy a used machine that you cannot see run or have a nozzle check in hand. If it sat for three years with no carts it's most likely toasted to the point of costing more to fix than it is worth. Trade it in on a new one and get the discount for trade in and you'll have a nice new machine under warranty and can get to work. Keep the graphtec. Excellent plotters.

Oh I'm sorry if I said something wrong that confused you on your end it hasn't sat for 3 years they just haven't used it for printing we've been using it for cutting since I've worked there there's nothing there was nothing wrong with it as far as I knew I didn't know about the printing part of it until I brought it home and barely learned right before I bought it but it even was a printer also I thought it was just a plotter I've used rolling plotters in the past and liked them very well and have been happy with that when it worked it was working right up to when we unplugged it and they put the graph deck in I just got to buy it for 500 bucks and I said well yeah I'll buy it so I made a couple payments and then brought it home and that's when the problem started but I don't think it was cartridges ever hooked up to it I think he said there wasn't any on it when we took it down I didn't I didn't notice but I think all the times I use it and loaded vinyl on the back of it that I would have noticed those but 18-in long cartridges I don't think there was any on it and I asked them and they said there wasn't any but you mentioned on your other post it it has to have them so maybe they were there and just dried up and still working the whole time because we were only cutting with it but now that it's plugged in it wants that and it won't obviously work the plotter work fine though it wasn't sitting for 3 years and it is didn't use it for printing all that time that's what I meant to say if I said something crooked I didn't mean to mislead you on that

 

[rrrtzme]

Ah ok, if you are only going to use it for cutting then personally I would sell it for what you bought it for an spend the money on a dedicated cutter instead. Print and cut machines are a lot more complicated than dedicated cutters, so there is a lot more that can go wrong that you may need to repair in the future.
One other quick thought. Did the new cartridges you installed come with chips on them? Not all of them do, or don't come with the fitted onto the cartridge would explain why the printer isn't recognising any of them

I don't know how I missed that second part of your message and somehow didn't see it before yeah that does have chips on them but they those codes were coming up before I even put the cartridges in and my boss told me that there were no cartridges in it for a long time and I have to believe him cuz I don't remember seeing those 18 inch long buggers hanging out of the back of it that they found the other ones let me have them when I got there I just took him home figured I'd sell them with it I was just going to resell it after I thought about keeping it from my daughter and then thought no maybe I should get rid of it cuz by the time she's ready for it even though she's older it'll be so outdated it'll be silly so I thought okay I'll sell it and then I start running into this problem so I don't know what to do I'm stuck it worked fine at work just doesn't work now it was nothing wrong with it so other than not being able to print and not knowing that of course thank you for your input though I look forward to you guys in your posts because they help you get me there a little bit better I don't know who I'm supposed to contact to come look at it someone said an independent rolling guy would be smart but it might cost me a grip and I don't want to spend a ton of money on some guy to come out there and tell me what I already know which isn't a lot but I do know it doesn't work and I know a lot of it is what's been mentioned anyway I'm still plugging along and looking for info thanks

 

[rrrtzme]

It for sure needs good flush on the lines and new printheads. Even then it's a gamble as you don't know if everything is going to work or not.

Yeah I'm agreeing with that problem for me is it won't be reckoned it isn't being recognized I should say by my computer as even being there it's still trying to set up so it doesn't say that the printer is there it just shows and I forgot what it's called Versa works it just stays gray it shows that there's one there or an option to add one but it doesn't let you add it he only has the Auto Select highlighted and it doesn't find anything because it's still trying to get past that spot I may have created a file thinking that it was going to let me try to cut something and maybe that would get me away from the ink but it didn't do that it doesn't even show that there's a printer there so I'm stuck on that spot I'd like to do that flush it and do whatever it works stinking fine that's what I hate about it there's nothing wrong with it at work we didn't use it for printing so I didn't know it didn't have it wasn't able I mean it's after I bought it they didn't like try to be sneaky about it they just said yeah we haven't used it for printing for 3 years cuz they have a couple of real big HPS the 700 and 600 anyway I'm stuck I'm trying to find a way to have somebody check it out or whatever but I don't know really had to get into that and what that's going to cost I mean I watch videos and stuff and the manual like I can take him out and clean them but that's ridiculous like someone to send many people have said the amount of time that that's been sitting the heads are probably useless and that's probably true I'm not doubting that at all I'm just wanting to know what I can do to get past it and use it it's all I mean I don't even have it I'll set up on our Network or anything yet I just plugged it into my computer thinking that was going to do it it doesn't even recognize that it's there so I don't know

 

[damonCA21]

If it was left for a long time with no cartridges in it it's possible the sensors aren't working. Each dock you put the cartridge into has two sensors. One tells the printer a cartridge is inserted, and one tells it the colour is correct.
It could just be the insert sensors are gummed up and need cleaning out, then the printer will be able to read the cartridges when they are inserted

 

[balstestrat]

Ain't nobody going to read that wall of text without sentences and paragraphs.
If you want free help here at least do the work for it.