VJ-1608 Chronic Air Knife Failure

[Ace_at_NCG]

Back in November, I replaced the third-party air compressor on my VJ 1608 with the air pump that Mutoh markets specifically for the printer. Initially, we were pleased with the change. The pump is much quieter.
But, since the change, we have had 4 air knife failures, where the solenoid stops engaging on one side and needs to be replaced -- once on the right air knife, and three times on the left (including this morning.)
Maybe it's a coincidence. The first left and right side failures were attributed by the technician to "normal wear and tear." But two more on the left since then (both within 10 days of each other)?
Any ideas out there? It is not moisture in the system--the pump is blowing dry air and no condensation at all is occurring in the bleed tube. I've adjusted the flow rate and it seems to make no difference. When it was replaced last week, the Mutoh tech support guy suggested that the plumbers tape used at the seal was somehow causing the problem, so the service tech used something different last week on the previous call.
I'm still under warranty with this device, but that will be over in a few months, and I don't want to be fighting this same problem ad infinitum.

 

[TheSquid]

Similar issue

I'm actually having similar problems with the air knives on my vj1608...
I had the left air knife stop working a few weeks ago, just fails to rise in temp at all. I got by with the one heater for a while but now the right one is going back and forth between showing "UUUU" on the top display and the normal display, neither are heating up at all.

 

[SE SignSupply]

Off topic: Other than the heater issues, what are your impressions of this machine?

 

[Stealth Ryder]

Any moisture in the lines?

 

[Ace_at_NCG]

Sorry. Haven't been back in a while. After 6 air knife failures, they found some temp fuse that was apparently acting up and replacing it fixed the problem. They did end up completely replacing my 1608 for other issues though.
The new one's print quality is far superior, leading me to the realization that the old one really was a lemon anyway. The problem with the new one is that once it stops printing, some or all of the black nozzles fail, and it requires multiple cleanings and cursings to get them all back to do the next print. Never happens during printing--always after one (no matter how large) is done. The ink heads and entire capping station assembly have been replaced and it still happens. Mutoh is scratching their heads over this one.
As far as my opinion of the machine... if I could ever get a solid day's production out of it, which has been a rare thing in the past few months, I would probably like it. As it stands right now, it has been a regrettable purchase.

 

[heyskull]

If I had that sort of problems with my 1604 it would have went back!!!
Sounds like you have another lemon.

SC