I've got two Epson ink jet printers (Stylus Color 440 and a 600). Both of which have been collecting dust for a very long time.
Recently, I purchased some new ink jet cartridges for both printers. To my surprise I found that some ink has dried in the ink jet nozzles creating a clog in both printers. Now one printers prints partially and the other does'nt print at all.
How can I clean the nozzle in an ink jet printer? Can I use something like isopropanol to clean the dried ink out of the nozzle?
Stef
How do you clean ink jet printers?
Hi Stef,
Don't know if this will help, but from Epson's site.....
If the printer is printing blank pages, make sure you are using
the correct printer driver and make sure the paper size is correctly
selected in the driver. If the printer is printing black only, the
Ink option in the printer driver may be set to Black instead of
Color or a setting in the software may be set to print black only.
Also, the print head nozzles may be clogged. From the Utility
section found in the EPSON printer driver, print a nozzle check and
examine the printed dot pattern. Each staggered horizontal and
straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps in the dot
pattern. If there are gaps in the dot pattern, clean the print
heads by running the head cleaning utility in the printer driver.
Then, print another nozzle check. The nozzle check and head cleaning
are recommended to be performed as a cycle in order for the cleaning
cycles to be most effective. If there are still gaps in the dot
pattern, continue with another cycle. Perform up to 6 cycles if
necessary. If the nozzle check is not printing completely, and if
the head cleanings do not help the nozzle check pattern to print
completely, try replacing the ink cartridge. Also, make sure you
are using a genuine EPSON ink cartridge which has an EPSON label on
top of it. If the EPSON label has been removed from the ink
cartridge, do not install the cartridge. Using an ink cartridge
which does not have the EPSON label on it may damage the printer.
If you have already installed a cartridge which is missing the EPSON
label, or if a previously installed ink cartridge was missing its
EPSON label at the time it was installed, and now head cleanings do
not help the nozzle check pattern to print completely, your printer
may require service and you should contact the EPSON Connection for
further assistance.
Don't know if this will help, but from Epson's site.....
If the printer is printing blank pages, make sure you are using
the correct printer driver and make sure the paper size is correctly
selected in the driver. If the printer is printing black only, the
Ink option in the printer driver may be set to Black instead of
Color or a setting in the software may be set to print black only.
Also, the print head nozzles may be clogged. From the Utility
section found in the EPSON printer driver, print a nozzle check and
examine the printed dot pattern. Each staggered horizontal and
straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps in the dot
pattern. If there are gaps in the dot pattern, clean the print
heads by running the head cleaning utility in the printer driver.
Then, print another nozzle check. The nozzle check and head cleaning
are recommended to be performed as a cycle in order for the cleaning
cycles to be most effective. If there are still gaps in the dot
pattern, continue with another cycle. Perform up to 6 cycles if
necessary. If the nozzle check is not printing completely, and if
the head cleanings do not help the nozzle check pattern to print
completely, try replacing the ink cartridge. Also, make sure you
are using a genuine EPSON ink cartridge which has an EPSON label on
top of it. If the EPSON label has been removed from the ink
cartridge, do not install the cartridge. Using an ink cartridge
which does not have the EPSON label on it may damage the printer.
If you have already installed a cartridge which is missing the EPSON
label, or if a previously installed ink cartridge was missing its
EPSON label at the time it was installed, and now head cleanings do
not help the nozzle check pattern to print completely, your printer
may require service and you should contact the EPSON Connection for
further assistance.
The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, and prejudices to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill and suspicion can destroy and a thoughtless, frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all of its own for the children and the children yet unborn and the pity of it is that these things cannot be confined to the Twilight Zone.
-
click_here
- Advanced Member
- Posts: 844
- Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2002 10:17 pm
- Location: Southern California
Re: How do you clean ink jet printers?
on my HP everytime I replace the ink carts it replaces the print heads too,this way I always get like new prints,I don't know if the epson is the same.watch it though,sometimes on less exspensive printers new print heads and ink carts are as much or more than a new printer!Originally posted by Stef
I've got two Epson ink jet printers (Stylus Color 440 and a 600). Both of which have been collecting dust for a very long time.
Recently, I purchased some new ink jet cartridges for both printers. To my surprise I found that some ink has dried in the ink jet nozzles creating a clog in both printers. Now one printers prints partially and the other does'nt print at all.
How can I clean the nozzle in an ink jet printer? Can I use something like isopropanol to clean the dried ink out of the nozzle?
Stef
I woke up this morning, had them Statesboro Blues.
I looked over in the corner, and Grandpa seemed to have them too.
I looked over in the corner, and Grandpa seemed to have them too.
-
rickabilities
- Regular Member
- Posts: 443
- Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2000 12:00 am
- Location: WA
There is a special inkjet cleaner you can buy. It's basically a kit that comes with some special paper and some cleaning solution that you run through your printer with. I believe its called "Kleen Jet" and you can pick them up at any office supply store such as Staples. I've never used the product but i've heard that it works well.
UNOFFICIAL THREAD-ENDER
-
Stef
- Advanced Member
- Posts: 712
- Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2000 12:00 am
- Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Well, I've run the cleaning cycle like 20 times and nothing has improved. I'm thinking about scraping both of the old printers and getting a new HP. I saw some HP ink jet printers for 42.99 at Staples. From what I hear HP printers are better quality.
It's funny, I just through out a very old dot matrix printer in the garbage. It worked perfectly. I had it for 10 years and never had any problems with it. The only pain was finding ink ribbons. These Epson printers are 3 years old and have already crapped out. When things like this happen I find myself asking, "Is technology really improving"?
Oh well, another pile of cheap electronics for the garbage man
Stef
It's funny, I just through out a very old dot matrix printer in the garbage. It worked perfectly. I had it for 10 years and never had any problems with it. The only pain was finding ink ribbons. These Epson printers are 3 years old and have already crapped out. When things like this happen I find myself asking, "Is technology really improving"?
Oh well, another pile of cheap electronics for the garbage man
Stef
-
click_here
- Advanced Member
- Posts: 844
- Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2002 10:17 pm
- Location: Southern California
dam! I saw my HP940c on sale for $99 the other day,and this printer kicks a$$ on color and black & white,and does photo quality really good too.I have had several printers over the years,but HP I think makes the best.Originally posted by Stef
Well, I've run the cleaning cycle like 20 times and nothing has improved. I'm thinking about scraping both of the old printers and getting a new HP. I saw some HP ink jet printers for 42.99 at Staples. From what I hear HP printers are better quality.
It's funny, I just through out a very old dot matrix printer in the garbage. It worked perfectly. I had it for 10 years and never had any problems with it. The only pain was finding ink ribbons. These Epson printers are 3 years old and have already crapped out. When things like this happen I find myself asking, "Is technology really improving"?
Oh well, another pile of cheap electronics for the garbage man
Stef
I woke up this morning, had them Statesboro Blues.
I looked over in the corner, and Grandpa seemed to have them too.
I looked over in the corner, and Grandpa seemed to have them too.
-
Stef
- Advanced Member
- Posts: 712
- Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2000 12:00 am
- Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
I keep an eye out for it, thanksOriginally posted by rickabilities
There is a special inkjet cleaner you can buy. It's basically a kit that comes with some special paper and some cleaning solution that you run through your printer with. I believe its called "Kleen Jet" and you can pick them up at any office supply store such as Staples. I've never used the product but i've heard that it works well.
Stef
-
Daves World
- Regular Member
- Posts: 326
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2002 2:56 pm
- Location: NewEngland
I see this alot with the older Epson Color Stylus. You have a 50/50 chance of getting it to work without replacing the printheads. What you have to try is to flush the print heads. This is done by soaking that little sponge like piece that the printheads sit above when they are all the way over to the right. I first turn the printer on and while the print head moves to the left I quickly unplug the printer from the wall. I then soak these pads with warm water then manually move the printheads over to the right, let it sit for about a half hour. You now can turn the printer on and go thru the normal cleaning thru the printer control panels. Most of the time I have to repeat this process over and over again till it prints 100%
ASUS P4P800 865PE Springdale
P4 2.4c
ATI Radeon 9600Pro 128
Crucial 512 PC3200
Antec 660B Performance Plus Case
Antec TruePower 330
Linksys Cable/DSL Router
P4 2.4c
ATI Radeon 9600Pro 128
Crucial 512 PC3200
Antec 660B Performance Plus Case
Antec TruePower 330
Linksys Cable/DSL Router
I have don what Dave's World suggests, but I substitute cleaning alcohol for warm water. Work's for me. I take the cartridge out and put a few drops write on the spikes that poke up through the cartridge. I let it sit for a while and put the cartridge back in and let it go back to the sponge which I have also put alcohol on. Let it sit for a while and then do a nozzle cleaning and test print.
I don't know the same things you don't know. 