Blocked Ink Heads

[Justin Mann]

I’ve just been through the same with my Epson 1400 except mine was in constant use when the blockage happened.

I tried every trick I could find on the internet, soaking the head and so on but nothing helped. Luckily (and a little cheekily) I managed to return mine for exchange as it was under warranty.

I decided once and for all to go for the Ricoh 5050 and havn’t looked back yet.

Sorry I can’t be more positive but the net’s littered with stories of Epsons being ruined.

Justin 🙁

[Kevin Talbot]

Try this, lift out the cartridge block and clean areas on cartridge where they meet printer + area on printer where cartridge meets using a swab with meths or we use Roland printer cleaner that we use on our Versacamm. I would also try pushing a syringe needle into the top of the each cartridge where the little hole is and drawing ink through sometimes its hard to pull through but it works you can put the ink back into your bulk feed system you only need to do the colors that area blocked

[Darren Lawlor]

Thanks guys for the advice…………..I have tried cleaning with every solution including the stuff we also use for our Versacamm….But No joy..

I am only short of taking out to the yard and turning the high pressure washer on it…

Not for the first time I have seen people mention the Ricoh printer for sublimation.

Is it an overall better machine, What are the models available and do they come with a bulk ink system.

[Frank Horner]

We stopped doing dye-sub when our epson heads blocked and we could not clear them.
The new ricoh is designed for a gel ink, so it should cope with the slightly thicker dye-sub inks much better than the epson.
I am pretty sure there was a 5050 for sale on the boards recently, if you want to check it out it might still be available.

Frank

[Justin Mann]

quote Darren Lawlor:

Is it an overall better machine, What are the models available and do they come with a bulk ink system.

Overall the Ricohs seem to be a vast improvement. Quality wise the print isn’t quite on a par with my Epson 1400 but blockages seem to be a thing of the past due to the thicker gel ink being fired through much larger heads at a faster rate. The print speed has to be seen to be believed.

The Ricoh uses 60ml SubliR cartridges which on the face of it seem really expensive (approx. same price as 125ml bottles of Artainium) but it appears to use far less whilst printing (dries instantly) and therefore will work out at least the same if not cheaper. Factor in no headcleans and this will make a big difference.

I’ve only read positive reviews on the net which is why I bought….and havn’t looked back!

Justin 🙂

[Andrew Bennett]

Hi,
Just reading this one and take it you are talking about the GX5050N Colour GelSprinter .
I take it that it has to be converted to dye sub via a cis system?

[Earl Smith]

This wont help with the blockage problem but I have found that if you leave the printer ( Epson 1400 ) turned on all the time, 24 hours, 365 days of the year , you will not get this problem. There seems to be some sort of heat generated near the print heads and this keeps them clear.
Works for me.
Earl

[Frank Horner]

Andrew,

I believe with the Ricoh the ink is Sawgrass and comes in cartridges, not cheap, but Sawgrass is probably the best dye sub ink on the market.

Frank

[Andrew Bennett]

Thanks for that Frank