can anyone help with cadet waste pipe question please?

[Stephen Morriss]

You may have blocked pipe, turn off the printer and access the print head capping station (your installer should have shown you how, or send it over to the left for a clean) fill the capping stations with cleaning fluid and operate the pump by hand, the metal tube has a flat section to fit on the spindle. turn it anti clockwise.
If the fluid is sucked away then you have no problems, if it isn’t disconnect the pipes one at a time to find were the blockage is.

It’s always worth doing this once a week or so to make sure the pipes stay clear.

Steve

[Adrian Yeo]

Cheers for that.

Didn’t have an installer, 3rd user! I can sort out getting the heads over and accessing the capping stations. I will give that a go tonight.

Thanks again

Adrian

[Peter Shaw]

The pipes coming from the capping station to the pump can accumulate dried ink until they block. They should connect to a joint before the pump. You can undo this and try syringing through. Soaking may help but if not, you can disassemble the capping station, remove the pipe and clear it with a length of wire. When you remove the pipe watch out, it fits tightly and can flick ink everywhere.

You will say goodbye to all these problems when you switch to EcoSol Max.

Peter

[Adrian Yeo]

Thanks Peter.

Dissasemble the capping station 😮 On a scale of scariness is that a 1 (daytime walk on the moores with a guide and compass) or a 10 (Walk through Basildons Northlands park with no street lighting working!!) 😀

As for the EcoSol, would that just involve a flush and straight change over? Like I said, I am learning the print side by loads of reading and mostly my mistakes so its not getting hammered by any means at the moment. Also off to Florida for a couple of weeks shortly so it would be a good time to change over anyway as the printer will be dormant for that time.

Is there any service type manuals available for these units? Dont mind taking things to bits, but do like to have a read about it first if I can.

Thanks again

Adrian

[Peter Shaw]

Adrian, its scariness level 1 unless you’re a clumsy git!!

When I changed over to EcoSol Max I did a pump out then filled the machine with flushing fluid and left it over the weekend with the heads soaking. On the Monday I pumped that out and then filled with EcoSol Max. I’ve never looked back. You will need to sort your pipe thing or whatever it is first though.

The main thing to remember is that you will need new profiles for whichever RIP you are running. I abandoned Troop and got a copy of Versaworks.

Peter

[Stephen Morriss]

Defiantly a 1.
The capping stations are held in with 1 screw if I remember right, can’t check at the moment, but very easy.

[Adrian Yeo]

Spot on guys,

Filled capping stations with cleaner, disconnected pipes, turned pump and nowt disappeared!

Took apart at pipes and used syringe to flush with cleaner. Loads of sludgie gunk came out. Cleared one and changed the other with a bit of spare that came with the unit.

Had to remove the capping station to clear the yellow/magenta line though (that was the one I changed). Ooops, I didn’t take any screws out, just removed the top clip on cover….who put them bloody springs in there anyway!!

Once complete I gave the head and lines a wash (using the same method as if I was moving the machine), with the idea of giving the whole wet side a good solvent soak over the weekend. Next problem 😥

The black/cyan lines are clear and full of solvent. The yellow and magenta however still look as though they are full of ink and not solvent. It was this side that was also giving a pants test pattern. I left it last night, filling up the capping station and parking the head. Wondered if it would be worth repeating the process again?

Any thoughts would be very welcome.

Adrian :

[Peter Shaw]

I would try using the syringe to pull the cleaning fluid through. This will tell you if there is a further blockage or whether the fill was not complete.

The other thing to be aware of is that when you soak the heads you are, in effect, joining the yellow and magenta feeds together. If there is a difference in pressure inside the ink cartridges the yellow may be sucked into the magenta pipe or vice-versa.

Peter

[Adrian Yeo]

quote Peter Shaw:

The other thing to be aware of is that when you soak the heads you are, in effect, joining the yellow and magenta feeds together. If there is a difference in pressure inside the ink cartridges the yellow may be sucked into the magenta pipe or vice-versa.

Peter

😮

I will give that a go tonight. If I was to run another head wash, would I be able to clamp the black/cyan lines as they already seem clear and full of flush, seems a waste otherwise?

Thanks for your time again Peter

Adrian

[Peter Shaw]

quote :

would I be able to clamp the black/cyan lines

I don’t see why not but I don’t think it as effective as using the syringe which only pulls through where you want to and you can detemine how much.

On the other hand you won’t need the cleaning cartridges after you convert to EcoSol Max!!

Peter

[Adrian Yeo]

quote Peter Shaw:

On the other hand you won’t need the cleaning cartridges after you convert to EcoSol Max!!

Peter

:lol1: :lol1: :lol1:

[Adrian Yeo]

Sorry to be a pain, but one last question.

In order to draw through the ink from the lines, where abouts would I disconnect the pipes from? Would it be the connection that goes to the head? Sorry to sound such a numptie 😳

Cheers

[Peter Shaw]

You should find a coupling joint in the pipe which runs from the capping station to the pump. Undo this joint and screw the syringe onto the pipe. The heads must be parked on the capping station. There will be quite a lot of resistance when pulling the syringe.

Peter

[Stephen Morriss]

Or just connect the syringe to the pipe that goes into the waste bottle, you may have to turn the pump a little to get a clear run through.

Don’t get too involved in doing head soaks unless you’ve got a very bad print, I’ve found the best way to help clear blocked nozzles is to use the syringe to pull some ink through and then do a good large colour print.

My Cadets always at it’s best when it’s been printing a lot of full colour images, the deflections are less and much cleaner.

Peter I see you went ahead with the Ecosolmax change over, any difference in the prints?
I was wondering whether to do this but I have part used bulk inks and I can never seem to get to a point when they are all low 🙂

Steve

[Adrian Yeo]

Thanks guys,

Thats a job for Sunday now, off to crufts tonight!! (hot) (hot) wont be back till late Saturday night.

On the Ecosol point, is there much difference between the durability of the print?

[Peter Shaw]

quote :

Peter I see you went ahead with the Ecosolmax change over, any difference in the prints?

Yes. I find the colours are more vibrant. There is little difference in durability. If the print is going on a vehicle or anywhere it may be damaged it will be laminated anyway. I’ve put out lots of boards out without laminating, particularly internal use, and had no problems.

I also have no doubt that ink usage is much improved while printing, while wasted ink is all but eliminated. Since changing (Oct 06) my waste bottle has only got about 1cm depth at the bottom and I have had no problems related to ink. there is no need to worry about not using the machine for extended periods and none of the Xmas flushing nonsense. Final point is there are no solvent fumes.

Peter

[Adrian Yeo]

Just an update and a thank you.

Pulled ink through lines as suggested with the syringe, run test print, and bingo. Perfect. Printed a couple of test images and all looks great.

😀 😀 😀

Peter and Stephen, thanks for the help :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Stephen Morriss]

Good to hear your sorted it.
I keep a few files in the que for printing when I’ve not got much on.
I have a CMYK block print and a few variations on my own sticker for sticking onto parcels and signs etc, you may as well get some use out of the wasted ink rather than throwing it away.

Steve