Head, board or ribbon issues – help please

[Stephen Morriss]

What’s the printer?

Is it smearing the yellow across with the print head or is it printing it like this?
There seems to be a crease at the side like the heads caught the vinyl.

Steve

Edit, actually looks like the rollers made the mark in the vinyl.

[Lee Pitcher]

Hi Steve

I believe it’s actually printing like this. If I send another file to pint that’s all one colour (i.e a block of magenta) it still prints yellow over the top with the streak. Strangely the streak goes beyond the media and onto the heated bed (with the vacuum holes)

It’s a roland sc 545 ex by the way

Just had some electronic guys look at the head board and everything appears to read ok on there. Now assuming it’s the head maybe shorted from the flushing somehow.
Next step I suppose is swapping a head over to see if that makes a difference.

Cheers

Lee

[Kevin Flowers]

Lee
1. high ink level in the cartridge too high a level can cause this
2. Air leak (Damaged damper, O ring or manifold or manifold seal) allowing ink to free flow although normally will run back to
3. Blown head

Kev

[Lee Pitcher]

Interesting progression. Pulled the ribbon from the LH side of the yellow head, taped it up and I do get a test print from the other half of it. Is it possible that half the head can go by itself or maybe even (hopefully) that particular ribbon is at fault ?

[Lee Pitcher]

None of the ink cartridges are full and all the dampers are brand new – just 2 weeks old (unless one has become faulty)

Pulled a ribbon off on the side that was flooding and I can get a test print from the other half so braincell is ticking over now what might be at fault. Hoping just a ribbon. Strange that it would have gone at the same time the heads were soaking though. Coincidence possibly

[Stephen Morriss]

You do have to be very careful when soaking the heads but I’ve done it a few times in the past with no problems.

Hope you sort it as it sound like a head or ribbon problem.

Steve

[Kevin Flowers]

Lee
check the end of the cable and check it has not de-laminated it does happen. If all is ok re seat the cable, then check test print if the cable was sitting off square could cause a problem, worth a try. Did you ever get the other issue sorted

Kev

[Lee Pitcher]

Hi Kev

The cable ends look ok. No delamination. Isolated the left bank on the yellow head with electrical tape and was getting almost a full half test. Properly switched off the whole system, removing power cords etc and swapped the ribbon over to the other side and this printed as the first test showed. Big rectangular mess with a long smear. Put it back to how it was and now the black head nor any of the yellow isn’t printing !!! (even though the black head/cables etc weren’t touched at all)

I’m now assuming there is a fault on either the head board or the main board

Previously managed to get a pretty decent print out of it but only on a particular setting and always unidirectional. Bidirectional was rubbish with wide banding

Likely to be used as an expensive plotter now !

[Julian Mildner]

Hi Lee,
The original fault was most likely faulty head or head cable.
The fact that you now have no black either suggests that as well as the original fault you now also have a blown fuse or blown channel on the head board.

[Lee Pitcher]

Hi Julian

Nice to hear from you and I hope you’re well. Yeah kind of guessing that’s the case and your diagnosis would confirm it. Just hopeful the black head hasn’t been frazzled too.
Back to a normal job and save some pennies then !

Will be in touch.

All the best
Lee