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Roland SP300V Print-head Problem with Yellow
Any ideas other than replace the head?
The yellow suddenly had large gaps on the test print
Each time I ran a clean it seemed to get worse, and then the magenta was distorting next to the gaps in yellow.
I have changed the damper, and also pulled ink through via the cap top.
The Magenta improves, then sometimes after a clean it’s got gaps/distortion in the same place as the yellow again.Also where it is just about printing, the yellow seems weak.
The strange thing is it happened suddenly, test prints were fine previously, and I’m fairly certain there has not been any head crash.
Thanks in advance
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14 Replies
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Are the dampers seated correctly? I had a similar issue years back with the manifold inlet being dissolved by the solvent
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I think so as I was able to pull ink through with a syringe on the tube under the cap top.
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I’d say air in the line is the culprit wherever it’s getting in. Are all the lines from the caps to the waste bottle clear?
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I would have thought though, that as i am drawng yellow ink through manually, the head is filled and should at least print until the next fill cycle?
I’ve done another head soak and medium clean and now virtually nothing at all from yellow in the test print.
I’ve also tried printing loads of 100% yellow and – nothing.Does a head just give up like that?
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don’t shout at me but is there ink in the cart, the level indicator is not the best.
see a slight problem with the cyn so would give the pump and pipes a good looking at signs of ink on the pump gear teeth is a sign of leak. -
So, I did an experiment.
I Put the Yellow line/damper onto the magenta side and vice versa.
The machine then prints yellow ok from the magenta nozzles and the magenta displays the same issue as yellow did.Does this suggest that maybe the manifold adapter is letting air in? I cant detect any leakage when I flush though.
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Could be the problem, try a new damper before ordering a new head. Inspect the manifold inlet before changing as I’ve found on our old ITL ink, the spike was like plasticine after a while, came off with the damper. Changed ink type soon after
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Damper was the first thing I tried.
The nipples seem solid.Surely though, if it was an air leak, with the damper having some ink in it after pulling through with a syringe below the captops, it would print for a short while?
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All of the above.
Check there’s ink in the cartridge.
Replace the dampers
Replace the caps.Not sure on that machine, but it possible on some to replace the nipple the damper connects to.
We’ve a similar issue at the moment with our OKI.
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It will be an epson dx4 head, I think the damper nipple is a moulded part that isn’t interchangeable.
Digiprint has the manifold (allegedly) for under a tenner -
Not wishing to tell my grandmother to suck eggs or anything but having been in this situation a few times, its at this point (while waiting for the engineer) that everything I’m comfortable with touching gets a damn good clean. Waste pipes from the caps to the pump are often full off congealed ink so get replaced with tigon tube if I have it, or flushed & cleared. Make sure the caps are sealing correctly. Just a thought, I had the pump on my SP30 upgraded a few years back as it was quite weak, stronger pump, better vacuum
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By way of an update;
Replaced manifold and seal (original was fine)
Replaced dampers
Replaced captops
Powerful cleans, Medium CleansVirtually nothiong from Magenta and Yellow.
With the new captops and clear tubes I can see ink from both colours drawn through from a syringe, and when the pump is pulling.I suppose it must be the head?
I just seems strange that it can go from virtually OK, to chunks missing, in a couple of cleans, and subsequently from chuncks missing to virtually nothing in a few more.
Does a head just pack up like that? -
Are the ribbons ok? seated correctly etc.
You normally get a blur with ribbon fault ( in my experience anyway) but as all else has been tried worth looking into. -
To me it looks like a weak pump.
Had this for about a month on my Mimaki. Finally sorted this earlier in the week (fault for ages that I tried and tried and TRIED to resolve).
Great seal on the caps, pulls through manually and even spat a bit of ink out when the pumps run.
Tired of pulling the panels off the back and splitting the lines (I put luer-locks on years ago) to syringe draw.Changed the pump (always carry a spare)…voila, sorted. If only I’d done that earlier.
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