Easy unclogging of epson printhead.

[martin0reg]

...
Try this first

Step 1. Command the printer to change a cartridge
Step 2. Pull the plug
Step 3. Move the printhead assembly to the left, out of the way
Step 4. Use a syringe or a pipette to put a few CCs of Windex on the pads all the way to the right, where the printhead sits when not in use. There are two pads - one for black and one for colors.
Step 5. Manually move the printhead assembly all the way to the right
Step 6. Allow the printer to sit for a few hours or overnight
Step 7. Plug the printer in, wait for it to turn on, and do a head clean cycle followed by a nozzle check

If this doesn't work you may have to do this process a few times. It may take a few days.

If this still doesn't work, try the following (with a refillable cartridge only):
...

Thank you for this summary of the best known and proven methods to flush, soak and clean an epson printer/printhead.

In addition there is a way to do the first procedure without pulling the plug - if you are skilled and fast enough:
- command the printer to change a cart by pressing the ink button: printhead will move to the change position
- press the ink button again: printhead will move back to the right. Watch this: while moving back to the right it will move first to the left and pause for about one second ... this may be just enough time to place 1-2ml of cleaning solution onto the pad with a long pipette.
Now you can let the printhead soak and afterwards do the cleaning cycle and nozzle check without plugging in and turning on. Worked out fine with my r285...but be sure about the move and pause of the printhead because it could bump into your pipette while dripping ...

 

[palombian]

Do you guys really want me to try again unclogging the yellow in that 2100 clunker ?
I gave up after 2 weeks.

 

[martin0reg]

I said "worked out fine" and meant the method of dripping ... while my R285 is soaking for two days now, nozzle checks are showing very little improvement...

 

[JPSSAU]

You have a specific product that will unclog your heads it's the powerklin

Regards

 

[martin0reg]

Actually I am uncolgging two r285, soaking and cleaning for 3-4 days now
One is sowly getting better, from ca. 10 missing nozzles in the test pattern to only 2, which I hopefully will get rid of..
The second shows no improvement, still ca. 5 missing nozzles.

Now I have learned something about "isolated clogs" and "trapped air" in this thread:
http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/pro-100-long-term-storage.9384/

(quote)
What I have done:
1. soaking on a paper towel (in the paper feed area), moving the printhead (printer unplugged) to the middle over the towel.
2. pushing cleaning solution through the PH with a syringe / tube on the spike
3. soaking on the capping station, therfore filling it up with cleaning solution and let the PH rest on it over night
4. filling the black cart (refillable) with cleaning solution and printing black color fields

May it be good - better - or worse?
- to push and pull cleaning solution through the PH with tube/syringe
- to print black "purge patterns" with the cleaning cart
- to heaten up the cleaning solution on the capping station
- to intensify the cleaning solution (more alcohol more amonnia) ... or ...
- just let it soak even longer (more than one day and night)

I will report how the persistent printer no.2 is behaving .. or misbehaving..

 

[martin0reg]

my new thread title would sound like this:
"uneasy clogging after years in the closet"

Now both printers are missing 2-3 nozzles..
..always the first and last of the black channel pattern.
(resulting in stripes when printing text, photo printing in slower settings may be okay)


My cleaning routine now is as follows:

1. put some hot cleaning solution on the purge pad.
(you can do this without unplugging, see posting 11)
Let the print head rest there for an hour .. or a day...

2. print a "purging test pattern" with all colors to see whats going on (it may come out with heavy color shift because the print head was in the puddle) (see post #18)
3 run a cleaning cycle to purge the cleaning solution from the pad
4 print out one more purging test pattern with all colors, or with clogged color channel only
**important: set the printer on "photo" or similar to print SLOWLY**
5 print a nozzle check to see if it shows any more or less nozzle step/line.

...now be happy or repeat or put it back in the closet or throw it away...

(edit) additionally I have filled the black cartridge with 20% ink and 80% cleaning solution.
The solution is made according to pharmacist's formulars ... I don't believe in expensive magic potions yet..

PS: Epson piezo heads can tolerate heavy cleaning, but more and more I believe in mikling's theory about isolated clogs trapped in air pockets. It may be the reason for this sort of stubborn clogs which are hardly if at all can be resolved.

BTW things hardly have changed since 10 years:
http://www.eddiem.com/photo/printer/unclog/unclog.html

 

[Lucas28]

Good idea to reopen this thread.

About the Windex: Why use Windex or another glass cleaner? Some say that it can damage your printhead. So use printhead cleaning solution, it's made for the purpose and not expensive. You can even buy cleaning cartridges, filled with this solution.

About cleaning with pressure: I've even tried a steam cleaner to clean the head. It's an aggressive method, but very effective! Use it as the very last option.

The safest way: Put some cleaning solution on the back of a beer mat and shove it into the paper outlet until it reaches the spot where the head usually prints. Now move the head manually until it's above the beer mat. Leave it for a while. The solution will now dissolve ink residue in the nozzles.
Afterwards you have to make a test print with a high ink consumption to free the nozzles of cleaning solution.
Repeating the procedure may be necessary.
Some people use a coffee filter, but the coaster is thicker.
The photo shows how it's done.

 

[martin0reg]

Finally my printer no.1 printed a nozzle check with ALL black nozzles!

I have changed the order of my cleaning routine a little:

1. fill a cartridge for the clogged channel with 70% cleaning solution and 30% ink and put it in the printer

2. put some hot cleaning solution on the purge pad.
(you can do this without unplugging, see posting 11)
Let the print head rest there for an hour .. or a day...
...
3. run a cleaning cycle to purge the cleaning solution from the pad
4. print a nozzle test to see if it shows any more nozzle steps/lines.
5. print a "purging test pattern" with all colors or only the clogged one - in order to use the "cleaning ink".
**important: set the printer on "photo" to print SLOWLY**
6. repeat the nozzle test, if it's better you can print out one more purging test pattern with all colors, or with clogged color channel only...if not, start again with (2)

Do this once a day...I think it is less messy than paper towels under the PH or pushing cleaning solution through the PH with a tube/syringe..

 

[martin0reg]

After 3 days more with a daily cleaning routine both printers are on the same level when printing a nozzle check. Sometimes 1-2 nozzles are missing, sometimes 0-1.
Photo printing is unaffected, because it prints slower.

If you do the soaking (no matter if on the pad or on a paper towel) the cartridges can run empty into the printer! To avoid this close the air hole while the PH is soaking! (but don't forget to open it when you start again)

 

[mipak]

Anyone know what the equivalent of Windex is here in rip off Britain

hi ...
i know you originally sent your post some 3 years back but thought you might like to know that amazon.co.uk sells windex for £6.50 + 93p p&p ...
i've just bought some.
cheers ...
mipak.