Getting an old mp830 to work like new

[mattvictortattoo]

I just pulled my canon mp830 out of storage after 3 years, and it worked fine when put away. I would like to know how to thoroughly clean the printing system out before getting new ink cartridges......thats how I ended up here, and after reading a bit, my head is spinning. How would one go about getting to the ink nozzles to clean them with windex anyway? And purge pads? Please..someone direct me to a thread which had a full,simple explaination. Thank you.

 

[fotofreek]

Believe it or not, sometimes a printer just out of storage will work without any special attention. You can install it on your computer, run a few cleaning cycles, and print a nozzle check. Above all, do not try printing anything with it until you do what I've mentioned. You can run a few nozzle checks. If the pattern is perfect you are probably good to go. Otherwise, you can do a printhead cleaning and start over again with what I've suggested.

To clean the printhead I've put a folded paper towel in the bottom of a small flat bottom container, put about 1/4 inch of windex in the container to soak the paper towel plus a little more, and placed the printhead nozzles on the soaked paper towel. I gently pump it up and down and hope to see some of the fluid being pumped up through the ink intake screens above the nozzles. When the area under the printhead gets full of ink I move it to another spot on the paper towel and repeat the gentle pumping. If you are not getting the ink coming up through the intake screens you can then use a syringe and drip windex on them as well. Sometimes a soak on the same windex-soaked paper towel for several hours is necessary as well, followed by the pumping routine. I've then put the printhead under the hot water faucet and directed the water onto the intake screens. Continue until no more color comes through the nozzles.

Some people warn against using hot water as they fear that it may damage something inside the printhead. Although I've never had that problem, you may just use warm water. Also, some have warned against using tap water. We are blessed with "soft" water here and I haven't had a problem. If you are concerned you can use distilled water instead. Just don't get the electrical contacts on the back of the printhead wet, and dry them off thoroughly if you do.

You really need to get all the water out of the printhead before printing, so you can either use a vacuum to pull the water out, being careful to not damage the bottom of the nozzle plate, or you can run a few cleanings followed by a nozzle check or two.

My experience of ruining one printhead with overzealous cleaning tells me that you do the least harmful things first. If not successfull, you then go on to the more agressive approach.