HP Officejet Pro 8600 problem printing images

[glprint]

Hello,

I have an HP Officejet Pro 8600 N911a (CM749A) printer with firmware version CLP1CN1435AR and the latest drivers.

Even though the printer test page is almost perfect, I have a problem printing some color images respectively inside a pdf and a word document: 90% of the time the image is not printed correctly. Some examples can be found here.

If I put the very same images inside a test word document, the image is always printed correctly. Examples 1 and 2. (update in this: see my post below)

Any suggestion is welcomed.

 

[The Hat]

@glprint, I’ll hazard a guess at your problem, are you refilling your own cartridges by any chance ?, because it looks very like ink starvation to me...

 

[flyboy]

I used one of those kits for continuous ink supply and had that problem along with other issues and abandoned that system

Could also be a dirty printhead. There are youtubes on cleaning the printhead. I recommend finding a few of these and watching them first. Not all opinions are valid as some are selling something, so watch a few. Below is my version which may or may not be right for you.

Basically you ;

Put some sort of latex etc gloves on

open up the front, wait for the cartridge transporter to come to where you can get at it

then you remove the cartridges individually, by pressing gently down on them and then they spring out and you take them out.

Then you put them in a plastic bag in the order that you took them out so you remember to put them in correctly. (Even tho they are colour coded) and seal it if you can

then you reach in and release the handle on the right side of the transporter

remove the transporter which has the printhead on the bottom.

Rinse the transporter in water in a sink that is clean and not the one that your spouse finds beautiful (LOL) maybe the kitchen sink.

keep running water on it till no ink comes off and then let it soak for awhile as old ink may have hardened on.

Some PPL use rubbing alcohol and some recommend a proper cleaning fluid. I cannot say which is true as I have only used water.

After it is clean then you briskly shake off the water, and place it on something that is relatively lint free to dry out completely

It is best not to wipe the actual printhead as it may get damaged but instead daub it with a soft dry cloth and make sure that the electrical circuits are dry.

Then put the printhead back in carefully and slowly. don't force anything, put the releasing lever back down and replace cartridges

 

[glprint]

@glprint, I’ll hazard a guess at your problem, are you refilling your own cartridges by any chance ?, because it looks very like ink starvation to me...

.. exactly, I'm using this rechargeable kit taken two years ago from Octopus Office.

I have an update on the tests done after the first post:

- Even the examples 1 and 2 are actually affected by this issue: the first page printed is not affected by this problem, the others begin to show the problem. If I leave the printer to pause for a while, the problem does not show up on the first page.

- Printing the same example pages using black ink only, the result is perfect with laser-like quality.

- The black cartridge has been refilled a few days ago.

- Colors cartridges have been refilled two years ago but used only now.

- In the last two years I have almost always printed in black and white.


This makes me think that the problem can be caused by the ink in the color cartridges that have lost their property, or the part of the color printhead which is partially obstructed.

 

[glprint]

Below is my version which may or may not be right for you.

Video of your description here

 

[flyboy]

Here is a general one for HP printers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH3p2uFalxg
From HP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-lkU5cFwIA
Interesting on how it works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yksOVmaxXek
How to make a cleaning solution
There are many others
From the PPL I get my ink from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cXi8krQxIg

BTW I have been refilling for years and I have found out that these guy's ink is primo and I got their best ink last time and it does not run when wet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cXi8krQxIg

 

[glprint]

Here is a ...

Thank you

 

[glprint]

Considering the above details, who can be considered the main suspect of the ink starvation: the print heads or ink ?

 

[The Hat]

Considering the above details, who can be considered the main suspect of the ink starvation: the print heads or ink ?

The cartridges most definitely, because they are just not delivering the amount of ink you require for your prints, in part it can be caused by incorrect refilling, over filling, poor ink or bunged up sponges inside the cartridges, so any one or all of them should be considered...

 

[glprint]

The refill was made using this procedure and the QU-Fill refill tool, the same used for the black cartridge that is working properly.

I will try to remove the ink and refill the color cartridges with new ink, to see if I solve the starvation problem.

I leave the print head cleaning procedure described in the videos as a last resort.