Inkjet Printhead Cleaning Method

[fotofreek]

I would guess that potential "clotting" or "clogging" would show up as a precipitate as opposed to easy dispersion of one liquid into the other. Might be very difficult to see in the darker colors. If you were to dilute the darker color samples, either before or after mixing them, I don't know if you would either prevent or disolve the precipitate and mask a negative result. Although the relative Ph of one to the other would be the same after dilution, the actual Ph would be altered. That may not be the only issue that would cause compatability issues, but it would be a major issue if one were acidic and one basic.

 

[Grandad35]

I agree that clotting would show up as a precipitate. I would mix the inks, let them sit overnight, then slowly pour the mixture through some filter paper (like a fine coffee filter) with as little additional mixing as possible. If you find any solid material on the filter after the liquid drains through, the inks are not compatible.

 

[Nifty]

Has anyone substantiated the claim that mixing different inks HAS/WILL cause problems, or are we simply theoretical at this point?

 

[Grandad35]

Nifty-stuff,

AFAIK, the only evidence to date is from Entlich's information and is based on experience with Epson inks.

 

[Craig Ross]

Mis has a tutoral on ink mixing on their site not sure it has anything to do with clotting but it seems
to be an accepted practice to mix inks
http://www.inksupply.com/tinting.cfm

 

[fotofreek]

Entlich's info had to do, as I recall, with mixing of pigment and dye based inks. One is acidic and the other basic. I believe that it had to do with someone wanting to use dye based ink instead of pigment based ink. This might be an issue in the canon printers that have pigment black inks in the bci3 carts.

 

[Grandad35]

Fotofreek,

He did say that, but he also said that there was one supplier of both dye and pigmented inks that he would not mix (either one) with Epson dye based inks because of the clotting issue. I just re-read it to be sure.

 

[fotofreek]

Certainly is a good idea to heed his warning and test inks before mixing them or following one with the other and risking the printhead.

 

[seqiro]

1) Take 5-6 sheets of toilet paper, let it sit on a dish, and spray ammonia-based glass cleaner (azax, etc).
2) Let the printhead sit on the wet toilet paper and let some azax drops on the ink pickup discs (the metallic filters).
3) Push the printhead gently and watch the paper at it absorbs ink from the printhead.
4) Turn the printhead upside down to remove ink and azax from the ink pickup
5) Throw away the wet toilet paper and repeat steps 1-3
6) Make a few additional push-pulls of the printhead. Watch as ink or cleaner appears on the ink pickup discs.

With a dry sheet of toilet paper, clean up the printhead contacts and the areas around the pickup discs.

Don't let the printhead dry; insert it in the head carriage, insert your cartridges and run a cleaning cycle.

I just ran across this post in a google search, and I wanted to thank you so much for this information. I tried this on my S9000 which was banding due to being clogged and it worked PERFECTLY. Now I don't have to run out and get a new print head or printer.

Thanks!

Paul

 

[Music Image]

Back in post # 6 nifty-stuff said this:

Out of curiosity has anybody else noticed / remember their printheads when they opened them up? Were yours "wet"?

Ive just been looking at some of these threads again as a refresher, and darn it, I'd seen this post B4 I got my printer and I wished I'd remembered and had a look for you nifty, when I got my new printer. However when I was about to chuck out the printhead packaging which contained the orange plastic cap which fitted over the printhead, I thought I woud inspect it. I saw on the area that looks like a fine plastic grating/grid type of thing, a fine coating of something oily or wet ( ??? ) and especially if you held it on the right angle towards the light. Looking at the little manual and the diagram, I think this covered the printhead nozzles. I rubbed my finger over the plastic "grid" and the residue rubbed off onto my finger. It was only a very minute amount, but it was definitely there. It didnt cover the whole "grid" but just a small portion, say, about 1/8th and in one corner.

Music Image.