IP4300 sludge looking paste left on ink pad under print head

[videobruce]

After a year of light use (around 1600 copies) printing mostly text documents and the rest web pages (little pictures/photos), I discovered a black 'sludge sitting on top of the larger black pad. It was causing streaking of the non pigment black showing up in non text (pictures within the page).
I removed the buildup with cotton swabs, but after a couple of additional prints, it started to return. This was only the black pad, not the tri-color pad. That was clear.

I then removed the carts, replaced them with tanks full of cleaning solution (homemade window cleaner) and flushed out the pads and the hoses exiting those pads running numerous cleaning cycles. I noted the condition of the pads and there were clear and almost white from the flush).

I returned the existing carts and did some prints and all looked fine (so far).

In the past 20 or so years I have used the printer considerable more, usually 3-8x more, up to 8-10k pages a year. I'm assuming the much lighter use caused the buildup, clogging up the path to the ink reservoir pads at the base of the printer.

Input please.

 

[stratman]

streaking of the non pigment black

Glad to hear you are printing again, but, how do you know it wasn't ink starvation from a poorly functioning cartridge? It might be that a new cartridge or flushing and refilling the old one corrects the issue. Then again, if the purge system was clogged then doing what you did did indeed fix it.

Do you use OEM or aftermarket cartridges? Do you refill? Do you have a nozzle check that you can scan, crop and post showing the issue?

FYI - the purge pads can be removed from the parking station and cleaned outside the printer. Also, flooding the pads with your cleaning solution then closing the lid should drain and flush the purge pads without using much if at all ink from the cartridges.

 

[videobruce]

The delay in responding is from the lack of a email notification. Again/still !

If it was "starvation", they why would there be all that sludge on the ink pad? If anything it would/should be dry? The printing was streaked.

I use aftermarket as I have for years and I do refill. The nozzle check is good. (I didn't scan a example of the bad prints )
This printer (used) has been in service here for around 1 1/2 years and this was the 1st time I have had issue with any Cannon printer, but again, my print count is much less than prior years, but not to an extent of it going weeks w/o use. Maybe days thou.

As stated I did 'flood' the pads and the drain line(s) with cleaning solution (Rx from here). When I said 'flood', I meant flood to be sure the cleaner made it to the bottom sponges.

After, I did run same test prints and all looked good. I just checked and the pads had no sludge.

It'd just this never happened before with this or the previous 4300 (that had a burnout failure), nor with my previous 860 printer (generation before this series) without the 2nd black cart,

 

[stratman]

Glad to hear you are once again back to good printing.

As stated I did 'flood' the pads and the drain line(s) with cleaning solution (Rx from here). When I said 'flood', I meant flood to be sure the cleaner made it to the bottom sponges.

If you are testing the purge pads parking station, the idea is to add enough fluid to the pads for it to pool on top of the pads. This pooled fluid remain until you close the lid of the printer, the print head returns to the parking station and then, with or without a single regular cleaning cycle, you lift the lid again the fluid should be gone and the purge pads appear cleaner/whiter. If fluid remains pooled then there is blockage or the peristaltic pump that purges ink from cartridges is malfunctioning. If fluid does not pool at all on the purge pads then there is a leak, break or disassembly of the tubing between the purge pads and the ink waste pads deep inside the printer.

If it was "starvation", they why would there be all that sludge on the ink pad? If anything it would/should be dry? The printing was streaked.

Ink starvation can be partial or complete depending on cause such as poor flow through the sponge in the cartridge or blockage of some nozzles in the print head. As such, some ink can still leave the cartridge and may be the cause of "streaking".

FYI - aftermarket ink may be of greater or lesser quality and may increase the risk for clogs or sponge flow issues. Refill technique may also increase risk. Even with optimal refill technique, occasional flushing of the cartridge and sponge may be required for continued proper function. Maybe cleaning of the purge pads by pooling solution on them may be helpful preventative medicine for your printer.

 

[Smile]

I always suggest that everyone should have second set of carts with cleaning fluid. This way periodic maintenance can be done. On large format printers manufacturers themselves sell sutch cartridges.

 

[The Hat]

I always suggest that everyone should have second set of carts with cleaning fluid. This way periodic maintenance can be done. On large format printers manufacturers themselves sell sutch cartridges.

A set of carts with cleaning fluid are very dangerous in a Canon print head if not used very very carefully, and are therefore not recommended in my opinion..

 

[videobruce]

Late reply;
Are you referring to the 'Pharmacist' mixture of IPA, ProGly & distilled water? or something else?