MX726 - how to clean the printhead?

[canon-do]

I've already done a CLEAN then a DEEP CLEAN but there's no yellow output, even though the cart is showing 80% full in the status window.

I'm thinking that the printhead could do with a clean?

Advice, please

 

[The Hat]

The first thing is not to print any documents or photos other than a nozzle check till you can resolve your serious ink shortage, you have already done the most obvious things you can do to sort the issue out.

Do you refill your own cartridges ? and if so can you replace the current yellow cartridge with a known good cartridge, one that drips an odd drop when you first remove the orange clip, or a cheap aftermarket yellow cartridge.

Please up load your latest nozzle check so we can observe its condition and give you a better answer as to what steps you can take next, don’t do any further print head cleaning for now..

 

[kdsdata]

canon-do, or whomever: Please note, if you so choose, you use any of the tricks/hints/suggestions below (or whatever you may call it) strictly at your own risk. Troubleshooting this type of issue by yourself can be frustrating. Even if you take the printer to a shop you will likely be disappointed, because the time spent on troubleshooting is expensive, and a resulting fix is likely to be expensive. Any work on the printer, other than replacing the printhead, is expensive because of labor costs. If you then add the troubleshooting costs you can see where this is heading. Unfortunately the "home" process is only better in the sense that you don't pay for your labor, but you sometimes wind up replacing things purely on speculation. First do the cleaning, check that the ink passages are "wet", check that the bottom of the printhead wicks ink.

Next, please do confirm what you mean by "no" yellow, as in "absolutely no" yellow. This detail is a very important distinction, because it can separate the issue between an ink flow issue and an electrical issue that prevents the nozzles from firing.

If there is absolutely no yellow then it points at an electrical question. Because at that point it affects all yellow nozzles, it would seem like an interrupted "return" wire (an electrical term that is simple meant to be the wire that completes the loop).

A) First look at the flat cable and look for breaks. They could be so small that they are hard to see, but with a flashlight a broken cross-section has a chance to "light up" and be spotted. Don't disassemble the printer, do this test by moving the printhead. Don't kink the cable in the process, but while shining the flashlight from an angle do move the cable through it's bending motion range. This works better in a dark room.

B) Next look at the printhead connector. There are many spring-like fingers that make the connection to the opposite side. Check those, and check if any fingers are cover by debris. Even a very thin film of some sorts will cause problems. I use no liquids for cleaning. I use a vinyl eraser, but most important, without abrasive. DO NOT use the pink erasers with abrasives. Remove the printhead. Make sure all your inks have all wetspots covered with kitchen wrap to keep them from drying out while you work; that way there is less rush. Dab the printhead bottom fairly dry. DON'T WIPE, that can cause fibers or dust to enter the passages. Then drag the eraser along the springs. Small curdle action is perfect, because these pick up the dirt and roll it off. Then with a soft cloth keep wiping until the curdles are gone. Do the same with the matching side of the connector.

Now unfortunately you have to re-assemble everything to test if this fixed an electrical problem. Before replacing the yellow cartridge,I would dab some yellow ink from the ink well of the printhead, and try and get some fresh ink drops into the well (the risk is a mess, but our printer buddy "Ink Stained Fingers" says it all in his name).

C. There are the two ends of the flat cable to consider. Cleaning the cable ends are a possible fix, but require a fairly major disassembly of the printer, and I have no words to offer in this regard.

D. If it is a dried ink well you could start by dabbing with tissue paper and warm water. There are recommendations on the Internet to soak the bottom of the printhead. Can't discount those recommendations, obviously worth a try, but the nozzle opening have become so small over time that the water molecules have extremely little chance of getting to the source of the clot.

If at this point there is still "absolutely no" yellow, and if you are sure that the flat cable is OK, then an electrical problem is more likely inside the printhead, but the motherboard can not be ruled out. These are of course expensive. A printhead replacement I would, in my opinion, be economical, to a motherboard I would say no.

I faced this situation recently. Some cyan nozzles simply won't pass ink. I decided to buy a new printhead. I got seven years of use, so I am not complaining. Only when I replace the printhead will I know if the cyan works.

If you got reading this far, then please read the first paragraph again.
I wish you success.

 

[canon-do]

Thanks, Hat and KDSData.
Hat, I'm guessing you were looking for a scan of the printout? I can do that, but I'll try a new Yellow cart first. The printer status says it's full but in reality it's only half full. It's only a compatible cart - not Canon - so the chip could be unreliable or bad. Re the Nozzle Check printout, all the colors are there except Yellow. There's nothing in that slot - just white page.
KDSData, thanks for the fulsome info. I actually have cleaned a few printheads before - MP830 (2 or 3 times over the years) and another Canon whose model I don't remember. The cleaning worked OK. I only asked about cleaning the MX726 printhead just in case there were any fishooks with this particular model. Otherwise I'll just pull it, soak it and dry it like I've done before.
BTW, Hat or others may remember my questions last year about stripping my last MP830 to clean out the purge area. I stripped it down OK, taking lots of photos and using Bud's kit as well, but when it came time to reassemble, I thought 'Life's too short for this drama (mine is anyway) so why don't I just buy another Canon?' Which I did - an MG7760 - and binned the MP830.
Actually, the MG7760 yields way better prints, and is much faster, than the MP830. IMHO, anyway.
So I won't miss the MX726 if fixing it isn't cost-effective.
Cheers, all

 

[stratman]

The printer status says it's full but in reality it's only half full. It's only a compatible cart - not Canon - so the chip could be unreliable or bad.

This would be the first time I've heard of a malfunctioning chip not triggering an error screen in an otherwise properly functioning printer.

The most likely cause for lack of all Yellow is either ink starvation(no ink exiting the cartridge) or a failure of print head and or logic assay board. There is a possibility of a clog and that is why you can try soaking the print head.

Agree with changing out to either a known working Yellow cartridge or a new cartridge. Then print a nozzle check, plus or minus a cleaning cycle before the nozzle check. At that point, if no improvement, or some improvement and you want to facilitate resolution, then try soaking the print head.

I have become a fan of using liquid dish washing soap (Dawn) and water in a bowl with a kitchen paper towel bunched up underneath, using the paper towel to drive solution into the print head ink exit ports while you push the print head up and down in the solution like you are churning butter the old fashion way. Do this as often as you want. Change solution whenever you want. May use slightly warm solution (without the print head!!!) in microwave (no more than lukewarm) to facilitate the process. Try this for at least 24 hours. May need more time.

 

[stratman]

binned the MP830

Sorry to hear.

using Bud's kit

What is this kit?

 

[Dean]

You may need a print head cleaning solution to break down the dry ink that is inside the actual print head. This is a very common issue with Epson printers. You can use Windex ( preferably the one without Ammonia). Usually if only one nozzle is not working 90% of the time it just needs a good cleaning solution to remove the dried ink.

 

[canon-do]

What is this kit?

Bud Stansbury does collections of pics and docs for disassembling\reassembling several printers, including the MP830. There's a small fee. Sorry - I've lost the link. Someone else might have it.

LOL, everyone keeps saying, 'Windex, Windex!'. But it's a product that's not for sale in NZ. There's probably a local equivalent - we have many brands of window cleaners. But NO Windex

Re the soak system, I just use an old bowl or similar container with a 20mm or so edge, filled with about 10mm of warm water and detergent. The print head sits in the water on a pad of around six thicknesses of kitchen paper. Then, every time I walk past it, I press the print head gently down a few times. After a couple days of this, I rinse the head with clean warm water (from the top down), replace the paper pads and start again. Eventually, no more ink emerges and then I carefully dry the head, but not so dry that the ink pads aren't still a little damp. This seems to encourage the ink flow when you restart with new carts.

 

[stratman]

Bud Stansbury does collections of pics and docs for disassembling\reassembling several printers

Thanks.

LOL, everyone keeps saying, 'Windex, Windex!'. But it's a product that's not for sale in NZ. There's probably a local equivalent

Look for something with similar ingredients to original Windex with Ammonia D. From what the forum has divined, the important ingredients are water isopropyl alcohol, propylene glycol, and ammonia (previously reported as 5% oncentration). The ingredients have changed over the years: http://www.whatsinsidescjohnson.com/us/en/brands/windex/windex-original-glass-cleaner

Windex with Ammonia D for sale in NZ???

You could make your own solution. See Pharmacist's Solution.

10mm of warm water and detergent

What detergent are you using?

 

[canon-do]

Thanks, Stratman. I'll check out your links, too.
Detergent? Just a supermarket dishwashing liquid (for hand dishwashing that is. My job )
Windex in NZ? Looks like it comes from USA. $17. Must be mostly freight cost. There has to be a local equivalent, I'll check the bottle labels