No yellow on nozzle test. Maybe clogged Y ink inlet on printhead.

[joseph1949]

To: all

Problem: I ran a nozzle test and it showed no yellow.

Here are my specs:

1. Two-PIXMA MX870 printers printer #1 and printer #2.
2. Each printer uses four-CLI-221 (C,M,Y,BK) carts and one-PGI-220BK cart. All five carts have transparent ink reservoirs.
3. Use InkTec inks. I buy my ink by the liter.
3. I use the top fill method to fill the carts.
4. I use hot glue as the plug material. I use my coin/paper disc method to create the hot glue plug.

See below for pictures of nozzle tests.

On Thursday (10/05/12) I filled a CLI-221M cart for my printer #2. The next morning I ran a nozzle test to see how my filled CLI-221M cart was working. The nozzle test showed that the M cart was fine but there was no yellow. I removed the printhead to inspect its exterior and found no visible problems. I inspected the contacts that surround (but not on the printhead) the printhead. Again, I saw no visible problems. I saw no signs of leaks either inside the printer or leaks from the carts.

I replaced the Y cart from printer #2 with the Y cart from printer #1. I then proceeded to run another nozzle test on printer #2. The test showed no yellow. I then placed the yellow cart from printer #2 into printer #1. I then ran a nozzle test on printer #1. The nozzle test for printer #1 did show yellow.

Conclusion: The yellow ink inlet for the printhead in printer #2 is clogged. The yellow cart for printer #2 is O.K (maybe).

What to do: I assume I need to unclog the yellow ink inlet.

Question: What is the best way to unclog the inlet?

I have read the following reply from Trigger 37:

www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=63&p=13
see reply #129 (Inkjet Printhead Cleaning Method)

Triggers methods to unclog a printheadthe short version:

1. BASIC CLOG: Rinse the head over and over in medium hot water.

2. Difficult Clog: Repeat everything in step #1 but soak the head overnight in windex and then repeat all of #1 in the morning. If it is not perfect go to #3.

3. Bad Clog: Build a set of cleaning ink carts just as if they were going to be filled with ink but now fill them with a mixture of 10% ink and hot water.

4. You can either buy a new head or get really aggressive and build yourself a pressure cleaning unit.

Since it is against my religion to flush a printhead (see #1, #2, and #4 above) I think I will start with #3. I will flush one of the yellow carts from printer #1 and #2. I know that they are good carts from the nozzle tests I have run. If I use another yellow cart I will be working with an unknown quantity. I think I will flush the yellow cart from printer #1. The yellow cart from printer #2 may actually be bad (i.e. gives good nozzle test, but will clog the ink inlet eventually).

How will I flush the cart? I will soak the cart in warm (80 F) tap water. After the soaking I will flush the cart with warm (80 F) distilled water. After the flushing I will add warm (80 F) distilled water and warm (80 F) yellow ink (mixture of distilled water with 10 % ink) to the flushed cart and place the cart into the printhead.

Question: Is my flushing method O.K.?

Questions:

1. Do I need to install a set (5 carts) of cleaning carts all at one time or can I use the yellow cleaning cart with the other four carts filled with ink only? I know that that deep cleaning will use a lot of ink. Since I have liters of ink deep cleaning is not a big deal though filling the carts a number of times is a pain.

I see no need to use five cleaning carts if only one ink inlet is clogged.

2. How many deep cleanings can I perform and not do harm to the printhead and/or printer?

3. If I just place the cleaning cart in the printhead for a period of time (overnight, 24 hours, a few days, etc.) will this work? I will not be performing any deep cleanings during this period of time. I guess I could do a few deep cleanings and then let the cleaning cart sit in the printer for a period of timetwo days, maybe.

4. I think it is not a good idea to use windex in the cleaning cart. If the mixture of distilled water and ink does not work I will resort to using the windex, but I will end by using the distilled water/ink cleaning cart to flush out the windex.

Note: I will soak the printhead only if the cleaning cart method does not work.

As it stands now I will fill a flushed yellow cart with a mixture of distilled water (temp. 80 F) and yellow ink (10%, 80 F). I will do two or more deep cleanings and let the cleaning cart sit in the printhead for two or more days. IS THIS A GOOD PLAN? PLEASE ADVISE!!!!!

I will appreciate any help that you can give me. I will not be able to get back to this site with the results of my cleaning until sometime next week.

Thank you.


1. This is the original nozzle test. As you can see there is no yellow.

2. This is the nozzle test after one cleaning and two deep cleanings. There is no yellow.

 

[ghwellsjr]

Your description is very thorough and unusual, thanks.

Unfortunately, the most likely problem is an electrical problem in the print head. What I would do is remove the cartridges and then the print head (make sure you put the lever back down) and press the print head against a paper towel to see if you get any yellow ink. You may have to repeat several time to get a clear indication. If you do see a stripe of yellow, you know it's not a clog. The only remedy is a new print head. If you don't see any yellow ink, you can proceed to try to unclog the ink. However, after all that you have done, I really doubt that it's an ink clog.

 

[joseph1949]

To: ghwellsjr

Thank you for the quick reply.

I was hoping against hope it was not an electrical problem. I agree with you that it is most likely an electrical problem.

I need for you to explain a bit more what you want me to do. As I understand it I need to remove the carts from the printhead, but after that I am not so sure. I guess I need to remove the printhead from the printer and drop the printheads clamp. With the printhead outside the printer I place the printhead on a paper towel and press? down? and left up and look for a yellow stripe. I may have to do this a number of times to get a yellow stripe. If I do get a yellow stripe I do not have a clog, but I most likely have an electrical problem.

ghwellsjr, do I understand the procedure correctly?

If I need to purchase a printhead I may be in a bit of luck. The printer was a refurbished unit that I purchased from Canon directly. I may be able to sweet talk Canon in giving me a good deal on the printhead!!!!!! It would not hurt to try.

Note: The yellow cart in the printer had a bit of hot wax in the ink reservoir. The cart was one of the first carts that I used the hot wax for a plug. I am thinking that that the hot wax over time dissolved and clogged the ink inlet on the printhead. Is this possible?????????

Thank you.

 

[ghwellsjr]

It sounds like you have the right idea about looking for yellow ink coming out of the bottom of the print head.

I doubt that hot wax would be the problem. If you see yellow ink, then you will know that it is not.

 

[joseph1949]

To: ghwellsjr

Thank you for the quick reply.

I have removed the printhead and pressed the printhead against a paper towel. The result was that I saw blue, red, and black, but no yellow stripe. I guess I have a clog.

Note: Before I removed the printhead I did nothing to the printer or the printhead. The last thing that I did to the printer/printhead was a deep cleaning (see second picture in my topic reply) on Saturday (10-06-12).

If it is a clog what should I do next? I want to flush a yellow cart and place distilled water/ink in the flushed cart (cleaning cart). With the yellow cleaning cart in the printhead I will perform a number (how many?) of deep cleanings. If the distilled water/ink does not work I will try windex for the cleaning fluid.

If the cleaning cart does not work, I will be forced to flush the printhead. Since I will be going on a trip for a few days I think I will soak the printhead in distilled water for 48 hours. The water will cover the ink inlets. Is this a good idea?

ghwellsjr, if you have any suggestions I would be happy to entertain them.

Thank you.

 

[Grandad35]

While you have the print head out of the printer, slip a short length of 3/16" ID vinyl tubing (available at your local hardware store) over the yellow ink inlet and fill it with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). For reference, add a similar piece of tubing over one of the "good" channels to get an idea of the flow rate in an open channel. Given that a deep cleaning doesn't pull yellow ink into the nozzles, it sounds like you have a serious clog in the plastic portion of the print head; this will be confirmed if the level in the yellow tubing doesn't drop at all while the level in the "good" channel does drop. These types of clogs can be impossible to remove with normal cleaning procedures.

DO NOT apply any pressure to the ends of the tubes - let gravity work with low pressure to avoid any possible damage to your print head.

 

[ghwellsjr]

One thing you don't want to do is leave the print head out of the printer for an extended period of time, actually more than a few minutes, or else you run the risk of getting clogs in the rest of your colors. I should have mentioned that earlier so I hope it's not too late.

You either should clean the ink out of all the channels and then work on the clogged channel or else apply the same cleaning solution to all the channels.

One way to clean the ink out of all the channels is to drain and dry the ink out of a set of cartridges and then do cleaning cycles until nothing prints. Another way is to put plastic wrap over each inlet port and then install the cartridges on top of them.

I think the best thing to do is make some cleaning cartridges using a solvent such as the one available here:

http://inkjetsaver.com/tools.html

Then you can use that to clean the ink out of the channels while you work on the yellow channel. The only problem is that since the solvent prints clear, you can't tell when you have succeeded at removing the clog so I don't bother to clean the ink out of the cartridge when I add the solvent.

I would first try to let the printer clean itself using a good solvent. If you're going to take that approach, you don't really need to make more than one cleaning cartridge.

If you want to soak the print head, just make sure it is thoroughly dry before putting it back in the printer and powering it on. I suggest waiting two days before putting it back in the printer. If you are going away and don't want to start on this project until you get back and you decide to soak the print head in distilled water while you are gone, just make sure you have enough water so that evaporation doesn't leave the print head dry.

I hope you can sort through all my random thoughts and good luck.

 

[joseph1949]

To: Grandad35

Thank you for your quick reply.

I was hoping someone would bring up the plastic tubes. Grandad35, I believe you were the one to start unclogging (or at least confirming that there is a clog) the printhead by using plastic tubes filled with isopropyl alcohol. I believe that this is the best way to unclog/confirm a clog without flushing a printhead. In my opinion flushing a printhead is where monsters be. If you do not have a bad printhead you will have one after flushing the printhead.

I have some questions for you:

1. Do I need to remove the rubber gasket that is around the ink inlet or can it stay?

2. How long can the tubes be? I am thinking 6 or 8 inches.

3. Is the 3/16 the inside or outside diameter? My circle template tells me the ink inlet is approximately 3/16 in dia. I need to find my caliper to be sure, but it looks like 3/16correct? The markings on the tube says: 5/16 O.D. x 3/16 I.D.

4. How long can I keep the tubes on the two inlets? Is it a few hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, ect? The three remaining inlets will be exposed to the air. This is not good for an extended period of time.


Thank you.


P.S. After reading ghwellsjrs last post I think it would be a good idea to cover the other three inlets, also.

I will be going on a trip so I will do nothing until I get back. When I get back I will create a cleaning cart and buy some plastic tubes. Before I do anything I will post again and ask for more information.

 

[Grandad35]

1. Do I need to remove the rubber gasket that is around the ink inlet or can it stay?

No - the tube fits quite nicely with the rubber gasket in place.

2. How long can the tubes be? I am thinking 6 or 8 inches.

Mine were about 4" long, but 6" or 8" would also be OK.

3. Is the 3/16 the inside or outside diameter? My circle template tells me the ink inlet is approximately 3/16 in dia. I need to find my caliper to be sure, but it looks like 3/16correct? The markings on the tube says: 5/16 O.D. x 3/16 I.D.

3/16" is the Inside diameter, as you noted.

4. How long can I keep the tubes on the two inlets? Is it a few hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, ect? The three remaining inlets will be exposed to the air. This is not good for an extended period of time.

A "good" channel should drain the tube in a minute or two. If there is no change in the alcohol level after 2 minutes, you have a severe clog.

After reading ghwellsjrs last post I think it would be a good idea to cover the other three inlets, also.

A 5 minute test with the print head out of the printer shouldn't hurt anything, but you could always put a tube on each ink inlet and test all of them at the same time. If you have the larger cart for pigment black, you will obviously need a larger tube for that channel.

BTW - it might seem that using distilled water would be better for this test, and that's what I started with. The problem is that the surface tension of water is almost 4 times greater than alcohol, and water will trap large air bubbles when you fill the tube, whereas alcohol fills the tube without bubbles. Water also takes more pressure to push it out of the nozzles. When you put the head back into the printer, the alcohol is also easier for the purge unit to remove than water, making the transition back to ink faster.

****EDIT****
I should have mentioned that this is NOT a head cleaning technique - it is only a test to see if you have a severely blocked ink flow channel. It is also not a test for a clog in the nozzles.

 

[mikling]

If you are concerned about using the tube flush and drying the head out, you can place the printhead in a saucer with a shallow depth of windex or whatever your favorite cleaner is just enough to keep the nozzle plate immersed while the tubes are working.