R200 Printing Problems: Is this the end?

[maxihod]

A few weeks ago my trusty Epson R200 started giving poorer photo prints. Problem is that often the photos look fuzzy and there's a pink tinge to the edges of solid objects. At 1st it was just some prints , but now it seems to be all the time.

Sure enough when I checked the test print there was a problem with the magenta. as you can see from these images.. the black and blue are fine

whereas the magenta is blurred:-

I've tried new cartridges, cleaning the heads several times (not tried a purge as yet), cleaning fluid on the pad that the print heads rest on etc, but it's made no real difference.
Not tried print head alignment as yet, but it not sure what difference that would make.

Of course other than that the printer's fine and it's been really good, and I really don't want to replace it unless I really have to. This printer has two USB type B ports so I can attach it to my machine AND to the router for the rest of the family which is really handy.

So can anyone give me any advice here who may have seen this before, and whether it's fixable or not.

 

[ghwellsjr]

It's hard to tell from the scanned image, but it appears that not all of the magenta nozzles are blurred. Is this actually the case? If so and you repeat the nozzle check, is it always the same nozzles that are blurred? If this is the case, then we know it is not a problem with the ink.

Also, I would suggest that you do the nozzle check on glossy photo paper designed for your printer. Does this printer use DURABrite ink? If so, you need a special Epson paper that works with DURABrite ink.

 

[maxihod]

It's hard to tell from the scanned image, but it appears that not all of the magenta nozzles are blurred. Is this actually the case? If so and you repeat the nozzle check, is it always the same nozzles that are blurred? If this is the case, then we know it is not a problem with the ink.

Also, I would suggest that you do the nozzle check on glossy photo paper designed for your printer. Does this printer use DURABrite ink? If so, you need a special Epson paper that works with DURABrite ink.

Thanks for the reply ghwellsjr. I've repeated the nozzle check on Epson Glossy paper which then scanned does give a clearer set of images. It does look to me that the magenta is pretty consistent between checks and it looks like the same nozzles each time. All the other colours are spot on in the tests (not included the images though as that wouldn't really add to this conversation)
So Black in Test2 is clear:

but the Magenta again in tests 2 and 3 are both not so great... reasonably consistent though

The Epson Original Carts do use Durabrite Ink I thnk. I'm not using Epson Inks, but replacements that are from scan computers here in the UK.
I've used them for many years without any problems.
According to their website these are made by "printworks"
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Comp...R220-R300-R320-R340-RX500-RX600-RX620-Magenta

 

[ghwellsjr]

I looked up the specs on the R200. It does not use the DURABrite inks so I would recommend that you use standard photo paper, not an Epson paper designed for both DURABrite (pigment) and dye inks.

I don't know if this could be an issue in your case, but see this post:

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=8965#p8965

 

[ghwellsjr]

I was creating my previous post while you were creating your last one so I didn't see your new nozzle check pattern. This indicates that the problem is not in the ink or in the paper. It must be either wear on the nozzles or debris on the nozzles.

Since you cannot remove your print head, the way to clean your nozzles is to get a window cleaning product made of a soft paper material saturated in window cleaner. In the USA, Windex makes a product like this and there are many off-brands but since Windex is not available in the UK, I'm not sure if there is a substitute that you can get. If not, use a thin soft cloth like a handerchief and dampen it with soapy water.

Take whatever you can use and clean the bottom of the print head using the following technique:

Open the printer cover so the print head moves to the center.
Unplug the printer.
Slide the cloth/paper under the print head until you can hold both ends on either side of the print head.
Use a back and forth motion of the cloth/paper like you were shining shoes.
If you get a lot of ink on the paper/cloth, remove it and repeat until it is clean.
Plug the printer back in and do another cleaning and nozzle check.

Good luck.

 

[maxihod]

I get the same pattern whichever paper I use.
My 1st testwas with ordinary paper, and the 2nd and 3rd tests were with Epson Glossy paper. I get the same with MX2 Matte and Satin paper, as well as printing on CDs which exhibits the same pink halo effect to whatever I print in colour.
What surprises and interests me quite a bit is the consistency of the two separate tests actually. For example the top left of the two tests on magenta is very similar. Not identical I know, but they are very similar which is a bit odd.
Test2

Test3

Could this possibly be something as simple as a poor connection somewhere causing interference?

 

[maxihod]

Sorry Posting tennis going on here . I do have something akin to windex here. I'll try that later today assuming my last post didn't really add anything to the mix.

Thanks

 

[ghwellsjr]

This is not an electrical problem, such as a poor connection. It is mechanical, either wear on the nozzles (which cannot be fixed) or gunk on or in the nozzles (which hopefully can be cleared up by cleaning). Let's hope it is the latter.

 

[websnail]

Actually I suspect the real problem here is ink age...

I've seen this with the cyan on the R300 I had about four years back and have since had confirmation from my father (who inherited it) that when the ink gets to a certain age it starts to get very odd clogs and diverts that can't be explained away easily.

My advice, before you give up on it would be to get a fresh (newly purchased) cartridge (possibly even an Epson OEM) and replace the Magenta with that, then see if you get the same results after a clean and a page worth of Magenta pushed through to purge the system.

I'm willing to bet you might find that it clears up... It certainly did with the Cyan on the R300 and it's something that a few others have noted although this is the first time I've seen it reported for Magenta is may well still apply.

Hope that helps give a ray of possible hope if nothing else.

Martin

 

[maxihod]

Well here's my update:-

As you can see from the image of the end result things went very well, So thankyou for all the responses..

Wasn't entirely plain sailing: I needed both the cleaning underneath, plenty of clean cycles and then new cartidges. So for anyone else here's the set of steps I went through.

Step1: the clean:
I used some car window cleaning fluid from Halfords, and a jay cloth cut into strips and soaked in the window cleaning fluid.
1.1 1st lay the cloth on the base of the printer.

1.2: Press the ink button on top of printer to move printer head
1.3: Manually moved printer head (gently) so you can get at each end of the cloth

1.4: Gently move cloth left to right across the underside of the print head. You get plenty of ink off..
1.5: Remove ink soaked cloth.
1.6 Press ink button to return heads to park position
1.7 Repeat 1.1 to 1.6 with new cloth strip until the cloth is mostly clean after wiping

There was quite a lot of ink build up under the heads to be honest so pretty sure this step helped a bit.

Step 2: Head clean and Nozzle Check
2.1 This was the disappointing part. At this point I'd lost the magenta completely and the light cyan had also gone as well as the yellow.
Repeated this a few times which improved a bit as time went on, but not much.
2.2 I then left the printer for a day.. not sure whether that's relevant, but these things can take time.

Step 3: New cartidges for those heads not performing
3.1: This I thought was a last ditch thing really, but replaced Magenta, Light Cyan and Yellow carts (ordinary ones from Scan. only about 1 a shot) and lo and behold I now had nearly perfect nozzle pattern.
3.2 Couple of head cleans and now we're about as good as I've ever seen it.

So thanks to the responses.. My printer's now back on track.