Tough clog in Epson R220

[elerouxx]

Yes, several primes, several cleans, several full pages, but not a trace of ink.

I really appreciate the efforts for helping me, truly. The fact is that the printer endured several years of duty. Metal parts look rusty, plastic parts feel fragile... should I had listen to PeterBJ and resist the temptation of removing the printhead, the printer could last some more time. But, I can resist everything except temptations.

As a last effort, I cleaned everything again with warm distilled water, cleaned the circuits with a proper product, examining all with a magnifier glass, blowed air on it, waited 24h to completely dry and still doesn't work. I think the printhead itself is burnt out (the piezoelectric, thermal parts). Or then it's the circuit.

And then, while I was connecting the print head to the cables for the last time, the yellow nozzles cone, which had a thin crack at its base, got loose. I didn't apply strength but it came out easily.

Even if the printhead worked I could have glued the cone back with superglue - it would have worked - it's just an empty cone with the holes in the tip. But, the printhead isn't responding. The next step would be to go after a new or used printhead. I would do it if there were a big supply of this model of printers, but it's way, way past the time to stop trying.

And then, there's the broken scanner. While I was waiting for the printhead to dry, I opened the scanner for the Zth time, cleaned the moving parts, lubricated it with sewing machine oil, and it improved a lot, for a while. I am sure an oil with a little higher viscosity will eventually work. But it's very old, not fully compatible with windows 7 or 8 or 64 bits (tricky to install, old drivers), and scans banded images because of this unstable lubrication.

I am glad I got to knew you guys and really appreciate everyone's attention. Here's a picture of my friends so you can also say good bye to them. There's an UK flag in the picture in your honor (my pencil mug).

 

[elerouxx]

 

[websnail]

I really appreciate the efforts for helping me, truly. The fact is that the printer endured several years of duty. Metal parts look rusty, plastic parts feel fragile... should I had listen to PeterBJ and resist the temptation of removing the printhead, the printer could last some more time. But, I can resist everything except temptations.

I think there's a slogan for any printer geeks wall

Such is life as you say and it sounds like it wasn't in the best of health.

If it's of any use I have an R200 that was badly handly in transit so the case is cracked to heck and back but the printhead is probably still useable. Yours for the price of postage if you want it.

I am glad I got to knew you guys and really appreciate everyone's attention. Here's a picture of my friends so you can also say good bye to them. There's an UK flag in the picture in your honor (my pencil mug).

You'll be back... don't you worry about that... Nobody stays away for long

 

[elerouxx]

You are very kind to offer your R200! Should I live in the UK I'll accept the offer. Or, I would just give my R220 to you if you wanted.

I have serious problems getting rid of things. You would be surprised to find such old things over here, still working. I am well trained in recovering things, although not always successfull - but I need to work on the opposite side. These old things end up taking so much time. I'm a non-consumer wh*re!
Sometimes it's necessary to BUY new things, leave stale energy in the past... I just need to compose my music and print the scores, no fix things... (I'm apologyzing to myself for letting this printer die).

So, who's the first to find the broken printhead nozzle in the pictures? The winner gets a special photograph of my neighborhood (Not as hard as Where's Wally tho).

 

[websnail]

You are very kind to offer your R200! Should I live in the UK I'll accept the offer. Or, I would just give my R220 to you if you wanted.

I assumed you did given the little union jack on your desk.. Are you in the UK or somewhere else in the world?

As for the R220... nooooo! Thanks for the offer but I now have silly numbers of printers that are being documented and then shipped out again, including that busted up R200, working R200 and an R300 just of that era.

(I'm apologyzing to myself for letting this printer die).

LOL... I'm just as bad... I hate throwing things out if I can revive them.

 

[charliehorse107]

Hi,

I have a Epson R220, yes the one that's prints CD's etc, and from new it did never print pattern correct, specially the black & Dark cyan, no matter what it wonk clean.
Found that all are like that from factory.
Finally after 8 yrs problem became fatal.
I read, I search, I did all, and NOTHING, black worst en and Cyan that wasn't that bad became as bad as black.
Nothing did work to unclogged them, other color no affected at all, just perfect pattern and test sheet comes out flawless.
Therefore, any I have done didn't unclogged, but also by the same token It didn't damage the other, only did make worst the Dark Cyan!

Well, Finally I did resolved 1000% everything. This how it did goes!!! Enjoy the ride (nightmare I meant)

I try, water, distillate water, heavy water (D3)(H3O) yes about 35 years old LP cleaner!!!, Windex, a supposedly stronger Windex, all on wet pads, syringed thru every were, back and forward, NOTHING!!!

I did remember a site, by the way, as e-store, with tutorials, videos, etc, selling from products up to service in house. The funny thing was that did'nt recommend AMONIA to try to clean or unclogged print heads, because that will oxidize metas blah blah, well, have try all without any results, only getting worst, by the way this site says that If you are in my shoes , better send the printer to be repair, and 99.99% of probability you need a new printer heads ($$$), you know where the print will stay left, "but not junked"

Yes, you guess it, I did removed the print heads, I did notice precisely what I tell you, all heads good shape, but Black & Dark Cyan DEAD, well if I need new head, that mean I can play with this one they only can get better or good, they are already shoot, dead, garbage.

Yes. I went to Walmart and bought a half gal of regular laundry, house keeping AMMONIA, yes that one that they don't recommend to use, yes that one!!!
I did mix 2/3 ammonia & 1/3 tap water (i won't spend $$$ with the D3), with a 10ml syringe with the printer heads removed from the printer, I inject the 75/25 sol on each head bay (cartridge side), and notice the pattern of each head, for my surprise none where perfect all was crazy and erratic, I can't believe who could print fine does ones that they could.
Well, this only means, that the ones that print were bad, therefore blck & Dark Cyan must be very dead.
Well, I start to put a line of sol on the yellow head and intermediately I restored it to perfect patten, unbelievable Ammonia Work more than fine
I keep going with the other one, and very effortless restore perfect flows and patterns, but blck And D-Cyan no much
How I conquer it!!! Patient & trying over and over, don't giving up, I pull the heads out before because I had all ready give up.
Well, same tech, put a line of sol ammonia 75%/water25%, with the syringe I suction it for the cartridge bay, over and over, because what did clogged it form start had to come from that side!!!
Try that with the black head as well with the D-Cyan, and every time I suction I trough away that and rinse syringe with new sol.
Then try to inject the sol from the cartridge side to the head, yes flushing the head with new same sol, press in a little until I see the heads squirt out a little and suction, back and forward, until I get foam and keep going until pattern from improved to perfect.
Note: the Black & Cyan head must do both simultaneously not individual

Now I have 6 perfect patterns,, better that from factory, why?

Those print heads are made by a nano micro sand blaster and the mayor problem is blasting media stock in the heads passages, yes, from birth quality controls where very sloppy.
Do you know how was #1 in that error (horror)-> HP

My Pattern where going in all direction on the D-Cyan ""Crazy"" pattern, now I know why my blues where always not that great, it was a miracle the R220 prints.

ink pattern flawless, everything PERFECT.

I do recomend to use Ammonia even in a higher strenght, in liguid won't gett more that 48%, because thats is it water solubilty, can change, sinple math & chemistry , no way Jose that is it.

Very important find the correct way to pull you head without taking appart more than the necesary, don't distroy you printer

This also helps, but by extremly careful to dry very thoroughly , avoid ruin the heads electric component (shorts)

 

[charliehorse107]

I assumed you did given the little union jack on your desk.. Are you in the UK or somewhere else in the world?

As for the R220... nooooo! Thanks for the offer but I now have silly numbers of printers that are being documented and then shipped out again, including that busted up R200, working R200 and an R300 just of that era.


LOL... I'm just as bad... I hate throwing things out if I can revive them.

read my post and you will save them, warrantied !!!!!

 

[charliehorse107]

Oka R200, whats the difference, it was clogged, threfore is BS.

Ammonia is the best, and take the printheads out, let you observe if you doing it right and not guessing.

I recommend my method to all printer & in between

R200 are & still being one of the best cheap printer, cheap, because they had a very poor quality control at the making of the heads, everything else is a tank!!!

Thanks

I hope serves to people to save thier printer, and not make another fo richer because mis-info!!!!

 

[websnail]

Just to answer the crazy cyan issue... That's a good indicator of ink having algae in it.

Cyan is what I call the "canary" of the group as it seems to develop algae before the other inks and result in the "crazy" random pattern of nozzle firings. At a guess tiny particles of algae get into the nozzles and deflect the ink off course creating the symptoms described.

Let the situation go on long enough, they will of course clog up completely so at a guess that's what happened here.

Thanks for the info @charliehorse107 ...