Where to buy a printhead

[le boff]

As for storage of a head, just wash thoroughly with running water for 5 minutes, next leave to stand in distilled water for a couple of hours (5 cm deep),

Are you sure it is 5 cm (or 5 mm ?)
I remember first trial I did ( some times ago) putting all head under water a while,
let it dry, re install the head
and electronic was gone

thank you
Leon

 

[The Hat]

Hi Leon, yes its 5 cm, enough to cover the ink inlets, however it’s also true if you wash the head under running water, then dry it with a cloth and then put it back into your printer, it most definitely will fry the electronics.

After any contact with liquid the head need to be dried with a cloth and left to dry thoroughly in a heated area for a couple of hours, that way any stray liquid with have had plenty of time to evaporate.
I reckon it was good of you to checked first...

 

[le boff]

Hi The Hat

I got 4 heads today so I must start test now.
Just before, I would like to check with you about following:

head cleaning procedure and how to protect for storage :

1) just wash thoroughly with running water for 5 minutes,
2) next leave to stand in distilled water for a couple of hours (5 cm deep),
3) then dry, left to dry thoroughly in a heated area for a couple of hours,
4) plus shake the head vigorously
5) and finally put about 1 or 2 ml of pharmacists’ solution on the inlets and store in a sealed plastic bag...
(Propylene Glycol / Isopropyl Alcohol / Distilled water) 10% / 30% / 60%

About step 3, could it be in a kitchen oven ? if so what temperature to setup ?
About step 4, is it to be done after step 3 or in between, I mean
dry one hour, shake it dry, second dry hour, shake it
or any other combination ?

Thank's for any adjustment

Leon

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

you may use a hair dryer to blow all the moisture away

 

[The Hat]

I got 4 heads today so I must start test now.
Just before, I would like to check with you about following:
(Propylene Glycol / Isopropyl Alcohol / Distilled water) 10% / 30% / 60%

About step 3, could it be in a kitchen oven ? if so what temperature to setup ?
About step 4, is it to be done after step 3 or in between, I mean
dry one hour, shake it dry, second dry hour, shake it or any other combination ?
Thank's for any adjustment
Leon

@le boff,
Step (3) just leaving the head somewhere warn to dry is sufficient, there’s no need for the hot oven, the temperature in the kitchen will be adequate.

Step (4) can be done after you have removed the head from soaking it, the purpose is to remove any liquid remaining behind the electronic board, and one time is more that enough OK..

 

[martin0reg]

@le boff
These heads are "refurbished", which means they should have been cleaned professionally, possibly by a machine. So I think a cleaning isn't needed, I would just try them.

The problem is the quality of the original refurbished head, was it only clogged or already partly burnt out?

I would print also an extended nozzle check to see more details, and take a look at the temps too (second sheet, below 30 is good, above 35 not)
Soemtimes there are no stripes or missing nozzles but nevertheless a sort of weak color channel, printing too light.

My new source for printheads which are out of production: "ebay kleinanzeigen" (similar to craigs list ?):
Search for the printer model, and if the offer seems to be goood, then ask for the printhead alone. And very important, a good scan of a new nozzle check to see.
Just bought a qy6-0075 for 40€... the ip5300 was offered for 35€, only for pick up, no shipping. But a printhead only is easier to ship so some sellers will agree to send the head and give (or throw) away the printer.

Regarding cleaning (for storing)
first I use to put the head in dest.water (only around 5mm deep, just for the nozzle plate) to let most of the ink flow in the bath. Then I put the head on dry kitchen towels, to suck from underneath - while cleaning solution (or any fluid for storage) should flow from above into the inlets..
..how to do so? Put pieces of tube on the inlets and fill them with an eyedropper. Then you can wait and see how (or if at all) the solution sinks into the printhead.
For this purpose you need two sizes/diameters of clear tubes, for the 4 small inlets: 5/1 mm
and for the big inlet: 9/1,5mm (inner diamtr/thickness)

 

[le boff]

Martin0reg
thank's for your tips
I already used such clear tubes for cleaning.

Why I am asking for cleaning new (refurbished) heads ?

I ordered and received four heads.
I must test them now to check working / non working status.
But after I must keep working heads in stock until I need it
so this is the reason for cleaning and protecting working heads.

First question : what product are you using through eye dropper and tube to clean ?
Second question : what is english link for german ebay kleinanzeigen ?

Thank you
Bernard

 

[martin0reg]

Search for "pharmacist solution" - the standard version for cleaning is
3-5% propylene glycol and 15-20% ispropyl alcohol, destilled water up to 100%
For storage I would guess a higher amount of prop.glycole is recommended, for slower evaporation..?..but I'm no chemist..

(edit) Besides there maybe "ink base" or "clear ink" or similar fluids to be offered by ink shops.

Ebay Kleinanzeigen is a online market mainly for direct buying, meaning customer pick up and cash paying. There should be similar markets in most countries, in France too. Not necessarily from ebay.

 

[PeterBJ]

@pharmacist also made a special print head preservation fluid. See this post.

 

[le boff]

Here are test results :
on 4 heads
received yesterday, from Ebay
2 works fine, 2 are not working

On printer test, head 2 fails in head alignment.
Test pattern has 2 defects see test pattern 2 :
Full blue area is spitted in 2 sub areas with different blue
and grey characters in left column are not grey, back is moving to red. I tried several head cleaning... same defect.

Head 4 has no Yellow output, I tried several cleaning and full heads cleaning no yellow. See test pattern 4.

Product quality is poor.
I probably have to pay return shipment that is about one head cost…

What a shame !

Bernard