One color clogging

[Arthur Entlich]

You are right to consider ink aging as a potential issue. Often one ink
color will be more vulnerable to aging/clotting/ separating than other
colors. Also, the ink could be older when you received it than other
colors.

If the ink is pigmented, it is even more at risk of being expired, as
they are more vulnerable to aging from either evaporation or oxidation.

You might try adding a few ml of alcohol or ammoniated glass cleaner or
both (test to make sure it is compatible with the ink first) to see if
that is enough to lower the viscosity of the ink or to break down and
clumping that might be occurring.

Art

 

[Mickey]

Thanks for your thoughts Art. The more I think about the problem the
more I'm favoring the theory that it's the ink. It's past is expiration
date, 2 diff carts with exactly the same problem that took place a same
time and the 3rd party cart was almost dripping ink and it's performance
was worse the and Canon cart and problem appeared on the very first
printout and certainly by 2nd or 3rd pass. Problem started mid-point
between fills so that doesn't lend itself well to something
changing/damage at the interface.

Since I'm favoring the ink right now I've written to MIS asking for
their thoughts on the problem and the age of the ink. If there is a
good chance it is the ink, they should know.

Again, thanks for your thoughts.

Was hoping that Burt would jump in here as he commented on a very sim
problem over on nifty-stuff a couple yrs ago.

Mickey

After 2 rounds of messages I received this message from MIS.

"If the inks are expired this is more thank likely why you are seeing
the banding. After about 2 years the ink will start to coagulate. This
dramatic change in viscosity will result into banding and missing
nozzles on paper.

Sincerely,
Rob
Customer Service
MIS Associates, Inc "

Mickey

 

[DK]

After 2 rounds of messages I received this message from MIS.

"If the inks are expired this is more thank likely why you are seeing
the banding. After about 2 years the ink will start to coagulate. This
dramatic change in viscosity will result into banding and missing
nozzles on paper.

Very likely so. In my case of inks from Hobbicolors, only cyan
seems to have aged after 1.5 years since purchase. I ran deep cleaning
cycle with cartridge containing Windex in place of cyan, then installed
cartridge with newer batch of inks (couple month old), ran purge job
(printed large cyan square) and all is working wonderfully well now.

On a side note, I am a bit disappointed in the sponge in the
cartridges from Hobbicolors. It seems to be binding inks very
strongly. Washing and backflushing OEM cartridges gives white
sponge with only slight hints of the original color in the cartridge.
Not so with the Hobbicolors. There, the sponge is still dark blue
and continues to leach off ink even after ~ 20 fill/purge cycles
(some pure water, some Windex).

DK

 

[Burt]

Very likely so. In my case of inks from Hobbicolors, only cyan
seems to have aged after 1.5 years since purchase. I ran deep cleaning
cycle with cartridge containing Windex in place of cyan, then installed
cartridge with newer batch of inks (couple month old), ran purge job
(printed large cyan square) and all is working wonderfully well now.

On a side note, I am a bit disappointed in the sponge in the
cartridges from Hobbicolors. It seems to be binding inks very
strongly. Washing and backflushing OEM cartridges gives white
sponge with only slight hints of the original color in the cartridge.
Not so with the Hobbicolors. There, the sponge is still dark blue
and continues to leach off ink even after ~ 20 fill/purge cycles
(some pure water, some Windex).

DK

OEM carts do purge cleaner than many aftermarket carts. The OEM carts also
have two different types of sponge, and the upper sponge often doesn't take
up ink as well when refilling. Take a look at a new Canon OEM cart - the
upper sponge often shows some white at the top.

 

[Burt]

After 2 rounds of messages I received this message from MIS.

"If the inks are expired this is more thank likely why you are seeing the
banding. After about 2 years the ink will start to coagulate. This
dramatic change in viscosity will result into banding and missing nozzles
on paper.

Sincerely,
Rob
Customer Service
MIS Associates, Inc "

Mickey

Mickey - I had some year old plus MIS magenta coagulate in a Howards
electronics squeeze bottle. Fortunately, I found out because it jammed the
needle (I use thin needles that are for medical syringes) when I tried to
refill a cart. There wasn't that much left in the bottle so I tossed it and
refilled the Howards bottle with a new batch of ink. I don't think the
"goo" would get through the outlet filter of the cart, but it could possibly
coagulate inside the printhead. I didn't have any problems with banding,
but I am now forwarned that this can happen. At one time I was printing a
greater volume and was ordering 4 oz bottles - especially of PM, PC, and
yellow. Now I would rather order 2 oz containers and settle for a little
less savings.

I did have to replace a printhead on the i960 last year, but I couldn't
associate the problem with changes in the ink of which I was aware.

 

[Mickey]

After 2 rounds of messages I received this message from MIS.

"If the inks are expired this is more thank likely why you are seeing
the banding. After about 2 years the ink will start to coagulate. This
dramatic change in viscosity will result into banding and missing
nozzles on paper.

Sincerely,
Rob
Customer Service
MIS Associates, Inc "

Mickey

Received my new supply of ink yesterday. Flushed out the old ink in the
carts and replaced with the new. Happy to report the streaking of the
Magenta under std print qlty is gone. Printing color test strips of
various print qlty results in solid color output from all colors.

Moral of the story, pay heed to expiration dates in the ink bottles.

Mickey

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Thanks for keeping us informed. Expired ink can indeed be a causes of
clogs especially with the pigment inks which use binders which are
designed to adhere the ink to the paper surface. This is often an
acrylic base and they do tend to break down over time.

 

[Mickey]

Thanks for keeping us informed. Expired ink can indeed be a causes of
clogs especially with the pigment inks which use binders which are
designed to adhere the ink to the paper surface. This is often an
acrylic base and they do tend to break down over time.

Think problems like this could be avoided if ink suppliers would offer a
simple explanation of why the expiration date. Unstated the date could
be just a marketing thing, color shifts, a change in fluid
characteristics or a combination of these.

Increased knowledge can't hurt.

Mickey

 

[DanG]

Think problems like this could be avoided if ink suppliers would offer a
simple explanation of why the expiration date. Unstated the date could be
just a marketing thing, color shifts, a change in fluid characteristics or
a combination of these.

Increased knowledge can't hurt.

Mickey

The problem with expiration dates is that they don't take into account when
the bottle of ink is/was opened. Once opened, all bets are off. One good
reason to avoid buying the larger bottles.

I'm phasing out refilling altogether for now. At $3 per tank for
compatibles, I've decided I'm too lazy to mess with refills, and the
problems that go with that, just to save a dollar or so.

 

[Michael Johnson]

The problem with expiration dates is that they don't take into account when
the bottle of ink is/was opened. Once opened, all bets are off. One good
reason to avoid buying the larger bottles.

I'm phasing out refilling altogether for now. At $3 per tank for
compatibles, I've decided I'm too lazy to mess with refills, and the
problems that go with that, just to save a dollar or so.

I have BCI-6 printers and came to the same conclusion a long time ago.
I get the cartridges for $1.60 shipped to my door. At this price I'll
pay the extra 60 cents per cartridge to not hassle with refilling.

 

[measekite]

Thanks for keeping us informed. Expired ink can indeed be a causes of
clogs especially with the pigment inks which use binders which are
designed to adhere the ink to the paper surface. This is often an
acrylic base and they do tend to break down over time.

So can non OEM ink.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

You almost need labels which show both date considerations on a sliding
chart.

Art