Replace or Repair my Epson 750

[Steve Kraus]

I loved the pictures my Epson 750 turned out (it's about 3 years old and
I only use it for pics) but naturally hated buying cartridges so about a
year and a half ago I bought the "weink.com" continuous ink system with
the dummy cartridges linked by tubing to 6 ink bottles. It worked
well. It doesnt work with all papers but the colorimetry seemed close
to the original OEM inks.

But now she's clogged on one of the magentas and so far all attempts to
unclog have been futile.

So what are my options here? A quick glance at new printers in the
store proves they are lovely and make purty pictures but a trip down the
ink cartridge aisle reminds me of what a scam cheap printers are (bend
over 'cause you're gonna get screwed).

So how about a recommendation for a printer specifically to use with a
continuous ink system and a recommendation for the latter as well.

I dont suppose there is a printer that is factory made to take liquid
ink right out of bottles. If so and it was good and reasonably priced a
manufacturer could really clean up. It's not that I even print that
much...I just really *really* hate cartridges. (I only bought the
continuous system because I was shopping for a refill system and thought
it was an even better idea.)

Other options:

Send the Epson in for repair (prolly cost as much as a new one but I get
to keep my ink system...although maybe that was the cause of the
clog...I don't know).

Try to order a printhead myself (are they available?). Ditto plusses
and minuses.

Try to find a used 750 and hope all its nozzles work.

Is there another 6 color Epson that takes my cartridges?

Finally, I haven't given up on the present one but it's not looking
good. Many, many cleaning cycles. Cleaning cartridges. Trying to run
Windex through it (but so far not under pressure). I hear Fantastik is
good too. That will be next. Anything else I can do?

 

[FF]

You can get the service manual here: http://www.manuals4you.com



->I loved the pictures my Epson 750 turned out (it's about 3 years old
and
->I only use it for pics) but naturally hated buying cartridges so
about a
->year and a half ago I bought the "weink.com" continuous ink system
with
->the dummy cartridges linked by tubing to 6 ink bottles. It worked
->well. It doesnt work with all papers but the colorimetry seemed
close
->to the original OEM inks.
->
->But now she's clogged on one of the magentas and so far all attempts
to
->unclog have been futile.
->
->So what are my options here? A quick glance at new printers in the
->store proves they are lovely and make purty pictures but a trip down
the
->ink cartridge aisle reminds me of what a scam cheap printers are
(bend
->over 'cause you're gonna get screwed).
->
->So how about a recommendation for a printer specifically to use with
a
->continuous ink system and a recommendation for the latter as well.
->
->I dont suppose there is a printer that is factory made to take
liquid
->ink right out of bottles. If so and it was good and reasonably
priced a
->manufacturer could really clean up. It's not that I even print that
->much...I just really *really* hate cartridges. (I only bought the
->continuous system because I was shopping for a refill system and
thought
->it was an even better idea.)
->
->Other options:
->
->Send the Epson in for repair (prolly cost as much as a new one but I
get
->to keep my ink system...although maybe that was the cause of the
->clog...I don't know).
->
->Try to order a printhead myself (are they available?). Ditto
plusses
->and minuses.
->
->Try to find a used 750 and hope all its nozzles work.
->
->Is there another 6 color Epson that takes my cartridges?
->
->Finally, I haven't given up on the present one but it's not looking
->good. Many, many cleaning cycles. Cleaning cartridges. Trying to
run
->Windex through it (but so far not under pressure). I hear Fantastik
is
->good too. That will be next. Anything else I can do?

 

[geocha]

This will work:

1) UNSCREW the lead.There are 4 screws
2) MOVE THE HEAD to the left
3) TAKE OUT the carts.
4) FILL a syringe with warm water and a little windex
5) PUSH the syringe on the 6 nails without the needle
it will fit perfectly.
6) INJECT 2-3 cc of this mix in the camber with a little pressure
7) REPEAT the procedure with all 6 chambs

8) Install the carts and run 1-2 clean cicles.
9) After 24h will be like new.

If you have any problem e-mail me
Good luck
PS: WHEN REINSTALL THE LEAD LOOK THE PRINTER'S RIBBON.MOVE THE HEAD LEFT AND
RIGHT WITH THE HAND TO VERIFY THAT THE RIBBON MOVES SMOOTHLY.

 

[Steve Kraus]

I tried forcing Windex through it from a syringe last night (albeit with
the head simply parked in the cart-changing position). I can force it
through all except on of the magentas (can't remember if it's regular
magenta or photo magenta not that it matters but 3rd nail from the
right). That simply would not take any. I wonder if it would help to
remove the head entirely and just submerge the whole thing in a warm
water + whatver (Windex, Fantastik, etc.) solution. Are there any
electronics in there beside the piezo-electric droplet pushers?

Oops..I left the continuous feed black cart in contact with a paper
towel overnight...capillary action drained the entire bottle of black
ink. *sigh* If it ever does run again I'll separate the tubing and use
some OEM black carts with the continuous feed color cart before buying
more black ink.

Meanwhile on the let's-face-reality-it's-not-coming-back dept. if I do
replace maybe I should just forget about continuous feed and just go the
self-refill route like everyone else. Is it only HP whose head is built
into the carts? Then I wouldn't have to worry about clogs as I can just
get a new OEM cart if that happens. The separate tanks on some of them
is tempting but if I am refilling anyway I guess that doesn't matter.

 

[Ray R]

Meanwhile on the let's-face-reality-it's-not-coming-back dept. if I do
replace maybe I should just forget about continuous feed and just go the
self-refill route like everyone else. Is it only HP whose head is built
into the carts? Then I wouldn't have to worry about clogs as I can just
get a new OEM cart if that happens. The separate tanks on some of them
is tempting but if I am refilling anyway I guess that doesn't matter.

Now you are thinking along the right lines. With bulk ink refill my Canon
i850 has an ink cost per page of 2 cents (full color photo). It takes about
1 minute to refill. Print head is user replaceable. Canon claims the head
lasts the life of the printer. I have never had a clog.

 

[Steve Kraus]

Canon claims the head lasts the life of the printer.

I take your meaning but the above statement is still pretty funny. The
head lasting the life of the printer or the printer lasting the life of
the head. Either way when the head replacement cost is significant % of
the price of the printer new.

 

[Steve Kraus]

I pulled the printhead out and I can see how there are multiple micro jets
of solution spraying out of the bottom when I do the syringe routine on the
5 working colors but hardly a drop from the clogged one. Amazing that all
x nozzles of the same color can clog so thoroughly. Maybe it's in the
channels before the actual nozzles or in the inlet screen that is under the
spike. I'm letting the whole lower portion soak but I need something
stronger than hot water / Windex. Of course there is no guaranty that it
will work at all when I put it back.

 

[geocha]

Put only the head's nozzles in a glass of warm water and SUCK with the
syringe water from the clogged color.
Try it
it is exactly the oposite

 

[Steve Kraus]

I finally got the thing unplugged using Mr. Clean & water. Probably
similar to others' experiences with Fantastik. I got nice micro streams
from each of the many nozzles for each color.

Unfortunately I put it all back together and nada. It won't spritz a
single drop. Tried it with ink and with a cleaning cartridge (with colored
cleaning solutions)...nada. Many cleaning cycles and even took the thing
back apart, held the cleaning cartridge to it and sucked fluid through the
business end of the head so I know it through all the pasages. Still nada.
It doesn't surprise me that the unclogging might have done some damage and
this would ultimately be a lost cause. But every single nozzle? That is
rather disconcerting. I checked that the ribbon cable is seated properly.
Not much more I can do.

 

[geocha]

leave the carts in the printer for 1-2 days and then run some cleaning
cicles.
It is impossibile damage the printhead.
I did it a lot of times and worked perfectly,i even wash in warm water the
entire head.No problem at all

 

[Steve Kraus]

leave the carts in the printer for 1-2 days and then run some cleaning
cicles.
It is impossibile damage the printhead.
I did it a lot of times and worked perfectly,i even wash in warm water
the entire head.No problem at all

I hope that turns out to be true but I don't think so. When I disassembled
it again and applied suction to the head (while holding a cleaning
cartridge on the spikes) it definitely pulled fluid through the passages.
So it's in there. And if the piezo crystals in the head were doing their
vibrating or whatever they do to push out droplets it would print
something. So either they aren't doing it or something got damaged perhaps
from the pressure of the syringe trying to clean it and the piezos are
zapping away but having no effect because the passages were distorted or
some other anomoly.