Epson nozzle clogging solution

[JMG]

I am not sure if this solution has been posted before.
I have a Epson photo 750, and like all users got very fed up with
nozzle clogging if the printer wan not used for a prolonged period.
Often 20 cleaning cycles or new cartridges was the only way to fix it.
I have tried a preventitive measure which SEEMS to work, and I would
be grateful for reports from other users.
If you know you will not use the printer for a while, before turning
it off, press and hold the sheet feed button so the cartridges move to
the change position. Very carefully unlock the clips so that the
cartridge does not pop up, but you can get a finger under the clip.
Then use a piece of sticky tape, and reseal the vents on the cart
tops. Then close up and shut down in the usual way.
When you next use the printer, carefully peel the tape off using the
reverse process. I used scoth / 3M tape, as it is easily removable.
Be grateful for any feedback.

Justin
(e-mail address removed)

to email remove nospam

 

[Jan Alter]

That's a pretty interesting invention. Keeping the oxidation minimalized
certainly should help keep the ink more fluid and possibly keep the
printhead from clogging for a longer period of time.
Probably one should remember to put a label on the printer to remove the
tape before printing next time.

 

[Safetymom123]

That would work on an older Epson but the newer ones have a self sealing
feature.

 

[Kennedy McEwen]

That would work on an older Epson but the newer ones have a self sealing
feature.

The "self sealing" only closes the cartridge ink ports when the
cartridge is *removed* from the printer - so you can take a cartridge
out which has insufficient ink to perform a large job and then use the
remaining ink later on smaller jobs.

Placing tape over the cartridge vent holes works, not because it
prevents oxidation, but as a "belt and braces" approach. All Epson
inkjet printers should cap the heads when switched off, thus preventing
ink from leaking and/or drying out. That is why it is important to
switch them off at the front panel switch, NOT the wall socket or power
distribution block. If the head cap is damaged or a poor fit then this
will not work adequately and the nozzles can be blocked by ink which
leaks out under gravity and dries over then. Sealing the cartridge air
vents prevents this from happening even if the printer's head cap is
faulty because the entire ink feed is a sealed system - ink can only get
out at the nozzle if air is allowed in at the top.

However, if you forget to remove the tape over the vents and then use
the printer it is possible to damage the heads because no more ink will
feed to the head and the nozzles will operate without any liquid
damping, which will break the piezoelectric ceramics.

Given that risk, and the fact that it is only of benefit if the head cap
is not sealing adequately (ie. you are getting very regular clogging) I
am not convinced that it is a good recommendation to make. However, if
you feel confident that you will never forget the tape is in place, go
for it - just don't complain when the head breaks because you forgot to
remove it just the once.

 

[Yianni]

Top sealing isn't related with clogging at all. Because of the long size
breathing channel(s), top sealing don't change the rate of drying of ink.
Instead, because of other facts, top sealing may do more harm than good
(e.g. as the temperature reduces, the internal pressure reduces too, and may
cause ink withdrawal, letting nozzles dry much faster).

 

[PJx]

In your opinion.....

 

[Yianni]

Of course in my opinion, but my opinion is also true. I explained what
happens.

 

[Mark Herring]

Of course in my opinion, but my opinion is also true.

REALLY---that's quite an accomplishment!!!

What would be a bit more humble would be to state that: IN YOUR
OPINION, your opinion is always true.

To believe your claim, we're going to need some documentation, expert
witnesses, etc.

As for the original topic:
Sealing the cartrige will result in less evaporation and related
issues than not sealing it. Why do you think the OEM cartridges are
sealed??????
Of maybe I missed the point (but I never do....... )
**************************
Mark Herring, Pasadena, Calif.
Private e-mail: Just say no to "No".

 

[Yianni]

To believe your claim, we're going to need some documentation, expert

witnesses, etc.

Documentation??? I exlained briefly (even in not good English) what I mean.
If you need any clarification, please ask.

 

[A_Newsreader]

Can someone please help me with this problem that I have with my Epson
3000 printer;

My problem is that the Magenta cartridge produces banding - but the
funny thing is that when I choose to clean nozzles, and do a 'print
test pattern' first, it shows that everything is clean and that there
is no problem. Yet when I print something, then I get banding and to
find out who the culprit is, I print an a4 sheet with 4 large colour
squares (100% Cyan, 100% Magenta, 100% Yellow and 100% black) and
immediately see that the Magenta is the one that isn't working
properly and that it is this cartridge which is causing the banding.

I wouldn't say that this printer gets used much at all - in fact
although it is a 4 year old printer it is used very very lightly (say
maximum 100 A4 colour inkjet sheets a year).

Can anyone give me some ideas as to what may be the problem and how to
fix it. The printer is in North Africa so it isn't a simple case of
taking it to my local printer shop - i.e. I need to basically be able
to rectify this myself.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Mark Herring]

Documentation??? I exlained briefly (even in not good English) what I mean.
If you need any clarification, please ask.

Let's not belabor this, OK. The question was how you would
substantiate your earlier statement:

"Of course in my opinion, but my opinion is also true."

What you may have missed is that I was having a little fun with
this..........
**************************
Mark Herring, Pasadena, Calif.
Private e-mail: Just say no to "No".

 

[Yianni]

LOL
I'm laughing now! What to do if my opinion is true ;-)

--

 

[Volker Greulich]

Very carefully unlock the clips so that the
cartridge does not pop up, but you can get a finger under the clip.
Then use a piece of sticky tape, and reseal the vents on the cart
tops.

The drying of the nozzles is the problem, not the the ink inside the
cartridge. Your "advice" will only create more troubble.
Yanni explained what happened very well.

regards

Volker Greulich

 

[muks]

Hi!

I have perfect solution for this problem: buy color laser printer.
Some good are Minolta 2350 (A4) or if you can afford Minolta 7300 (A3+).

 

[Kennedy McEwen]

Hi!

I have perfect solution for this problem: buy color laser printer.
Some good are Minolta 2350 (A4) or if you can afford Minolta 7300 (A3+).

Sure, if you are satisfied with the photographic quality output by a
laser printer then you deserve one!

Fortunately for inkjet manufacturers many of us want much better quality
output than any colour toner based laser printer can possibly produce.
(Please note the qualification - I am well aware that Fuji Frontier
machines write the image by laser!)

 

[Mark Herring]

Hi!

I have perfect solution for this problem: buy color laser printer.
Some good are Minolta 2350 (A4) or if you can afford Minolta 7300 (A3+).

Do you know anyone that thinks laser can do the same photo quality as
inkjet?
**************************
Mark Herring, Pasadena, Calif.
Private e-mail: Just say no to "No".

 

[PJx]

LOL
I'm laughing now! What to do if my opinion is true ;-)

Hey, I appreciate your post anyway, whether opinion or fact. Thanks
for taking the time to post it.

PJ

 

[Timothy Lee]

Sure, if you are satisfied with the photographic quality output by a
laser printer then you deserve one!

Fortunately for inkjet manufacturers many of us want much better quality
output than any colour toner based laser printer can possibly produce.
(Please note the qualification - I am well aware that Fuji Frontier
machines write the image by laser!)

Now the inkjet can produce better photos on sillily expensive paper, but
on cheap paper a laser will do better, and if you laminate the laser
output you gain the glossiness.

 

[Kennedy McEwen]

Now the inkjet can produce better photos on sillily expensive paper, but
on cheap paper a laser will do better

Why would I want to print images on cheap paper? I have never seen the
output from any colour laser printer (including one cited above) that
even approaches the fine tonal gradation that my photo quality inkjet
printer produces on the cheapest paper I use. I do have a laser printer
for stuff that doesn't need to be such high quality, but I would never
consider using it for real images.

 

[Timothy Lee]

Why would I want to print images on cheap paper? I have never seen the
output from any colour laser printer (including one cited above) that
even approaches the fine tonal gradation that my photo quality inkjet
printer produces on the cheapest paper I use. I do have a laser printer
for stuff that doesn't need to be such high quality, but I would never
consider using it for real images.

If its only for personal use fine (ie not too high usage), but unless
you are printing on stupidly expensive paper you need to get fairly
close to notice the difference.