Tech: Print head blocked

Subject: Tech: Print head blocked
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 11:59 AM

I cannot get my printer [Canon MP390] to print properly in black. I have run nozzle cleaning sequences a number of times to no avail. I have been using non generic ink refills, and assume this may be the cause. I have now bought a genuine Canon cartridge, any idea what I need to do to restore the print head?
Giok

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Jim Lad
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 12:08 PM

In the past, with similar problems, I have given the printer some heavy work to do until it settled down.
Assuming that it will follow your commands, why not try printing about three or four really dark pictures. My cold dark heart would be an excellent subject but so far, no-one has found it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 12:09 PM

I tried that Jim, no luck I'm afraid
G

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Jim Lad
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 12:16 PM

Stupid question, John but are you sure that your new cartridge is the correct one and is properly clipped in place, without forcing it?

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Simon G
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 12:18 PM

In the past I've taken the print head out and put laid it on wet kitchen roll. The ink leaches out on to the kitchen roll, including from the blocked jets.

Simon

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 12:26 PM

I was wondering about injecting some sort of solvent into the old cartridge and then running the nozzle cleaning sequence, before I fit this new genuine cartridge. However I don't know what solvent would be safe to use, does anybody know what solvent the ink makers use to make the ink. I have acetone available, but if the nozzles are plastic then it will damage them. White spirits seem a tad oily.
Giok

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Megan L
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 12:30 PM

If the print head can be removed sit it in a saucer with a little vinegarfor about half an hour. make sure you rince it or it pongs.

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Bernard
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 12:41 PM

A lint-free pad of warm water held against the nozzles for a few minutes may clear it, otherwise I'm afraid it could well be scrap... it may not really be blocked, but knackered...

Solvent in the ink tanks could work, but that's usually only necessary when a printer has been standing idle with empty cartridges for some time. You'll need to get hold of someone like Cartridge World for the correct solvent.

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 12:59 PM

isopropyl(rubbing) alcohol, or any film cleaner works well if youre going to soak it on a paper towel. Weve also found that acetone works well for dried ink nozzles - although you should apply it carefully as it does dissolve some plastics.

If you have a refill kit with one of those plastic syringes
put some rubber thick rubber tubing on the end of the syringe and trim it off so it makes a tight seal when you put it on the top of the cartridge. Using the syringe force some air in from the top where you refill.

(Ive used this successfully many times on blocked printheads, ever since I saw someone from one of those cartridge places work on my printer, she also left her syringe thingy behind.)

cheers
petr

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: GRex
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 01:36 PM

I had this problem on my Epson CX5400. Cured the problem by cleaning the print heads with methylated spirits using a small painting brush.

            GRex

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Jim Lad
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 02:25 PM

John: Even with all of the cleaning techniques described here, your old cartridge does have its limits and has probably reached the end. I've found that they're good for about 3 refills and then I have to start again. I was assuming that you were using the new one. By the way, Am I the first to forget to remove the tape from the new cartridge?
Regards.
Jim

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 02:30 PM

New Canon all in one printer, CANON PIXMA MP600 INKJET MFP, at Mixma = £113 including delivery.

Gioks time spent trying to mend the old one? How many wasted hours? At how much an hour?

Seriously think about a replacement, John.

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 02:34 PM

Hey Dave, I'm Scot for a start, and the coloured side works fine. Plus it's also a fax and a copier/scanner.
Giok

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 06:30 PM

If all else fails, new replacement heads are available for your printer.

One place: Spare Part: Canon QY6-0054-000 Print Head-[QY60054].

I didn't do a "market research" hunt to see if heads are available at a better price, but the price shown (£81.25 inc vat £69.15 ex-vat) would almost cover the cost of a new multipurpose machine (List Price: $199.99, Used: from $125.50 for MP390).

A quick read through Reviewer Comments at Amazon indicates that print head problems are common with this particular printer. (Several other brands/models are similarly afflicted, and the problems are common to most printers that use "fixed" heads.)

Newer printers in the same price range generallly have the "print head" nozzles built into the ink cartridges, so each new ink cartridge gives you a new print head. This method also eliminates the "tubes" that carry the ink from the cartridge to the head, and the tubes also can sometimes clog and give the appearance of a clogged head.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Bert
Date: 23 Jul 07 - 08:35 PM

Ammonia

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 03:58 AM

:D Exactly, Giok - All the Scots I know are generous and giving people (especialy when it comes to dishing out a wee dram:-) )

Value for money is what we is after! Time is an extemely precious commodity - It is something you can never get back - so what would you rather do? Spend hours trying to fix your printer or spend money and use the time to do things you enjoy? Unless you enjoy fixing printers of course. In which case I have this small problem with...:-)

BTW - The printer I listed does all that stuff as well. I got an HP all in one (exept fax - but my old modem does that!) for about £80 from Argos.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Gurney
Date: 24 Jul 07 - 09:59 PM

Bernard's advice about warm water has worked several times for me. I only use the inkjet for colour printing, so it tends to dry up. However, mine is a Lexmark with the printhead built into the cartridge, and so removable. I run it under the tap.

No, Jim Lad, you aren't.
Am I the only one to rip the whole printed-circuit off with the tape?

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 03:32 AM

I spent some time trying to fix what seemed to be a similar problem on an HP and in the end it turned out to be that some of the flexible connectors to the print cartridge cradle (the ones that carry the current to that the ink and blast the tiny droplets out, one for each part of the spray pattern) had fatigued and failed - and were not available as spare parts.

The really cheap printers, particularly Lexmark, have ludicrously expensive ink. Multicolour multifunction lasers are just starting to become affordable. I think there is a Minolta at about GBP 300. A barrister friend bought one a few months ago and was very impressed. The running costs are a fair bit lower than the few inkjets that have reasonably priced ink (Brother are about the best in that respect, but they have discontinued the MFC590/890 range which used huge ink tanks and so were cheap to run).

An economical laser will print a black and white page at about 5% coverage for about 0.1 p whereas an economical inkjet is about 1p at best and an expensive one about 5p per page. So you could get your money back in about 6,000 pages, that's under 3 big boxes of paper if your inkjet would have been a Lexmark, and about 15 boxes of paper if your inkjet was a Brother MFC 890.

Good printer sellers will know and disclose the running costs of thier printers.

Subject: RE: Tech: Print head blocked
From: Hawker
Date: 25 Jul 07 - 03:43 AM

This happened on my printer, a frined of mine is an electrical whizz and he suggested thast I put a drop of gin through the print head, apparently gin is a pure spirit, I tried it and it worked, may be worth a try, its cheap and wont doany harm.
Cheers, Lucy