Digital BW, The Print

David,

The nozzles are not blocked. The symptoms you cite point to one simple and
relatively easily corrected fact: The cleaning assembly is not doing its
job. In your case it'll be helpful to understand the basics so you don't
jump to false conclusions:  There are two rectangular affairs (capping
stations) with rubber rims that are intended to create a seal with the head
plate when the head is in its parked position and when ink is drawn through
for cleaning. This provides at least two vital functions: Keeping the
nozzles sealed from air, and more important to your issue, providing a seal
so that the (vacuum) pump can pull ink through the nozzles to keep them
clean and flushed of old ink/dust. If ink is not being pulled through during
a cleaning cycle then air will not be displaced, fresh ink will not replace
the old, and the nozzles will soon fire blanks. The printer will do
precisely what you describe. 

The capping stations are spring-loaded and "float" so they can self-adjust
and seal against the head when they get pushed upward. By their nature,
either or both of the caps can be knocked askew with a finger or tool. In
that case the cap will remain cock-eyed and will fail to seal against the
head, making ink pumping impossible. If that's the cause, it's not difficult
to push down on the caps so that they "snap" back into the right position -
and nothing to lose by trying. 

There are two soft white tubes (aka: vas deferens) that run from the pump to
the underside of the capping stations. If a tube comes loose then no suction
- and not something easily accessed and fixed although there's no harm in
trying. There are roller bearings, the tubing that the bearings squeeze, and
other little pump parts that can fail over time, not to mention the motor
itself. The latter is not the case because the gears wouldn't turn and the
head wouldn't lock, creating error codes.

The good news is that the pump assembly lives immediately above the waste
tank and is easily replaced by a technician. Since it's a combination
capping station/pump/head wiper/ink discharge, head lock, and gear transfer,
it takes care of almost all wearable parts in the 3800/3880. Once you get to
it, it pops out by removing a couple screws and the electrical connector. I
replaced one about three months ago and it's a marvel of functionality and
compactness. It takes the place of at least three parts in the large format
printers. The part is about $65 so I'll guess it might cost around $150-$200
to be shipped and repaired. It would need to be done at some point if you
kept the printer long enough. The head and other critical parts should last
a long time. 

So that's it. It has nothing to do, nor could have been caused by inks,
ammonia, carts, black & white, color, or Windex. 

Good luck.

Tom

 

Here is what I notice:

1. Some of the lines from the cartridges to the print head are still filled
with ink even after all that cleaning.
2. Some lines appear to be filled with Windex.
3. The maintenance cartridge has very little ink/Windex in it when it needs
to be changed.
4. The line for the MK/Ebony ink appeared to have air in it but nonetheless,
it appeared to be the only one that ink was actually flowing through.
(Before swapping Windex for ink, that was the only ink that printed on a
nozzle check. However, previous attempts months ago showed that ink printing
poorly!
5. After all that cleaning and rain dancing, the levels of Windex in the
cartridges remain at the full line. 






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