Digital BW, The Print

I want to clean the underside of my 1160's printhead because I'm 
experimenting many bad nozzle checks just after adding some MIS FSN-K 
to my CIS system (the ink in the CIS bottle was FS-K but rzeiss from 
MIS told me that it's the same ink used in FSN-K). Actually the 
phenomenon looks like starvation not clogging - different nozzles 
won't fire on each try and it goes worse after every cleaning cycle. 
I tried to raise the K bottle by 1/2 - 2/3" but it didn't helped. 
Then I returned it to the original height. Waiting overnight seems to 
solve the problem but when I let the printer power off more than two 
days all the above scenario repeats. If you have suggestions to solve 
this problem I would like to hear them.

Now, the original question: I want to clean the underside just to 
eliminate the probability of underside ink residue being the problem. 
I have access to ammonia (we don't have Windex in our area) - will 
buy it at the pharmacy. I want to do the papertowel trick, should I 
dilute the ammonia from the pharmacy? If yes, what should be the 
ammonia:water ratio?

Thanks in advance,
Loris.

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Loris Medici"
<lorism@t...> wrote:
> 
> I want to clean the underside of my 1160's printhead because I'm 
> experimenting many bad nozzle checks just after adding some MIS FSN-K 
> to my CIS system (the ink in the CIS bottle was FS-K but rzeiss from 
> MIS told me that it's the same ink used in FSN-K). Actually the 
> phenomenon looks like starvation not clogging - different nozzles 
> won't fire on each try and it goes worse after every cleaning cycle.



Cleaning under the printhead I do if the following symptoms appear only:

1) Blobs of ink occasionally mixed with a dust bunny randomly sputter
onto print (not after installing a cart for the first time where it
may blob at edge of paper repeatedly); 2) If the nozzle stair lines
jump up or down out of descending sequence- the nozzle is thus being
deflected by dirt, hair, etc.

I don't clean underside of head for skipping nozzles.
 
> I tried to raise the K bottle by 1/2 - 2/3" but it didn't helped. 
> Then I returned it to the original height. Waiting overnight seems to 
> solve the problem but when I let the printer power off more than two 
> days all the above scenario repeats.

Depending on your climate, this may be the problem. I live in a very
dry environment at high altitude and my printers clog perpetually
(except for 2200 which is remarkable in not even needing more than a
few cleaning cycles in months). Anyway, I couldn't let my 1280 sit
with VM ink for more than 24 hours without clogging. Even with Epson
ink in it it clogs up after four days.

OTOH, many, perhaps most people have absolutely no problem with
letting their printers sit for weeks. As a general rule I try to keep
humidity between 40%-50%RH and temp between 66-77 deg F. And I turn
the printer on once or twice a day and run a quick purge print (MIS
site download) followed by nozzle check.

 If you have suggestions to solve 
> this problem I would like to hear them.

Since you can clear your nozzle check after waiting a day, I might try
 one thing that might prove more valuable than under head cleaning.
Get a syringe between 10 and 60 cc without a needle on it but with the
lur-loc on it that came with your CIS kit or that MIS sells. You can
get daring and put this in the bottom of the carts, but I like to
attach an MIS bottom fill adapter (cheap) which will prevent you from
damaging the screen/ filter in bottom of cart (usually).

What you do is pull your carts out and one by one draw ink out of
bottom ports and return to bottle. Repeat until no foamy ink or air is
seen. You do as many ports as you are having trouble with and
temporarily plug the other ports with an MIS rivit while you do this.
I found that 10cc did it for me, but MIS says you may have to draw as
much as 60cc.

When you re-install carts make sure you have no heavy buildup of ink
around nipples and make sure carts seat well and don't work their way
up (air will get in). You could also look carefully at the parking pad
and if the rim is gunky, swab the perimeter with windex or something.
And be sure pad itself isn't dried out.

Don't do more than three cleaning cycles without giving it a rest...or
at least printing a purge pattern.

> 
> Now, the original question: I want to clean the underside just to 
> eliminate the probability of underside ink residue being the problem. 

Well it probably wont hurt but I personally doubt it's the solution.

> I have access to ammonia (we don't have Windex in our area) - will 
> buy it at the pharmacy. I want to do the papertowel trick, should I 
> dilute the ammonia from the pharmacy? If yes, what should be the 
> ammonia:water ratio?

As Jerry says max strength 1/10 part. I would use 40%ethanol to 60%
distilled water myself. Actually when I had my 1160's I was just using
Windex- or Fantastik if you can get that- so I'm not an expert on
ammonia OR ethanol under the head anyway. I worry about distorting the
head with a chemical attack with ammonia when less aggresive stuff
will do fine<g>.

I use Photowipes instead of a paper towel- it's stronger, tear
resistant, less lint, and can be worked under the head well. I clean
up not with q-tips which will add more lint under the head but with
Foam swabs. I get them at Radio Shack but I know they can be got
cheaper here if you have access:

http://www.emsdiasum.com/ems/clean/cloth.html

Jim H.

> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Loris.