Digital BW, The Print

Do any of you have any idea why an Epson 2200 would very suddenly (but  
consistenly, now) almost completely stop printing one or more "colors"  
part way through something like an 11x17 print?

I can begin with a perfect nozzle check and full cartridges, start  
printing something that requires a fairly large about of ink, and have  
one or more inks essentially stop printing half way across the page.   
Grrrrr.

A nozzle check immediately after this happens looks like a disaster  
for all of the colors. A few hours later, usually after unsuccessfully  
running a couple cleaning cycles, it will be back to good nozzle checks.

It is *not* always the same cartridge.

It *acts* as though some kind of ink pump cannot keep up, or there is  
a leak in a line somewhere...  but I don't know how those Epson heads  
"suck" ink from the cartridges and "blow" it onto the paper.

Have any of you torn one of these things far enough apart to know  
where the "impotence" might be found?

I would probably just stop using the printer, but my new R1800 is  
totally useless for printing on canvas (something the 2200 does quite  
easily, I might add).

Thanks.
Myron

On 16/12/2007 Myron Gochnauer wrote:
> Do any of you have any idea why an Epson 2200 would very suddenly (but
> consistenly, now) almost completely stop printing one or more "colors"
> part way through something like an 11x17 print?

All too familiar here with a 1290 (using G4 pigments in a CIS). It is due 
to partially blocked microfilters in the head. Under the feed spigots that 
penetrate the cart. seals, there are small filters that are present to 
prevent particles reaching the heads. Over time they block and become 
unable to feed sufficient ink under continuous high demand. The filters 
are not replaceable, they are integral to the head.

You can attempt to clean the filters using a syringe with tube that fits 
over the spigot. A cleaning solution of Windex/Windowlene clear, distilled 
water and isopropanol is used with a little push-pull action of the syringe.

However I found this completely useless and eventually gave up and 
replaced the head. On a 1290 this is an easy 15 minute DIY proposition, 
requiring just a couple of screwdrivers, a bit of common sense and no 
special alignment tools or software, and it cost half what Epson charge. 
Epson do also change the waste pad and zero its counter, and wipe the 
inside with an oily rag and give a warranty, of course. But that was no 
use to me anyway because I was using a CIS with Generations pigment inks.

I think the 2100/2200 are pretty similar designs to the 1290, so this 
might be viable for you - but check no engineer alignment s/w is needed, 
as it is on some models.

In UK a new head can be got from
Unicomp Ltd
01732 781400
Bourne Estate
Borough Green  TN15 8DG

Intriguingly, the new head was far better behaved than the original, which 
had tended to clog quite often. The new one never did, which makes me 
think there are some mfr. quality/consistency issues there. However 9m 
later the microfilter on the Y channel clogged up again.

I'm now finished with 1290's and won't be buying any more Epson 'amateur' 
printers.

-- 
Regards

Tony Sleep
http://tonysleep.co.uk

Myron,

You need to head on over to the Yahoo Epson printer
group and get an Epson cleaning manual from Art
Entlich.  You have to privately email him a request
for the manual.  He posts pretty frequently and at
least once a week or so posts the email address to
request the manual.

From seeing Art's previous posts I wonder if the
suction tube on your printer has come off of the pump
end or the head parking station end.  The pump is what
applies suction to the head during a nozzle cleaning,
and if it isn't applying the suction adequately the
cleaning won't be thorough.  Also, if it were my
printer I would make some cleaning carts for it with
some empty Epson carts using Art's Windex/alcohol
cleaning fluid.

Mike Brubaker

--- Myron Gochnauer <goch@...> wrote:

> Do any of you have any idea why an Epson 2200 would
> very suddenly (but  
> consistenly, now) almost completely stop printing
> one or more "colors"  
> part way through something like an 11x17 print?
> 
> I can begin with a perfect nozzle check and full
> cartridges, start  
> printing something that requires a fairly large
> about of ink, and have  
> one or more inks essentially stop printing half way
> across the page.   
> Grrrrr.
> 
> A nozzle check immediately after this happens looks
> like a disaster  
> for all of the colors. A few hours later, usually
> after unsuccessfully  
> running a couple cleaning cycles, it will be back to
> good nozzle checks.
> 
> It is *not* always the same cartridge.
> 
> It *acts* as though some kind of ink pump cannot
> keep up, or there is  
> a leak in a line somewhere...  but I don't know how
> those Epson heads  
> "suck" ink from the cartridges and "blow" it onto
> the paper.
> 
> Have any of you torn one of these things far enough
> apart to know  
> where the "impotence" might be found?
> 
> I would probably just stop using the printer, but my
> new R1800 is  
> totally useless for printing on canvas (something
> the 2200 does quite  
> easily, I might add).
> 
> Thanks.
> Myron
> 
> 



      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Looking for last minute shopping deals?  
Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.  http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

Here's Art's email address:

e-printerhelp( at)mvps(dot) org

(at) = @
(dot) = .

He just posted it again today.

--- Myron Gochnauer <goch@...> wrote:

> Do any of you have any idea why an Epson 2200 would
> very suddenly (but  
> consistenly, now) almost completely stop printing
> one or more "colors"  
> part way through something like an 11x17 print?
> 
> I can begin with a perfect nozzle check and full
> cartridges, start  
> printing something that requires a fairly large
> about of ink, and have  
> one or more inks essentially stop printing half way
> across the page.   
> Grrrrr.
> 
> A nozzle check immediately after this happens looks
> like a disaster  
> for all of the colors. A few hours later, usually
> after unsuccessfully  
> running a couple cleaning cycles, it will be back to
> good nozzle checks.
> 
> It is *not* always the same cartridge.
> 
> It *acts* as though some kind of ink pump cannot
> keep up, or there is  
> a leak in a line somewhere...  but I don't know how
> those Epson heads  
> "suck" ink from the cartridges and "blow" it onto
> the paper.
> 
> Have any of you torn one of these things far enough
> apart to know  
> where the "impotence" might be found?
> 
> I would probably just stop using the printer, but my
> new R1800 is  
> totally useless for printing on canvas (something
> the 2200 does quite  
> easily, I might add).
> 
> Thanks.
> Myron
> 
> 



      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Looking for last minute shopping deals?  
Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.  http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

Don't know if this is your problem but it jumped off the page at me. . I'd
use my R1800 but it doesn't work on CANVAS.

 

Lint, dust, fiber, etc may be clogging you heads. I'd buy into your heads
being messed up IF it happens all the time with bigger prints or ink lat
down but if it only happens on CANVAS, then it is your choice of canvas or
canvas in general. I don't use a 2200 enough to be able to tell you that.

 

I do, however, have limited experience cleaning up a very clogged unit. I
was given one and ran a set of clean cart and the printer is working fine. 

 

Eric

 

 

Eric Neilsen Photography

4101 Commerce Street

Suite 9

Dallas, TX 75226

http://e.neilsen.home.att.net

http://ericneilsenphotography.com

Skype ejprinter

  _____  

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tony
Sleep
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2007 5:41 AM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Epson 2200 ink disfunction

 

On 16/12/2007 Myron Gochnauer wrote:
> Do any of you have any idea why an Epson 2200 would very suddenly (but
> consistenly, now) almost completely stop printing one or more "colors"
> part way through something like an 11x17 print?






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]