Epson 4900 Printer Extreme Clogging Problem

[Joe Smigiel]

I had to run 7 powerful cleaning cycles to get a 4900 printing again. The regular cleaning cycles did not produce any effect that I could tell. At one point, the printer was so clogged that it didn't print any nozzle check pattern with any of the inks. Then it gradually came back after the third power cleaning. That was 2 months ago and all seems fine now.

Wondering if you did a Power Cleaning, or regular cleaning cycle?

Jon

[EOTS]

I did over 15 powerful cleaning cycles over 5 days,
yesterday I focused on the cyan/VM only,
and I only did the normal cleaning cycles (around 20).

Always did two in a row and then let it rest for 30min.

Now the Cyan is coming back to live (only 10% missing of the pattern).
However, the Vivid Magenta which is paired with Cyan is still 100% clogged after all these runs...

[EOTS]

Woo, now the VM is coming through (20% ink) after 4 additional cleaning cycles...

It really seems to pay off only concentrating on one single pair (C / VM) ...
And to wait 30min after three only partially successful runs ...

Here in Austria we have a saying:
"Tediously the squirrel nourishes itself!"

[SAShruby]

I think you're using too much ink, running 10 cleaning cycles in not advisory, too bad for head. As Doug said, spray Windex on paper towel (Bounty is the best), let it stay for overnight (prevent spilling ink from head on carpet I guess), clean your capping station, clean the rubber blade. After having paper towel underneath the head overnight, have another paper towel with windex and run slowly head back a forth to clean the head. Run one cleaning cycle and it should be working like a charm. If not, run the same process again, second time you get the results.

I also suggest increasing humidity where priner sits to maximum. If not possible have a cup of water somehow in head area.
I just restored a two year old sitting 4800 in a dusty garage with 3 cleaning cycles with perfect nozle check...

My two cents.

[EOTS]

Hi!

Thanks all for the suggestions!

Hmmm. Is the Windex just a regular random glass cleaner?
http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/wp-c...ads/windex.jpg
Is there something special about this one or does any glass cleaner do the job?

I think it's not available here in Austria (/ EU) but I'll watch out for it ...

Doesn't the ink spill all over the interiors of the printer then?

Best,
Martin

[sanking]

"Hmmm. Is the Windex just a regular random glass cleaner?
http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/wp-c...ads/windex.jpg
Is there something special about this one or does any glass cleaner do the job?"

I suspect that the agent which helps to unclog the head is ammonia. You could make a similar cleaner by mixing some ammonia, distilled water and perhaps some vinegar.

Sandy

[Andrew O'Neill]

The window cleaner method should do the trick. I've used it a few times with great success. For the worst case, I did a soak for a few hours. Make sure you clean the capping station as it can get quite gummed up.

[EOTS]

Thanks guys!

[Peter De Smidt]

I recently used the following as a DIY cleaning fluid:
Super Tech. RV and Marine Antifreese 1+1
with distilled water, along with a shot of household ammonia. The
Super tech has ethyl alcohol, propylene glycol, water and di potassium
phosphate in it. It's about $4 a gallon.

[EOTS]

Hmmmm. Cyan / VM did clean ... PK does not clean after 3 days of cleaning runs ... and orange / green is also not coming ...
So although I'm a chickenshit bastard and am expecting to ruin the 4900, I think I'll finally try the chemical method now ;-)

We have an ammoniak window cleaner (Ajax) here, but as this is corrosive,
wouldn't Isopropanol also work?

Best,
Martin