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Thread: Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

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  1. #1
    pixelsmith/artist
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    Angry Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

    I've got two very frustrating Epson 3800 printer problems! First, the magenta head on the printer has recently become permanently clogged. I did endless power cleanings (not the manual windex cleaning) then took the machine to an Epson service center. They had the thing for two or three weeks and could not clean the clog. I didn't want to give up so I just googled this problem and found it specifically talked about in this forum. Guess I don't feel so alone anymore. What I'd like to know know is has anyone had any success in clearing their magenta clogs? I just broke down and ordered a 3880, which sounds like it has the magenta clog issue fixed with their new Vivid Magenta ink. One very weird thing is: my 3800 still makes perfect, gorgeous prints! No visible difference between pre-clog prints and clogged magenta prints.

    The other problem that just started is that after an image finishes printing the head keeps going back and forth as if it's still printing, sometimes even if the paper has left the machine. The ONLY way I can get it to stop is to power off the machine. It wasn't a firmware or driver issue. BTW, I regularly use the rear manual feed with thick Hahnemuhle paper.The Epson service people could have fixed this (oddly by replacing an auto-feed mechanism) but since they couldn't fix the clog it wasn't really worth spending over $300.

    If anyone has any light to shed on either of these two problems it would be greatly appreciated!

  2. #2

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    Re: Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

    Susan,

    You may have read about my complaint about magenta with the Epson 3800. I have a very slight clog on the magenta with my 3800 that does not cause any problem in printing but it drives me crazy that I can not make it go away. I have tried virtually everything in the book short of running a set of flushing cartridges in the printer. Based on my experience with other Epson printers I am pretty sure that if you put a set of flushing cartridges in the printer, with something like Piezo Flush from inkjetmall or the equivalent from inksupply, and left the solution in the printer for a week or so it would clear the head. However, since my clog is very slight (two gaps of about 1mm wide on two of the fifteen lines) and does not so far as I can see affect printing in any way I have just left it as is. In fact, I use the 3800 only for making digital negatives and the magenta is a low UV blocker so it really makes no practical difference to me. But as I said, the fact that I can not correct the problem makes me pull my hair out!!

    I am reasonably certain that Epson made a mistake in the formulation of the magenta ink because I literally know five or six photographers who have clogged magenta nozzles, and no other clogs, with their Epson 3800. Maybe we should get a lawyer and file a class action lawsuit?

    Sorry, but I can not comment on the second problem as it is, thankfully, one that I have not encountered.

    Sandy
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  3. #3
    pixelsmith/artist
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    Re: Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

    Hi Sandy,

    Thanks for your quick response! I did see your posts in another thread. Hey I'll join a class action suit if there is one! I think I may have to give the Piezo Flush a try. If that works then I could throw $350 at it to get the other thing fixed, then I could sell it for...?? Still trying to figure out if it's all worth going through. Argh, tearing out hair here too! So sad because it's otherwise a mint machine, always covered, etc.

  4. #4
    Greg Lockrey's Avatar
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    Re: Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

    After doing several cleaning cycles and getting no where I soaked my printer head with Windex for about three days to clear it. You do this by turning the machine on, start a print cycle, pull the power cord to stop the head in the middle, then put some paper cleaning towels under the head and put copious amount of Windex on the towel to soak the head. I had a really bad case. Do another cleaning cycle and check....Your second problem is a new one to me also....
    Greg Lockrey

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  5. #5
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Re: Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

    I would email Arthur Entlich and ask for one of his cleaning manuals:

    " If you need one of my Epson Cleaning Manuals,
    please send an email to: e-printerhelp(at)mvps(dot)org
    (at) = @ (dot) = .

    and indicate the model(s) of printers you wish to work on."
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

  6. #6
    http://www.spiritsofsilver.com tgtaylor's Avatar
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    Re: Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

    The 2200 must not be afflicted with that problem. I had my printer stored for 7 years with the ink cartridges inserted and fully expected the jets to be clogged and the ink probably solidified. The jets were clogged but the cleaning utility cleared the clogs after about 20 cycles and I printed with that ink util it ran out. When I read this post I ran the nozzle ckeck utility and the patterns are perfect.

    Thomas

  7. #7
    pixelsmith/artist
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    Re: Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

    I had a 2200 that would sit for months without use and whenever I would fire it up it was never clogged!

    Thanks all for the advice. I'm not sure what the service center did or how hard they really tried so I'll try both the Windex routine and the Piezo Flush and give extra soaking times.

  8. #8

    Cool Re: Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

    Quote Originally Posted by Susan Scott View Post
    I've got two very frustrating Epson 3800 printer problems! First, the magenta head on the printer has recently become permanently clogged. I did endless power cleanings (not the manual windex cleaning) then took the machine to an Epson service center. They had the thing for two or three weeks and could not clean the clog. I didn't want to give up so I just googled this problem and found it specifically talked about in this forum. Guess I don't feel so alone anymore. What I'd like to know know is has anyone had any success in clearing their magenta clogs? I just broke down and ordered a 3880, which sounds like it has the magenta clog issue fixed with their new Vivid Magenta ink. One very weird thing is: my 3800 still makes perfect, gorgeous prints! No visible difference between pre-clog prints and clogged magenta prints.

    The other problem that just started is that after an image finishes printing the head keeps going back and forth as if it's still printing, sometimes even if the paper has left the machine. The ONLY way I can get it to stop is to power off the machine. It wasn't a firmware or driver issue. BTW, I regularly use the rear manual feed with thick Hahnemuhle paper.The Epson service people could have fixed this (oddly by replacing an auto-feed mechanism) but since they couldn't fix the clog it wasn't really worth spending over $300.

    If anyone has any light to shed on either of these two problems it would be greatly appreciated!

  9. #9

    Re: Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

    Hi
    Ref 3800 doing odd things (other than getting blocked which is does rather well)

    The room I work in faces south. In the morning I have less trouble with the printer than in the afternoon. The print head carriage runs backwards and forwards on a track with the end stops being sensed by an optical device (I believe). In bright conditions this seems to get flooded with light and misbehaves. Therefore I place a piece of paper on top of the printer so that it is darker and not flooded with light which seems to upset it. Without this it occasionally 'springs' into action.

    Try putting a piece of paper on top of the machine so that there is just enough room to get the paper in.

  10. #10
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Re: Epson 3800 magenta ink clog ...and other weirdness

    I recently got a used Epson 7600. It's sat unused for a couple of years. In perusing various sources, I decided to use RV and Marine anti-freeze from Walmart as a cleaning fluid. The Super Tech brand is about $4 a gallon. It is for potable water systems. It contains ethyl alcohol, propylene glycol, water, and di potassium phosphate. For use, I dilute it 1 +1 with distilled water, and I splash a bit of household ammonia in the Mason jar. Supposedly, this stuff works better than Windex, as it doesn't dry out near as fast.

    For cheap "cleaning" cartridges, save your old cartridges. I used a MIS bottom fill adapter on a syringe to put the cleaning fluid in the OEM cartridges and use a chip re-setter on the chip. It doesn't matter if there's some ink left in the cartridge. In fact it's good if there a little bit, as this will allow you to do nozzle checks.

    With my printers, I detached the ink tubes from the dampers and pulled cleaning fluid through the lines with a syringe. The Mis bottom fill adapter works well for this, as the flexible sleeve on the the end fits perfectly over the ink tubes. You probably won't need to do this on a desktop printer. After that, I did an initial fill on the printer to pull cleaning fluid to the head and used the puddle method. The puddle method involves moving the head carriage away from the capping station. (Google is your friend.) Saturate the pad on the capping station with cleaning fluid, and move the carriage back over the capping station. Let it rest for a day or so. Now do a cleaning cycle and a nozzle check. Repeat if needed.

    So far my nozzle checks are about 90% good. Hopefully they'll be perfect after a few days.

    For really tough clogs, some recommend using Simple Green cleaner diluted 1 +1 with distilled water.

    FYI, you can buy cleaning cartridges direct from China for much less that what they are sold for here in the USA.
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

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