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Possible fix for an ink clogged DTG head for desperate people

17K views 28 replies 8 participants last post by  aaprintsshop 
#1 · (Edited)
CAUTION - USE THIS ADVISE AT YOUR RISK. THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES THAT THIS WILL WORK FOR YOU.

I am calling this the "Padilla Fix"

My good friend Fred Padilla, who just happens to be the developer of the CBreeze RIP as well as many other DTG products over the last ten or so years (Jet Genie head unclogging solution from the old days is just one of them), just gave me an awesome tip for DTG owners who have clogged white head issues and are just about ready to give up.

I WOULD ONLY USE THIS PROCEDURE ON AN "OUT OF WARRANTY" MACHINE, PERIOD.

Fred received a used prototype DTG that had a white nozzle check that was failing on one of the white banks. This machine was never intended for sale to the public, had no warranty what so ever and was regarded as a "disposable" printer.

After being in use for a few months the DTG was boxed up ready for shipment to Fred. It sat on the shop floor awaiting pickup for three weeks. When Fred took possession of it the printer then sat for another two weeks before it was unboxed and finally set up.

No white ink showed up at all after a few nozzles checks. Numerous head cleanings did nothing at all. With no warranty at all on the printer it was looking like it was pretty ready to be put out to pasture.

Fred's fix was to put the DTG in a mode where the head would be moved out of it's docked position where the head was exposed and accessible.

He then propped up a few small cardboard boxes under the exposed head assembly and wedged a Windex soaked bundle of paper towels underneath the clogged head unit and let it set for two hours.

After the two hours went by and after a few head cleanings the DTG then returned a perfect white nozzle check and that was that.

A FEW RULES TO FOLLOW

1.) Use ONLY standard Windex. Not the foamy kind.

2.) DO NOT leave soaking for more than two hours or you run the risk of delaminating the head.

3.) Dab only. Never wipe.

4.) After every dab use a new paper towel EVERY time.

5.) Only use a paper towel. No cloth of any kind.

Good luck!
 
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#5 · (Edited)
I also am in same boat, left printer on when I left for family emergency and came back to no white ink. I tried the emergency solution with windex to no avail, pumped up my humidity to 60%, 3 heavy cycles of head cleaning and not a spot of white. So any other guidance or thoughts on a fix other then the obvious of $2500 to $3500 service call, or possibly a boat anchor!!!!! Thanks
 
#7 ·
Whenever I have a very stubborn clog I start with a head cleaning or two and then try a manual draw from the capping station, followed by another head cleaning. If this doesn't work I flush the white line, saving the ink and that usually does the trick. Make sure your capping station is wet at the end of the day to soak the print head and all your parts are cleaned well. Some clogs are due to heavy particles in the white ink from the bottom of your ink supply coming through the line. When you replace your ink don't always just leave the bottom 1/4 of old ink as it has more material in in that can produce clogs.
 
#8 ·
Ok I finally got my whites printing flawlessly, Did all the straight forward thing IE: head cleanings, making sure capping station was clean etc., did the Windex trick helped with whites 1 & 2 a little bit, so I am screwed anyways so I experimented, I took eye dropper with water and put in capping station, turned machine off overnight and came back next morning and nozzle checked, all 4 whites working 80% did a few more head cleanings and test prints and everything is working 100%. So long run saved my happy about $3500 in service call, now just to remember to do test print everyday and keep humidity up.
 
#9 ·
I use Firebirds tube wash which is far cheaper than epsons and works 100X's better. But when I have a clog I take a eye dropper and put some in the capping station and wait about 5-10 mins and do a light clean or two and it is back 100%. If I have a sever head clog I do the same thing and leave it overnight and a light cleaning or two and its back in working order. The Firebird tube wash is amazing stuff I do not know what the fine folks at Firebird put it it but you can just watch it break up the ink when you do a tube clean. And for $12.50 for a small bottle you cannot beat it. I think they sell it in a larger liter size for about $20 or so but it's worth its weight in gold for the amount of times it saved me.
 
#18 ·
Not recommended, no. Get a tube washing kit and it will have the fluid that you need. Three eyedroppers full is right at the suggested 10ml of solution.

Now if you run out and are in a pinch using the cleaner fluid I would say would be better than no tube wash at all. I know that I have done it once or twice this way myself.
 
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