[Jewkin]

I cant get white ink to pull through the capping station, charge, or come out on a nozzle check. Ive flushed all the white ink lines, primmed dampers manually, Removed and cleaned the print head. Removed and cleaned the capping station.

I'm sure the problem is in the capping station. It was last replaced in September. The color well fills and drains like it should. But the white ink well remains dry. I can pull cleaning solution through so i dont believe it's clogged. When i try to draw ink through the waste line with the head parked all i get is pressure.

I've been trying to fix this for days with little help from tech support. Scoured the boards and web for answers only to come up dry. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[JeridHill]

I'm not sure of your setup, but on our printer, we can pull ink in between the capping station and the waste lines. If we can pull through the maintenance lines, we know the capping station is not clogged. If nothing pulls through when doing a normal head clean, then the fittings that lead to our waste ink most likely would be clogged.

When you pull ink through, where are you attaching your syringe to do this?

 

[Jewkin]

Yes, im using a syringe, attached to the waste ink line. Ink wont pull through the capping station, but cleaning solution poured in the well pulls fine. I have removed the capping station and throughly flushed all lines and removed any dried ink. I am positive that its not a clog.

 

[JeridHill]

I am positive that its not a clog.

There is only one pump that pulls from both sides. If (1)it pulls from one side and not the other, (2) you can get ink flowing through the head (3) you can pull through the maintenance lines, then my guess is it is a clog but on the exit where your tubing goes into the waste. Like I said, I don't know how the K3 is setup, but with ours, the maintenance lines intercept the waste tubing and the tubing coming from the capping station. So if you can pull fluid through the capping station when you fill it, then the clog would have to be past your maintenance lines where you are connecting your syringe.

 

[Jewkin]

Jerid. Thanks for your reply, but if it is a clog where do i go from here? Like i said, colored inks are flowing. Filling the well and being pumped into the waste ink bottle. White is just dry. Nothing. I can pull cleaning solution through the white well, and with the capping station removed i flushed cleaning solution through the line until it ran clear.

Ive attached some pictures of my capping station and the lines as well as where im pulling from. hoping it helps you help me.

 

[dazzabling]

When you do a nozzle check no white ink comes out? pushing solution through the printhead indicates there is not a clog in the printhead but it could mean the printhead is delaminted which means the printhead needs to be replaced.

can you ink charge with solution in the white lines/dampers into the white wells of the capping station? if you can does it drain? not manually pulling with a syringe but using the printer to pull solution through the white channels.

or/

Also, you may want to try and remove the white waste ink line and do a warm ammonia flush
50/50 household ammonia and distilled water.. there may be a clog in the waste ink line if you feel pressure.
your post had a couple of symptoms that could lead to a bad printhead or clogged line sorry for the both solutions.

 

[Jewkin]

dazzabling - No white on a nozzle check.

I'm a little reluctant to pull cleaning soluton through the white lines again as ive already replaced my white ink. But I guess i can give it a whirl. Replacing the capping station sounds like it might be the best solution, but it's fairly new and seems it should have a longer life than 8 months. :-/ Damn this money eating machine.

 

[JeridHill]

Sorry, maybe I misunderstood. I was thinking your head was fine. It might be your print head.

When your print head is on the capping station, are you able to pull white ink through the maintenance line? If not, then you would have a clogged head. The chances of all of your dampers going bad at one time is extremely slim.

If you are able to pull white ink through your capping station using the maintenance line, then do a head clean and watch to see if white ink comes out of the capping station. Then do a nozzle test, if it fires white, and/or no ink comes out of the waste lines, then you would have a clog in the exit of the waste tubing (most likely that area).

 

[Jewkin]

No white ink pulls manually when parked over the capping station. No white ink deposits during a cleaning or a charge. I've removed and soaked the print head and replaced 2 white dampers per Coldesi tech support instructions. I've also changed the WIMS filter.


The odd thing is I was printing beautifully on Monday and absolutly nothing on tuesday.

 

[dazzabling]

DTG World: Key things to remember..

Parts do not have a shelf life

The resistance part is what concerns me, as well as the printhead. Do the warm ammonia flush capping station to the waste ink tank lines first to see if you can remove the pressure you are getting. You already know that the proper flow is needed in order to have a successful print. Now, if there is a clog underneath the capping station its not going to pull from the ink lines > to the damper > to the printhead into waste ink tank.

Also, check your ribbon cable it could be electrical since you did do a lot of flushing and cleaning. Look for any moisture or ink on the ribbon cable to the printhead.

 

[Jewkin]

Dazzabling. There is no pressure when drawing from the well to the waste line. Only when trying to draw through with the head parked. Removed a bit of ink on the ribbons. Still no good.

 

[jonmig]

Looking at your pics I would replace the rubber park seal on the capping station it looks well blocked up

 

[Jewkin]

Can you replace just the rubber seal or does the whole cappîng station need replacing

 

[dazzabling]

I have never heard of just replacing the seal..if you found ink on the ribbon cable this may need replacing.

General rule of the thumb if you lost your printhead, replace your capping station and ribbon cable.

If you get the ribbon cable wet you could have damage the printhead. If you keep trying pushing and pulling you could end up damaging the mother board.

I suggest replacing those parts. If the capping station is already dried up it getting dry there is no bringing it back to life.

If you don't get the flow back you will end up clogging your white ink tubes

 

[jonmig]

Yes you can just replace the seal ...
go to Ebay.com dtgparts is the seller
they stock them ,press down on the pad and turn it slighly it will come out of its holder ,watch for the tiny spring (so you don't lose it tie a piece of cotton to it) then take off the 4 pipes from the pad and reinstall the same way back again ...easy !!!!

 

[dazzabling]

Make sure you can get the pads back to moist other wise it's a waste of time

 

[jonmig]

Exactly C ,thats why I think the white side looks solid from the pics and only fluid is getting through as its a lot thinner viscosity than the white titanium ink worth trying if nothing else

 

[Jewkin]

Thanks everyone for your input. A new capping station is on its way. Unfortunatly I wont have it until Tuesday. I'll keep ya'll posted.

 

[uktech]

No white ink pulls manually when parked over the capping station. No white ink deposits during a cleaning or a charge. I've removed and soaked the print head and replaced 2 white dampers per Coldesi tech support instructions. I've also changed the WIMS filter.


The odd thing is I was printing beautifully on Monday and absolutly nothing on tuesday.

If no white ink pulls through when on the capping station, but you can freely pull through cleaning solution from the white side of the capping station, I would say the capping station is OK and the head is blocked.

 

[Jewkin]

Well... After 3 weeks of dealing with this mess, I'm almost there. I replaced a few dampers...the capping station...then the printhead...

I have a nozzle check only showing 3 white ink channels. The 4th (or is it the first (right next to black) is not releasing a drop of white ink). I'm assuming the promblem now is a damper...That i just replaced. (Oh why wont this machine just work right)

Any ideas on how to remedy the situation?

I really need this thing up and running.