Help needed understanding Canon ip4500 nozzle check and system test

[jimmerthy]

Printer is about 1.5 years old. It's had light, but consistent use. I've been using compatible cartridges from the same supplier since the originals ran out.

Recently though I've been unable to get a good nozzle check result. I've replaced all cartridges and performed so many cleans (deep and normal) that now I'm completely unsure what to do.

I followed the system test instructions I found on another thread in this forum and scanned the output from both and uploaded them here...

imgur.com/a/9f6MF
(note that you can click on the imgur images to get full size versions where it's clearer to see the artefacts)

If anyone could shed any light on this then that would be great. My dad has the same printer, uses the same compatible inks and has had no problems.

Thanks
James

 

[ghwellsjr]

You have multiple problems with your print head but the major problem is the missing columns on the cyan. This kind of pattern indicates an electrical problem that cannot be fixed. You're going to have to get a new print head.

 

[The Hat]

jimmerthy
Its quite possible that you may have an electrical problem as ghwellsjr says but I wouldnt give up just yet.
Remove your print head and soak it in 1 inch of Windex for a day or so and then try it again.

Make sure you dry it properly first before putting it back in your printer.
Put a couple of drops Windex on each of the inlets in the print head just before you reinsert
the cartridges and then do a normal clean cycle followed by a nozzle check.

Put the two nozzle checks together (this and previous one) and see if there is any improvement
in the cyan and magenta if there is try a few more cleaning cycles and report back to us..

 

[ghwellsjr]

TH, did you scroll down to see his image of the extended nozzle check?

 

[The Hat]

ghwellsjr TH, did you scroll down to see his image of the extended nozzle check?

I did have a good look at it alright, these things have a way of sorting themselves out sometimes,
not always but it doesnt hurt or cost anything to give it a try..

 

[ghwellsjr]

It'll will cost time and it may hurt the printer if he's not careful.

If it were me, I would not try any more unless I didn't care if I damaged the printer, in other words, if I didn't want to spend the money on a new print head. But if he's planning to buy another Canon printer, he won't find a better one than the iP4500.

 

[jimmerthy]

Thanks very much for the suggestions.

I'm going to give the head a soak as I don't think I've got much to lose.

Can anyone recommend a readily available UK brand of window cleaner that has the same formula as Windex (ammonia based and no pigment I presume)

Thanks
James

 

[Redbrickman]

Lidl W5 Window and Glass cleaner is suitable.

It's a large spray bottle (Blue colour) and will last you for your lifetime, never mind the printers

I have used it with good results, and some of the other members on the forum have used it successfully.

If your clogging is stubborn you need plenty of patience. Before removing the head and soaking you might try as The Hat says, a few drops on each inlet and then a clean and nozzle check.

If there is no improvement then remove the cartridges, add a few drops to each inlet, replace carts, and as soon as the head has returned to the RH side cut the power to the printer at the wall point.

Leave it for 24 hrs and then power on and do a nozzle check.

It took 4 days to unclog one of my old printers and plenty of patience, however it then printer as good as new.

 

[The Hat]

ghwellsjr If it were me, I would not try any more unless I didn't care if I damaged the printer

Websnail gave me a print head with very similar problems (magenta only) to test what would happen if I reset and didnt refill my cartridges.
Martin was actually surprised that I had gotten the print head working with only a couple of day soaking in Windex it was unclogged again.
As I said it doesnt always work but still well worth the effort..

 

[jimmerthy]

Hi everyone.

I got some Lidl W5 Window & Glass cleaner and bathed the print head in about an inch of it for 5 hours.

After drying, I put the head back into the printer and reinstalled the ink cartirdges.

I did a few cleans, but the nozzle check results seemed similar to before.

I then read about checking the purge unit, so I flooded both sponges with cleaner, closed the lid and reopened it once the head had stopped moving. I repeated this a few times and convinced myself that the sponge was getting whiter and the pump was drawing the cleaner down.

I then repeated the tests and this is where I am now...
http://imgur.com/a/YFREz

The cyan seems to have been cleared up, but I'm just left with that 'scratchy' magenta.

Do you think some more soaking of the head may sort this out?

Thanks
James