Pandoras Box or a Treasure?

[NaturallyKalymnos]

I bought a z3100 used, sitting in a closed offece for a number of years. Sure the inks are long since dried up, and guessing the lines need flushing, I bought a ultra sonic machine to clean the print heads, not sure if best to use water or solvent.
Problem is I know nothing about this machine, I thought I was getting a plotter. Nonetheless I can use it to print my photos and advertisements for our products.
Finding refillable cartridges has been not so easy, I’d like a set with resettable chips.
Bought a new teflon belt as I am assuming what’s there hasn’t much of a life, but we’ll see.
Main questions are what parts should I expect to replace, and anyone have a clue about the refillable cartridges? Found a place in India but a set wasn’t enough for them for an order!
Might have bitten off a bit much.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

I only would have bought such unit in working condition and leaving all cleaning etc up to the seller, but anyway - it is my understanding that HP printheads are replaceable which could be a startup investment; inks for that printer are aqueous so any cleaner should be as well. If you go for refillable cartridges you probably would need a resetter as well, or the chips are of the auto reset type. You may find HP ink cartridges at a lower price if you look for expired ones on Ebay. There might be a way to disconnect the tubing to the printhead and rinse the ink tubes with a cleaner, or filling a cleaner into the cartridges and print all colors with that cleaner. That's just some thoughts coming into my mind but I'm not an HP user at all. And there might be a chance to find a service manual .

 

[The Hat]

Might have bitten off a bit much.

My advice now would be to walk away, and pass on the printer to someone else, you’ll need very deep pockets to get this beast running, and then it will still cause no amount of headaches, quit while your ahead unless you can afford it..

 

[Classic Shots]

You have one of the best printers HP has made. That printer is only second to the z3200. If you have a little bit of technical skills and confidence, that printer will work. If you access to China from where you are, precisely AliExpress then you are good to go. You can get refillable cartridges there and good compatible refill inks from Aomya. First thing is to get the printer started and the belt you got is a good beginning. Those printheads you have should have no problem for now, you can open them and manually wash and flush them just Google that on utube and follow carefully, I've done that many times. Let's work together and see that printer working.

 

[cyruspy]

You have one of the best printers HP has made. That printer is only second to the z3200. If you have a little bit of technical skills and confidence, that printer will work. If you access to China from where you are, precisely AliExpress then you are good to go. You can get refillable cartridges there and good compatible refill inks from Aomya. First thing is to get the printer started and the belt you got is a good beginning. Those printheads you have should have no problem for now, you can open them and manually wash and flush them just Google that on utube and follow carefully, I've done that many times. Let's work together and see that printer working.

Can you elaborate on the refillable cartridges?, Does the printer need any kind of modification to work with them?

 

[Classic Shots]

Of course there is a cartridge reset chip that you need to get. It costs about 45 USD on AliExpress and shipping cost carries from country to country. You can also get the refill cartridges on the same website. There is a YouTube video on it on the web and also a PDF file on the installation of the chip on the web too.

 

[cyruspy]

Of course there is a cartridge reset chip that you need to get. It costs about 45 USD on AliExpress and shipping cost carries from country to country. You can also get the refill cartridges on the same website. There is a YouTube video on it on the web and also a PDF file on the installation of the chip on the

I've seen those little PCB that you use unplugging a cable from each side of the printer to bypass state detection. I was wondering if with the latest cartridges, those were not needed anymore.

I read somewhere that the new cartridges auto reset their reported levels on reconnect (ARC included), hence the little jammer were not needed anymore. Maybe I misunderstood it.

 

[Classic Shots]

That would be a new development, if you have the old system and it's working I won't bother myself on another set giving the cost. You could find the new cartridges and let's know how it goes. Anything is possible, technology is evolving.

 

[cyruspy]

That would be a new development, if you have the old system and it's working I won't bother myself on another set giving the cost. You could find the new cartridges and let's know how it goes. Anything is possible, technology is evolving.

Will attempt that route and report back. What about ink quality?, You recommended Aomya. Challenge would be to make sure it's really Aomya and not a knock off.

 

[ccc]

Best source we found is http://www.refillhouse.com/index.php?route=common/home

A Taiwanese supplier we've used for two years at least, in our Designjet. We refill a HP cart, but you need two. When you empty one you must put in another empty one, then you can put back the first so as the printer thinks it's new. (It can only remember one number, so thinks you are putting in a new one)
There is a caveat, we are in Australia where it is an offence to prevent the use of third party replacements.