My sc-p900 prints 1 cm wide bands

[ergaster]

My sc-p900 prints 1 cm wide bands​

vertical bands (1 cm) on print on expensive paper. no very visible on plain A4
Did print head cleaning etc...

I had a long support thread via the epson chat box but he couldn't help to fix the issue.

Anyone had the same problem and, more important ...... the solution

 

[The Hat]

more important ...... the solution

It looks like ink starvation or a clog in one of the heads or both..

Try replacing the whole set of carts.. Yes its expensive but you can’t print with it in the condition it’s in now..

 

[ergaster]

hi Hat,
we did a full cartridge renewal (not cheap indeed but the bands are still there...
Is there a user friendly way to unclog the heads?

thanks
ergaster

 

[The Hat]

Is there a user friendly way to unclog the heads?

I am not very familiar with the workings of Epson’s print heads so can’t give good advice on that, but there are other Epson experts on here that may chip in and help.. Sorry..

In the meantime try printings out a nozzle check..

 

[thebestcpu]

Hi @ergaster
I do have a p900 and am familiar with several failure modes, yet I have not had that particular one you experienced.

It would really help if you shared more details about the specific paper type, brand/product, the software you are using to print the image (e.g. Photoshop), the printer configuration you are using (rear tray vs front tray vs roll), whether you are having you print software take priority in the settings or if the printer settings is taking control, that then, specifically which settings are being used such as media type, paper profile, quality level, if high speed is selected etc. if you can share what you already tried with the Epson person, it would save time on trying those things again.

Did you or were you guided through any maintenance calibration options?

Without the initial information from you, here is some information that might tell you possible sources of the problem.

- paper feed adjustment and printer head alignment
- Which feed path is used (rear feeder causes more problems)
- unidirectional vs bidirectional printing (bidirectional being the high speed option)
- media type setting vs actual media type being printed (which controls paper thickness handling, head height (platen gap), ink laydown, and feed speed). If you use a media type that is for a thinner paper, you can have problems

Not all papers will be issue-free in the P900. Some papers can have bulging or curling, which is ink-layout-dependent, causing feed issues and head-touching.

Some non-supported papers can accumulate on the feed paths and rollers, creating issues as well.

What I usually do is a divide-and-conquer approach to see what the above is, a light switch test, meaning the problem is there or goes away. This usually helps narrow down the specific culprit.

I would start with an officially supported Epson paper that is closest to what you are using, with the correct media settings confirmed (either in the printer driver or on the printer itself). I don't know what printing software you use, but I have found that the printer driver on my Mac for the P900 isn't the most straightforward about ensuring you have properly set the media type, and the printer can override that setting.

I put these details out since you were unsuccessful working with Epson, from which I infer it is not a simple go-to fix.

Just my suggestions to consider
John Wheeler