Canon i960 Magenta problem?

[ejaf]

Hi...just found this forum, and the wealth of info has been great, so thanks in advance...

Wondering whether someone can help me here. I have been refilling OEM carts for this printer since I got it 2 years ago, with no issues, until now.

Now, I can't get a decent photo print, and when I run the manual print head alignment, the patterns in columns C and E show stripes all the way down the line. I have tried cleaning, deep cleaning, and also the "panos" method of soaking the print head on a paper with an ammonia solution (didn't have any ammonia Windex around).

Is my print head burnt, or is there a possibility of a clog still being there, causing the two rows of Magenta colored test patterns being messed up.

Another fact...when I originally started looking into the problem, I noticed that the photo magenta cart seemed to have a major block into the sponge, although the sponge itself was not totally dry.

Any help greatly appreciated...

Eric

 

[Grandad35]

Eric,

Can you post a scan or a photo of your head alignment printout? See (http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=36) for instructions on posting an image.

Regular patterns of missing ink usually indicate poor electrical contact between the back of the print head and the carriage, a problem with the cable carrying the signals to the moving carriage that holds the print head, or a problem with the main circuit board.

Use a SOFT pencil eraser and gently clean the contacts on the back of the print head and make sure that you did not get any water behind the circuit board on the print head. If it might be wet, use a hair dryer set on low heat (under 120 degrees F) to dry it out.

 

[ejaf]

Will do this tonight...don't have a scanner, but can upload jpg, if that will suffice...

If not...or if a scanner is better, I can probably track someone down who can do this for me.

TIA...E

 

[Nifty]

Eric,

As long as you are going to the trouble you may also want to show us a copy of the nozzle check pattern.

BTW, do you have a digital camera? If you don't have ready access to a scanner then a macro shot of your prints with a digital camera may work (better than nothing).

 

[ejaf]

Here they are...

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/img/files/printalign.jpg

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/img/files/nozzlecheck2.jpg

The nozzle check on the 6M and 6PM have a distinct line halfway through them...hard to see in the scan. The rest seem OK.

FYI...This is after replacing my carts with something called ProColor carts...just to make sure it wasn't the sponge on my PM cart.

I also tried cleaning the contacts...no change in the nozzle check pattern.
Eric

 

[mmconhea]

I have a i960 with the same problem- only Cyan is the troublemaker.

 

[ejaf]

I also cleaned the contacts last night. No discernable change to output.

 

[Grandad35]

Eric, mmconcha,

A have previously encountered similar problems on my i9900. It appears that your magenta (C) and PM (E) alignment checks have the problem - mine was on the PM.

Some of my problems turned out to be that the carts were starving the print head, and only one of the two banks of nozzles was getting any ink. If you look at the bottom of your print head, you will see two columns of nozzles. I believe that the head alignment procedure prints from both banks, but varies the "phasing" to see which setting puts the two columns of ink exactly in between each other. If one bank doesn't work, you get what you see on your print. In my case, this problem occurred after several refills, and the sponges/filters were becoming clogged. When I put my spare OEM PM cart back in, the problem went away (a good reason to keep a spare set of OEM carts). The final cure for this problem was to clean the carts and switch ink suppliers.

There was also an instance where a new print head (replaced under warranty after the heat sink on the original print head came loose) had the same problem. The problem was a true blockage in one of the PM channels (I believe from manufacturing residue), and required a rather radical solution (http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=241). You might give this a try as a last resort just before you buy a new print head or printer, and you have nothing to lose.

Your nozzle check looks OK, but it is too light to really see any detail.

It is also possible that there is an electrical problem, as mentioned in a previous post.

 

[ejaf]

Grandad...many thanks for your help. When I pull the carts off of the printhead, I do see the "bubble" of colored ink I've heard mentioned, so I don't believe it's being startved by the cart. I also checked the electrical connections, and cleaned them, and that didn't work.

I will try the last resort mentioned above...I was also hoping that someone actually was able to make that "tool" mentioned with household supplies? I not, I won't be able to force water throught the plastic channels.

Now, in the event that this doesn't work, I will probably be shopping first for a printhead, since I love this printer, since I have yet to find another Canon with specs close to this one (as far as # of nozzles). Speed of printing balck and white doesn't phase me...I just love the way this thing prints photos (especially with my new Canon A610 camera!).

Will try to find time tonight for the "operation", and will post results when done.

E

 

[Grandad35]

I was also hoping that someone actually was able to make that "tool" mentioned with household supplies?

I have been able to use a short section of plain soda straw, with the factory cut end against the rubber seal on the print head and the cut end slid over my syringe. You can also try some of the clear vinyl tubing (available at hardware stores) that fits tightly over the print head pickup and adapting it to a syringe or any other pumping device. There is a photo of such a setup somewhere on this forum.