Easy unclogging of epson printhead.

[qwertydude]

Ok after not printing for a couple weeks I got a stubborn clog on my Epson Artisan 50 with CISS. After 2 cleanings it had the same nozzles clogged on the cyan channel. It was annoying but I devised an easy way to quickly clean the print heads. I had an extra CISS lying around that I didn't like because ARC chips don't work very well with the Artisan 50. So I clipped a cartridge off it along with about a foot of hose. I rinsed out the cartridge so it's cleaned out of ink. Then I filled it with windex.

The cleaning procedure is as follows. Press the ink button so you get access to the carts. Remove all the carts then install the windex filled cart into the clogged channel. Then manually move the cartridge to the right all the way which raises the park pad to the print head. Then use a syringe attached to the hose coming out of the top of the cartridge and gently pull then push on the plunger several times. This agitates the windex in and out of the print head and will dislodge and dissolve the clog. Then you need to gently push the plunger to force out all air bubbles from the print head or you'll end up with some stubbornly ink starved nozzles. I found about 5 ml forced through the nozzles properly primes the nozzles. I only have one cleaning cartridge clipped from my old CISS and even with slightly color contaminated windex the ink doesn't cross contaminate into the cartridge because when you install the cartridge the printer immediately starts a priming cycle so I use the same cartridge for all channels.

 

[ghwellsjr]

I don't know about Epson but I damaged a print head which then burned out my printer by pumping and sucking on the inlet ports with a Windex filled syringe which I then immediately put back in the printer.

I have since determined that there is no danger by sucking with your month on the tubing because you can only generate a maximum of 14.7 lbs per square inch by doing this and it generates a force in the correct direction to remove clogs in a nozzle. Using a syringe to pump Windex into a cartridge or print head can generate a pressure many times that amount and can force the clogs even further into the nozzles and the high pressure can break the seals inside the print head that keeps the different color inks separate from each other. This method won't work with the scheme qwertydude describes here because you need to put the cleaning solution on the bottom side of the print head. I'm not saying that qwertydude's method doesn't have merit, I'm just issuing a caution.

 

[pet_henry]

Success in cleaning Epson Workforce 610 clogged printhead.

This printer uses Epson 68, 69, 97 ink cartridges (also known as TO68120, TO68220, TO68320, TO68420).

I purchased a set of refillable cartridges and ink from Precision Colors, which I recommend highly. Michael Lee was instrumental in helping me. This website asks me to remove the link to the Precision Colors website, but you can Google Precision Colors mikling

There are two potential problems - ink drying and clogging the printhead, and an air bubble forming in the printhead.

Fixing a clogged printhead

Try this first

Step 1. Command the printer to change a cartridge
Step 2. Pull the plug
Step 3. Move the printhead assembly to the left, out of the way
Step 4. Use a syringe or a pipette to put a few CCs of Windex on the pads all the way to the right, where the printhead sits when not in use. There are two pads - one for black and one for colors.
Step 5. Manually move the printhead assembly all the way to the right
Step 6. Allow the printer to sit for a few hours or overnight
Step 7. Plug the printer in, wait for it to turn on, and do a head clean cycle followed by a nozzle check

If this doesn't work you may have to do this process a few times. It may take a few days.

If this still doesn't work, try the following (with a refillable cartridge only):

Step 1. Command the printer to change a cartridge
Step 2. Remove the offending cartridge
Step 3. Pull out the plug used to refill the cartridge and install the other plug (see refill directions)
Step 4. Use a syringe with needle to remove as much of the ink as you can
Step 5. Replace the ink with Windex, remove the 2nd plug and reinstall the first plug. Replace the cartridge.
Step 6. Place more Windex on the pads, per the procedure above
Step 7. Allow to sit overnight
Step 8. Try head cleaning and nozzle check.

Leave the windex in for a few days, try the head cleaning/nozzle check once in a while. It took me two days until the Windex dissolved the clog.
I removed the windex with the syringe and replaced it with ink. Now I will have soapy magenta for awhile.

Fixing an air bubble

This can happen if a cartridge is run down too far before being refilled.

All of a sudden the nozzle check pattern failed for the black printhead. When I removed the cartridge I saw it was practically empty, including the circular reservoir about halfway up.

This procedure is very messy. Wear gloves.

Step 1. Refill the cartridge normally. You will notice the circular reservoir is still empty.
Step 2. Take your syringe used for refilling (should be about 10 CC size) and put a couple CC of ink in it. Remove the needle.
Step 3. Place the syringe against the ink outlet and force some ink into the cartridge. THIS WILL ONLY WORK IF THE SYRINGE FITS REASONABLY TIGHTLY AGAINST THE INK OUTLET!
The pressure of the syringe will cause the valve in the outlet to open, allowing some ink to enter the circular reservoir. The rest of the ink will spray you and the room in a random Rorschach pattern. I told you it was messy!
Step 4. Reinstall the cartridge.
Step 5. Pull the plug of the printer, and put some Windex on the pads per the first procedure. This may help draw ink into the inkhead - I don't know, but it worked for me.
Step 6. Allow the printer to sit for half an hour or so
Step 7. Plug it back in and try a head cleaning cycle / nozzle check.

This worked for me!

 

[Redbrickman]

Anyone know what the equivalent of Windex is here in rip off Britain

 

[The Hat]

Redbrickman

I use W5 eco window cleaner from lidl, work great for me..

 

[PeterBJ]

Hi Redbrickman

Here is a thread that recommends a glass cleaner from Halfords UK : http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4498&p=2

see the post by maxihod

Peter

 

[pet_henry]

I have already posted some procedures for cleaning an Epson workforce printhead.
Here are an additional procedures, useful to purge air or perhaps clean out a clog. The first procedure requires about a foot long piece of silicone rubber tubing, 1/8 inch Inside Diameter (available from a hobby / model shop):

Step 1. Command the printer to change a cartridge
Step 2. Remove the cartridge
Step 3. Attach tubing to syringe and fill with 50% windex (ammonia water cleaner) / 50% water
Step 4. Attach other end of tubing to printhead nipple
Step 5. Carefully inject about 2 cc of solution into the printhead. Don't force if head is clogged, but some agitation might help.
Step 6. Replace cartridge

To help in drawing ink through printhead / dissolving clog from bottom end of printhead:
Step 1. Saturate folded paper towel with windex solution
Step 2. Remove AC power cord
Step 3. Place saturated paper towel on bottom of printer and manually move head assembly so printhead is in contact with saturated paper towel
Step 4. Allow head to remain in contact with towel for an hour or more. This will wick ink out of cartridges.
Step 5. Remove paper towel
Step 6. Plug in AC power cord
Step 7. After power-up cycle, try nozzle check

 

[OutOFtheinkwell]

When all else fails, secure 12 OZ TriNitroToluline, and tamp directly into the printer head. (Just Kidding) , but, there have been times when I thought of trying TNT !

 

[The Hat]

When all else fails, secure 12 OZ TriNitroToluline, and tamp directly into the printer head. (Just Kidding) , but, there have been times when I thought of trying TNT !

That would certainly cause a big print explosion in your neighbourhood..

 

[Lothman]

Anyone know what the equivalent of Windex is here in rip off Britain

I also use a windows cleaner, I think brand doesn't matter.

If this fails I would mix pharmacist's cleaning solution with ammonia: http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5992