Epson l550 keeps clogging up

[abgx1]

Hi,

I use my Epson L550 printer every day to print 300-500 pages per month, but despite this, it keeps clogging and skipping rows. If I try the cleaning option in the menu, it helps, but only for 2-3 days, and then the same problem reappears (but on different rows).

Is there anything else I should try, or should I start looking for sales on a new printer? "

 

[The Hat]

Is there anything else I should try,

That’s a common problem with Eco Tank printers, they work great for a while then they tend to cause printing issues, you need to print every day to keep them in good condition..

 

[abgx1]

I print every day.

So do I understand correctly that after 7years and 27k pages its more like feature than bug?

 

[websnail]

The one thing I would recommend is watching a few youtube videos that show to remove the scanner lid and access the printhead carriage so you can remove the ink feed buffers (the bits that take over from cartridges) and then check how much ink is actually in them.

NB: Watch the videos through and get the best practice from each... These videos often have some pretty awful examples of what not to do too so keep your critical mind well and truly open!

I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that a large number of the problems with ink feed issues are being caused by air ingestion into these buffers that looks like a clog... If they're effectively empty, use a luer slip syringe (one without a locking collar) to pull enough air out of the buffer to fill it to about 50-70% full of ink. Make sure to leave some air in there though as it helps even out pressure changes caused by the carriage motion.

Once you've done that, I'd look at GENTLY pushing a little cleaning solution through the "clogged" nozzles to gauge just how much ink flow there is and hopefully clear any clogs... If you realise there's obviously a LOT of resistance to that gentle pressure, cover the inlet nozzle spikes with some cling film (saran wrap) or similar to keep the ink from drying out then let the cleaning solution work the problem (like allowing dishes to soak in hot soapy water). Give it 30 minutes or so and then repeat as required.

When you're happy, reassemble the buggers, printhead and unit again and see whether that fixes things.

As a side note I'm noticing that the black ink in particular is being reported as clogging most of all.. It's using a pigment ink in a lot of the Ecotanks so that may be a key factor that encourages clogging but just keep in mind it may need a bit more effort to clear out if the issue is indeed bunged up nozzles.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

[Smile]

Same problem on my brother printer with new replaced print head that is piezo like epson. I use epson 673 ink where they are dye inks including black. Black ink clogs and clears after 2 or 3 cleanings despite printer performs maintenance cleanings every day (brother feature). I wonder is this ink truly is dye anyone tried some filter on syringe to filter it? I forgot what particle size is even pigment ink allowed to be but clearly dye ink should have no particles

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

I can very much support @websnail 's comments above, I'm using Epson Ecotank printers since a long time and print quite a lot - prints/images and internet articles which I rather like to have printed and don't like to read them on the screen. It's about 50-100 pages/day. The current workhorse is a L805 with 33 000 pages printed at this time I don't have much issues at all at this time - no clogs with the 106 dye inks. Pigment ink of various types for testing run on a WF2010W in cartridges and an age old Pro7600 - 24".

I'm observing on the L805 that the ink level in the dampers is dropping very slowly - I'm looking after it at about every 10 000 pages and increase the ink level a little bit by sucking up a small amount of ink at that occasion. I'm barely doing any manual cleanings, the waste ink counter is at 60% at this time.

Yes, some Ectoank inksets come with a pigment black, I remember problems with a pigment black - non-Epson - on a previous L310 on which I removed and replaced the pigment black by a dye black.
There had been problems with the pigment black on the ET 7750 - pigment residue buildup at the cleaning unit which only could be removed manually. It was smearing those pigment blacks across the nozzle plate. I don't see this problem at this time with the L8550 successor.

I can overall report that some pigment inks I used for a test in the past where heavily clogging the WF2010W, and other inks are just printing fine - you don't know before you start printing - you cannot go by the promises of 3rd party ink suppliers - 'pigment inks with the highest user awards' - and more of those stupid claims

I don't have a problem with a Brother DCP195C at about 10 000 pages with 106 inks, and my son is running an almost 15 year old DCP-585CW with 3rd party cartridges - most likely with a dye black.

 

[Smile]

Good to hear that brother printers are running after tens of thousands of prints