Epson Stylus Pro 9600 - occasional Paper Jam Error

[Ink stained Fingers]

Thanks for the feedback, I'll keep your findings in my mind in case I get the same error notification with my 7600

 

[Aparsons]

I have just acquired a 9600 and it is a bit noisy on the carriage movement, not disasterously so but I would like to clean and lube it. The service manual says Idemitsu super multi oil #32. I'm in UK any idea where I can get some or probably more to the point is there a common equivalent that would do the job?

The cleaner counter (Serv Req 0040) had reached its limit when I bought it so it has done some printing. I have reset the counter and the machine runs nicely but my plan is to take off the right cover and clean the ink pads, wiper, tubes etc. to take heed of the 0040 message even though it is simply a counter and clean and lube the carriage rails at the same time.

Have lots of experience with 7600 so I know a bit (too much!) about the internals of the 7600.

 

[guymark]

Hi Aparsons.

We have the same model printer (9600) and I recently tried to find the Idemitsu oil - without a lot of joy. However after a lot of hunting around I found it on Ebay as sewing machine oil, synthetic #32

If you want to pop me a message on here, I will give you my address. If you then send me an SAE with a "large letter" stamp I will send you back 20ml or so (more if I can find a larger container) for nothing. The smallest amount I was able to buy was 500ml so I have enough for decades. The large bottle is marked as Millers synthetic Sewing Machine Oil #32 and IIRC a check online confirmed it was the same grade and same type (synthetic) as the Idemitus Daphne Oil

Anyway, I cleaned the rails with isopropyl alcohol and then re-lubed with a few drops of the oil on each rail and gently ran the carriage backwards and forwards manually for quite a while - and now (without wishing to tempt fate), not only is it quieter (seems to have got quieter still over time), but a recurring "PAPER JAM" error has gone from being an almost 50 / 50 event per A0 print - to being so rare as I now often leave the printer to do ten or more A0 prints, knowing it will not fall over from one week to the next.

As a digression, the only time I SOMETIMES get a PAPER JAM error is if I am printing in NON-unidirectional mode. It seems that it is the initial "jerk" of pulling the carriage back quickly that triggers the fault - it never fails on the printing stroke - only the fast return stroke - right at the start.

I find unidirectional printing perfectly fine with 90%+ of the work I do. If it does become an issue in the future though, I have found a "workaround" if I need for the PAPER JAM error as there are load sensing resistors on the PCB that are easily bridged to reduce the volts drop over them (the more current the motor takes, the higher the volts drop over the sensing resistor). I think just "numbing it down" by about 20% will still trigger a fault if there is a GENUINE paper jam - but the initial "rush" when it pulls it back at full tilt should stop occasionally tripping it. Hopefully you will not experience the problem but if you do, then I could bung you a couple of suitable "bridging resistors" to just solder over the tops of the existing ones.

Anyway, I am happy to give you some oil free if you can send me an SAE

Same applies to anyone else on here with a printer that needs this particular grade of oil - I realise the postage will cost more than the value of the oil if you can find it - but if you are struggling to locate it, then an SAE will provide you with enough to re-lube the rails many times over.

Kind Regards
Mark