How Long Maximum Could You Submerge the Heads in the Cleaning Solution?

[PeterBJ]

There is a risk that a damaged printhead can damage the logic board making the printer a total loss. But if you cannot get a new head, you could give the method a try.

 

[Artur5]

Yes, what’s to loose...but this is the last desperate move which in 95% of occasions serves of nothing.

I opened several Canon printheads, removing the screws and unbending 90º the ceramic plate with the nozzles assembly. When you do that, there’re high chances of breaking some of the tiny tracks of the PCB, more so if the assembly is epoxy glued to the body of the printhead, which is the case with newer models.
Even if you manage to successfully ‘free’ the nozzle assembly and get to the rubber gasket. if external cleaning systems hadn’t worked, isn’t likely that injecting cleaning solution directly into the apertures of the ceramic plate will do much good.

I concur what with PeterBJ said, I never succeeded in fixing stubborn clogs with this method, even if the PCB wasn’t damaged in the procedure. In the best of cases, the output of the printhead was like before ‘surgery’ but never improved, probably because the stubborn clogs were in fact damaged nozzles.

 

[The Hat]

The alternative perspective is that if one can't buy a new head, what's to lose?

Yes that’s true, but newbies wanting a fix for an already damaged print head can do more harm than good with this operation, so it’s safer to not recommend it at all..

 

[kdsdata]

I concur with that. As newbie I wanted cheap fixes, not costly replacements It took me a long time to get to the point of having the "feeling" whether something "may" work. And then to the point where you have the discipline to not try something too hard because you may damage something else in the process. And lastly to the point where you can accept your own mistakes, and cough up the more costly fix

 

[sofialucas]

First, I never "submerge" the head. I only soak the ports. Place the head on a paper towel in a small bowl, add solution to keep the towel wet. Replace the towel from time to time. Your patience will determine how long you can/will soak it. Obviously the longer the better. I know, I had one that I soaked for a few days, and I was lucky. It did free the port. Yes it does depend on whether the port is burned. Hope you have patience, and luck. Not much else works ^_^.

I agree with you sir. soaking it for a longer is better.