Is my Print Head bad? How can I tell

[JLPicard]

I have tried everything I can to get any kind of ink to flow out of my i960. I bought the thing from a guy that said it was clogged up, and can't seem to get it unclogged. I would shell out the cash for a new print head, but I don't want to do that if it is electronics. Is there a way to verify the electronics is working, and it is just the printhead malfunctioning?

 

[mikling]

I have an i950 that is sittng here. I've put two different printheads in it and there is nothing at all from Cyan at all. Everthing else checks out fine with all different tests and there is no defective printhead flash. I believe it is some part of the electronics that pulses the heads is defective.... so in my case it seems like it IS electronics.

 

[Lilla]

I have tried everything I can to get any kind of ink to flow out of my i960. I bought the thing from a guy that said it was clogged up, and can't seem to get it unclogged. I would shell out the cash for a new print head, but I don't want to do that if it is electronics. Is there a way to verify the electronics is working, and it is just the printhead malfunctioning?

Have you tried removing the print head and flushing water through it manually using a purging syringe, or a purging hose connected to the water faucet? Can you get water to flow through all/none/some of the six ink inlet ports? This process might provide you with some additional information to work with.

Just a thought,
Lilla

 

[JLPicard]

Yesterday, after soaking the Print Head in a Zip Loc with Alcohol for a couple days, I tried it again, no dice. After a bit more searching, I read about someone filling some old Cart's with Windex, thought I would give it a go. I cleared out the Carts with some tubing and forced some hot water thru em to flush em out, then injected some Windex in three old Carts I had. Next I got the Printhead and using the same tubing I forced some Windex thru it using a large syringe I had. Then, I forced some hot water out of the faucet with the same tubing thru the printhead. Cleaned it out, dried it, and installed the Printhead and my three Windex-filled Carts in the printer. Then I did a couple cleaning cycles, and put em to work with some large blocks of color. Amazingly, after a few passes of the large blocks of color prints, I started to notice some wetting on the paper. I then rotated the Carts to the other three slots in the printhead and did the same.

I am happy to announce, that today, I am getting a perfect print out of this 'getting ready to throw out in the trash' printer.

 

[hpnetserver]

Congratulations. You have got a terrific photo printer for all your enjoyment of photo printing. Good Job!!!