No Blues, at wits end!

[feedthestinkykitty]

Hi
I have been lurking as a guest for a week or so and I finally decided to join the Forum and ask this question. I hope I can help some others also.
I bought an HP Officejet Pro L7580 cheap hoping to get it going. This is one nice all in one.For anybody who does not know this model it has separate print heads which are easily removable and then 4 colors of inl in bag type cartridges in a different compartment on the front.The black indicated empty- I refilled it and it is perfect. The yellow ran out while cleaning and I refilled it. Great, so I know I can refill hem.The cyan however has been a problem. It originally would just start to print cyan then stop. It no longer prints at all. Filled the ink bag, removed the heads and did the hot napkin soak, then the Windex spray and the alcohol drop in combination with the overnight wet sit. I checked the ink cartridge for air bubbles and purged it several times. I ran the cleaning and the other routines with no effect. I injected a few drops of windex into the line feeding the print head just before the head. I got beautiful blue for one print. Then nothing. I flushed the blue ink bag and tried running straight water then windex water and sniffed for the windex on the prints (since it would not show. Nothing.I tried injection some windex water under slight pressure into the tube that the ink cartridge plugs into (referred to here as the windex enema.) I tried the same on the end the head plugs into hoping that it might blow a clog out into the ink cartridge. There is no longer any hint of blue. Usually at this point I recycle the printer and work on something else bit I like this one and It's becoming a point of honor. I am soaking the head jets in windex overnight while I try to find a way to get water or windex into the head to tell if the jets are free but it could be in the plumbing too.
Any suggestions will be appreciated but I can't afford to replace the head for $71.00
Thanks
Feedthestinkykitty

 

[websnail]

Those printheads have a sort of small bag arrangement that looks a lot like small bellows... If you get enough air in there at some point it's pretty much game over as ink will not force the air out.

From the description of your problems with the Cyan Cartridge "just stopping" that sounds a lot like when the pump/piston detects reduced pressure in the cartridges black bulk area (ie: air).. So it's highly likely you've fed the printhead enough air to cause a headache.

I've not dedicated any time to figuring out a manual approach for re-priming the this bag but there probably is a method to it, if someone wants to play (sadly I don't).


I hasten to add this is based on about 5 years of knowledge of the K550 -> K5400/L7780, etc... so it may be something of a guess but an educated one..

 

[feedthestinkykitty]

Thanks Websnail, If I understand you correctly that air problem is in the print head assembly which looks like it has some find of access holes on top with rubber plugs like fill holes but capped with a plastic ring and so not as accessible. Perhaps these are bleeders for that problem. Any experience with those? I hate to pry anything without knowing. I am soaking the jets but no blue comes out. I am looking for tubing to fit the "fangs" so I can try to suck the old ink out and purge it. It resists any effort to blow it out but the Magenta side flows easily. Perhaps I can suck the bladder empty and then try it.
I just now checked the fitting where the "fang" from the head fits in and there is liquid Cyan ink there. I may just use a hypo to draw out the windex ect that I put in there as a precaution. Do you think that I am headed in the right direction? Does anybody else have any suggestions on how to relieve this air without doing damage? Has anybody tried to remove the plugs(?) in the top of the heads?
I appreciate the help so far.
Rob

 

[websnail]

Unfortunately I haven't taken the time to take one apart to figure out, if or how it might be possible to handle this so you're very much on your own there.

I do know there have been some pictures taken of one split in half but I've forgotten where I saw it.. If I relocate the info' I'll let you know but don't hold your breath as it was easily 2 years back.

I suspect you may be right about the two plugged holes but I do know that various attempts to create attachments to the feeding pins in the back of the printhead failed abysmally so you may be luckier than me there.

 

[feedthestinkykitty]

Hi
In the end I can do nothing with it. I cannot get anything past the feeding pins either. The plugged holes will let a small amount of air,water or ink be forced in or out through them but it makes no difference. The print head needs to be replaced and none are available for less than $58 or so. Best to scrap it. It is a shame though. Thanks for the advice.
Rob

 

[ian]

I have a similar problem with one of those printers about 6 months ago. I did what you did and also put the head on my vacuum and tried to bleed the ink through that way. In the end it turned out the cartridge had a air flow problem and i just replaced it with a new one, did a head clean and it printed fine from then on. Maybe you should look at a new or new second hand cartridge for it and see if this fixes the problem

 

[mharris127]

Hi
In the end I can do nothing with it. I cannot get anything past the feeding pins either. The plugged holes will let a small amount of air,water or ink be forced in or out through them but it makes no difference. The print head needs to be replaced and none are available for less than $58 or so. Best to scrap it. It is a shame though. Thanks for the advice.
Rob

If you are sure that is the problem and if this printer is one of the versions with the copier and scanner, it may be worth $58 to repair it. The newer printers sell for about $80-$250 depending on model but use smaller ink carts that cost more on a per page basis and some have features that do not allow for a easy refill. Fixing this printer may save you in the long run. Certainly don't throw it away in the trash, someone may be willing to take it off of your hands cheap and use it.

 

[feedthestinkykitty]

Hi
Yes. All true. I have a working HP Photosmart 8250 that is not an All in One and I will stay with that even though I cannot refill the inks. I intend to sell the officejet on Ebay for repair or parts starting at $25 plus cost of shipping next week.
feedthestinkykitty