Print head clogged or electrical problem?

[Mixx]

I have a Canon i950 that suddenly lost exactly 1/4 of the lines in the nozzle check pattern for Black only (all other 5 colors are fine). Every other line on the top half of the black nozzle check pattern is gone, while the bottom half is fine. I think this has been intermittent for a while, but now it's permanent!

It looks something like this: (forgive the lack of knowledge of how to post a scan.jpg of my actual pattern.)

== == == == == == == == == == ==
== == == == == == == == == == ==
== == == == == == == == == == ==
== == == == == == == == == == ==
==============================================
==============================================
==============================================
==============================================

Any suggestions on how to resolve this? I've tried 3 cleanings and a deep cleaning, trolled Canon's site and this site and haven't found anyone with a similar problem.

Thanks!

- Mixx

 

[digitalartist71]

maybe read this?
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1239

but that may be something electrical...since there is a pattern opposed to random.

if u use generic or refill carts..maybe start out with replacing the black with a genuine cart.

if no good...then read hre more about trying to clean the head... i would recommend not using excessive pressure if using a syringe to try clear nozzles. i tink i blew the gasket seal doing this with a head. i eventually gave up and purchased a new head from ebay (in the post at beginning of this post).

my problem ended up being clogged purge unit or purge lines....probbaly wasn't the head...but could have also been...since the purge section had LOTS of dried pigmented particles released.

 

[Mixx]

Thanks for the advice. I actually tried to clean it out thinking excess ink had shorted out some of the wires in the ribbon which looked exposed. Unfortunately now I'm getting the 7 blinking orange lights of death. I've followed numerous methods to try to clear the error but I think my head's now completely hosed. Too bad, the i950 served me well. Not sure I want to plunk down cash for a new head that could be put towards a new printer.

 

[jeffkrol]

This is related so I suppose it's OK to post this here. My 3 year old i960 just started doing this :

The regular nozzle check is similar: 6M is only half as dense on the lower portion. Box C show only every other band has color.
Box H is fine. Electrical or clog? Pulled and cleaned the head 3 times and no change.

 

[jeffkrol]

Well, since hanging threads are like hanging chad, I just want to report that a new head fixed my problem. Now I have one to play with. Nothing electrically wrong in printer body. Still curious to see if it is just an ink clog or the head component itself. Will tear it open someday.

 

[JeffR]

Hi, think my experience with i950 might be relevant to this problem. I've had a Canon i950 for several years and it has not missed a beat. Beautiful one day, perfect the next as we say in Australia. Even when I attached a low cost CIS it just kept on going. Then a week ago I did 48 hours printing practically non-stop of Report Covers with a deep Cyan background covering about 75% printed with increased intensity. I started to notice deterioration in quality and eventually the Cyan flooded the other colours through the Print Head - real mess I should have really stopped as I saw it coming. Inkjets obviously don't like one colour saturation. Anyway it would no longer print out properly and I noticed gaps in the Nozzle check particularly blue which had large chunks missing. Removed CIS and installed Canon Cartridges but continued deterioration the more I fiddled until Print Head no longer returned to Centre when case opened but was displaced to left. I tried all the tricks I have learned in cleaning printhead etc until evenutally I got a 5100 Error which Canon site indicated means mechanical malfunction needs to go to service agent. Being sceptical of any Canon Advice I kept checking web and eventually left Canon out of my searches and just looked for symtoms from any inkjet. Found HP diagnostic for this type of behaviour 'dirty encoder strip - clean encoder strip with damp cloth'. After much effort I found out that the encoder strip is a thin mylar film strip that runs the length of the case and is read by the Print Head as it transverses the Printer. I opened case and when Print Head had stopped pulled power cord out so it was unlocked and could be easily moved from side to side. Then very carefully cleaned the Encoder Strip with a soft wet cloth. The cloth came away stained with cyan so clearly the Encoder Strip had been splattered. Plugged Printer in, turned on - not expecting anything - it worked perfectly. Nozzle printout perfect, Alignment perfect. Miracle Cure. My Printer basically went from edge of Rubbish Bin to new again with a few wipes of a damp cloth. Sorry for the long post but this is something I could not find on web for Canon although was able to locate the 'fix' for HP and later Epson. Just another little Tidbit that Canon likes to keep to itself notwithstanding the wasted productivity on the part of multiple users.

 

[jackson]

The 'encoder strip' is mentioned in the Ip4000 service manual, but goes by the name of 'Timing slit strip film'.
It is indicated as a possible trouble source for "Carriage error" code 5100 (led alternate blinking orange and green 2 times) and "paper feed error" code 6000 (led alternate blinking orange and green 3 times).In these cases it indicates that the strip needs replaced.
It is also mentioned where "Graphic or text is enlarged on printouts".In this case is says that cleaning the strip may be required.
It may be that Canon has made the error codes the same for many of it's printers and the service manual (which I D/L'ed from a link on this forum) also equally applies.

Hi, think my experience with i950 might be relevant to this problem. I've had a Canon i950 for several years and it has not missed a beat. Beautiful one day, perfect the next as we say in Australia. Even when I attached a low cost CIS it just kept on going. Then a week ago I did 48 hours printing practically non-stop of Report Covers with a deep Cyan background covering about 75% printed with increased intensity. I started to notice deterioration in quality and eventually the Cyan flooded the other colours through the Print Head - real mess I should have really stopped as I saw it coming. Inkjets obviously don't like one colour saturation. Anyway it would no longer print out properly and I noticed gaps in the Nozzle check particularly blue which had large chunks missing. Removed CIS and installed Canon Cartridges but continued deterioration the more I fiddled until Print Head no longer returned to Centre when case opened but was displaced to left. I tried all the tricks I have learned in cleaning printhead etc until evenutally I got a 5100 Error which Canon site indicated means mechanical malfunction needs to go to service agent. Being sceptical of any Canon Advice I kept checking web and eventually left Canon out of my searches and just looked for symtoms from any inkjet. Found HP diagnostic for this type of behaviour 'dirty encoder strip - clean encoder strip with damp cloth'. After much effort I found out that the encoder strip is a thin mylar film strip that runs the length of the case and is read by the Print Head as it transverses the Printer. I opened case and when Print Head had stopped pulled power cord out so it was unlocked and could be easily moved from side to side. Then very carefully cleaned the Encoder Strip with a soft wet cloth. The cloth came away stained with cyan so clearly the Encoder Strip had been splattered. Plugged Printer in, turned on - not expecting anything - it worked perfectly. Nozzle printout perfect, Alignment perfect. Miracle Cure. My Printer basically went from edge of Rubbish Bin to new again with a few wipes of a damp cloth. Sorry for the long post but this is something I could not find on web for Canon although was able to locate the 'fix' for HP and later Epson. Just another little Tidbit that Canon likes to keep to itself notwithstanding the wasted productivity on the part of multiple users.

 

[Trigger 37]

Jeffr,

I saw your post in the forum about the cleaning of the Encoder Strip in your printer. When you open the cover of your printer where do you find the encoder strip. I see a 1/4" wide semi clear strip of plactic that runs the width of the printer behind the print head. This strip probably has super fine photo marks that are probably timing marks for the print head. I the case of my printer which is a i560 the horizontal resolution is 4800 dpi so this could be the marks. It seems to be a very sensitive flexible strip and I'm wondering how you cleaned it and what you used,..i.e. water or what else.