Unclogging Canon i900D print head

[mikem65d]

Rather than start a new thread, i am posting here for input from you all. Or those who can make heads or tails of my nozzle check image which is not very good as i only have a scanner for my office that is used for documents.
Anyways, it is from the i900D that i have not been so kind to in it's 10yr life as it has seen times of 6months between prints and even a 2 year layup. Once i started using it a month or so ago it was fine, but recently gave me some misprints and the nozzle check became erratic in the Magenta.......the nozzle ch

eck was showing a full missing line and lately it shows something i don't understand........hopefully this image is enough for those of you with experience to decipher what is wrong.......clogged head or a head malfunction or some sort.

 

[The Hat]

Straight away I’d say the head has had it but then that would depend on the state of your cartridges before condemning it to be scraped.

They only real way you’d know is to soak it for a couple of days in warm Windex and then use all known good cartridges in it and run a couple of heads cleans and leave it stand for an hour then run a deep head clean and a nozzle check.

After that you should see a good resurrection or no improvement at all, and that’s it, if it improves then work on it some more if not then start looking in the yellow pages for a new head..

 

[mikem65d]

Thx Brian............I'm now using the printer to replace an HP for document printing.
I've done a couple overnight soakings, but will try it with your time advice....................the only option to a new head which is more than the printer is worth is the refurb's from China.

 

[The Hat]

Why talk about getting a new print head before you have given the old head a chance to recover, it may surprise you yet or then again do you know something that we don’t ! !

 

[mikling]

Purge unit malfunction is my guess. There appears to be initially concentrated ink and then drop outs occurring on all channels.

 

[PeterBJ]

Here is a post by turbguy with instructions for testing the purge unit. And here is a gentle method of print head cleaning that saved a Canon MP540. The nozzle check from this printer looked similar to yours. Instead of Pharmacist's cleaning solution a window cleaner with ammonia can also be used.

An extended nozzle check from service mode tells more about the condition of the print head than the normal nozzle check from the printer driver's maintenance tab in user mode. You find instructions about service mode operations and instructions for interpreting the service print outs in the service manual on page 1-17 and pages 1-20 - 1-21. This post has links to the service manual and parts catalog for your printer.

 

[mikem65d]

Why talk about getting a new print head before you have given the old head a chance to recover, it may surprise you yet or then again do you know something that we don’t ! !

Of course i know everything............that's why i came here too so i could make sure you knew that
On a reality note though, your input has intrigued me to try a bit harder................only reason i mention the new printhead was so i could keep the printer in operation should i ruin the existing head.

 

[mikem65d]

Here is a post by turbguy with instructions for testing the purge unit. And here is a gentle method of print head cleaning that saved a Canon MP540. The nozzle check from this printer looked similar to yours. Instead of Pharmacist's cleaning solution a window cleaner with ammonia can also be used.

An extended nozzle check from service mode tells more about the condition of the print head than the normal nozzle check from the printer driver's maintenance tab in user mode. You find instructions about service mode operations and instructions for interpreting the service print outs in the service manual on page 1-17 and pages 1-20 - 1-21. This post has links to the service manual and parts catalog for your printer.

Many thx for this.........much to read this evening. Never even new about this stuff til now and it makes coming here so much fun.

 

[mikem65d]

Here is a post by turbguy with instructions for testing the purge unit. And here is a gentle method of print head cleaning that saved a Canon MP540. The nozzle check from this printer looked similar to yours. Instead of Pharmacist's cleaning solution a window cleaner with ammonia can also be used.

An extended nozzle check from service mode tells more about the condition of the print head than the normal nozzle check from the printer driver's maintenance tab in user mode. You find instructions about service mode operations and instructions for interpreting the service print outs in the service manual on page 1-17 and pages 1-20 - 1-21. This post has links to the service manual and parts catalog for your printer.

Peter,
The method you described worked perfectly
The printhead is within what i would call tolerance to produce photo prints again. After 2 days of soaking in Pharmacists solution it showed immediate improvement. It still has a fine line that seems to go on/off/on (Magenta) again., and showed improvement over the past few days to the point where prints come out as they did before.
I can't thank you all here enough for all the info and advice you've taken the time to post.
I surely would have thrown money away had it not been for this site.

Thx everyone

-mike

 

[Nifty]

Hey guys, I moved this great discussion to it's own thread for easier access and to keep things tidy in the forum.

Thanks!