Water killed my print head

[spikey]

I recently got an old IP4500 printer. When I first used it with fresh compatible cartridges it produced a perfect nozzle check print.

As the print head was very dirty with old dried ink and also wanted to switch ink type so I flushed the head with hot water first on the head side followed by the inlet. I did this until no ink appeared from it and it looked clean. I left it for a day for it to dry before refitting it.

With the nozzle print, now I get streaks across the cyan and magenta colour bands . No matter what I do, like leaving it soaking it in Pharmacist solution or using the same solution in ink cartridges.

I hope I haven't damaged the print head as I read many guides on using tap water to clean it.

Can't afford a new print head costing 60+. Please help?

 

[stratman]

It takes 24 hours before new members can post images. Tomorrow, please post an image of your nozzle check.

If there are clogs in the print head it can take several days of soaking to clear. The latest solution someone posted with successful results after several days soaking was 10 ml Ammonia to 1 liter water. I would not use hot water on a print head. Luke warm or warm is fine. Treat the print head like is is a baby and don't scald it.

You said you use compatible cartridges.

* What were you using when the problem occurred?

* Are you refilling, and if so how?

* What brand ink are you using?

* Have you tried new cartridges to fix the problem colors, and if so were they new OEM Canon, a new compatible, or a refilled cartridge OEM or compatible?

Do not attempt to print anything but a nozzle check, unless asked, until the problem is resolved as you could make the problem worse. If you want, you can place the print head in a bowl on top of some kitchen paper towels drenched in soaking fluid of your choosing, or, fill the bowl up till it covers the ink inlet ports on the print head. Tomorrow upload your nozzle check and then the forum will begin to help you better.

 

[spikey]

When I said hot water I meant water that I would not feel uncomfortable as I was holding the print head in my hand whilst water poured over the head.

I used the same cartridges used before I cleaned the head and the nozzle test was perfect, I now wished I never bothered cleaning the head

The cartridges are advertised as using OCP ink bought from www.internet-ink.co.uk . I did try new cartridges as well without success, haven't tried OEM due to cost and don't believe the outcome would be any different.

The pattern of the streaks are always consistent and never moves so I assume it is always the same nozzles causing the problem.

One thing I forgot to add as from what I read so far (there's so much info here) is we live in a hard water area and this causes kettles to be lined with lime scales. Could this have caused it?

I'll try to upload copy of the printed nozzle test tomorrow and give the head a good soaking.

 

[Grandexp]

The problem is caused by drying the print head. The tap water contains minerals. WHen you dried the print head the mineral dissolved in the water became solid substance that clogs the nozzles. I had this problems before. I did not dry the print head. I got slight streaking after rinsing the print head with tap water. All I had to do was juist give it another cleaning cycle. In your case you will need to soak the print head again. Use a glass cleaning liquid that contains nothing fancy but Ammonia. You may need to soak continuously for a couple of days.

 

[spikey]

Thanks Grandexp.

Reading your experience has brought some comfort that my print head could be OK as I was worried that it might be irreversible.

I'm now soaking the head with a solution of ionized water, 20% Isopropyl alcohol, and 1% ammonia overnight but will leave it two nights now for a more thorough job. I've given up on finding a glass/window cleaner that has ammonia. I'm in the UK so I guessing it might be some safety regulation that controls the use of this particular chemical.

 

[stratman]

The problem is caused by drying the print head. The tap water contains minerals. WHen you dried the print head the mineral dissolved in the water became solid substance that clogs the nozzles. I had this problems before. I did not dry the print head. I got slight streaking after rinsing the print head with tap water. All I had to do was juist give it another cleaning cycle. In your case you will need to soak the print head again. Use a glass cleaning liquid that contains nothing fancy but Ammonia. You may need to soak continuously for a couple of days.

First, I agree with you that hard water may be the culprit or be partly to blame. It could also be the "hot" water used increased the rate and/or propagation of clog formation.

Second, I am a little surprised you didn't suggest 10 ml Ammonia to 1 liter water. You were the one I mentioned in my post above having success with that formula most recently.

 

[ghwellsjr]

I've given up on finding a glass/window cleaner that has ammonia. I'm in the UK so I guessing it might be some safety regulation that controls the use of this particular chemical.

Did you try Halford's?

 

[mikling]

Never dry out printheads with the nozzles towards the bottom. ALL the minerals etc in the water left inside will gravitate to the nozzles and then dry out and deposit down there. Can you spell "trubble." There is no need to dry the nozzles out at all. Use canned air/compressed air and blow behind the contact plate and immediately reinstall. Upon restart of the printer, the printhead will be purged of the remaining water and ink will replace the water immediately. This will remove most of the hard water and any left behind will be sufficiently diluted to not cause any harm thereafter.

 

[spikey]

I've given up on finding a glass/window cleaner that has ammonia. I'm in the UK so I guessing it might be some safety regulation that controls the use of this particular chemical.

Did you try Halford's?

Thanks for the pointer. Haven't tried it, but did look at the ingredients but could not found ammonia on the list. Since no one has actually tried the new version I was skeptic that it would be suitable. I've now mix my own so can be confident of what in there.

 

[spikey]

I've still got my print head soaking in the cleaning solution so cannot make any good nozzle printing. However I have tons of scrap copies printed on paper I've recycled so will have printing on the reverse side which faintly shows through.

This one is the normal nozzle test, please ignore the BK colour band as it overlapped the previous nozzle test (I do 2 nozzle test per page by turning page upside down so not to waste paper). Please note that the white streaks always look the same and has not changed after many nozzle clean.

This one is a service test print.

I plan to reinstall the print head tomorrow so can produce more nozzle test for comparison.