[ILUG] unfreezing(?) the printhead of an ink-jet printer?

[Brian Foster]

  | Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2007 19:25:03 +0100
  | From: "Frank Duignan" <frank.duignan at gmail.com>
  | 
  | I would have thought that it is more likely that ink has dried
  | and solidified in the print head.

 Possible, but the main reason I discount that theory is prior
 to the total failure, occasionally nozzles would clog or dry.
 When that happened:  (1) the routine cleaning cycle fixed the
 problem; and  (2) it was never a _total_ failure (i.e., some
 ink still made it onto the paper).  This is a total failure.
 There is no ink at all.  (I originally said “little or no ink”,
 which is a mistake.  It is NO ink.  None.)

  | Tried a new print cartridge?

 (I assume ink cartridges is meant.)  Yes.  No difference.

  | Failing that, ink-jek is water soluble as far as I know.

 Maybe, maybe not:  The package and specifications don't say.
 I just tried sprinkling some water on an admittedly quite old
 printout to see what happens:  ATM, nothing .... which might
 not mean too much?

 The specifications do, however, challenge my freezing theory:

  • The ink doesn't freeze until -10℃, and it's never been
    that cold (-1℃ or -2℃ is as cold as its gotten);

  • When the ink thaws it apparently is Ok to use;

  • The min. in-spec. operating temp. of the printer is c.10℃,
    and it certainly has gotten (and been used?) colder than
    that, albeit it can be stored at lower temps. _but_ without
    the ink;

  • The manual recommends printing something at least once
    a month, which very probably did not occur immediately
    prior to the failure.

 So it's not too clear just what happened:  The ink perhaps did
 not freeze, but the printer loaded with ink has gotten colder
 (and for weeks at a time) than it should have, and was not used
 as often as it should have been near the end.

  | Can you clean it with damp cotton buds?

 Dunno.  I think I'll first wait for other suggestions (and do
 some more searching (including for assembly drawings)); then
 try warming up the printer (sans ink (and it's only c.10℃ in
 the room right now so I must move it to warm it up)); and if
 that doesn't work, perhaps try manually "cleaning" the head.

cheers!
	-blf-

  | f
  | 
  | On 31/03/07, Brian Foster <blf at blf.utvinternet.ie> wrote:
  | > I've an Epson Stylus C84 Photo ink-jet printer which,
  | > until about a year ago, worked fine.  then, during(?)
  | > a cold spell, it stopped:  everything seems to be Ok
  | > except little or no ink is on the paper.  the usual
  | > head-cleaning procedure does not help.
  | >
  | > it's always been my belief that some ink froze inside
  | > the printhead.  I've no proof of that, but the room
  | > it is in nominally does not have the heating on,
  | > is nominally the coldest room in the apartment,
  | > the printer was not used for multiple weeks prior to
  | > its not working, and AFAICR, it worked fine until that
  | > cold spell.  unfortunately, letting the printer warm
  | > up during last summer didn't help [ ... ]
-- 
Experienced (>25 yrs) kernel/software Eng: | Brian Foster   Montpellier,
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