Right - that's it, I have OFFICIAL had enough of this epson B1100

[Ian M]

I had a similar problem with my old D120 on the yellow cartridge & I tried everything I could think of to clear it & nothing worked at all. Now this sounds really stupid but, I was so desperate to get it going I took the cartridge out wet my finger tip & rubbed a few times on the cartridge nozzle. I put the cartridge back in & did a nozzle check & hey presto it was working again. God only knows why it worked but, as I said I'd tried everything else.

I haven't used SG ink for a long time now & never had a blockage since even though the ink I used is SG licenesed so, does make you wonder what Richard says.

[AdamB]

I've just had a shower and I was thinking about the ink (I do some great thinking in the shower).

Anyway, I digress - I never used the new blue when I filled up the new cartridges but the old ink (had about a quarter left so I thought why waste it). On a nozzle check in the week the yellow was printing 'reddish' so this leads me to think (after being suggested by swimwivsquid) that it may be an ink problem?

I say this because the chances of having the exact same problem on a replacement printer is very slim and the only thing that is used now that was then is the ink!

When I stopped using the ciss system I drew the ink out with syringes and put it back in the bottles - the ciss had been stood still for a good couple of months so there may have been a little sediment in the bottom?

Does ink form a sediment when stationary? (like a ball-point pen when not used and goes globby) - this could also be the reason for the red in the yellow (i.e a glob in the ink).

So - I try again tomorrow ................. this will probably be a good post for fault-finding in the future but believe me - it's not fun at the moment!

[pisquee]

Sawgrass' sublimation ink is a mixture of tiny solid particles (disperse dyes) (which are the bits that actually sublimate) suspended in water, along with some other chemicals intended to keep the mixture stable (ie not separate out, or go gloopy) and ,according to Sawgrass' patent, chemicals to protect the ink from sublimating when used in a printer which uses heat in its head (i.e. not an Epson.)

The chemicals to keep the ink in its useful form have a shelf life of how long they do their job well, so after time the ink can go gloopy, or separate out with all the ink particles sinking to the bottom of the bottle/cart/CISS tank.

[AdamB]

Sawgrass' sublimation ink is a mixture of tiny solid particles (disperse dyes) (which are the bits that actually sublimate) suspended in water, along with some other chemicals intended to keep the mixture stable (ie not separate out, or go gloopy) and ,according to Sawgrass' patent, chemicals to protect the ink from sublimating when used in a printer which uses heat in its head (i.e. not an Epson.)

The chemicals to keep the ink in its useful form have a shelf life of how long they do their job well, so after time the ink can go gloopy, or separate out with all the ink particles sinking to the bottom of the bottle/cart/CISS tank.

Thanks
But, is the shelf life based on shaking the bottle before you use it?
I only ask as all my inks are still 'well' in date so if it is the ink then I'll be contacting the supplier/sawgrass for a refund!

[swimwivsquid]

My first thought when I found the gloop in the ink was that it was old but on further investigation it turned out to be a new bottle. Like Ian I have gone over to the rebel side and don't use Sawgrass ink and since then have not had a problem. Talkin that up now aren't I. Keep on troshin. Richard

[AdamB]

Latest update:

After the chat about ink last night I was thinking that this HAS TO BE THE PROBLEM!

So I flushed the printer head out again this morning (twice) and then inserted a BRAND NEW set of genuine epson cartridges. My method of thinking was that if this printed fine then the obvious cause is the ink.

Alas, the same print out was given after 3 head cleans!

See below for the comparison of the print out with sublimation ink and epson ink



Anyone have any ideas?

• Cartridges have been replaced
• Ink has been replaced
• Printer has been replaced

Do we all think that this is a printer head blockage that is very very stubborn and needs more cleaning fluid?

[swimwivsquid]

Something caused the cyan head to block on both printers and the only common denominator is the cyan ink. Try filtering it into a clean container and see if you get any blobs. In the mean time as you say it would seem that the head needs some serious declogging. I have never used the cleaning fluid so I would let others advise on that. Being water based inks though I would try Cobras approach if you haven't already. If its any consolation I have a drain to unblock today and in 90 degrees of heat there will definately be a few foof words flying around.

[AdamB]

Something caused the cyan head to block on both printers and the only common denominator is the cyan ink.

True, but the last 'epson' print out above was done with genuine epson cartridges - not the sublimation ink ?

I'm running MORE cleaner through it now in the hope that the problem caused initially was the clogging sublimation ink, once this (hopefully) prints clear with the epson ink I'll then flush it through with some 'filtered' sublimation ink ................... sounds easy saying all that!

Meanwhile, upset grannies turned away as I can't put their doggies on placemats

[WorthDoingRight]

Upset grannies turned away as I can't put their doggies on placemats

For all those casual readers no Adam is not trying his culinary skills out Korean style :rolleyes:

[Andrew]

Do you sit the head onto a damp cloth of some sort with cleaner fluid on that as well? We have often had to do that in the past to clean the external parts that gather around the nozzles. We just get a strong paper towel and soak it in witch hazel then place that in the docking position and move head back into place for half an hour.