Digital BW, The Print

Richard,
 
This is a common problem with the x000 and x500 printers:  The ink is
literally siphoning ink from the capped nozzles into the waste tank. These
printers have two capping stations - one for each head. The reason 3
siphoned and the others didn't is because the conditions for a siphon were
there for one head and not the other. This is much more likely to happen
after a couple of ink charges or repeated cleanings. In theory, this
shouldn't happen - All Epson wide format printers run the suction pump with
the heads un-parked at the end of a  cleaning/flush cycle. The idea is that
the pump should draw any remaining ink out of the waste lines, leaving only
air in them thereby preventing a siphon when the heads are recapped. I think
that once the pads become over-saturated from repeated cleaning or flushes,
the pump doesn't run long enough to always evacuate the waste lines. So if
the waste lines are still full or partially full when the heads recap, the
ink in the tubes running down to the waste tank starts to slowly be pulled
by gravity down into the waste tank. Since there is nothing to break the
vacuum between the waste tank and the nozzles, the ink will keep getting
drawn right through the nozzles and from the carts until you interrupt it or
the carts go empty. The relatively high elevation differential between the
heads/carts and the waste tank on these printers make the siphon all the
more likely and vigorous.
 
I had two 7000s and the only fool proof way to prevent it was an easy fix:
You can open the front bottom cover, cut each of the two white waste lines,
install tubing tees, and run two 1/8" I.D.  air vent tubes out the back of
the printer and as high up the back of the printer as possible (well above
the carts and heads - or the pump pressure will cause ink to burble out of
the vents).  The tubes can simply be taped or clamped onto the back. By
creating this air-break, it's impossible for a siphon to develop. I took it
one further and abandoned the factory waste tank and just ran both waste
tubes into a covered "Tupperware" container on the floor so I could see the
waste tank level and empty it far more easily. This last part probably isn't
necessary for the average user, but I mix and experiment with inks and do a
huge amount of flushing. On the later printers, Epson has taken several
steps to prevent siphons.
 
I highly recommend the anti-siphon tubes. I have some documentation
somewhere that I can email you if you're interested. Alternatively, after
repeated cleanings or flushes, unlatch the head and move it to the left a
bit so the heads aren't sealed to the capping assembly. Leaving the heads
uncapped for 5 minutes or so won't hurt anything and will probably allow
enough time for the ink in the waste lines to drain into the tank. 
 
Good luck,
 
Tom Mallonee
www.ovimaging.com
 
I have loaded big MIS cartridges with ebony6 inks set. I needed to get rid
of color inks from printer so I had run few cleaning cycles and some ink
charges. I have not get any b&w inks only the color and very very soft, not
relly full intensity.

Next day morning I have found insk from half of my cartridges on the floor
under the printer. I removed the cartridges as it seems that ink is just
leaking further. Later after I have opened printer I noticed that ink leaked
from overflowed waste inks pads.

Interesting was that tube of LM, LC and Y going to right printer head are
now empty while tubes going to left print head, K,M,C are full.
I had open right side of printer and checked all pipes (all seems to be
connected well), than I clean all from ink.
I also disconnected pipes with damper from head ink intakes. There was no
ink in dampers for right head.

Not sure why ink leaked, what could be the problem?
How can get ink from tubes into the waste ink pad, without getting into head
and on paper?

I would really appetite any tips what should I clean, check or do in general
to make my printer running.
I bough printer second hand and it was not used for some time.

I need to add little info from the beginning:
Before transport there was ink in printer, very little. We didn't do any
special procedure for transporting printer (in car for few dozen
kilometers).
When I unpacked and install home, all cartridges were almost empty. I bough
some new before I went to travel or week. after week (printer was not
turned on) new cartridges was empty.

Thanks for your help!

-- 
Richard Vanek
portfolio: www.richard-vanek.eu
twitter: http://twitter.com/richo_67
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Richard-Vanek/142576177492

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