Digital BW, The Print

I’m not using Eboni inks but have two 1430s. I’m using third-party dye inks in refillable carts and have few problems.

 

One of the 1430s was given to me after being in storage for two years without carts installed, a big no-no as whatever ink remained in the heads dried solid. I made cleaning carts using empty carts filled with a solution of 80% Windex with ammonia and 20% isopropyl alcohol. After inserting the carts in the printer I ran several cleaning cycles in order to get the cleaning solution into the heads. I also folded a paper towel to fit under the heads and saturated it with the same solution. I let it sit for several days then removed the paper towel and ran more cleaning cycles. After another 8-10 cleaning cycles I replaced the cleaning carts with refillable carts filled with ink and ran a few more cleaning cycles to get the ink into the heads. That procedure solved the problem and I now get perfect nozzle checks and great prints.

 

I’ve had the other 1430 since new and it occasionally gives me less than perfect nozzle checks but a cleaning cycle or two solves that problem.

 

I don’t know if this procedure will work for you but I wish you all the best…

 

Please don’t hesitate to ask questions…

 

Best,

Tom 

 

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 10:10 AM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] Troubleshooting Epson Artisan 1430 -- nozzle checks failing

 

  

My Epson Artisan 1430 constantly fails the nozzle check. The best I've ever been able to manage is 1/2 a day with a clean check. I'm trying to decide if I should write this one off and buy a new one. However, I also don't want to be in the same boat with a new one. 

If you're using it like I am (see below), can you give me some perspective?

I'm running Eboni inks from MIS. I started out with Paul Roark's Carbon 6 formulation, and am now using his Eboni Variable Tone formulation. I've had this problem from Day 1 (over a year ago), using both Eboni 1.0 and Eboni 1.1 inks. I'm very careful about mixing it, so I don't think I'm introducing a contaminant during ink preparation (e.g., dust or particles).

I started with refillable cartridges. I went through several sets from Inksupply; they never worked for me. Carts from Inkowl worked a bit better. I'm now using a Cobra CIS, which was working quite well... but now I'm back to "normal" (hard to get a clear nozzle check, and unable to keep it). 

In another posting on this forum I explained how curled paper was a contributing factor. Sometimes paper that had a strong curl was whacking the bottom of the head, causing ink to splatter. I'm now using perfectly flat sheets and my nozzle check failure problem is still happening. 

When I examine the nozzle check pattern, the problem moves around. It's not always the same colour (although Cyan and Magenta are particular problems). It's not always in the same spot in the same colour; the broken lines shift around in the pattern. 

I've tried all the usual advice:
* I print regularly (at least every couple days). 
* The head is aligned (I ran a test and did an alignment).
* I've cleaned the capping station, wiper blade, underside of the head, spikes, etc. using the procedure in the video on Inkjetmall's website. 
* I rarely run head cleaning cycles. Occasionally I'll run one if it's really bad; it usually makes it worse. Instead, I use purge prints. I'll crank out 10 full page sheets at a time, sometimes all six colours, sometimes just the color that seems to be a problem. Sometimes after running purge prints it actually gets worse!
* Letting it sit overnight sometimes helps a bit, but it never lasts.

With these procedures I can get to a clean nozzle check... but not for long. After a couple prints, I'm back to failed nozzle checks.

It's quite possible that I damaged the print head in the early days of owning the machine, when I didn't have a clue. Maybe I cleaned too aggressively, or did something that caused permanent damage. If that's the case, I'm happy to replace the printer and be more careful... However, I'm worried that it's something inherent to this combination of printer and non-standard ink sets. 

I'm hoping other people using the Epson 1430 (or 1500 in Australia?) with Eboni inks can share their experiences. If it's working great for you, then I can conclude that my printer is damaged and should be replaced.