I have a Seiko 64s and when I do the initial cleaning and nozzle print tests, everything prints great, but after about 3 feet or so, the cyan and lt. cyan both start dropping out, so that when I do another nozzle print test after it starts banding. The black and yellow are solid, and are both new print heads, the magenta and lt magenta are older, and hold up pretty good, but I have horrible banding in both cyans. What woud cause it to print great after the cleaning and then fall apart? Is it a pressure issue on the cyan heads? Am I likely losing pressure? Should I replace the cyan heads?
If the heads are new, they should work. But if you have machine under warranty, you should push the tech to solve the problem. I was to "nice" - the Cyan was not 100% from the beginning, but the tech did nothing, at least that worked... Now no warranty and same problem...
This is not a new Seiko, so no warrantee, but I'm 95% sure that it is because I have 1st generation heads and they are leaking air. Has anyone experimented with "fixing" these heads to get the leaks to stop, or do I have to shell out the $ and buy new 2nd gen heads?
1. when ink starvation starts you have to unscrew ink tube from head. replace rubber "o" ring on it's place, or if it's deformed replace it by new one. then of course screw tube to head back and do 2 strong cleanings. now and then do fill cup and leave it over night - I would suggest you every day. yes, you are throwing your ink, but in that way your heads will be in perfect condition due to fact that they are all the time soaked in ink! but basically everything equals: ink wasted on fill cup meaning less cleaning and no fill cup but meaning more cleaning... just to remind you: machine is doing fill cup automatically when you shut down machine, or it is in standby mode for 20 hours...
2. buy new heads...
decide what is right for you!
no thing or workaround didn't help me to prevent air leak for longer time. tube always in some time (longer or shorter) deformed or misplaced that rubber "o" ring...
Thanks, I just dropped a note to my Seiko tech to order some for me, I'll replace all of them. Also, what type of solution do you recommend to soak the heads in? I have some extra heads that might be salvaged if I let them soak for a day or so. I've heard some differing opinions on what seems to be most effective.
tried this with varying results. i have used numerous liquids inc the wipe and capping solutions. sometimes the heads come back quite well, but the main concern is the printing consistancy when you re-install them. sometimes they work really well and othertimes not at all. as much as it pains me, it's cheaper in the long run to just purchase a new head, if you need it
i too have had a similar problem that is still continuing. The difference is I have 2nd gen heads and all the mainteneance has been done by my very experience tech. We are both a bit baffled as to why we keep losing heads. I think we have replace 7 heads in a little over 12 months and another 2 need replacing now.
I think it has something to do with printing on static materials like flex and banner. it seems that the more staticy the material the mroe problems i have with heads. it usually takes a day of printing on vinyl to get it better again but I think it is causing long term damage to my heads.
Has anyone got suggestions for taking the charge out of these materials?
