Blocked print head

[Hightower]

I've got a blocked ink head on my Epson SX130 Ink Jet printer. It's the yellow for what it's worth and have tried all the ways that I know of clearing it (short of a dismantle). Are there any ways of clearing it (tips/tricks) that I might not have done, before I bin it?

The other question I have is: Is this sort of thing common on a Ink Jet when you don't print colour pictures very often? My last printer died this way too!

[spartacus]

Yes the print heads dry out quickly if you're not printing often. I ditched a top of the range Epson printer last year. Fantastic pictures as it used 6 cartridge colour system... but quite honestly it would be cheaper running a Princess motor yacht by comparison! Switched to Kodak.

You could try following fix: photo-i & video-i • View topic - How to unclog print heads for Epson R2400 R1800 2200/2100 I haven't tried it myself - but sounds feasible. I've read - don't run test prints on the printer to clear it as it just exaggerates the problem.

Wear latex gloves when carrying out this procedure. I found the only thing that will shift the ink from your skin is a small amount of neat bleach and a nail brush, with plenty warm water afterwards. Don't ask me how I know that!

[ppenman]

Most printers now have a print head cleaning function. I had to use mine a few weeks ago. It could be worth looking for this function within your print function.

[IanH]

It use to be that Epson printers, the print head was part of the printer, with HP they were part of the cartridge. So if Epson was not used regularly, you ran the risk of trashing the printer, with HP you just changed the cartridge. My latest HP I think has heads in printer so its no better than Epson, however another HP that I have has separate heads that are consumable - recommend changing after 3 cartridges.

With my Epson, I temporarily fixed it by applying white spirit with brush to bottom of print head. After a while, it was clean and printed perfectly.

However, next time printer was used, again after period of inactivity, I had same problem and could not clear the problem. I dumped the printer. I don't know if I damaged it by putting white spirit on head or whether it was again lack of use, but to this day I vowed never to buy an Epson printer ever again.

Morel of story is to regularly use printer or at least run it through cleaning program.

My latest HP has probably taken its auto clean a bit far now as it cleans itself pretty much every time that I use it, although that's probably every few weeks. Self clean seems to drink ink - cue conspiracy theories.

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by IanH

My latest HP has probably taken its auto clean a bit far now as it cleans itself pretty much every time that I use it, although that's probably every few weeks. Self clean seems to drink ink - cue conspiracy theories.

Maybe not as crazy as you think. The Epson printer I had - used absorbent filters in the base of the machine. At start up and using the auto-clean function the printer runs ink from all the cartridges to these pads. After a while the pads become saturated and the printer displays a ink pad error which cannot be reset. I stripped the pads out and fitted the rubber tube to a plastic recepticle (you need an Ebay programme code) to reset the printer too. Honestly, when you see the volume of ink which is simply wasted at start-up its enough to make a grown man cry! I got rid of the printer after the inks ran out.

[hobbit555]

Cleaned mine with acetone on one occasion and another time electrical contact cleaner now I own a laser printer never had a problem since

[Hightower]

I have tried the print head clearing facility and can also confirm that it uses loads of ink as I've nearly gone though a new cartridge just trying to clear the head

I'll have a look at cleaning the head in the description from spartacus's link using a small amount of window cleaning fluid.

Other than that it's a new printer