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View Full Version : new printer s218 stopped working using sublimation ink after 5 pages. any help pleas



NEAL28
10-12-2011, 08:08 PM
Hi
Im neal and i have just joined the forum. Currently operating a small business on feebay, tshirts mugs etc. I am having a nightmare with my printer. I bought a new s218w which came today. Printed out several pages using ciss with sublimation ink then the black ink decided to stop working. Several head cleaning cycles and still no good. Swopped back to epson cartridges and the black still does not work. This is the problem i had with the old printer. Any help much appreciated

Justin
10-12-2011, 08:24 PM
Hi Neal and welcome to the forum :-)

I'm having an identical problem with my new B1100. The S218W isn't an officially supported printer so help will be limited. Not sure where you get your inks from but if again they're not officially supported please don't discuss on the forum :-)

This problem has been discussed on here before and usual advice is not to overdo it on head cleans, maybe clean twice and then leave 24 hours. I've tried everything with mine but it's a no go. It's going back to be replaced hopefully. May be worth you looking at this route as well but bear in mind that Epson warranty doesn't cover the printer if you've used sublimation ink in it...which of course you haven't ;-)

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 08:34 PM
Thanks Justin, Do you think maybe it is the sublimation ink blocking the head perhaps or air. Bought a bottle of zap on friday so that should be here this week. Strange though that its happened with 2 printers. Hope you get your printer fixed soon

Justin
10-12-2011, 08:47 PM
I would have thought it's more likely to be air in the system. I no longer use CIS myself and opt for refil carts as I find these far more reliable...usually!

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 09:06 PM
Think you could be right. Tried the syringe pulling the ink throigh. Shall i leave it to settle over night do you think in the printer. Could the head be blocked now though. Thanks for your help.

Justin
10-12-2011, 09:13 PM
Could be :-( So you've tried syringing the ink through from the carts end. Did you get any air bubbles come out?

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 09:29 PM
yes m8 bubble come out and now its full. Stuck it back in the printer but not tried it yet. Original epson cartridges did not work before though. cheers

Justin
10-12-2011, 09:36 PM
Uhm, would have been better if original carts had worked. Give it a try now, don't do many head cleans though. I find printing 4 strips of cmyk is often a better way to clear the problem rather than head cleans.

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 09:42 PM
Just did a print test 4 colours. all ok apart from black. The black box just has a black lines spaced out 5m apart. I only did 1 head cleaning test

Paul
10-12-2011, 09:45 PM
Vwait for zap arrove and flash black head. Should help. I had this with my b1100 few times.

Justin
10-12-2011, 09:45 PM
Try the test again, see if any difference...maybe do one more head clean but no more...do the print test again.

Does that Zap really work Paul? Not tried it myself, heard mixed opinions over the years about head cleaning fluids.

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 09:50 PM
cheers paul. I hope it works. Sublimation printers are great when they are working but a nightmare when something goes wrong. I would rather stick to tshirts but they do well at christmas time. Do you think if i could use the printer to print designs out which do not have black in them will do any more harm.

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 09:51 PM
Was reading the other night isnt zap just windowlene?

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 10:01 PM
New test sheet after 1 more clean and the black box comes out a pale purple colour. Thats on photo settings not text and image not sure it makes any difference or not.

Justin
10-12-2011, 10:04 PM
maybe worth a couple of solid black test sheets...make sure its cmyk 100% black though.

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 10:15 PM
starts of with 5 think black lines spaced out 2mm apart then goes back to purple. Do you think the head is blocked? Thanks for your time on a saturday night

Justin
10-12-2011, 10:20 PM
OK, maybe leave it overnight and test again tomorrow. Might be worth testing again with the original carts.

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 10:22 PM
ok m8 thanks. Just coming out a very light purple colour. Will leave it over night. thanks for your help.

Paul
10-12-2011, 10:24 PM
Does that Zap really work Paul? Not tried it myself, heard mixed opinions over the years about head cleaning fluids.it damn does work mate. I ised it many times.and 99% sucess rate.

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 10:27 PM
Hey paul i like your frames. Once i am back on track ill purchase some from you.

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 10:31 PM
before i go. Did the air in the system cause the head to block. With air or ink do you think? Just trying to get my head around the problem

Paul
10-12-2011, 10:38 PM
Hey paul i like your frames. Once i am back on track ill purchase some from you.yeah! Just let me know if you need any help.

Justin
10-12-2011, 11:04 PM
I might try that Zap on my 1100 then :-)

I would have thought it was air rather than ink as the printer hasn't been left idle for any length of time.

NEAL28
10-12-2011, 11:09 PM
cheers Justin, suppose the zap will not work then in my case. hope it does for you. ill try again tomorrow see if the air has gone.

Justin
10-12-2011, 11:11 PM
It's a difficult one to call. Patience is often the best method :-) I've ordered some Zap myself, will be interesting. I see there's a money back guarantee anyway.

Paul
10-12-2011, 11:21 PM
Zap will help even with airlock. Good flash should help. Always jelpes me :-)

debbie678
11-12-2011, 01:48 AM
I had the same problem with my epson 1400, it had not been used for a month and during this time someone had moved the cis tanks to the back of the desk over the radiator. After about 4 hrs of tracing the problem i found the black ink had solidified in the feed tube. 40 mins with a syringe and tons of water to fix(all done in kitchen sink) i went for flushing the whole system through just to be safe. Then when dried naturally i refilled the system and purged it through. I did not empty tanks just fitted bungs and inverted. a few weak prints at first but then back to cooking on gas.

smitch6
11-12-2011, 10:47 AM
i tried that zap with my B1100 Justin i went on holiday for 2 weeks came back on it wouldn't work for love nor money
got the cleaner stuff off flebay and followed instructions and left overnight like they said
the next day loaded everything back up and 1 quick head clean to flush it thru and hey presto
and touch wood never had a problem since
i left it for over a week and it was missing, quick head clean and away she went again :)
although like you i've now gone down the fillable cart route as i also find it neater and easier

altho i did loose lots of ink swapping it over i'll make a new thread about that one lol

Justin
15-12-2011, 09:05 PM
Zap arrived today! So, I was actually quite excited when it arrived......well, if the kids can have Santa!

B1100 has been off for at least 4/5 days, black just wouldn't come through. Switched on today and did a nozzle test before 'Zap'ping....yep, you guessed it, perfect nozzle check! Printed blocks of colour....perfect!

I won't get to use my Zap just yet :-( or is that :-) mixed emotions! Going to the garage to find an old blocked printer!

Paul
15-12-2011, 09:12 PM
lol :) good idea! you may find new back up just now :D