# Epson 1400 stopped printing sublimation cyan ink



## Brooke1373 (May 12, 2009)

First time posting here. Great Forum! 

Here's my problem. I have an espon 1400 (sublimation) printer that has stopped printing cyan alltogether. I have cleaned the heads manually several times with solution and I've printing several block pattern sheets, but instead of cyan, it's printing a pink color. I have it connected to a ciss system that has been working fine until now. I use the printer about every 2-5 days and occasionally a head will get clogged, but this clog is not going away even after several cleaning cycles. 

Is it possible that my head is damaged? 

I have tried the hot water solution that I saw in another thread, did not help. 

Every now and then in a test print pattern I will see a blue line here and there... and solution goes through the nozzle fine...

Can someone give me other ideas to try or any suggestion at all that might help me. 

Thank you so much.


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## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

What kind/brand of ink, and type (inkjet/dye sub) of ink, do you have installed in the CIS system?


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## Brooke1373 (May 12, 2009)

Hi Kelly, 

Thanks so much for trying to help me. 
I have sublimation ink installed on the printer via a continuous ink system. It's a generic brand of ink... but is has worked fine and printed a nice quality color for the last several months... until today...


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## conde tech (Nov 15, 2007)

Remove the CIS. Installed the OEM inks. If the printer prints with the OEM inks, you have a CIS problem. If the printer will not print with the OEM inks, flush the printhead with a diluted version of Simple Green and water using a medium size syringe without a needle. Remove ink carts and seat syringe on the black post in printhead. Slowly push in the plunger on the syringe. Let solution soak. Reseat Epson carts and perform head cleanings. The perform nozzle check.


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## nealers77 (Apr 30, 2009)

conde tech said:


> Remove the CIS. Installed the OEM inks. If the printer prints with the OEM inks, you have a CIS problem. If the printer will not print with the OEM inks, flush the printhead with a diluted version of Simple Green and water using a medium size syringe without a needle. Remove ink carts and seat syringe on the black post in printhead. Slowly push in the plunger on the syringe. Let solution soak. Reseat Epson carts and perform head cleanings. The perform nozzle check.


Brooke, did you ever get it fixed? I've bought the same printer with a CIS full of sublimation, and have exactly the same problem.

Sonya, as I'm a complete novice, can you go through that process in more detail if you have the time please? I've never even dealt with a CIS before so removing it is filling me with fear, but really need to get to the bottom of this problem and kick off my business.


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## conde tech (Nov 15, 2007)

No problem. That is what I am here for. I am actually working on a video to post on youtube. We will just start from square one. First, how is the nozzle check with the bulk ink system in the printer? If you get a bad nozzle with the bulk ink system, do three head cleanings back to back without doing a nozzle check in between. Then do a nozzle check. Do the entire process 2-3 times.


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## nealers77 (Apr 30, 2009)

Sorry Sonya, had to rush out.
The nozzle check is fine on all the other colours after extensive head cleaning when I got the printer last week. It's just the cyan that isn't printing, well, there are 8-9 random marks on the test.

Will try the consecutive head cleaning now and let you know the results when complete. Many thanks for this.


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## nealers77 (Apr 30, 2009)

No joy with the consecutive hean cleans, still barely visible marks on the cyan section of the nozzle check.

What next Sonya?


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## conde tech (Nov 15, 2007)

Locate one of the syringes that came with the bulk ink system. Go to the printer. Push the ink light button and move the print head over. Remove the rubber stopper from the cyan cart. of the bulk ink system( it is the thing sitting in the print head) The tubing connected to the cart maybe in the way..very gently move it to the side if need be. Insert the syringe WITHOUT THE NEEDLE in the hole where the rubber stopper was and pull the plunger of the syringe back. Hopefully, you will get solid ink ink. If you get nothing or air bubbles, gently squeeze the cyan ink bag and retry to draw ink up using the syringe. Move the print head back to its normal docking position and see if you can print a good nozzle check.


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## nealers77 (Apr 30, 2009)

I got nothing, but not sure I did it right, as I tried the others too and got nothing. 

I found this on Continuous Ink Systems, CISS for Epson, HP, Cannon, Ink Refills - CISS Solutions :-
_Remove the travel plug from one of the ink chambers/reservoirs and the fill hole on the cartridge.(i.e. cyan)
Draw air into the syringe (with the needle NOT attached) then place it in the hole left by the removed travel plug. __(please see video on our website under “video tutorials”)
 
Slowly push down on the syringe, forcing air into the reservoir. This will force excess air through the silicon tubing and into the cartridge. As you do this you will notice the cartridge filling with ink. Once the cartridge is near full slowly remove the syringe_
_BEWARE ink & air bubbles will come out of the cartridge. Use a tissue to absorb any ink. replace the air filter / travel plug and re-install the system_

Is this what I should be trying to do, force air into the reservoir?


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## nealers77 (Apr 30, 2009)

Here's what I've got: - 

Standard Epson Stylus Photo 1400 with 6 colour CIS with reservoirs and tubing wires feeding directly into the cartridges in the printer. No ink bags at all.

Hope you can help Sonya


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## conde tech (Nov 15, 2007)

I am here. I am dialed into someone's system at the moment. I will be back ASAP. Do you have the Epson carts that came with the printer?


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## nealers77 (Apr 30, 2009)

conde tech said:


> I am here. I am dialed into someone's system at the moment. I will be back ASAP. Do you have the Epson carts that came with the printer?


Thanks for getting back to me.

Unfortunately not. I can possibly ask the seller to send them as he's a really nice guy, but even if he does it may take a couple of days from Bristol to Northern Ireland.

Otherwise I could go out and purchase new ones, if it's essential.


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## conde tech (Nov 15, 2007)

Hi Neal,

I am sorry it took me so long to get back. Phones have been very busy. I would suggest my previous post. The other is pretty messy. I know you are very uneasy about removing the bulk ink system. I promise it is not that bad. Right now I don't want to flush the print heaa because it to is messy and if youinsatll the Epson carts and the printer prints fine. You will not even need to flush to print head.


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

Hello.
Soyna ask me to jump in to help.
Maybe the best thing to do is to give me a call.
My number is 251.639.4202
I am available this weekend to help.
We really need to test the printer with epson inks.
Since you do not have any at this time, the only thing we can do is to check to make sure we are able to pull ink from the top and bottom of the cartridge.

Let me know how I can help.


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## conde tech (Nov 15, 2007)

Good Morning Neal,

How are things going?


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## nealers77 (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi Sonya,
Not going great. Printer still acting up with the same problem, and as a total novice Photoshop and Illustrator are not my friends. 

At the same time I've found the vector designs I need for a start-up dye-sub based website. 

If you fancy giving me a hand with this damn printer then give me a shout, I'll be around for a while although the time difference always seems to be against us.

Cheers!


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## conde tech (Nov 15, 2007)

Ok...It is time to pull those Epson cart out. We need to narrow it down to one suspect...printer or bulk ink system? Right know we are just spinning our wheels. I have been on a back of racehorses all weekend and had to come to work to get some rest.


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## nealers77 (Apr 30, 2009)

So whip out the bulk system? Still no Original Epson carts though


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## conde tech (Nov 15, 2007)

Wait until you get the Epson cart.


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## nealers77 (Apr 30, 2009)

But that's the general idea then? Whip out the bulk carts, replace with the epsons and give them a whirl?

I'll pop into a print shop tomorrow.........on my way to part-time job training!

On racehorses all weekend then?


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## conde tech (Nov 15, 2007)

Neal,

How are things going?


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## shorts associate (Jul 9, 2012)

Brooke1373 said:


> Hi Kelly,
> 
> Thanks so much for trying to help me.
> I have sublimation ink installed on the printer via a continuous ink system. It's a generic brand of ink... but is has worked fine and printed a nice quality color for the last several months... until today...


I have the same problem - blocked cyan head. Could it be that the cyan ink dye/pigment is slightly more coarse than the rest and settling at the bottom of the refill bottle so when refilling the CISS system its getting slightly thicker ink? I noticed that this problem arose for me when the visi sub ink bottle was only a third full.


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## Brooke1373 (May 12, 2009)

Hello, I am not sure about the coarseness. I think that the sublimation ink, in general, is a little harder on the heads of this printer.


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