# clogged sublimation printer



## grannmomm44 (Apr 16, 2009)

I have an Epson 1400 printer for sublimation and I guess it's clogged, since the black doesn't come out at all. Is there a way to unclog it, also, when I try to print Cian it is very muddy looking. Please help! I have an order that has to go out today. Thank You


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Have you done a nozzle check...if not do so...then do a head cleaning then another nozzle check...and if necessary do another head cleaning...note this does use ink...and don't do more than three head cleaning. I would suggest calling conde tech support on what to put on the resting pad of the printer..I have used 409 on a 1280 printer...forgot what I used on my 1400....the clogging issues are the main reason I switched from Epson printers to the Ricoh GX7000


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

You may need to do a printhead flush.
give me a call. 251-639-4202


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## JaeAmera (Dec 25, 2006)

Put some Simple Green on your head station and park it over night....Try a head clean and nozzle check in the morning. If you still don't get color through the black...you may be in deep doo-doo an may need to get more aggressive.

I personally have never used the 1400 but I do know Simple Green works wonders on head clogs (cheap, non corrosive, and biodegradable)

Jae


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## bern (Feb 14, 2007)

grannmomm44 said:


> I have an Epson 1400 printer for sublimation and I guess it's clogged, since the black doesn't come out at all. Is there a way to unclog it, also, when I try to print Cian it is very muddy looking. Please help! I have an order that has to go out today. Thank You


I only had the Epson R310 with sublimation inks but when I did have clogs if it would not clean with a head clean I would get a syringe with a piece of rubber tubing attached to the end . Fill the syringe with distilled water and remove the ink carts , remove all electrical power to the printer . Attach the rubber tubing to the spout on the printer that engages the ink cart for the clogged channel . It is important that you do not use too much force but try and move the syringe in and out to try and clear the clog . When the clog is clear you will be able to slowly inject the water through the print head . I learnt this method on the DyeSub.org - An educational site for dye sublimation and digital transfer printing. site . If you go there and search you will find more information on the topic . Hope you get it sorted .


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## ddinc (Jan 27, 2008)

Hi all,
just went through the "clogged head" thing on my own 1400. Bad news...however there is hope. It took a lot of windex and coffee filters but, it worked. Turn off the printer then turn it back on. When the carrier moves to the left, quickly unplug it. Remove all of the cartridges (makes for easy access). Here's where the coffee filters come in. Fold one or two coffee filter in half then half again, long ways. Slide the carrier to the side and place the filters where you can slide the carrier over it. This will keep from making a mess underneath. Using a syringe, drip windex onto the spikes that go into the cartridges. Twist up a coffee filter and use it to soak up the mess inside the tray. Once that is clean, use some aquarium tubing cut to about 1" over the tip of the syringe and fill it with windex. Carefully place it over the spikes giving you problems (mine was black and light cyan) and slowly, carefully, slowly, push the windex through. Be sure to change out the coffee filters below. When you get no color on the filters and just windex, you should be ready to reinstall the cartridges and give it a try. It can get messy (coffee filters are cheap and keep your printer clean) but take your time. I went through this process for a couple of weeks, two or three hours at a time. My black and light cyan were hardly working to the point that I bought a new printer. Once I came across this process and tried it and it worked I was very happy with the results. However, I now have a new back up printer if it happens again. Good luck.


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## daud1200 (Jun 12, 2014)

Were do you put the simple green. Do you put it in to flush the heads. I have a new WF7610 with ciss sublimation.
All the colors except Yellow and cyan. Just spent $400 on a non working printer


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## john221us (Nov 29, 2015)

daud1200 said:


> Were do you put the simple green. Do you put it in to flush the heads. I have a new WF7610 with ciss sublimation.
> All the colors except Yellow and cyan. Just spent $400 on a non working printer


Don't use Simple Green. Use window cleaner that has ammonia in it. Don't use the non-ammonia formulas. Paper towels work fine. You just fold it to fit in the rail below the head. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Longer is better. If that method doesn't work, you may have to get a blow out syringe (and remove the head - there Youtube videos on how to do this). Cobra Ink sells a special syringe for the 7610 that fits over the ink hole perfectly. I have done it with a piece of fish tank tubing, but it isn't a tight fit and it made a mess. Flush with distilled water after using the window cleaner. Make sure the head is fully dried, before trying to print with it. You will probably need to prime the heads after this exercise, which can take 4 or more cleaning cycles. Sticking a wet paper towel (distilled water) below the head will draw ink through, as well.


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## daud1200 (Jun 12, 2014)

So just soak the paper towel. And move the print head over it. And let it sit. 
Then run all my test. 
Do I let it dry first


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## john221us (Nov 29, 2015)

daud1200 said:


> So just soak the paper towel. And move the print head over it. And let it sit.
> Then run all my test.
> Do I let it dry first


Yes, that is correct. For this method, you do not need to let it dry. If you pull the head and use the blow out method, you will need to let it dry.


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## daud1200 (Jun 12, 2014)

john221us said:


> Yes, that is correct. For this method, you do not need to let it dry. If you pull the head and use the blow out method, you will need to let it dry.


I appreciate it. I will let you know what happens.
Not sure why or how. This is a new printer. Never used.
Hate to go through this. But it cost to be the boss.


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## john221us (Nov 29, 2015)

daud1200 said:


> I appreciate it. I will let you know what happens.
> Not sure why or how. This is a new printer. Never used.
> Hate to go through this. But it cost to be the boss.


I had one clog after a couple of weeks, but that same one has been going strong for 8 months after that without a problem now. I had another one (a 3620) that I totally destroyed during the learning process (trying to do the blow out method without pulling the head). I would order that syringe (it is cheap) just to have it around. A few different people use the printer, so I can't really say why it clogged. It sits in a place that doesn't have A/C in the summer after hours and it gets hot here, so that might have played a roll. I got pretty good at pulling the head (less than 5 minutes), when I was trying to save that 3620, but I had let it sit too long before the final attempt (several months) and I couldn't clear all the holes.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

john221us said:


> Don't use Simple Green. Use window cleaner that has ammonia in it. Don't use the non-ammonia formulas. Paper towels work fine. You just fold it to fit in the rail below the head. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Longer is better. If that method doesn't work, you may have to get a blow out syringe (and remove the head - there Youtube videos on how to do this). Cobra Ink sells a special syringe for the 7610 that fits over the ink hole perfectly. I have done it with a piece of fish tank tubing, but it isn't a tight fit and it made a mess. Flush with distilled water after using the window cleaner. Make sure the head is fully dried, before trying to print with it. You will probably need to prime the heads after this exercise, which can take 4 or more cleaning cycles. Sticking a wet paper towel (distilled water) below the head will draw ink through, as well.


Simple Green is OK for using with a towel under the print head or for cleaning the waste/parking pad. But I never run it through the print head.

Flushing the head I haven't tried any "windex" (not to say it doesn't work) but there are some professional head cleaners designed just for printheads that aren't very expensive but of course you can't go to Walmart to get those either.

Although as I mentioned I haven't tried window cleaner, but for sure as you mention you would need to flush with distilled water right away following the application of the window cleaner, just to emphasize on that point you made.


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## Chris109 (Aug 3, 2015)

I'm just gonna throw this out there. But I bought a new Epson 1430 a several months back. Worked as it should. Every coupla days I would do a full color print as one should with this printer. Before I knew it I hadn't used it in 2 weeks. Started to use it again with no problems. All of a sudden, I had no ink coming out of 2 of the tanks (ciss). Head cleaning, nozzle checks, alignment, I did everything many times but nothing was unclogging the heads. I even went so far as to shoot cleaning solution directly into the head with a syringe. Nothing.

Then, something caught my eye. Turns out the air filters on the tanks were clogged. Replaced those and now its running poifictly.


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## daud1200 (Jun 12, 2014)

Chris109 said:


> I'm just gonna throw this out there. But I bought a new Epson 1430 a several months back. Worked as it should. Every coupla days I would do a full color print as one should with this printer. Before I knew it I hadn't used it in 2 weeks. Started to use it again with no problems. All of a sudden, I had no ink coming out of 2 of the tanks (ciss). Head cleaning, nozzle checks, alignment, I did everything many times but nothing was unclogging the heads. I even went so far as to shoot cleaning solution directly into the head with a syringe. Nothing.
> 
> Then, something caught my eye. Turns out the air filters on the tanks were clogged. Replaced those and now its running poifictly.


I dont have air filters on my tanks. Its just opened. Should I purchase them?


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## Chris109 (Aug 3, 2015)

daud1200 said:


> I dont have air filters on my tanks. Its just opened. Should I purchase them?


On the tanks I have used, they look like below. They should have come with the CISS system. At least they did with mine.


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## daud1200 (Jun 12, 2014)

I don't have any. I have to buy them. Are the they a must have????


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## Chris109 (Aug 3, 2015)

daud1200 said:


> I don't have any. I have to buy them. Are the they a must have????


That, I do not know.


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## WalkingZombie (Mar 15, 2014)

daud1200 said:


> I don't have any. I have to buy them. Are the they a must have????


Keeps dust and foreign particles out of your ink.


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