# Epson 4880 based DTG issues, please advice



## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

Hi, 
I have DTG based on EPSON 4880, Its been a while I have this strange issue, (couple of months), Print quality on 1440X720 comes out very gray, as it all nozzles are not firing, on 1440x1440 it's normal, not amazing but good. I changed print-head, dumpers assembly, flushed system three times with cleaning solution. and its still the same, changed ink supplier, still the same. printer is consuming more ink from one cartridge compared to another one, before even on 720X720 it was ok, 1440X720 was amazing, almost flooding t-shirt with ink, not its very dry and grayish on that resolution. What can it be? I know this model is gravity based, but don't know where to start looking, electronics or ink system. 
Thanks


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## Zenith DTG (Sep 7, 2015)

Hi Peter,

What manufacturer model of DTG is this and which rip are you using?

Regards,
Darryle


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

Zenith DTG said:


> Hi Peter,
> 
> What manufacturer model of DTG is this and which rip are you using?
> 
> ...


It;s Rainbow printer, old one but still good. I have CMYK+4 white, only working resolution that's good is 1440X1440. 
I am using CADLINK rip, VMP APPAREL.


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## equipmentzone (Mar 26, 2008)

Did you change the capping assembly?


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

equipmentzone said:


> Did you change the capping assembly?
> 
> 
> _


I changed blade, and cleaned capping station, its not dirty or clogged, capping station seems to be good. can it be motherboard related? I am using Image Armor inks, I tried Dupont ink the same result. I will attach images of print below.


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## equipmentzone (Mar 26, 2008)

I would suggest changing the capping assembly. It is a wear part and should be changed anyway every year or year and a half as part of a regular maintenance program.

_


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

one is 720X720 another 1440X720, its not normal right?


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## Zenith DTG (Sep 7, 2015)

Peter,

I have a Rainbow 4880 in my factory unit to refurbish so I will check some settings with the software, however did you change the capping station as Harry asked, can you also confirm if all nozzles will fire 100%, maybe in rip a setting has been accidentally adjusted/changed?

Regards


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

equipmentzone said:


> I would suggest changing the capping assembly. It is a wear part and should be changed anyway every year or year and a half as part of a regular maintenance program.
> 
> _


I changed capping station 6 months ago,but it was printing the same way. only highest resolution produces OK print.


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

Zenith DTG said:


> Peter,
> 
> I have a Rainbow 4880 in my factory unit to refurbish so I will check some settings with the software, however did you change the capping station as Harry asked, can you also confirm if all nozzles will fire 100%, maybe in rip a setting has been accidentally adjusted/changed?
> 
> Regards


Thank you, as recommended I will change capping station again, although I don't think its a problem its worth trying. Nozzle is perfect, is there any software to check if all nozzles are firing during printing, setup in RIP is CMYK+4WHITE, thats the one printer has, CMYK and 4 white. should not be an issue


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## Zenith DTG (Sep 7, 2015)

Hi Peter,

After changing capping station and problem persists, please check your rip settings, the white test image does not appear to be sharp so do you have correct head to shirt gap and coverage is poor as you already stated? The nozzle check is good and therefore I lean to checking the rip settings, I'm not sure if the rip I have is same as yours but will check tomorrow if I get chance as we are off to a show and will not be back until Monday next week.

Regards


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## DTGPRINTERPARTS (Jul 13, 2012)

Great advice Darryle


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## Zenith DTG (Sep 7, 2015)

Peter, extremely sorry but we could not find time to check software due to show we are attending tomorrow, regarding platen gap, normally you would not worry about this because your platen/garment sits at the same height always but its possible you may have inadvertently gone into printer settings and changed it there but still not sure that would solve the whole problem - only the fuzziness in the text images you posted.
I am not sure if the Groener rip we have is same as yours, did it come with the printer?


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

Zenith DTG said:


> Peter, extremely sorry but we could not find time to check software due to show we are attending tomorrow, regarding platen gap, normally you would not worry about this because your platen/garment sits at the same height always but its possible you may have inadvertently gone into printer settings and changed it there but still not sure that would solve the whole problem - only the fuzziness in the text images you posted.
> I am not sure if the Groener rip we have is same as yours, did it come with the printer?


thank you for helping me, Yes Gap was a problem, one of the boxes for too close, (because it deformed overtime) another one is good, I placed two coins and gap is around two coins above garments, should be good enough. In RIP I tried everything I could, updated changed ink setup, resolution, Dot size, and so on and so on, I am very confident RIP should not be a problem. Today I stripped all covering around printer, so that I can see if ink flows properly, it seems ink goes from cartridge to head without any problem, I am thinking to change motherboard, and go from there, trial and error method, not sure, what else could it be.


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## Zenith DTG (Sep 7, 2015)

Thats good Peter, you have solved one problem but now the other and I still think it is a software issue.

What board do youneed?


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

Zenith DTG said:


> Thats good Peter, you have solved one problem but now the other and I still think it is a software issue.
> 
> What board do youneed?


Thank you Darryle, I have couple of 4880s for parts in my office and I will get one of the motherboard, I am not sure if it could be motherboard, but if print head is good, three things that can be wrong, motherboard, capping station or RIP. Its really puzzling, 6 months ago when I change to another ink supplier their ink printed 20 or so shirts, and that completely clogged 3rd channel, but those 20 shirts were what it supposed to be, almost flooding print, after that nothing works as it should be


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## DTGPRINTERPARTS (Jul 13, 2012)

is the printer spitting out ink on garments?


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

DTGPRINTERPARTS said:


> is the printer spitting out ink on garments?


Hi Anthony,
No its not spitting out, if it were it would be a good news, its not print is very dry, its laying down very minimum amount of ink. on the same resolution Spectra makes miracles, I am flushing system again. and will pull ink from capping station pump.


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## DTGPRINTERPARTS (Jul 13, 2012)

If you see ink going into the capping station while a head clean and not spitting ink out then there's a fuse on the mainboard that blew, F6. I can show you how to fix. I've repaired a bunch of these 50 cent fix


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

DTGPRINTERPARTS said:


> If you see ink going into the capping station while a head clean and not spitting ink out then there's a fuse on the mainboard that blew, F6. I can show you how to fix. I've repaired a bunch of these 50 cent fix


I heard about F6 fuse, could this fuse cause partial blockage on printing, I have a Motherboard right in front of me. there is only one fuse white one, is that F6?


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## DTGPRINTERPARTS (Jul 13, 2012)

paata01 said:


> I heard about F6 fuse, could this fuse cause partial blockage on printing, I have a Motherboard right in front of me. there is only one fuse white one, is that F6?


it won't cause partial blockage, but if this is fried then it won't print anything at all. If the head and other parts are good and you know for sure it could be a ribbon cable. I circled the fuse in the pic


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

DTGPRINTERPARTS said:


> it won't cause partial blockage, but if this is fried then it won't print anything at all. If the head and other parts are good and you know for sure it could be a ribbon cable. I circled the fuse in the pic


Thanks, I will check it, probably it should have visible damage, I read about F6, it is blocked it will not print at all right? mine is printing fine on high resolution.


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## DTGPRINTERPARTS (Jul 13, 2012)

paata01 said:


> Thanks, I will check it, probably it should have visible damage, I read about F6, it is blocked it will not print at all right? mine is printing fine on high resolution.


Ok yes then definitely not the F6 fuse, if it was blown you would not be able to shoot any ink out. Its definitely the RIP software's settings. Most of the time 1440x1440 is what runs the best, unless they have a special queue for a different resolution, if not its a lot of work to tweak it how you want.


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

DTGPRINTERPARTS said:


> Ok yes then definitely not the F6 fuse, if it was blown you would not be able to shoot any ink out. Its definitely the RIP software's settings. Most of the time 1440x1440 is what runs the best, unless they have a special queue for a different resolution, if not its a lot of work to tweak it how you want.


Yes, It seems 1440X1440 is working resolution on this one, I will try replacing ribbon cables going into a head, and that\s it, if it does not help, I am out of ideas. Will continue printing on 1440X1440.


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## Zenith DTG (Sep 7, 2015)

Totally agree with Anthony here, as I said from beginning it is probably a rip setting, you have a good nozzle check and you sorted the platen gap so suggest chatting with Cadlink who may throw some light on the subject.


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## Zenith DTG (Sep 7, 2015)

paata01 said:


> Yes, It seems 1440X1440 is working resolution on this one, I will try replacing ribbon cables going into a head, and that\s it, if it does not help, I am out of ideas. Will continue printing on 1440X1440.


Paata01 I would not bother with the ribbons, from my knowledge if you have perfect nozzle check then ribbon is good.


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

Zenith DTG said:


> Totally agree with Anthony here, as I said from beginning it is probably a rip setting, you have a good nozzle check and you sorted the platen gap so suggest chatting with Cadlink who may throw some light on the subject.


Thanks, I will contact CADLINK, before that I will change RIBBON cables, 1440X1440 is not bad though, takes about 5 minutes to do a print.


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## paata01 (Aug 31, 2013)

RIP settings are good, it only works on unidirectional 1440X1440 took 11 minutes on last print, not very impressive I guess, thanks guys


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## DTGPRINTERPARTS (Jul 13, 2012)

makes sense on the other settings were you getting some really weird prints in Banding?


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