1. I bought 5 dampers from Amazon (can't link on first post, - "5PCS Ink Damper for Surecolor F2000 F2100" by YUNMOKH - Is there any reason I would need the entire $600 damper kit instead of the individual dampers?

You don't... You can just replace one damper if you like, or maybe just the white ink ones.
Epson technicians will of course replace the whole thing, but that's because they don't want to be called back.

2. What are the odds of this being a printhead issue despite the nozzles themselves not being clogged? I don't think I submerged it too far or used too much pressure when cleaning.

Dead and clogged are different things.
BUT it is unlikely that all 4 white channels just died at the same time.
Also loosing more channels indicates a problem elsewhere.
Check the ink lines for air gaps, and test the dampers with a syringe (ink should not return when pulled).
The other thing is ink pressure... but I cannot think of an easy way to test this on these printers... You'll have to think of something.

 

If you visually see the ink drain after starting the cleaning, then everything is fine with the dampers and the cleaning unit. The problem is with the printhead. Most likely, there was a depressurization of some channels, with too much pressure from the syringe. If the head is old, then this happens very often.

 

If you visually see the ink drain after starting the cleaning, then everything is fine with the dampers and the cleaning unit.

What if the one way valves in the dampers are not working?

Most likely, there was a depressurization of some channels,

I have no idea what you mean by "depressurization", but losing all 4 white channels at the same time is unlikely to be a printhead issue.

 

I'm sorry for my English.
Once again, if you start cleaning on the printer and see that white ink is draining through the tube at the back of the printer, then the problem is not with the dampers. If ink is lost during printing, then yes, the problem may be in the dampers or in the fine filter (on the printhead).
With increased pressure by the syringe, through the printhead, the membrane between the channels may rupture (depressurize), and air enters the channels, since the channels are paired, so that 2 channels will not work.

 

Once again, if you start cleaning on the printer and see that white ink is draining through the tube at the back of the printer, then the problem is not with the dampers. If ink is lost during printing, then yes

Not necessarily.
The cleaning pump is very powerful.
The printhead cannot generate much vacuum on its own...
It's gravity fed type printhead, so it needs working dampers.

With increased pressure by the syringe, through the printhead, the membrane between the channels may rupture (depressurize), and air enters the channels, since the channels are paired, so that 2 channels will not work.

I'm not aware of any membrane between the channels.
Waterfalling may delaminate the printhead, but this does not explain losing all 4 white channels, and none of the others.
It is a very unlikely scenario.

 

Hi everyone, just wanted to give an update and say thanks for the conversation so far @TABOB @yahasko .

Unfortunately, the printer sat for a month before I could get to install a printhead today from sdott-parts (does this seem legitimate? The printhead looked good to me), and nobody performed any cleanings in that timeframe.

I installed it and updated the serial number using the service program. Cleanings seem normal, but the nozzle check behavior is a bit strange:

C/M printed fine with only one medium cleaning, BK initially was only halfway printing. Y and WH1/2/3/4 were empty.

Then, after a few more medium cleanings, BK / C / M were all good. Y / WH1/2/3/4 were all empty.

Now, I have done about a dozen medium cleanings of just the empty channels, and a nozzle check every 2-3.

Y once came back fully for a few nozzle checks, but then disappeared fully. WH1 came back once, fully, after two cleanings in a row and then did not recover even after more cleanings. This behavior is very similar/identical to what was happening before printhead replacement.

In addition, the printer now mentions to "Replace Part Now 00080000" - I think this is the BUFFER ASSY but would love additional confirmation on that. Looks like another expensive part that is not very fun to install.

Since it has sat for a month, there are some extra variables to account for, but I think the printhead can be ruled out as being the issue. I may one day put the original one back in, but no point in that at the moment.

That leaves the following potential causes:

1. Needs even more cleanings for some reason? I am low on WH and CL so I will get more and do a heavy and then many mediums. I think I have done at least a dozen Medium cleanings on the WH channels.

2. Damper issue - the only damper I haven't changed was the C / M, and it seems to be fine. Maybe something is wrong with the ones I got?

3. Buffer assembly - I guess this needs replacement soon anyway, so maybe some clog here is causing issues? WH and Y both have the problem.

As far as I can tell, ink comes from all selected channels during a cleaning at the capping station and there are no suction or other errors at any point. (Actually, even C/BK get shot out at the pad here, even during WH1/2/3/4 only cleanings.)

Some of the nozzle checks, in order:

Any other suggestions here would be appreciated. I will be getting more ink and cleaning fluid soon, and potentially that buffer assembly. Thanks everyone.

 

1. Needs even more cleanings for some reason? I am low on WH and CL so I will get more and do a heavy and then many mediums. I think I have done at least a dozen Medium cleanings on the WH channels.

These are just for the printhead. They don't do anything else.

2. Damper issue - the only damper I haven't changed was the C / M, and it seems to be fine. Maybe something is wrong with the ones I got?

What I often do for testing, is moving a non-working ink line and damper to a working color position.
if the problem moves with damper, the problem is somewhere in the ink supply.
Unfortunately this is not possible on the f2100

3. Buffer assembly - I guess this needs replacement soon anyway, so maybe some clog here is causing issues? WH and Y both have the problem.

A good manual clean of the ink system will most likely make parts last 3 times the manufacturer's estimate.
I swap parts in my printers all the time because it is the easiest method to diagnose issues, but I don't throw away the used parts.
I clean and store them for later use.

 

These are just for the printhead. They don't do anything else.

Right, I just found it strange that WH1 worked fully after a few cleanings, and then never worked.

At this point, I am tempted to try new dampers again. I have the buffer assembly, so I will install that soon and keep the other as a spare once I clean it.

The printhead flex contacts look fine, but I will double check those in case they are somehow not properly seated.

Any other ideas would be appreciated, but the intermittent nature is understandably confusing. So many possibilities, so much fun.

I will keep you all updated. Thanks.