Cathald, here are the instructions as I promised.....
Thursday 19th March
Tip 126 Hardware [7] Cleaning Epson print heads 1
This is the Epson approved method.
Items you will require
1 x 20-50ml syringe
1 x thin plastic pipe (that fits the syringe) 10cm in length.
1 x bottle of inkjet cleaning fluid (isopropanol cleaning solvent)
1 x NEW cartridge to replace ones fitted at blocked colours.
Fit the rubber/plastic clear tubing to the end of the syringe as shown in the above picture.
Method
First off print a printer head test and make sure that the head is in fact not printing through EVERY hole and try the normal head cleaning procedure three times.
Second try a full on head clean. There are ways to initiate this but the easiest is to tell the printer you are changing a cartridge and dont actually change it.
If neither of the above help then we can proceed to the main course !
Firstly we need to park the printer head carriage in the cartridge changing location. The procedure for doing this varies from printer to printer but usually holding the ink change button for about 5 seconds forces the printer to do it or alternatively turning the printer on and waiting for the head to fly past the change location. Either way once the head is in that location pull the power lead out. DO NOT leave the lead in as some Epson models will automatically re-locate the head after 45 seconds of non activity and you could break off the nozzle you are working on.
Once the head is in its park location remove the cartridge that is not working.
Remove the pipe and fill the syringe with 10ml of solvent and re-attach pipe. Then push the fluid to the end of the pipe by pushing the plunger.
Locate the nozzle that the print cartridge attaches too:
Attach the other end of the pipe to the nozzle inside the printer (where the cartridge attaches):
Pull the plunger lightly (which should cause a vacuum and pull any air in the head through the liquid the the plunger) then let go of the plunger. The vacuum should suck the liquid into the head. Do this again till no air comes through then pump the cleaning fluid into the printer head using moderate pressure till no more goes through and leave to do its work.
After 12 hours try to pump more through by pushing the plunger. This should have cleared any blockage.
Fit another cartridge and plug the printer back in.
Complete three printer cleaning/nozzle check runs and note any improvement.
You can repeat the above a couple of times but if this does not work the only alternative is to go to the next tip for an alternative method.
Friday 20th March
Tip 127 Hardware [8] Cleaning Epson print heads 2
If TIP126 has NOT managed to clean your heads then you will need to remove the heads from the printer. This is not the easiest of tasks but if you want to carry this out and have any concerns then let me know as I have a number of exploded diagrams and service manuals.
Park the heads and remove the power cable.
Disassemble and remove the print heads !!!
Right now this method is not endorsed by Epson but basically we need to force cleaning fluid through the head. You can do this by re-attaching the pipe and syringe and forcing the fluid through again.
Wipe the heads with a jay cloth soaked in cleaning fluid.
Leave to soak for 12 hours making sure that the cleaning fluid does not go anywhere near the electrics and repeat the above 2 lines.
Re-fit and perform cleaning cycles.