Nozzle Check Results - Help?

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Ian
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So I've had a bad print which prompted a nozzle check which looks like this...

V43lzpn.jpg


What I'm thinking is that the Light Black (posn 5) was blocked until the check, then it cleared. A subsequent print after this check was fine. This has happened before with similar results. I think it was Light Magenta that went that time and it was a few months ago.

Is this common on older printers? Am I looking at a printer on its way out? I usually try and print once a week, but it's been three weeks since my last print...
Are the blobs on the cyan and light light black anything to worry about?
 
Probably irrelevant but I’d be interested in the printer / inks involved “is this common on older printers” seems a tad vague IMHO
 
It's an Epson Stylus Pro 4800. The LK ink is 2014 but I've got Yellow 2010 ink in there and that's fine. Inks are all OEM - I never use third party.

To be honest, I was hoping it was more a "oh yeah - this happens all the time because of x,y,z" than something nebulous. The printer owes me nothing, but I love it, & love the quality of the prints. It's been a workhorse and has churned out image after image with no problems. I just wondered if it's something that was "common". I'm also loathe to start messing with print heads as my internet research hasn't turned up anything that isn't likely that I'll cause more problems by messing with it.

Thanks for the replies though.
 
Sounds like an old ink cartridge that maybe hasn’t been used for a while, if it’s now cleared then I certainly wouldn’t worry about it..... Good printer....
 
So I've had a bad print which prompted a nozzle check which looks like this...

V43lzpn.jpg


What I'm thinking is that the Light Black (posn 5) was blocked until the check, then it cleared. A subsequent print after this check was fine. This has happened before with similar results. I think it was Light Magenta that went that time and it was a few months ago.

Is this common on older printers? Am I looking at a printer on its way out? I usually try and print once a week, but it's been three weeks since my last print...
Are the blobs on the cyan and light light black anything to worry about?

Hi, I have the same printer as you, the 4800 Pro are prone to suffering from blocked heads, when I bought mine (second hand) it hadn't been used in 2 years, It took several days to get the heads back into condition. What the printer suffers from is irregular use, as the nozzles start to block. I don't print everyday so it quickly can become an issue. How I resolve blocked nozzles. I am not sure what you have done before, and I am not trying to teach a granny to suck eggs. So apologies if you've been down this road.

1. Try the Superclean method via the menu Start printer, hold down the power button and pause button, the machine will power up, and show hex dump on the menu screen, then let go the buttons. Scoll down to SSSL on the menu and execute, this will do a superclean, it doesn't seem to waste too much ink doing this either.

2. If the above doesn't work, then the next step is to soak the heads overnight. I use a substance called Nilglass get it from DIY shops, its a bloody good window cleaner by the way. Spray liquid onto a folded kitched towel so its really soaking wet. Make sure the printer is off
and then release the print head. Lay paper towel along the head track and run the head over it, try not to catch any of the towel. Leave head parked over the soaked towel overnight. Then remove and do a print test this should clear the nozzle block, if still blocked after doing 1 & 2 then repeat the print head cleaning described in 2. I had to do mine several times, as nearly every head on mine was crap.

I run a test print action everyday I made up a colour chart in photoshop, and then saved it as an action then create an automater run (I'm using IOS) using the photoshop file, and hit the run button once a day, it stops the heads from clogging.
The other issue that occurs id the humidity level in the roon where the printer is sat, if it's too warm then that's the issue. A trick I use in the summer is placing a plastic container of water next to the printer, creates better humidity.
 
Thanks for this Nick. No egg sucking here - it's such a big beast I'm afraid to touch it in case it breaks.

All useful info - many thanks.
 
Thanks for this Nick. No egg sucking here - it's such a big beast I'm afraid to touch it in case it breaks.

All useful info - many thanks.

Thats ok, it can be a temperamental beast, but if you do like I have, you will rarely get head cloggs. Also another point don't get too hung up on using Epson only inks, I've used 3rd party inks for quite sometime with this printer, and with my HPZ3200, no difference tbh, longevity is good, and no colour shifts whatsover, I've had several prints in direct sunlight for well over 3 years and they are still as good, as they were when first printed. If you need any further info just let me know.
 
I'm just constantly in awe of the quality of the prints. I used to be a huge DSCL convert, but now... I just couldn't go back.
 
Indeed it produces wonderful prints, I have been using some Kodak A3 metallic, just wonderful. Maintenance tank is a rip off, easy hack. Lots of paper towels and a chip resetter.
 
I’ve had the sc-p800 for two years now and absolutely faultless, great to know I can not use it for a few weeks and everything ok.
 
I’ve had the sc-p800 for two years now and absolutely faultless, great to know I can not use it for a few weeks and everything ok.

Not sure what you point was?

I have a HPZ3200ps which I can leave for weeks without use, it doesn't exhibit the problems the 4800 is well known for. However with careful maintenance it is a fantastic machine.
 
My point was related directly at Epson printers, I’ve been using them for 20 years and this is the first one where you don’t have to keep them in relatively constant use because of the potential head problems. A lot of people have gone away from Epson because of these problems but they seem to be resolved with the current series.
 
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Do leave the printer turned on? Leaving the printer on is meant to stop any sediment settling in the ink cartridges. The printer shakes the print head every now and again (so I've been told), it seems to work for me anyway.
 
My point was related directly at Epson printers, I’ve been using them for 20 years and this is the first one where you don’t have to keep them in relatively constant use because of the potential head problems. A lot of people have gone away from Epson because of these problems but they seem to be resolved with the current series.

Yeah your right, just your sentance had me a bit confused. The weak point of the 4800 is the nozzle clogging issues, that said if you use the methods outlined you can keep the problems at at bay. I bought my machine which hadn't been used for a couple od years and managed to revive the heads with a bit of patience. It's a shame as it prints superbly well, ink costs are quite low, and the build quality of the machine is second to none.
 
Do leave the printer turned on? Leaving the printer on is meant to stop any sediment settling in the ink cartridges. The printer shakes the print head every now and again (so I've been told), it seems to work for me anyway.

The problem with the nozzles clogging is lack of use, makes no odds if it's left on or off. A daily print purge keeps the nozzles free, I have not had a serious clog on mine for several months.
 
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