Nasty Printer problem...

[Chuck]

I've got a HP 820cxi. The problem is that when it prints the black fades in and out (with horisontal lines going through the text. I've tried to clean / align / change the printer cartrages to no avail. When I open it up to have a look at the printer cartrage there is a lot of excess ink on the head. If I wipe this off it's ok for one page, but then revers back to it's old ways. I've tried changing the cartrage for another one, but that didn't help... the same thing happens. I even tried using one which was in another printer (so i knew it was ok) and it still did it.

Does anyone know what is going on, and how this can be fixed?

Thanks

 

[TechMaster]

Check the cartrage-chassis pin connectors - are they clean/not bent?

 

[Chuck]

They seem to be ok (clean and not bent)

 

[Hittman2]

The answer can be found in plain ole Scotch tape. Pull off a piece about 4 inches long. Thread it UNDER the cartridge holders themselves. Floss under it. The problem is that over time, dust collects under the cartridge holder. Common cleaning involves cleaning the cartrige heads but nobody ever thinks about the holder which is just as close to the paper and collects just as much dust. Clean out those dust bunnies. The horizontal lines are comming from some of this dust passing through the ink.

Hittman2

Also, common mistake is to use rubbing alcohol to clean the heads. This only leads to further drying. To properly clean the head, or loosen any ink that has dried there from not using printer frequently, put the heads under warm water and gently wash off. Then shake out some ink. Blot water off heads with cloth and you are good to go.

 

[TechMaster]

Hittman2 is tolaly right

I have done similer thing when my HP890C got noisy - I have leaned the whole holding mechanisem+cartrages and I have putted light machine oil (desinged just for this kind of things - it is VERY important to choose an oil that won't harm your printer) on the railways and the cartrage holding weels - now my HP890C is as good as new!

 

[Chuck]

Thanks guys. I'll try it when I get into work on monday...

 

[BCYL]

Yes, I have found it's a common problem with inkjet printers, but esp HP ones... I have a 690C, and was experiencing the same problems as you were... turn out there were a couple of pins on the cartridge holder that helps to hold the paper down when the ink gets sprayed onto the paper... since those pins sweep the page before the ink drys, over time it's extremely dirty under there...

so what I do is get a couple of Q-tips, wet them with normal water and starts rubbing... This will likely cure your problem...