Idle Jet Maintenance
Due to the evaporation of the solvents in
The following table shows the recommended maintenance schedule while the printer is idle. See Chapter 5, Maintaining the Printer, for a complete listing of recommended maintenance to keep the printer operating well and covered by the manufacturer ’s warranty.
Time Period | Recommended Maintenance |
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|
1 hour | When not printing while the printheads are uncapped, a small amount of |
| ink is expelled (spit) periodically into the spittoons, which drain into the |
| excess ink containers. |
| See “Checking Jet Health” on page |
| Wipe and AutoJet. See “AutoTune” on page |
| ing |
|
|
Momentary Power Down | If the power must be removed for a brief period of time, leave the carriage |
| over the service station (not the capping station) to allow the ink, which will |
| no longer be held inside the printheads by the vacuum/pressure system, to |
| drain into the excess ink reservoir. Power up the printer as soon as possible |
| and cap the printheads if the printer will be idle for 4 hours or more. |
|
|
2 hours to 4 days | Cap the printheads to prevent drying and conserve ink (idle spit is sus- |
| pended during capping). See “Capping the Printheads” on page |
| instructions. |
| This capping period can successfully extended if every four days the print- |
| heads are uncapped, purged to recover missing jets, prime bars or other |
| print is made, and recapped. |
|
|
| For best results, do not allow the printer to remain capped for more than 4 days; oth- |
| erwise, extensive cleaning of the printheads may be required. If the printer must |
| remain capped longer than four days (such as during a long holiday weekend, for |
| shipping, or storage), follow the applicable procedure below: |
4 - 14 days | Cap the printheads as described in “Capping the Printheads” on page |
|
|
14 - 30 days | Fill the printheads with cleaning solvent and cap the printheads with a sol- |
| |
|
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30 days or more | Flush the printheads with cleaning solvent, empty the printheads, and cap. |
| See “Extended Power Down and Restart” on page |
|
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Idle Jet Maintenance |