Post by thread:[OT] Ink jet cartridges not used for a while

Several things, and I have a HP Deskjet 5550, but similar should apply: 1: put the ink exit jet area under water for maybe several hours, might try adding some soap and/or alcohol to dissolve dried ink at the openings. Try not to submerge electronics. An ultrasonic cleaner might do the job. 2: Some of the refill kits include a little cup for the end of the syringe to apply a vacuum to the jets which sometimes will get it working. 3: Refill the cartridge, maybe it was low to begin with, and dried out. 4: Buy a new cartridge. (50% chance) Depends how much your time is worth, if on tight budget, spend more hours fixing, if work has been good, just go buy a new cartridge. Best to refill before runs out of ink. Tamas Rudnai wrote: {Quote hidden}> Hi, > > I have a Dell AIO 950 and I did not use that printer for a year. > Yesterday I wanted to print something and realised that the black ink > does not work. I think it could have been dried out? Is there any way > to get it back, or should not bother just buy a new cartridge? (but > then I won't use that again for a year so dunno what to do with an > inkjet if that happens every often...) Any advise? > > Thanks > Tamas >

Use alcohol. I use it for my fountain pens. Just suspend the cartridge in mid air into the solution*the nozzle head*. A few minutes should dilute the dried ink. John --- On Wed, 11/25/09, Tamas Rudnai <spam_OUTtamas.rudnaiTakeThisOuTgmail.com> wrote: {Quote hidden}> From: Tamas Rudnai <.....tamas.rudnaiKILLspam@spam@gmail.com> > Subject: [OT] Ink jet cartridges not used for a while > To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." <piclistKILLspammit.edu> > Date: Wednesday, November 25, 2009, 6:42 PM > Hi, > > I have a Dell AIO 950 and I did not use that printer for a > year. > Yesterday I wanted to print something and realised that the > black ink > does not work. I think it could have been dried out? Is > there any way > to get it back, or should not bother just buy a new > cartridge? (but > then I won't use that again for a year so dunno what to do > with an > inkjet if that happens every often...) Any advise? > > Thanks > Tamas > -- > /* http://www.mcuhobby.com */ int main() { char *a,*s,*q; > printf(s="/* > http://www.mcuhobby.com */ int main() { char *a,*s,*q; > printf(s=%s%s%s, > q=%s%s%s%s,s,q,q,a=%s%s%s%s,q,q,q,a,a,q); }", > q="\"",s,q,q,a="\\",q,q,q,a,a,q); } > --

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Tamas Rudnai wrote: {Quote hidden}> Hi, > > I have a Dell AIO 950 and I did not use that printer for a year. > Yesterday I wanted to print something and realised that the black ink > does not work. I think it could have been dried out? Is there any way > to get it back, or should not bother just buy a new cartridge? (but > then I won't use that again for a year so dunno what to do with an > inkjet if that happens every often...) Any advise? > > Thanks > Tamas Had exactly the same problem as you (Canon MP610). I tried alcohol, detergent and soap and none worked. What _did_ work, however, was very hot water. I got a bowl full straight from the hot tap and soaked the print head for 15 minutes or so with the nozzle just under the surface. Repeat that a couple of times so the water doesn't get too cool and it worked first time. - -- Brendan Gillatt | GPG Key: 0xBF6A0D94 brendan {a} brendangillatt (dot) co (dot) uk http://www.brendangillatt.co.uk -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (MingW32) iD8DBQFLDYExHEhZ5Ws5poERAiG5AJoD7BHcXmL4oROYK9xenCk4er6ukwCeIATZ ApASuBltdRgLc04dSrrWHjM= =nqTC -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

The favorite solution of choice for Epson inkjet owners is a window cleaning product that contains ammonia such as Windex brand in the US. With Epsons, the print head is part of the printer, not part of the ink cartridge. So when Epsons get a clog, you either fix it or get a new printer. Inkjet printers are not the best choice for printing only once per year; if you do this, think about running a test print once a month at least to keep the heads open. Also, most printers need to be powered off by the power switch which causes them to move the print head onto either a pad or on some, they actually close a "door" over the nozzles. Simply removing power (yanking the plug, etc.) won't perform this and the heads then may dry out creating a clog. Brendan Gillatt wrote: > > Had exactly the same problem as you (Canon MP610). I tried alcohol, > detergent and soap and none worked. What _did_ work, however, was very > hot water. I got a bowl full straight from the hot tap and soaked the > print head for 15 minutes or so with the nozzle just under the surface. > Repeat that a couple of times so the water doesn't get too cool and it > worked first time.

I find standing the carts on a cloth or thick tissue that is dampened with the solvent of your choice works well, the capillary action draws out ink to prime things a bit. Bonus: you get a crude chromatographic analysis of the pigments too :) Cheers, Robin. -----Original Message----- From: EraseMEpiclist-bouncesspam_OUTTakeThisOuTmit.edu [piclist-bouncesspam_OUTmit.edu] On Behalf Of Peter van Hoof Sent: 25 November 2009 20:52 To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. Subject: Re: [OT] Ink jet cartridges not used for a while Though it is stupid (according to my wife). I apply suction with my mouth (might get you a black tongue or lips tough). plain water helps with HP cartridges. Peter van Hoof

On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 10:12 PM, Tamas Rudnai <@spam@tamas.rudnaiKILLspamgmail.com> wrote: > Hi, > > I have a Dell AIO 950 and I did not use that printer for a year. > Yesterday I wanted to print something and realised that the black ink > does not work. I think it could have been dried out? Is there any way > to get it back, or should not bother just buy a new cartridge? (but > then I won't use that again for a year so dunno what to do with an > inkjet if that happens every often...) Any advise? > Buy a new cartridge. Or better give up using the Inkjet. Laser printer are getting cheaper now and they are easier to maintain and more economic to use in the long run. The main printer we use now is a 2.5 years old Samsung SCX-4200 (mono MFP). And my photo printer (Samsung SPP-2020, around 3 year old) is not an inkjet, it is using Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer and it works well. The old Canon Inkjet is still alive but we seldom use it. -- Xiaofan http://mcuee.blogspot.com

Thanks guys! So many replies, did not expect that much. :-) Anyway, it seems that none of the methods worked so far. With the window cleaner I got the best results: The liquid become black, so I felt lucky. After cleaning off the liquid I put the cartridge to the printer, and some of the micro lines started to work but only momentarily. I guess I need to buy new ink. Anyway, if I need to buy new ink probably I will listen to you, Xiaofan and buy new printer instead. This one does not even work with Linux (winprinter or how they call it). Do you know if these Samsung printers work with Linux? Thanks, Tamas On Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 1:26 AM, Xiaofan Chen <KILLspamxiaofancKILLspamgmail.com> wrote: {Quote hidden}> On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 10:12 PM, Tamas Rudnai <RemoveMEtamas.rudnaiTakeThisOuTgmail.com> wrote: >> Hi, >> >> I have a Dell AIO 950 and I did not use that printer for a year. >> Yesterday I wanted to print something and realised that the black ink >> does not work. I think it could have been dried out? Is there any way >> to get it back, or should not bother just buy a new cartridge? (but >> then I won't use that again for a year so dunno what to do with an >> inkjet if that happens every often...) Any advise? >> > > Buy a new cartridge. Or better give up using the Inkjet. Laser > printer are getting cheaper now and they are easier to > maintain and more economic to use in the long run. > The main printer we use now is a 2.5 years old Samsung SCX-4200 > (mono MFP). And my photo printer (Samsung SPP-2020, around 3 > year old) is not an inkjet, it is using Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer > and it works well. The old Canon Inkjet is still alive but we seldom > use it. > > > > -- > Xiaofan http://mcuee.blogspot.com >

If you're talking about the laser printers (like mentioned in the etching topic), it's a trivial thing under Ubuntu - just connect & press print. Getting Windows Vista to print to it took more work (both local & network), Windows XP yet again more work. Kind regards, Peter Bindels 2009/11/26 Tamas Rudnai <spamBeGonetamas.rudnaispamBeGonegmail.com>: {Quote hidden}> Thanks guys! > > So many replies, did not expect that much. :-) > > Anyway, it seems that none of the methods worked so far. With the > window cleaner I got the best results: The liquid become black, so I > felt lucky. After cleaning off the liquid I put the cartridge to the > printer, and some of the micro lines started to work but only > momentarily. I guess I need to buy new ink. > > Anyway, if I need to buy new ink probably I will listen to you, > Xiaofan and buy new printer instead. This one does not even work with > Linux (winprinter or how they call it). Do you know if these Samsung > printers work with Linux? > > Thanks, > Tamas > > > > On Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 1:26 AM, Xiaofan Chen <TakeThisOuTxiaofancEraseMEspam_OUTgmail.com> wrote: >> On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 10:12 PM, Tamas Rudnai <RemoveMEtamas.rudnaiTakeThisOuTgmail.com> wrote: >>> Hi, >>> >>> I have a Dell AIO 950 and I did not use that printer for a year. >>> Yesterday I wanted to print something and realised that the black ink >>> does not work. I think it could have been dried out? Is there any way >>> to get it back, or should not bother just buy a new cartridge? (but >>> then I won't use that again for a year so dunno what to do with an >>> inkjet if that happens every often...) Any advise? >>> >> >> Buy a new cartridge. Or better give up using the Inkjet. Laser >> printer are getting cheaper now and they are easier to >> maintain and more economic to use in the long run. >> The main printer we use now is a 2.5 years old Samsung SCX-4200 >> (mono MFP). And my photo printer (Samsung SPP-2020, around 3 >> year old) is not Â an inkjet, it is using Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer >> and it works well. The old Canon Inkjet is still alive but we seldom >> use it. >> >> >> >> -- >> Xiaofan http://mcuee.blogspot.com >> -

On Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 11:53 AM, Peter Bindels <dascandyEraseME.....gmail.com> wrote: > If you're talking about the laser printers (like mentioned in the > etching topic), it's a trivial thing under Ubuntu - just connect & > press print. Getting Windows Vista to print to it took more work (both > local & network), Windows XP yet again more work. Thanks Peter, I was just concern if the printer is "winprinter". With the HP deskjets I had this nice experience like you said, just "plug and work". With this Dell that I have it just does not work so I use the Virtualbox + WinXP to printing and scanning but that is not a very reliable method. So are you saying that Samsung printers are supported by linux / Ubuntu? Thanks Tamas {Quote hidden}> > Kind regards, > Peter Bindels > > 2009/11/26 Tamas Rudnai <EraseMEtamas.rudnaigmail.com>: >> Thanks guys! >> >> So many replies, did not expect that much. :-) >> >> Anyway, it seems that none of the methods worked so far. With the >> window cleaner I got the best results: The liquid become black, so I >> felt lucky. After cleaning off the liquid I put the cartridge to the >> printer, and some of the micro lines started to work but only >> momentarily. I guess I need to buy new ink. >> >> Anyway, if I need to buy new ink probably I will listen to you, >> Xiaofan and buy new printer instead. This one does not even work with >> Linux (winprinter or how they call it). Do you know if these Samsung >> printers work with Linux? >> >> Thanks, >> Tamas >> >> >> >> On Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 1:26 AM, Xiaofan Chen <RemoveMExiaofancEraseMEEraseMEgmail.com> wrote: >>> On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 10:12 PM, Tamas Rudnai <RemoveMEtamas.rudnaispam_OUTKILLspamgmail.com> wrote: >>>> Hi, >>>> >>>> I have a Dell AIO 950 and I did not use that printer for a year. >>>> Yesterday I wanted to print something and realised that the black ink >>>> does not work. I think it could have been dried out? Is there any way >>>> to get it back, or should not bother just buy a new cartridge? (but >>>> then I won't use that again for a year so dunno what to do with an >>>> inkjet if that happens every often...) Any advise? >>>> >>> >>> Buy a new cartridge. Or better give up using the Inkjet. Laser >>> printer are getting cheaper now and they are easier to >>> maintain and more economic to use in the long run. >>> The main printer we use now is a 2.5 years old Samsung SCX-4200 >>> (mono MFP). And my photo printer (Samsung SPP-2020, around 3 >>> year old) is not an inkjet, it is using Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer >>> and it works well. The old Canon Inkjet is still alive but we seldom >>> use it. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Xiaofan http://mcuee.blogspot.com >>> --

Plug&play. In fact, it worked before I had found out how to install the printer. As soon as I found the dialog the printer was installed & ready. I know that I've used it before on Slackware which isn't as user friendly, where it worked out of the box with Ghostscript using the gdi driver (not related to the Windows GDI+ stuff) and redirecting its output to the printer device. So I'm very sure it's not a virtual thing. I can only vouch for my own ML-1610 though. I strongly suspect that the ML-16x0 is just a family of minor updates but the new ones might be different. Anybody else on the list have experience with them? Kind regards, Peter 2009/11/26 Tamas Rudnai <RemoveMEtamas.rudnaiTakeThisOuTspamgmail.com>: {Quote hidden}> On Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 11:53 AM, Peter Bindels <EraseMEdascandyspamspamBeGonegmail.com> wrote: >> If you're talking about the laser printers (like mentioned in the >> etching topic), it's a trivial thing under Ubuntu - just connect & >> press print. Getting Windows Vista to print to it took more work (both >> local & network), Windows XP yet again more work. > > Thanks Peter, > > I was just concern if the printer is "winprinter". With the HP > deskjets I had this nice experience like you said, just "plug and > work". With this Dell that I have it just does not work so I use the > Virtualbox + WinXP to printing and scanning but that is not a very > reliable method. > > So are you saying that Samsung printers are supported by linux / Ubuntu? > > Thanks > Tamas > > > >> >> Kind regards, >> Peter Bindels >> >> 2009/11/26 Tamas Rudnai <RemoveMEtamas.rudnaiKILLspamgmail.com>: >>> Thanks guys! >>> >>> So many replies, did not expect that much. :-) >>> >>> Anyway, it seems that none of the methods worked so far. With the >>> window cleaner I got the best results: The liquid become black, so I >>> felt lucky. After cleaning off the liquid I put the cartridge to the >>> printer, and some of the micro lines started to work but only >>> momentarily. I guess I need to buy new ink. >>> >>> Anyway, if I need to buy new ink probably I will listen to you, >>> Xiaofan and buy new printer instead. This one does not even work with >>> Linux (winprinter or how they call it). Do you know if these Samsung >>> printers work with Linux? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Tamas >>> >>> >>> >>> On Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 1:26 AM, Xiaofan Chen <xiaofancSTOPspamspam_OUTgmail.com> wrote: >>>> On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 10:12 PM, Tamas Rudnai <spamBeGonetamas.rudnaiSTOPspamEraseMEgmail.com> wrote: >>>>> Hi, >>>>> >>>>> I have a Dell AIO 950 and I did not use that printer for a year. >>>>> Yesterday I wanted to print something and realised that the black ink >>>>> does not work. I think it could have been dried out? Is there any way >>>>> to get it back, or should not bother just buy a new cartridge? (but >>>>> then I won't use that again for a year so dunno what to do with an >>>>> inkjet if that happens every often...) Any advise? >>>>> >>>> >>>> Buy a new cartridge. Or better give up using the Inkjet. Laser >>>> printer are getting cheaper now and they are easier to >>>> maintain and more economic to use in the long run. >>>> The main printer we use now is a 2.5 years old Samsung SCX-4200 >>>> (mono MFP). And my photo printer (Samsung SPP-2020, around 3 >>>> year old) is not Â an inkjet, it is using Dye Diffusion Thermal Transfer >>>> and it works well. The old Canon Inkjet is still alive but we seldom >>>> use it. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Xiaofan http://mcuee.blogspot.com >>>> --

On Thu, 2009-11-26 at 12:04 +0000, Tamas Rudnai wrote: > On Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 11:53 AM, Peter Bindels <KILLspamdascandyspamBeGonegmail.com> wrote: > > If you're talking about the laser printers (like mentioned in the > > etching topic), it's a trivial thing under Ubuntu - just connect & > > press print. Getting Windows Vista to print to it took more work (both > > local & network), Windows XP yet again more work. > > Thanks Peter, > > I was just concern if the printer is "winprinter". With the HP > deskjets I had this nice experience like you said, just "plug and > work". With this Dell that I have it just does not work so I use the > Virtualbox + WinXP to printing and scanning but that is not a very > reliable method. > > So are you saying that Samsung printers are supported by linux / Ubuntu? The one I have is. Do your research. No matter what peripheral you are interested in, do a quick google search to see if it works under linux. TTYL