Stripe problem with Epson R2400

[merel_van_pieterson]

I recently bought myself a Epson R2400 after using a Canon pixma printer for

several years with no problems. After finally solving a problem with too dark

prints with the help of this forum, I have a new, for me puzzling, problem.

Making color or b&w prints with different settings on different papers, you

will see stripes on the image after 1 cm/0.5 inch.

 

See http://www.photo.net/photo/6070350

 

I am using PS CS2 and the correct profiles for printer + paper combination. I

have already ran the Epson tools for head alignment and head cleaning with no

succes.

 

Hope you can help because I've to complete an assignment and portfolio to get

admitted to a professional photo education.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Merel van Pieterson

www.mvphotography.nl

[tyler_kirby]

you have bad or clogged head. I had the same problem. I think I had to run 4 or 5 cleaning cycles to get it to clear up. Can do a google search for same topic- there was a site I found at the time that described several different cleaning ways if the above didn't work.

[fred_bonnett2]

I think Tyler is right. If you are not going to use the printer for an hour or so - turn it off. The 2400 will clogg if left on and unused for long periods of time.

[frans_waterlander]

I assume Merel also ran the nozzle check, although he doesn't mention it, since he ran the head alignment and head cleaning routines. So it may not be clogged nozzles at all.

 

Although I can't say what the underlying problem is, it is more than likely NOT because of not turning off the printer when not using it. This is one of the many myths that are almost impossible to eradicate. The printer will "park" the print head/carriage when it is not printing and in this position the print head is capped and will not dry out or cause clogging problems.

[fred_bonnett2]

Frans - I've have and have had more than 10 high-end Epson printers and print more than 150 8.5x11 and larger prints per month. On every Epson printer you should definitely turn the machine OFF when not in use. Clogging invariably follows leaving the machine turned on for long periods of non-use. Either turn it off or figure you'll throw away $5 to $10 worth of ink unglogging it.

 

Merel - just do as Tyler suggested - you may have to run the cleaning cycle many, many times.

[frans_waterlander]

Fred - you prove my point about myths. No matter how many Epson printers you have/have had or how many or how few images you print, when those printers don't print, the heads are capped in the parked position and don't dry out and don't clog. The only thing you save when you turn the printers off is a little amount of electricity and that's a good thing, but you don't prevent clogging.

[merel_van_pieterson]

Thank you all for your suggestions for my printing problem. I have done all the things you've mentioned above but unfortunately it didn't solve my problem. And I don't think a clogged print head would explain why the striping starts after 1 cm/0,5 inch.

I hope you will have more suggestions for solving this.

Thanks!

[fred_bonnett2]

Merel - If you've run the clean routine at least 10 times and if the nozzel check is coming out fine then my next step would be to replace all the cartridges (you might have a cartridge that has a flow constriction). I would call Epson support and describe the problem (USA 562-276-7296) - tell them your a professional and they will probably drop-ship you a new machine and set of cartridges. You might also go to Epson support at http:/support.epson.com.

 

I had a similiar looking problem a couple of years ago - it arose from a color negative scanning problem in a Nikon 8000 scanner. Do you get they same lines regardless of the sorce of the image (camera type or scanner)? Can you see the lines on your screen? Do you get the lines when printing color images?

 

On the second page of the Epson driver you should chose "best photo" and uncheck the boxes "high speed" and "edge smoothing".

 

Best of luck - keep us posted

 

------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Frans - You mustn't believe everything you read - the heads dry out if the R2400 is left on. I've proved it more times than I care to remember. A friend of mine owns and runs a couple of "old time" portrait studios. The kind, in resort towns, that has people dress-up in old time costumes and produces finished photos on-the-spot. He had constant clogging problems till he trained the employees to turn off the Epson printers during slack times and at night. BTW I live and work in the semi-desert region.

[fred_bonnett2]

Merel - one more thought - make sure you've cleanly pulled the tape off the top of each cartridge - the tape needs to be cleanly removed so that the exposed channel can let air in as the ink is used - a partially clogged channel could cause a flow restriction that would show after the printer had run for that first half inch.

[nico_.]

I had a similar problem last weekend. My R2400 hadn't been in use for a few weeks and the LLK-ink was very low. Instead of running several cleaning cycles I replaced the cartridge with a new one and the problem was gone.

[merel_van_pieterson]

This afternoon I decided to do all the option again once more and now it seems that the problem is solved. At least after 2 b&w prints. I will do more prints and see what's going to happen. The solution of Epson support was to give the printer in repair! In my opinion not a real good solution for a printer i bought 2 weeks ago.

[linnea_nereim]

You may have one or more faulty ink cartriges. My photos were showing a magenta blur

within the photo contrasty margins and also on the left side of the photo. Epson replaced the

faulty cartrige. The cartriges at fault will either blur or spot and create stripes within a photo.

 

Hope that helps, good luck!

Linnea