Tricky Epson 9800 issue

[dcsharp]

Looking for advice!!!
We have a Epson 9800 which has stopped printing, techs have replaced pump cap and print head + dampers. Ink has filled the dampers and it is cleaning/wasting ink not a problem. It just will not print, not from the pc or from the built in tests.

Techs have recommended replacing the mainboard and the print head again, however sure it must be something much simpler....

Anyway had similar issues?


Thanks heaps in advance.

 

[BillJ]

Who is paying for all this, Epson or you? I wouldn't put that much money in an "old" printer.

 

[prepressdork]

If the Epson won't print its own internal tests, a faulty main board (or other board) is likely to blame. I agree with BillJ that your money is probably better spent on a new printer.

 

[dcsharp]

If the Epson won't print its own internal tests, a faulty main board (or other board) is likely to blame. I agree with BillJ that your money is probably better spent on a new printer.

Thanks for the replies, yes the unit is old and were it that simple we would replace it without a second thought. It is however a modified unit, the machine uses the Epson 9800 innards however it is a flat bed DTG printer, the tech does not think this should make too much of a difference.

They are now suggesting now that we replace the mainboard AND the print head (again) as the faulty mainboard has likely killed the print head???
Sounds fishy to me.

The printer goes through the motions but does not fire ink.

The cost has all been ours, $3500 NZD thus far.

 

[Johu]

The only thing (and not really a comforting one) that I can say about this is from a friend who sells all sorts of printers including the "real" DTG printer from epson. He was proposed with these x800/x880 series based DTG printers but turned them down on account of them being way too unreliable since printing on subrates that they were not originaly intended for is causing too much stress on the printer equipment.
I know this is definitaly not helping here, but my two cents are on the mainboard failure.