How to Use PiezoFlush
PiezoFlush is a very strong cleaner – yet is safe enough for long term storage. It can be used in a variety of ways that benefit users. One of the most frequent uses of PiezoFlush is for flushing out pigment ink from the inside of large format printers so that the printers can be shut down for weeks or months. Universities and colleges use our system. One set of carts can be used to flush out a number of printers that share the same cartridge size.
One of its strengths is that it can permeate and re-solubilize dried pigment matter. So, it can be used to clean the surface of print heads as well as the internals of ink systems including ink channels, dampers, and ink lines. Our best selling systems are for the EPSON 4900, 7900 and 9900 printers and which seem to be plagued by permanent ink clogs when used with the OEM inks. We have a high success rate! And for those whom are unable to recover ink channels in these printers, we can map the bad channels out and customize Piezography systems with as little as 6 working ink channels. (just a fall-back idea if you can't recover your X900 color printer!)
Recently, there has been a trend to use EPSON photo quality printers for DTF/DTG (Direct to Film/Direct to Garment) inks. EPSON did not design their photo printers to perform the type of cleaning operations that DTF/DTG inks require. Pigment tends to agglomerate because DTF/DTG pigments are heavier than the particles designed for these photo printers. White ink especially needs agitation. We do understand why people convert aqueous pigment ink printers to these DTF/DTG because it is a wonderful market that is expanding. Our recommendation to INIT FILL a printer followed by a second INIT FILL after 24-48 hours really needs to be heeded when you use a printer for DTF/DTG. This way you soften agglomerations (the wait period) and then pull them out (the second INIT FILL). We also recommend an INIT FILL of PiezoFlush every six months or as needed. In an ideal world, DTF/DTG users of these photo printers would employ an external agitating ink system that feeds through degassers and bypasses the dampers in the ink selector units. But then again modifications like that would probably afford the user a true DTF/DTG printer.
We do sell a desktop system in which the PiezoFlush is injected carefully into the print head with a special fitting and syringe. There’s a video on how to do this at the bottom of this page.
For large format printers, PiezoFlush must be introduced into the print head via refillable cartridges using Power Cleans (earlier models) or Initial Ink Charges (late models). Refer to our Initial Fill Documentation to see how your printer can be used. Those printer models that require Initial Ink Charges should not be filled by Power Clean. In later models - EPSON changed the power clean radically. Older models would use strong suction and move a lot of ink per power clean. Just 3 or 4 will replace all of the ink in the lines, ink selector unit, and print head. In later models, EPSON now stimulates the print head with electricity and performing these one after another can cause so much heat that it ruins the print head. It may take as many as 30 to replace the ink in the lines, ink selector unit, and print head with PiezoFlush. For these printers only the Initial Ink Charge should be performed as it uses suction only. Yes it wastes a lot of ink that way because you can not use paired cleanings in its place.
Once the PiezoFlush is introduced through the ink lines and dampers to the print head, it should be allowed to rest (and work) for 48 hours. The printer can be turned off. After 48 hours turn the printer on and perform 2-3 regular head cleanings and test for a nozzle check. If progress is made – repeat regular head cleanings. It may be necessary to repeat the Initial Ink Charge. Because PiezoFlush is stained pink you can check your progress by printing nozzle check tests.
The Amount of PiezoFlush Required Varies from Model to Model.
The best practice is to fill the refillable cart to its full mark so that the chip (which already reads 100% full) will be in sync with the cart contents. However, you can elect to under-fill the carts as long as you ignore the Status Monitor or the reported amount of ink remaining in the cartridge - and instead visually check the cartridge to make sure it does not run empty. The following is a chart indicating the amount of ink discharged per channel as well as the minimum level required to operate the cartridge for the following printers:
INITIAL FILL MODEL: QTY FLUID PER LINE PER INIT CHARGE
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R3000 / SC-P600:10ml per channel (x8 channels)
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Pro 3800 / 3880 / SC-P800:14ml / channel (x9 channels)
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4800 / 4880:18ml / channel (x8 channels)
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4900:18ml / channel (x10 channels)
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7800 / 7880 / 7890 / SC-P6000:28ml / channel (x8 channels)
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7900 / SC-P7000:28ml / channel (x10 channels)
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9800 / 9880: 40ml / channel (x8 channels)
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9890 / SC-P8000: 40ml / channel (x9 channels)
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9900 / SC-P9000:40ml / channel (x10 channels)
We recommend two Initial Ink Charge Procedures for clearing clogs, one for flushing for storage, and as many as two or three for preparing for Piezography to remove all residual color pigment stain. For example, if you wish to try and clear a clog in a 4900 you would need the following minimum amount of PiezoFlush per cartridge (30ml minimum operating amount, + two times 18ml = 66ml). However, you should allow yourself overhead for running nozzle cleans and nozzle checks, and or additional Init Charges.
The complete users guide to PiezoFlush and large format printers (including the R3000) can be found by clicking here.