Cleaning Clogged HP print head 8600 ,8610 WORKS! Part 1

[@kthoennes]

Thanks so much for this video. I was so disgusted with my printer I just took out the printhead carriage and ran the whole thing under warm water for a very long time in the kitchen sink, including letting the stream of water push water into the print tubes. I figured if I ruined it, I'd buy a new printer because I was so frustrated. I couldn't believe how much ink and crud came out, bits of dried ink, all kinds of stuff. I let it dry well then popped it all back in and wow, it prints like an almost-new printer again. Thanks for taking the time to make this video or I wouldn't have known how to remove that carriage.

[@RayZaplatar]

Easy to get fustrated. When it's that bad the tendency is to put more water pressure then you end up tearing the thin plastic. You can see a repair but it's a tough fight. Best to soak the bottom of the cartridge in a solution for a week then try it. Can't remember which vid but I show that option. I used Orange Peel cleaner after trying 20 other solvents and found the orange peel to be best. However if the head is real plugged it's difficult to clean all the jets out

[@terrilee5587]

This actually worked! Thank you Ray Zaplatar! I used the Waterpik without modifying the tip. Then I used a hair dryer to dry it, put it back into the printer and it worked. I'm very happy.

[@robertyutube]

Most excellent! I tried using one of those cleaning kits with a syringe, tube, and solvent, but that didn't work. I ended up hooking up the rubber tube between the waterpik and the printhead and that did the trick. I also sprayed the waterpik directly onto the printheads and that also helped dislodge the blocking particles. Thanks for showing us the way!

[@RayZaplatar]

I to tried all sorts of solutions including lacquer, acetone, alcohol, vinegar, ammonia etc Even soaking in combination of solutions etc the water pick worked only bc it doesn't apply to much pressure. To much pressure and you blow the thin plastic cover apart.

[@leannejose3562]

This worked! I used very warm vinegar to clean with and it's as good as new now. Thank you very much for your helpful video.

[@mattmainwaring7351]

Printer /Plotter Mech for decades. I love this idea, and have a Service call on a OJ8100 tomorrow.

[@Salmiery]

Thanks Ray! You just saved my day and won me lots of points with a pregnant wife printing baby announcements! Wishing you the best!

[@westvalley411]

Happy wife= happy life.....

[@GoogleUser-gv2tq]

Thank you! You saved me from buying a new printer. Instead of waterpix and water, I used a syringe and alcohol (isopropanol) for the cleaning. Worked as well. Thanks again!

[@RayZaplatar]

Yes the syringe works when the head is cleaned soon after it gets plugged. If it sets for a long time it's really hard . Almost like the water in the water pick works as an abrasive to wear out the dried ink.

[@marioaguilar8465]

Hi. I need some help before doing this. Did you remove the board before cleaning? Any reply is greatly appreciated

[@RayZaplatar]

@@marioaguilar8465 Yes I would remove it. It's easy to remove. The reason is so you can back support (with your finger) the thin plastic that covers each reservoir so when applying pressure it doesn't tear that plastic. Really that is only needed if the cartridge has been sitting around for a while and the jets are really plugged. If they are plugged the pressure has no where to go but blow that plastic. I'm getting ready to do a part 2 video that shows that technique in detail .

[@marioaguilar8465]

@@RayZaplatar Thank you for answering my question. If I choose not to remove the board (like what the others did based on their comments) will it be damaged? Or is it enough to just wipe it dry after cleaning?

[@RayZaplatar]

@@marioaguilar8465 I think we're talking about 2 different things. Think I misspoke Correct don't remove the circuit board . Do remove the part with the 4 springs held together with 2 small screws. Once removed you'll see the thin plastic film over the reservoirs. It's that thin film you want to support with your finger do it doesn't blow a hole in it. I'll make a part 2 vid to show in detail.

[@amandat.5610]

Great video! Saved me some money! I used 1/2 70% alcohol and 1/2 tap water, worked like a charm!

[@kreelaban3420]

The same thing happened to me on my HP printer. Eventually I decided to eject and reinstall the effected cartridge several times and it started printing like new ! Also, try printing a page every week or so to keep fresh ink moving through the printer. I sometimes go several months without printing anything and this usually happens. Try it first !

[@jhaylonroberson904]

I really appreciate you doing this video, cause it took me over 2hrs to get this printhead cleaned. And keep doing what you do.

[@RayZaplatar]

I spent way to much time getting them clean myself. Idea is to help others save time by having a good work around

[@glasser2819]

prevention is always easier than a cure... I guess it is really up to us to learn to never overlook cartridge level or clogged up printhead before it becomes way over dried. Txs for showing us the water-pick tric 👍🏻

[@RayZaplatar]

HP recommends running full color pages regularly to keep the heads fresh. It wastes ink and easy to forget if you mostly do black ink. Then 6 months passes and you print color only to have plugged up jets. That's where thus technique is helpful to just blow that 1 color if for example it's red then you just clean the red, magenta .

[@RayZaplatar]

if you can get the water so spray uniformly through the jets it will work. but it depends on how long they've been blocked. If they're really blocked you may have to soak in in a solution to soften it up. So your results may be different. If you do when you 1st notice the problem it should work. If you wait a long time it may be difficult and you'll have to experiment with some ink dissolve solution then blow it out

[@RayZaplatar]

HP got nailed ,sort of, for not allowing 3rd party cartridges to work in their machines. You still have to monkey with the cartridges if they are reman or 3rd party. I use and keep an oem or a cartridge that works. I install the old cartridge ,clear the error message then install the non oem and it works. It is a bit of a loop as if you don't have a cartridge that clears the error then you may have to use an oem , clear the error then install the new cartridge. Problem is that some reman will not work so make sure you buy a reman with a warranty and if it doesn't work then return it. It's all about the chip in the cartridge . If they're not comparable it won't work. Hopefully you return it for a full refund. Bottom line make sure the reman has a warranty that the chip is compatible and will clear the error. You may also have to download the latest drives for your printer as it's supposed to allow 3rd party cartridges to work. Hope this isn't TMI .

[@IsaacOLEG]

@@RayZaplatar Hello, thank you for your "speciality" ! I haver seen you can unglue and install the chip from an original cartridge on the oem. NOw I also did see there are kits to "reset the chip" (flash the eprom probably) but I did not find them yet(In China probably) did you use that process ? Thanks

[@normanjohnson4466]

Great short video: to the point and effective. Thank you!

[@sherifbadawy8188]

Thank you so much, do you think it’s safe to do this in the bathroom sink or the tub, or is it going to stain? I really don’t know where to do it

[@ibdam1]

Thank you for sharing.

[@stuzeviews]

I had not undone the four alan (?) bolts to remove the outer case, but did manage to undo the tow screws at the back. Quite tough. Having not got the right tools for the four bolts I decided to shelve the job. The two screws no longer seem to "bind" when I put them back. Just keep turning. Not sure why that is or what part is supposed to be held by them. Doh! Will have to go back in with them loose. What may I expect?

[@RayZaplatar]

It should be 2 medium size torx screws accessed from the back. That removes that assembly with the 4 springs which gives you access to the 4 plastic reservoirs. You will see the thin flexible plastic covering the reservoirs which is where you want to put your finger to support the plastic so it doesn't blow a hole in it. Don't remove the circuit board . perhaps you took out the 2 small torx screws that hold the circuit board and not the medium size that hold the spring assembly ? Good luck

[@ikester475]

​@@RayZaplatarjust to be a bit more specific, those screw heads require a Torx T10 bit. Speaking of those smaller Torx screws, I've viewed videos that suggest cleaning contacts behind the circuit board can clear errors Have you found any evidence to support that claim? And thanks for all your tips! I don't think my spouse will let me use the waterpic for cleaning printheads but I do have some low voltage, low pressure water pumps discarded from solar fountains that broke down.

[@melissaannaninzo7007]

Thank you so much! Saved me from having to buy another printer head. =)

[@marioaguilar8465]

Hi. I need some help before doing this. Did you remove the board before cleaning? Any reply is greatly appreciated.

[@lynnmurray9227]

Can you please show where you are putting the ware you have the pick on

[@RayZaplatar]

there are 4 cone shaped inlets (1 per each color) about 1/2" long. It's where the cartridge mates on to allow ink into the printhead. I believe I show it in 1 of the 2 videos.

[@jakecharles9474]

Can you show me how to take out that print head from HP Officejet Pro 8630 model? Any info will greatly appreciate it. Thank.

[@amyackerman9919]

Hi Ray, Great video. How do you dry the print head before replacing it back in the printer? It would be great to include some instructions for the drying process. Thank you.

[@RayZaplatar]

yes I'll make another video with additional details. The skinny answer is to use a small diameter tube 3mm or so that fits over the inlet of weach color and suck out the water. Make it long enough so you can see the water in the tube so you don't swallow it.

[@berthagreen676]

The advice was good. But not able to see exactly where you were placing the cleaning tool used. Over what port?

[@RayZaplatar]

It's the thin cone shaped with a small hole in the middle. Stands about 1/2" tall. It's where the color cartridges connect to permit the ink to flow into the print reservoirs There are 4 of these. Watch the vid on a monitor so it's large enough to see the details. If you're using a cell phone the image may be to small to see

[@berthagreen676]

Thank you Ray. That helps. I am so disheartened because this printer was purchased in January of 2013; without one minute’s problem. Could hardly believe what the error message meant. Being devoid of any knowledge of such things at 78; I was horrified. Guess it’s time to retire this HP 8615 Office All in One.

[@berthagreen676]

Thanks Ray. I see where they are now. Going to see what effect I will have when I find a syringe.

[@marioaguilar8465]

I assume you need to remove the board first before you start the cleaning?

[@mattbuffardi]

i second this question - it hasnt been answered yet in this comment section. should i remove the board that connects to the base of the printhead (where the ink actually comes out and onto paper when the printhead is working properly)? this board connects via a glued on plastic, transparent film that is stuck to the bottom of the printhead. how do i remove it? just rip the film from the bottom of the printhead? it seems like it's attached pretty well.

[@MelosMx]

So if I just heard a loud "pop" should I assume I just did what you said not todo?

[@RayZaplatar]

Yes pbly. But look at it closely usually you'll see ink leaked at the broken reservoirs. You can still repair it but even if you get it sealed it doesn't work quite like the real thing. Look at part 2 think it goes into detail on how to seal it

[@michellej8225]

If I heard a snap and there were explosion of ink, does it mean I broke the thin plastic layer you talk about in the video?

[@RayZaplatar]

Yes. when the jets are plugged the pressure has to go somewhere. Even with the low power of the waterjet it can burst the thin plastic. Watch vid on how to patch the plastic. Even though it works it's not as good as the original material.

[@pswiza]

I have added 4 new cartridges to my hp8600 and it is saying they are damaged. Any ideas how to fix this? Thanks

[@RayZaplatar]

unplug machine from power to try and clear memory. 2- Put the old working cartridges back in and clear the error then add 1x1 each new cartridge. 3- little tricky, is to down load and up date the firm wear . There is a pretty good vid on youtube walking you through the steps Don't get frustrated. Stay the course. If you do all that and still an error it may require a new printhead. If you have a known working print head and still get the error it can be the circuit board is locked in an error mode and you can't get rid of it. Then look for a cheap Craigs list HP printer and keep your printheads and cartridges It can be a fight. Stay the course. Good luck

[@yahyabah7136]

Its just great, i also tried so many other tricks but this one is just great. thanks.

[@shelleyvanhoy745]

Thanks so much for the video. I could not see how to completely detach the board from the printhead so I disconnected the board and folded it back in a cloth to keep it dry. Unfortunately, I did not notice the tiny compression springs under the board. I found 7 of the 8. I cannot locate a spring without purchasing the whole printhead. Any suggestions?

[@cynthiahansen2341]

I missed how do you get that entire cartridge holder out to place in sink?

[@RayZaplatar]

I have 2 vids on this process. If it isn't clear on the one you watched look at the other vid. . I believe there are 2 screws (star not Philips head) on the back side next to the circuit board. There's not that many pieces. Don't force anything as it probably doesn't come apart. If there are screws remove them to get to the part.

[@cynthiahansen2341]

Thanks for reply! I tried with a pic. No steam at all on any color!!!! 8610.. any chance it id set up different?

[@RayZaplatar]

@@cynthiahansen2341 Since the 8610 uses the same print head as the 8610 I believe they should be the same. Note that if the printer has been unused for a long time it's very likely that the small jets are plugged. When it's that bad it's really difficult to clean it. I show in vid2 how you can soak the outlet part of the jets to soften the ink then try and clean it. My experience is it's quite difficult when it's really bad. You should at least see tiny droplets of water trying to escape when you put the water through it. If you don't even see that then watch the vid again and make sure you have the pix on the correct part to flush the system. There are commercially avilable products to clean it but no guarantee it will work Also some subscriber mentioned some other cleaner. So check other responses and see what they recommend to soften the ink.

[@iqserviceKZ]

With this method, is it possible to clean the head of HP officeJet 7740 PRO?

[@RayZaplatar]

I don't know that print head but if you remove the cartridges and you can attach a hose to the ink inlet then yes. Sorry I don't know that design

[@LifeonCedarKnoll]

Thank you so much for this video. Worked like a charm!!

[@marioaguilar8465]

Hi. I need some help before doing this. Did you remove the board before cleaning? Any reply is greatly appreciated

[@LifeonCedarKnoll]

Noel Aguilar no I didn’t... just wiped it off with a dry paper towel after I was done.

[@marioaguilar8465]

@@LifeonCedarKnoll thank you

[@doanthinhunguyen]

What type of screwdriver do i need to open the printhead?

[@ikester475]

A Torx T10 bit.

[@luispardo3323]

Awesome Hack! Thank u sooo much!!

[@onemanstrash8233]

Ray, where are you putting the tip of the water pic to get the flow from the printhead?

[@RayZaplatar]

put it on the inlet tube of the different colors. It's a thin tube about 3/4" with a small hole . That's where the ink disperses when you connect a color cartridge . It needs to be a good seal so all the pressure flows out through the jets. Remember to place thumb on the thin flexible plastic to protect it from a tear. If its really plugged instead of the pressure being released through the jets, if it's plugged, the pressure builds and may tear a hole in the plastic that covers the reservoirs.

[@MonarchGuy974]

One question. Will buying a new printhead fix the “Missing or Failed Printhead” Error?

[@benten6301]

Should have remove the board ???

[@bluev3nom]

What was the error code you got on your screen prior to this?

[@atacanemre2432]

too much pressure applied :) and just as you said it blow off the plastic cap on both black and yellow unfortunately. Do you think it can be fixed or is my printhead trash now? also although you demonstration is very good and gave me hope that my printer can be saved, it was dried too much and I could not get the streams like in your video. Instead half of it was spraying or even only just drops in magenta :( I left the printhead in ink solver solution last night and will leave it there like 24 hours and try again.

[@mustafa.m544]

Did you fix the plastic cap? mine blow off too. cyan was completely clogged and still like that.

[@atacanemre2432]

@@mustafa.m544 no, mine is trash now :(

[@brinojos]

This happened to me too. 😔 Was thinking of trying clear Flex Seal tape.

[@IsaacOLEG]

Hey ! nice trick , I did find yet that the water pik was good for cleaning and unclogging. Now I believe it is better to use warm distilled water in the tank of the water pik, as calcium of water grabs easily wher it flows ( I think) . I own a 7520e the print head can be dismounted from the printer; I am a little concern with water and the electronics of the print head, but I have yet used water in US tank to clean telephones that where dropped in water and oxidized, IN that case I always use isopropyl alcool 99.9% to get rid of water and humidite after a first hot drying . BTW those 367 cartridges also have that fragile membrane that could be open with the water pression ?

[@billcassabaum2785]

I cleaned my printhead, but I still have horizontal blue streaks on my test print page. Very thin, maybe 3 total per page. Have you seen this? Do you have any suggestions for cleaning or repairs? Thanks

[@RayZaplatar]

not sure. Is it coming from the blue color? or some weird random blue lines? If it's from the blue reservoirs , you have to clean , with waterpic, so the ink jet stream is solid . Like the vid shows. If there are only a few holes open then it's really included and hard to clean out and make work property. IN that care you'll have to find a solvent to soften the ink then clean it out. I suggest a few solvents in Vid2 good luck

[@lovelyangel257]

what size syringe tube would you recommend if not using the waterpick route?

[@lcd812]

Any suggestions as to how to replace the flex plastic

[@RayZaplatar]

best you can do is use a thin flexible glue or silicone. It has to be flexible

[@RayZaplatar]

I made a 2nd video that shows a way to fix the flexible plastic cover

[@burgundypeach7565]

how do you get the water out of the jets before putting back into the printer

[@RayZaplatar]

That's a good question. I put a thin longish hose on the inlet to the reservoir and suck it out. It's a clear hose that I can see how far up it goes so I don't swallow the ink. Really it's almost a vacuum so it's difficult to suck it. You won't get all of it so you'll have to run some test pages to get the rest out. Noting that it will thin the ink. Be careful not to apply to much pressure when running water as it may tear the thin film behind the reservoir

[@subhajitp]

What cleaning agent should i use to unclog the printhead ? I saw dry ink in my yellow printhead. Thanks in advance.

[@junaida6889]

Confirmed that this worked really well, I just used plain water with a syringe

[@RayZaplatar]

There are commercially available cleaning agents for printer ink. I looked around and used a combination or ammonia and 85% alcohol about a 50/50 mix. I soak a paper towel in the solution then set the print head on the paper towel and wrap the whole thing in a plastic bag and let it soften the ink overnight , then I blow it out as described. I will say it's quite difficult to loosen the ink if it's been allowed to dry out for a long time. This method works best if you clean the printer head soon after it gets dried before it really sets.

[@robertross5442]

Ray Zaplatar Is warm tap water ok to use

[@WriterJackFL]

There is another video here on KZbin that recommends a solution of 8 parts "Windex with ammonia D" and two parts isopropyl alcohol. I bought a commercial solution on amazon which smells like a mix of Windex and alcohol, and I suspect that's all it is. I don't think you can hurt anything with either of those two solvents. I use isopropyl alcohol to clean all kinds of electronic pasts and personally would use it alone to clean the heads without a second thought if I had to.

[@mikez7652]

once its clean , are those reservoirs full with water now? how do you get that out?

[@RayZaplatar]

yes full of water. Take a piece of hose , straw etc and blow air low velocity. You can also run it through the clean cycle but that wastes ink. Remember not to much pressure bc you'll blow the thin flex plastic covering the reservoirs

[@zaf88]

@@RayZaplatar thank you for this great Info. Is there a brand of ink you use for hp that you think is as good as the original? Reading online it would seem that no ink is as good as factory ink

[@zaf88]

I'm assuming you refill your own cartridges

[@RayZaplatar]

@@zaf88 I'm always looking for good ink.It is somewhat specific to a series of cartridges meaning ink used for an older cartridge may not be the best for a newer brand. You can google it and it will spin your head on the details. I buy from a reputable retailer like Amazon and if it doesn't work I send it back

[@mikez7652]

@@RayZaplatar exactly ray, not a lot of reliable info. i ordered inkowl kit to refill my hp 711. i have original cartridges too so will see side by side how they compare.

[@Dynomitedog2]

Ray, how does one repair the plastic cover if it popped? I seem to have applied a little to much pressure.

[@RayZaplatar]

Yea that's a problem. I did the same I reglued the thin plastic film over the reservoir. I had some flexible shoe glue. Used it only because I had it on hand. It seemed to work. I believe the plastic film is designed/needs to be flexible to regulate the pressure in the chamber. That's why I assume it's not a hard plastic cover. Just an assumption. Maybe someone knows the science behind it. Anyrate I fixed the plastic cover ok but the jet was still plugged and I blew it apart again. 2nd repair it never really worked right. So before you glue it make sure the jets are open then seal it up.

[@RayZaplatar]

Amazon sells a small bottle of shoe glue Boot-Fix 20g. It works quite well. Let it dry over night . It is also an excellent shoe repair glue. You'll love the material. Don't go to thick.

[@pandakso3365]

What do I do when my printer says ink system failure? I opened up printhead and saw ink caked on the inner electrodes :(

[@RayZaplatar]

That sounds like a ink leak. Can you determine if it's coming from the printhead or the carriage that holds the print head? I think it's going to be a tough repair and time to let it go. Note when you install a new cartridge the system goes through a routine where it sucks out ink from the cartridges and ends up in a small reservoir . That's normal. Reservoir is at the far right. I had a print head that the tube the cartridge fits into (that is in the back of the printhead)had a small crack . That's where it was leaking. Also possible that the little rubber seal on the back of the cartridge is damaged where it seals on to the printhead. I know it's difficult to give a written description of components. But try and become a keen observer to track down the leak

[@nicholasguarnieri4338]

What’s that thing he’s using to clean printer that makes shoot out water

[@TubeDupe]

Water Pik, it's used for flossing teeth.

[@azlandel296]

Thank you for sharing tutorial I'll do same problem in my printer new frnd here

[@lcagee]

Before I saw this I took mine apart. 6 tiny springs came out. Not sure where they go. Any ideas?

[@RayZaplatar]

Not sure about those springs or if you have a slightly different print head. When things start to come apart it's quite difficult to get things to work. Like I applied to much pressure and I blew the plastic cover off the different ink wells. I was able to somewhat patch them up but it thickened the plastic and didn't quite preform as well. So it is a hack and it takes a bit of care not to blow things apart.

[@lcagee]

I think I figured it out. The springs go in the little holes when yo peel back the strip. Looks like I lost 2 of them. They make electrical contact.

[@CraigForbes1]

@@lcagee I'm including this video just so you can see where the six springs go. Keep in mind the ink is conductive and make contact with the springs to determine each ink level in the printhead. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJ2uqHqMppmAiac

[@brinojos]

Ray Zaplatar you mean that plastic film? I did the same to one of the inkwells. What did you use to patch them? I was thinking of using clear flex seal tape.

[@motownrockerusa]

Great video, thanks for the tip. Im hoping it works for me.

[@jerrymbagwu3425]

Great one. Pls, is this flushing done with ordinary water?

[@RayZaplatar]

yes ordinary water although you can make a ammonia alcohol solution to dissolve but recycle that material to save on cost

[@simplybs9311]

Hey great video, I repair printers and get alot of clogged printers and i find using the syringe doesnt always cut it. Glad I stumbled upon your demonstration. I wanna purchase one but im seeing various prices online, some expensive and some not. I dont wanna go out and spend alot, so im wondering if the $30 ones any good.

[@RayZaplatar]

I'm not sure about the $30.00 ones but as you know often you get what you pay for. You can always use it for your dental hygiene which is good. Also as you know if you can save just 1 printer head it will pay for the machine. machine is good because it isn't to much pressure. To much pressure will blow a hole in the thin plastic bladder that cover the individual colors. If you have a real stubborn bugger you can soak it in an ink dissolving solution. I tried those solutions and can;t say I had much luck with them

[@simplybs9311]

@@RayZaplatar Thanks for the info, one more question, can you link the model of yours so I can get the current price online. Yes the cleaning solution works sometimes but using the syringe does not give you a constant flow of water and due to human error as well can make you fill air into the bladders which gives u even more clogs. I have about 5 print heads just lying around that im sure are clogged by now, so once i get this i should be able to resell some.

[@motownrockerusa]

Look on Offerup, Letgo or Facebook Marketplace. Ive seen them as low as $15. My daughter has one and gave it to me. Im hoping it works for me..

[@RayZaplatar]

A word of caution: if the jets are really plugged the pressure may blow the thin plastic cover on the reservoir. I've had to un assemble the printhead to get to the back of the plastic so I could support my finger against the plastic film to prevent tearing the plastic. I should make another video on that detail

[@simplybs9311]

Hi I got the water pik I would like to know what speed you usually put it at for cleaning. Thanks

[@RayZaplatar]

full blast is not to much pressure

[@simplybs9311]

@@RayZaplatar hmmm ok then, sorry if im askin alot but i got any question which one of the tips you modified, you said you unscrewed the top of one, none of the tips i received are unscrewable.

[@RayZaplatar]

@@simplybs9311 My water pick is older perhaps that's why. No worries, take 1 of the tips and you may have to cut it at the spot where the diameter is just slightly bigger than the inlet to the color on the printer head. That way it makes somewhat of a seal on the ink jet and directs all the pressure into the color. If it's to loose you will loose some pressure where the 2 pieces come together. THe plastic they use on the water pik can be slightly heated to mold it. If your're careful you can use a candle to just warm the water pik tip and shape it. Mine was originality curved so I heated it and bent it. It doesn't take much heat. Also note that the inlet on the print cartridge is tapered so it will naturally create a seal as you push down on the modified pik tip.

[@simplybs9311]

@@RayZaplatar hey man thanks so much for the replies, i went to a friend who had a heat gun. When bent it till it got straight then put the softened mold over the print head nozzle until it made the shape. Tried it and it now im in business, so happy it worked out. Now the testing begins.

[@RayZaplatar]

@@simplybs9311 I like it. The heat gun was the way to go. more control over the heat. It won't unclog every orifice depends on how long it has dries out. I think stubborn clogs may need a dissolving solution. I haven't found 1 . Keep me updated if you find a great solution

[@EatRocks13]

Only Problem after cleaning it this way is that it appears there is now water in the print head, every thing I print is coming out pale

[@cindel8486]

Thanks for the video. I did what you recommended and modified my waterpik tip to use. At first it seemed to work and get flushed out with the colors but the Black seemed to be a bit clogged and I think I added too much pressure or turned up the pressure too much because I heard a click or pop sound and now it doesn’t give a nice jet or spray it’s more like leaching water. Did I break that clear plastic? How would I know if I broke or blew out that plastic piece you were talking about not to do? It looks fine to me on the side where the water / ink is suppose to come out. Please advise as soon as you can and thank you!

[@RayZaplatar]

Yes you blew the plastic out. What happens is the black jets are more plugged. You put pressure into the chamber it has no relieve because it's plugged so the weakest link is the plastic. If the jets are somewhat open the pressure is dissipated through the jets. If the jets are that plugged you have to soften the hardened ink then put your thumb on the back of the plastic to support it so it won't blow. I'm making a new vid that goes into this detail. You do have to take the printhead apart into 2 pieces so you can access the plastic. THis is why the waterpik is good because it it's to much pressure, unless the jets are real plugged. I use a shoe glue Boot Fix Glue (Amazon)to patch up the hole. When the ink is really dried in it's hard to clean it. I suspect that printhead had been sitting around unused for some time. I found that Orange Peel Solvent (natural product) to soften the ink after a few days. Then blow it out. I'll make a new vid showing more detail in the next week. Don't forget to subscribe.

[@cindel8486]

Ray Zaplatar WOW! Thank you for the detailed response! And yes please make that video!!!! I already subscribed :)) I have no idea what this plastic thing I blew looks like - sounds like this is a hidden area of the part that I can’t see. But I saw another (terrible video) from someone else demonstrating taking apart the print head which looks quite easy so I will try taking it apart and go from there. And yes we hardly ever print and just this time when we tried... well now I understand more of the concept / reason why the black ink was clogged and doing this hands on and watching your video greatly helps so yes if you could ever make that new video on how to repair or handle this situation more in detail would be GREAT! Thanks so much for your help!!!!

[@jferggi4770]

So. Did this completely fix your printhead problem?

[@RayZaplatar]

The example in the video is of the actual print head before and after cleaning. I can not say it was able to get 100% ofthe jet openings cleared. It all depends perhaps on how soon you clean the heads. The longer the print head dries out the harder it is to clean. The ink composition may be different on different ink manufacturers so depending on their chemistry will also have an effect on the effectiveness of this method. I did have a print head that was really dries out and I put to much pressure trying to blow it out and ended up blowing a hole in the thin plastic that covers the individual ink reservoirs. So be cautions not to get frustrated and think " well just use more pressure." My experience has shown that if it's really dried out this won't work.

[@motownrockerusa]

Whats the max pressure you used with the waterpik?

[@w.l.morris4676]

I would like to have seen more of the print head and less of the sink drain, but thanks for the video.

[@cherylrobinson3872]

After cleaning printhead this way, I get no print at all on paper. It comes out of printer completely white.

[@benten6301]

Cheryl Robinson did you get it fixed?

[@RayZaplatar]

You'll have to drain suck out the water used to clean the cartridge. Watch part 2 video on how to do it

[@alyssareed-price862]

I tried this and im pretty sure I somehow messed up the everything prints magenta

[@RayZaplatar]

when you cleaned it did you see a steady stream from all 4 colors? Each color should have a nice steady uniform stream. If it isn't coming out as shown it may be that those colors are still blocked. Make sure that each color ,blue,yellow,black still have ink in the cartridge. Meaning they're not empty. You can shake the cartridge and can hear ink sloshing around. If the printhead has been sitting around dried out (not used) for a long time it's hard to clear the jets Good luck

[@clayturnbull]

In the "After" example on the right yellow appeared almost green. The Yellow was actually closer to yellow in the before page. Am I seeing it correctly?

[@RayZaplatar]

Fair question . It's been a while but I believe it's supposed to be a green square not yellow. As each color is in a separate reservoirs it can only be green if it called for yellow and green.

[@trueviolinist]

So is this what my HP 8610 needs for the error "the printhead appears to be missing, not detected, or incorrectly installed" ?

[@benten6301]

I am having the same issue. I am wondering the cause is from using dye ink. What is not recommended by inksystems.com

[@eliasmshaty]

Wie kann ich diese Maschine kaufen ?

[@RayZaplatar]

Du kanst in der internet kaufen

[@gamian_skillard1333]

did not work. but thank you for trying to help my issue!

[@RayZaplatar]

if the ink has dried for a long time it won't work, That's when you have to use chemicals to soften the ink I have thrown out some cartridges also.

[@AlthafCochin]

Tried this way, but not working. hp has already set a life time for the print head...

[@cholodesanfe87]

Remove board ?

[@ikester475]

No need to do so for the purposes of cleaning the ink jets.

[@blondy650]

Can’t you just order a new print head?

[@ericajohnson7345]

you may want to run vodka through it, alcohol dissolves ink. Remember, alcohol is sometimes the solution.....:)

[@RayZaplatar]

I've tried every solution ,almost. Once it's hardened it's really difficult to dislodge. I've soaked it on a towel 2 night. I've made a solution of 78% alcohol +,vinegar+ammonia , No luck. Concern is if you use to strong of a solution , Acetone that it might melt the plastic covering the reservoirs. They sell solution, but I've found warm water run through the waterpik to be the best option. You have to be careful not to use to much pressure as you will blow the thin plastic over the reservoirs. If you find the perfect solution and have tested it please post it ! Thank you for your comment. Ultimately the idea is to beat HP's dirty tricks on their poor customer support and their proprietary cartridges. That's the real goal. A new print head is the cost of a new printer.

[@rabaham]

Too bad, just bought an Epson liquid ink to replace my HP printer which has this problem.

[@williamsabado4750]

messy ! yuk

[@GK-ec5df]

bad camera work.