HP Photosmart 6520 Printhead Fix

[@robertowen758]

Excellent video. Couple of points. The lid support arm WILL unclip (with great care) if you waggle the lid while applying pressure. If you have enough desk space and a pile of books the scanner ribbon cable is JUST long enough to lay the top down. BUT, most important of all, if you look under the position where the print head parks itself you may find an enormous stalegmite of drying black ink. Once this pile is high enough to regularly touch the head then it will confound your efforts to clean it. So you need to remove it. Without getting it everywhere. At HP prices it should be worth $$$$$$!

[@dj-skip]

Yes, I also noticed that there is still dried ink there, but you can't reach it very well. So it is difficult to clean even though I had removed the entire top. I messed around a bit too much with the top still on.

[@lauren8788]

Hey Atomicriffmaster. I hope you get notification of this comment! Just installed a new black ink cartridge on an HP Photosmart 6520 and got nothing, so I found your video and tried to follow it as closely as I could. Put it all back together and I'm now getting totally blank pages with not a speck of ink on them, which is different from before. Before I had a few streaks here and there. I never really used the color cartridges and they are still the originals, with a Setup label, I believe, but when I did a test page before cleaning the printer head, the color cartridges worked together to print out a partial page, but the black didn't work at all. Of course I had to switch to print a color page for that to happen. When I was on print a black page, nada. Anyway....I cleaned those printer head contacts on both sides with alcohol and broken in two q tips for hours. Not kidding. I thought thoroughly clean was better than not. Not sure if that is true now, though. So....I used straight alcohol, because it seemed to help everyone on here that did the same, and found an HP article online afterwards that specifically stated...do not use alcohol. So, I'm a bit confused on this point. I thought I had cleaned it so thoroughly that there was no ink left in the printer head, but when I just looked at it again right now and dropped some water on the printer head contacts on top, there was definitely still ink in them. So, now I'm wondering if it would be worth a go to soak it in shallow hot water as some videos show. Not sure if that's a good idea because of the electronics on the back. Would appreciate any suggestions you might have. Another possibility is that I didn't connect the ribbons on the back of the printer head correctly. That last one was SO difficult and I bent it a few times, don't know if that caused damage. I don't think I placed that last one where it belonged completely. The blue end of it is still visible, so I don't know if it is attached well enough. What do those ribbons do? Surely if they aren't connected properly, that would affect the printer head function directly, wouldn't it. So, I'm guessing that may be the problem. Any thoughts? Thanks. ps...this is the link that says do not use alcohol. What would be the reason behind this? www.hp.com/us-en/shop/tech-takes/how-to-clean-printhead

[@larryjin3996]

Thank you for this excellent video. I do not think I would have had the courage to attempt this procedure without it!

[@ChrisHadfield-z3i]

Thanku - gave me the confidence to actually dismantle my (similar) Photosmart 5520. :)

[@davidstevensasidewayslook8831]

this is a helpful reminder as my 6520 got bunged up a few years ago and I found a similar video with the same advice you have given then, guess what its now in need of unbungin again and your current video was a helpful reminder, great stuff… thanks

[@davidstevensasidewayslook8831]

@@Atomicriffmaster yes indeed I've had mine a long time and when it stopped printing a few years back it looked like it would need a new printhead which was uneconomic in reality, so I thought what the hell try that cleaning method and worked perfectly, so that was a few years ago and the same thing needed doing again recently as i started getting a printer head error, all sorted, cheers

[@Bootyyyshaker-xh4pg]

Thank you so much! I was having this exact issue with my printer and I’m glad I was able to find a whole video on it. Overall it wasn’t too difficult to do, except with that one snag where my printer showed “cartridge jam” on the screen but I just opened up again and put the long film thing correctly. I forgot to put it between the middle loop when putting it through to the other end.

[@davebeckley2584]

I would like to know how to get to the screws in the back and under the limiting arm at the back right.

[@stevenmthomas7767]

Thanks, got the job done with your video, had to clean the PH twice and soaked it as per some other videos, few minor streaks only now on the black (nil before), which I can live with! Better than binning the whole thing!

[@hatedmusic]

This was a great video. I never open electronics but with your guidance i got this problem fixed. Thanks!

[@Seventhviper]

This is excellent. I was so annoyed that I'd need to buy myself a new printer for what is essentially something working 90% correctly and just the black being an issue. I'm definitely going to try this out and hopefully all will be well and I can get a few more years of use out of it

[@hounamao7140]

Followed step by step and it went perfectly! Thank you so much! Although my printer is still not printing black..... god knows what the problem is then

[@frankfuller2458]

I was successful taking the unit apart and cleaning it but things went very badly when reassembling the unit. The LEFT side of the clear print guide came disconnected and the little metal piece which its connected to fell through the case. I retrieved it but was unable to figure out how it reattached. So my printer is now in the trash. Your video was very complete but that one small detail which you didn't address really messed me up. My printer was very reliable for ten years.

[@ShaolinChan5988]

Wonderful video. Even I still hesitate to break it up Thanks for your great work 👍

[@sullyhq]

Fantastic video thank you. I followed your instructions which worked well. However on start up I get a message:one or more cartridges appear to be missing or damaged. I can't get past this message. Any ideas? My colour has run out but the black is a new cartridge.

[@georgianaayigah3069]

Excellent video. Got the job done. Thanks.

[@dj-skip]

Yes nice , but how do you get the cartridge holder in the middle because it stays in place

[@jennifermerithew5889]

Hi! Thanks so much for posting this! I was attempting to reattach the "printhead guide tape" that you mentioned, and I think that the hook that holds it on the left side came off of the metal piece. There is nowhere to attach it back, and I'm not sure how I could fix this! Any ideas?

[@rabthorn5626]

Yes, it engages in the metal chassis member. You insert the 'tongue' of the hook and the guide tape holds it in position....bit fiddly tho'...

[@mysweettsumelody]

Hello, I have a problem with the on/off button, the chip is in place but it wont respond

[@JesusTracksTV]

WORKED PERFECT THANKS!

[@patriciachandra8228]

The Ink in mine dries out far too quickly! Any tips on that?

[@scottmcbride1960]

Should you put the cartriges in a plastic bag so they dont dry out?

[@monicadavison9245]

I need help please..How to connect my HP photosmart 6520 printer to my cellphone Stylo 5.. I been trying for hours..:( :( :(

[@oceansoflorewi]

This printer is a NIGHTMARE. Zero black ink- even with new catridge. HP makes it impossible to remove and clean printerhead. Been at this for over EIGHT hours. printerhead back in and yet now theres a carriage jam issue. I am livid.

[@lhv569]

Thanks.

[@eliz49]

Was all excited about this project, but HOW the heck do the screws in the back under the arm and the one to the left of it.. in order to loosen, I need to unscrew straight up, not at an angle that the hood makes next to impossible. Ready for hour 2 of my attempt. I thought this would be the easiest part of fixing clogged printer . Is there a way to make top cover go up higher?

[@highkeyJORD]

just break it, it stays up without the arm, I learned that the not so hard way lmao

[@ivory7777]

hi i have the same printer and i recently encountered an issue with printing photo. not sure if you encounter similar issue and was able to fix it. when i print photos on a glossy paper (this is where the printer prints slowly), i get these lines across the papers with lighter and darker color. i don't have this issue when print on a regular paper setting (same picture). i printed photos about a week ago on same type glossy paper and everything was fine, but not since yesterday. i even printed the same photo i did week ago when it came fine, but this time it had these lines. i had this kind of issue before but the problem always fixed itself when i reprinted. this time, it is not going away. these lines are also in the same pattern as i printed the same photo twice. you know anything about it? thankyou.

[@ivory7777]

@@Atomicriffmaster yeah i tried the built-in printhead cleaning several time but didn't help. i saw this product (www.amazon.com/Cleaner-Cartridges-Officejet-Photosmart-Cleaning/dp/B07QR7QMDM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8) not sure if it is any help but i guess i can try. if this doesn't work, i can take it apart like you did. thanks for the video btw.

[@xakiri4577]

Does anyone know where the other side of that film goes, it slipped off the other end and i cant figure it out. Its that thin film that can cause the catridge jam error

[@SanaUllah-zy4ys]

Brother, my printer is not printing black and white at all, in print report paper black box in completely white

[@SanaUllah-zy4ys]

What should I do?

[@marilynrowan2495]

I cannot open the top lid for replacing the ink I have tried everything all videos H P photosmart 650

[@jodycheering]

Hello! Thank you for the video. We just replaced with a new printhead but got an error "Printer Failure.. There is a problem with the printer or ink system..". Any idea what would usually attribute to it? Could it be cable damage (it was hard to jam back in), or something simpler hopefully?

[@xakiri4577]

I got samething and i cant figure it out lol

[@marianburgess1513]

Just watched your very helpful video as my HP6520 wasnt printing black. However when I came back and re attached the section that needed unscrewing and I turn the printer back on I get the screen showing " Door Open Ink cartridge access door is open" Seems closed to me as screws inserted tightly, I am obviously not doing something right, any suggestions please

[@steveslide2254]

@@Atomicriffmaster There doesn’t appear to be a cable to this microswitch. The plastic blade of it appears to rest between a plastic groove attached to the circuit board - not sure how it functions without a metal contact point. Also, my print head is now locked to the far right position and I can’t dislodge it - any suggestions?

[@steveslide2254]

I got the print head to move by rotating the white gear on the left side of the unit. After reassembly I got the cartridge door open error message. Time for a new printer!

[@Tahnetouge]

how did you get out the screws with a screwdriver in the back? I cant find a possible angle without damaging the toppart of the printer...

[@jesperandersen5146]

Hello - there is a plastic 'angle limiter' at right side - push it in and remove it, and the lid/scanner plate opens freely. BR JR

[@josedanieldiazcarrasco5449]

Rnque suena muchísimo muy fuerte mi impresora cuando quiero hacer una copia o una impresion

[@jancits2]

Why no one shows how to unscrew the bakside screws????I had a look on many videos and everybody just shows when open font screws but what about back how you stick there screwdriver..???

[@hounamao7140]

I used the same screwdriver as him and it went ok, it is hard to do and you won't be in the right ankle but it will still unscrew

[@silvansung6060]

Thank you so much. Really worked. Maybe advise user to wear gloves. My fingers are all stained. 😵‍💫.

[@xakiri4577]

Well i fucked that up, now its not turning back on lol

[@anthonystefanescu7316]

after doing all this and even spraying some QD electrical contact cleaner im still having the same problem.. welp i guess its time to toss this printer

[@sinistarxx]

You're honestly better off treating these little boxes of garbage just as HP intended- as disposable appliances. I just went through this procedure with mine and it did no good, took it apart and back together several times. That along with the frustration of getting to those back screws, dropping screws down inside the thing, dealing with the dangling ribbon cables and getting them back into place correctly, then popping the arm thing off accidentally and then being unable to figure out how to get it back in place correctly, it's just not worth it. I also find HP ink cartridges to be very sketchy with how they clog so often, and then you run them through the cleaning cycles and it sucks so much ink out of them. I bought knock-offs last time, and they were the best ink cartridges I ever had, always ready no matter how long it had been since I last printed.

[@kaylove5998]

Do not try this method if you are not use to doing this type of stuff. I messed my printer up after trying this.

[@hounamao7140]

Should do it step by step observing exactly what he does. It went smooth for me at least.