Epson P700 Channel Failure

[LoEBill]

1. I ran a nozzle check, which indicated that the LG head needed cleaning. (Only one or two gaps.)
   Note: The VLM and VM blocks were fine.
2. Ran a cleaning.
3. Ran a nozzle check. The VLM block was blank.
4. Ran a cleaning again.
5. Ran a nozzle check. Now both the VLM and VM blocks were blank.
6. Ran a cleaning.
7. Ran a nozzle check. Now both the VM and VLM blocks show faint traces of color.
8. Repeated nozzle checks and cleaning several more times, with the same result: VM and VLM blocks
   showing faint traces (small randomly spaced lines) of color, all other blocks O.K. with no gaps.

My conclusions:

1. Very unlikely that both the VM and VLM heads would suddenly become so clogged that a number of
   cleanings would not clear them.
2. Something common to both the VM and VLM channels has failed. (Pressurization?)
3. The printer needs repair or replacement.

Neither is a happy choice.
The place in Albuquerque (nearest to Santa Fe) no longer has a Web site, and the next nearest is in
Denver.
Replacement means $$$.

Does anyone have suggestions that might fix the problems w.o. repair or replacement?

Thank you very much.

Note: All cleanings listed were regular cleanings, not power.
The ink levels are too low to perform a power cleaning.
And given that the feed to those two heads seems to have failed, and that head clogs don’t seem to be
the problem, not clear what a power cleaning would accomplish.

[LoEBill]

Need to add:
I installed new VM and VLM cartridges before running the later nozzle checks and cleanings.

[Bruce]

the P700 is a professional artwork printer, and not cheap at all.
so I would be guessing it is worth spending a bit of money to try and see if someone could repair it, maybe even if that means sending it to the nearest authorised Epson repair centre.

the gamble of course is - can it even be repaired, and repaired cheap enough, to warrant the expense rather than just biting the bullet and putting the money towards another unit.

it would be a shame not to try and spend a couple hundred to try and save spending a couple of thousand.
and the gamble is, it may be a couple of hundred wasted if it can’t be fixed - but hey!, what if it can?

[phillpower2]

Receiving help elsewhere so will close this abandoned thread.