J5000 - How to Clean Your Printer, Printhead and Preventing Clogged Nozzles
Body
Cleaning the printer and Replacing Ink Pads
Over time, ink overspray may gather at the base of the printer. The printer uses a vacuum system to gather most of this ink on a series of saturation pads. Eventually these pads may need to be replaced if ink begins to leak or if you notice the ink pad tray is full of liquid ink.
Open the cover. Push down on the locking button. Remove the ink pad tray by pulling it out. Replace it with a new one.
Cleaning the Printhead
1. Open Brady Status J5000.
2. Click Clean Printhead on the Cartridge Utilities tab (second tab) You may need to repeat this process up to 4 times depending on how clogged the printhead is. Repeat the procedure only if you start to see improvement after each print.
3. During this procedure the printer will make whirring noises. This is normal. This is the sound of a pump forcing ink through the nozzles. If you do not hear the sound, the clean\purge print did not complete successfully, repeat this step.
Cleaning the Nozzles
It may be necessary to clean the printhead nozzles if you notice reduced print quality, missing colors, or if you suspect a cartridge nozzle has become slightly dried out or clogged. Try the following solutions:
DO NOT touch the printhead nozzles with a tissue or paper towel. This can damage the nozzles. This may be different from other printers. Instead use the methods described below:
Secure ink cartridge - Make sure the corresponding cartridge is snapped into place. Remove and reload the cartridge to make sure an air-tight connection has been made.
Clean the copper contacts - Ink over-spray can build up inside the printer over time causing interrupted electrical signals. Remove the printhead and clean the copper contacts on the printhead carrier and the printhead.
Preventing Clogged Nozzles
Clogged nozzles on the printhead can be caused by not using the printer for extended periods of time. Follow these guidelines:
Always keep the J5000 plugged in and turned on. The printer will do periodic maintenance to make sure the nozzles do not clog.
Never store a used printhead outside of the printer. The nozzles will dry out with exposure to air. If you must store a printhead outside of the printer, place full or empty cartridges in the printhead and put the entire printhead and cartridges in a sealed plastic bag.
