Epson 1200 Photo Printer

Purging Procedure - If you have just installed a new archival or Quadtone cartridge you must purge the Epson print head of all of the old, non-archival, ink before you can begin to print with the full archival effect. The print heads in the Epson 200/400/440/500/600/640/740/800/850/860/900/1160/1520/Photo/Photo 700/Photo EX/Photo 750/Photo 1200 printers hold about 3 to 5 pages worth of ink. Always run a Nozzle check before printing. Even if you get a perfect nozzle check on your first try after putting in a new cartridge, run at least one or two head cleaning cycles. This will prevent any excess ink from over filling the print head. After the cleaning cycles, use the purging test patterns below to purge your system of the old ink. After printing about 5 (8.5x11) pages of this pattern, 98% of the old ink will be gone. The rest will come out slowly and may take as many as 20 or more pages, but at the 98% point you will see good results. If you have an Epson 3000, 5000 or 9000. See below

The problem is the print head, The ink cartrige for this printer is just a little bottle of ink. What really causes problem in it IS THE CLOGGED HEAD. If you have skill to reach thepen of the head (part that touchs the paper) use a quill tip or rag soak on water and clean it. Or go to EPSON SITE AND ORDER A HEAD CLEANNER FLUID TO POUR INSIDE THE HEAD AND CLEAN IT.

Inkjet printers need to be used frequently to prevent inkdrying out in the print head nozzles.
If the print head cleaning maintenance routine does not clear the blockages,then print head needs replacing, but it may be expensive.
It may be more cost effective to buy a later model and better printer thanreplace the print head.

this issue may have several causes:
1. make sure that you've removed the yellow ribbon from the top of the cartridge before installing it. it is there to keep the ink fresh before it's installed and has to be removed to enable the ink to flow into the print head. (not all epson cartridges have this ribbon though)
2. check all the settings in the printer driver or simply remove the current driver completely and reinstall the latest driver you can find on the epson site.
3. the black print head may be clogged. in this case, performing cleanings will help, possibly several cleanings are necessary
4. there may be a faulty connection between the printer's mainboard and the print head.
5.there may be an electronical problem with either the print head or the mainboard.

in the last two options it's better to let a professional technician look at it.

This is tricky. You have to purchase printer cleaning solution. This item is available in most ink supplier.

Ink are dried out in the printer head. YOu will have to remove the printer head and clean it with mixed windex or nail remover solution. Deep the head but do not submerge the entire unit for 24-48 hour; use 4 toothpicks so the head is not touching the ground this way the solution will losen up the ink. YOu will need a syring and a hose or tube so you can blow the solution from the niddle out to the printer head. Keep doing this until you have an even flow.

The problem is waste ink around head sprayer (at (bottom plate of head). Turn of printer. Move head to center. Put wet tissue (with hot water) at head cleaning mechanic pad. Move head to parking position. wait till 10 minutes. check it. You can repeat 3 times.

Had the same problem - but the print head is actually easy to remove.

1) Remove ink cartridges
2) Remove 3 Phillips head screws at the bottom of the cartridge housing. (looking down from the printer front - top left, bottom left, top right).
3) There are 2 small plastic tabs on a plastic bracket that secure the flex cable on the right hand side of the cartridge housing. Gently release the tabs with a small flat head screw driver.
4) Lift the print head straight up (don't pull on the flex).

There may be a release for the flex to separate from the print head. But I did not see one. Instead I poured 1/4" of Windex in the bottom of a small plastic container and soaked my print head for about 15 minutes (occasionally agitating).

Then put back in reverse order - be sure to seat the flex in the guide (top-back-right) of the cartridge housing before screwing down. Then run a cleaning or two to flush the cleaning fluid out of the print head. (I have a waste ink tank installed so I am not worried about dumping excessive ink into the waste sponges).

The differences was remarkable - though there was still slight banding - maybe should have soaked longer (1 hr perhaps?) - I may repeat if it remains an issue.

Additionally there were large solid deposits on the left side of the print head which were responsible for scraping heavier weight photo paper. These dissolved in the Windex too.

check if those lines matches the positions of the rollers inside the printer - you can see some of them by opening the cover

Well you certainly covered all troubleshooting that needs to be done and if head cleaning can´t do it -> you got to open it or have it serviced.