How to clean noxxles, heads, etc.

If you are experiencing low print quality with horizontal strips on your Epson R300 printer, it is possible that the problem is caused by a clogged nozzle or an issue with the printer's print head. Here are a few things you can try to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check the nozzle check pattern: Run a nozzle check to see if any of the nozzles are clogged. If you see any missing lines or gaps in the pattern, it could indicate a clogged nozzle.
2. Clean the print head: If the nozzle check pattern shows that one or more nozzles are clogged, try cleaning the print head. You can use the printer's built-in cleaning function or use a cleaning solution specifically designed for printer heads.
3. Check the ink cartridges: Make sure the ink cartridges are properly installed and that there is enough ink. If the cartridges are low on ink or not properly installed, it can affect the print quality.
4. Check the printer's settings: Make sure the printer is set to the correct paper type and print quality settings. If the settings are not appropriate for the type of paper you are using, it can affect the print quality.

If you have tried these troubleshooting steps and the problem persists, it may be necessary to have the printer serviced by a professional. A technician will be able to diagnose the problem and determine the necessary repairs.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don't hesitate to ask.

Cleaning the Print Head

Using the Head Cleaning utility
Using the control panel buttons

If you find that the printout is unexpectedly faint or some dots are missing, you may be able to solve these problems by cleaning the print head, which ensures that the nozzles are delivering ink properly.

You can clean the print head from your computer using the Head Cleaning utility in the printer software or from this product itself by using the control panel buttons.

Note:

• Print head cleaning uses both color and black inks. To avoid wasting ink, clean the print head only if the copy quality drops (for example, blurred printout, incorrect or missing color.)

• Use the nozzle check first to confirm that the print head needs to be cleaned. This saves ink.

• When the Error light is on and a message appears on the LCD panel to prompt you to replace the ink cartridge or to indicate the ink is low, you cannot clean the print head. In this case, replace the appropriate ink cartridge first.

Using the Head Cleaning utility

Refer to the appropriate section below to use the Head Cleaning utility.

For Windows

Follow the steps below to clean the print head using the Head Cleaning utility.

Make sure that A4 or Letter size paper is loaded in the sheet feeder.

Make sure that this product is on and the ! Error light is off.

Access the printer software.Accessing the Printer Software for Windows

Click the Maintenance tab, then click the Head Cleaning button.

Follow the on-screen instructions.

Head cleaning... appears on the LCD panel while this product performs the cleaning cycle.

Caution:Never turn off this product while Head cleaning... appears on the LCD panel. Doing so may damage this product.

When Head cleaning... disappears from the LCD panel, click Print Nozzle Check Pattern in the Head Cleaning dialog box to confirm that the print head is clean.

Good: print head does not need to be cleaned yet.

Not Good: print head needs to be cleaned.

If the nozzle check page does not print satisfactorily, you may need to repeat the head cleaning and print the nozzle check pattern again. See Cleaning the Print Head.

Note:

• If the copy quality has not improved after repeating this procedure four or five times, turn this product off and leave it alone overnight. Then, perform the nozzle check again and repeat the head cleaning if necessary.

• If the copy quality still has not improved, one or both of your ink cartridges may be old or damaged and may need to be replaced. To replace an ink cartridge before it is empty, see Replacing an Ink Cartridge. If the copy quality remains a problem after replacing the ink cartridges, contact your dealer.

• To maintain good copy quality, we recommend copying a few pages at least once every month.

You'll need a new printhead, QY6-0054-000 around $50.00. www.precisionroller.com has some in stock.

Hi there,
When printing becomes faint or colors are incorrect, even if ink remains in the ink tanks, the print head nozzles are probably clogged. Follow the procedures below to clean the nozzles.

Step 1 : Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern.
If white stripes are noticeable
Step 2 : "Aligning the Print Head"
If print quality is poor
Step 2 : "Print Head Cleaning"
if the problem remains
Step 3 : Print Head Deep Cleaning"
if the problem still remains
Step 4 : Replacing Ink Tanks.

Note : * If the ink tank replacement does not resolve the problem, contact the Customer Care Center.
* You will be alerted if low ink warning is enabled.
* When the Maintenace button on the operation panel is pressed, the maintenance mode is shown. Numbers and functions that can be selected on the maintenance mode as follows :
01 : Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern
02 : Print Head Cleaning
03 : Print Head Deep Cleaning
04 : Aligning the Print Head
05 : Reset the ink counter.
06 : "Display" or "Not Display" remaining ink volume.
07 : Date and order setting.

Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern : Print the nozzle check patterb to determine whether the ink ejects properly from the print head nozzles and to verify print head alignment. Use this function when printed results are blurred or the color is incorrect,
1) With the printer on, load a sheet of Letter paper in the printer.
2) Print the Nozzle Check Pattern.
a) Press the Maintenance button,
b) The Maintenance icon and 01 appear on the LCD.
c) Press the OK button. The nozzle check pattern is printed.
3) Examine the nozzle check pattern output by the printer.
a) Lines missing in this pattern indicate that the print head of black ink requires cleaning. Perform the Print Head Cleaning.
b) White stripes in this pattern indicate that the print head of color ink requires cleaning. Perform the Print Head Cleaning.
c) Uneven patterns indicate that the print head requires alignment.
Perform Aligning of Print Head.
d) Noticeable white stripes in this pattern indicate that the print head require alignment.
Perform Aligning of Print Head.

Print Head Cleaning : Clean the print head if you suspect that the nozles might be clogged. Cleaning the print head consumes ink, so perform print head cleaning only when necessary.
1) Ensure that the printer is on.
2) Start print head cleaning.
a) Press Maintenance button.
b) Press right arrow once to display 02 on the LCD.
c) Press the OK button.
Important : Do not perform any other operations until the print head cleaning finishes. This takes about 50 seconds.
Note : After the print head cleaning finishes, print the nozzle check pattern to verify that the print head nozzles are clean.
If the problem persists, perform printhead deep cleaning.

Print Head Deep Cleaning : If print quality does not improve by standard print head cleaning, try print head deep cleaning, which is more powerful process. Print head deep cleaning consumes ink, so perforn this procedure only when necessary.
1) Ensure that the printer is on.
2) Start Print Head Deep cleaning.
a) Press Maintenance button.
b) Press right arrow twice to display 03 on the LCD.
c) Press the OK button.
Important : This process takes one or two minutes to complete so simply wait until the Power lamp stops flashing.
Note : After printhead deep cleaning finishes, print the nozzle check pattern to verify that the printhead nozzles are clean.
If the printhead is still not clean after the second deep cleaning, replace the ink tank.
If ink tank replacement does not resolve the problem, the print head may be worn out. Contact the Customer Care Center.

Hope this helps.
Please rate my response.
Thanks.

Have a good day.

The print head is clogged.You can try unclogging manually.WARNING: next steps may lead to a defective of print head, try on your responsibility.
Open the cover and first remove the ink cartridges.Then open the holder and remove the print head.Run hot tap water and put the print head with the nozzles up to stream water.Hold that 5 mins then turn the print head around with the nozzles down.Hold that for every color of 5 mins.Then put the print head in hot water with the nozzles down.Left it water about 15 mins and then you must very nice to dry.When the print head dry put it in printer and start cleaning.If this not help you need to replace the print head.It's part number is QY6-0049.

lean The Print Head Nozzles (Windows) The following contains instructions to check the nozzles for poor print quality and perform cleanings of the print head nozzles as necessary. If print results are faint or streaks are printed, the print head nozzles may be clogged. Print quality can be improved by performing print head cleanings or print head deep cleanings. aution: Only used the approved methods below to clean the print head. Use of other methods may further clog the nozzles on the print head and may cause permanent damage the print head.
Note: It is important to check the cleaning results by printing Nozzle Check Pattern after each cleaning. Cleaning and Deep Cleaning consumes a certain amount of ink. Only perform a cleanings when necessary.
Print a Nozzle Check Pattern

1. Confirm that the printer is connected to the computer and the printer is turned on.
   
   
   
2. Complete or cancel any print jobs in progress.
   
   
   
3. Open the Printers folder.
   
   
4. Click the Maintenance tab. (The Maintenance window opens.)
   
   
   
   
   Note: The layout varies depending on the printer and version of Windows you are using.
   
   
   
5. Insert a piece of letter-sized plain paper in the paper tray.
   
   
6. Verify the desired paper source for the Nozzle Check is selected on the unit by changing the Paper Feed Switch if necessary.
   
   
   
7. Select 'Nozzle Check'.
   
   
   

Friend try the utilities through cleaning nozzle check and head cleaning

Cleaning your head might resolve your problem. Perform the below steps to clean the head:

Print Head Cleaning / Head Refreshing If the printed nozzle check pattern is broken, missing, or a specific color is not printed, clean the print head (Cleaning) or print head deep cleaning (Deep Cleaning). Note:

1. Cleaning the print head consumes a small amount of ink. Cleaning too often reduces the amount of ink in the ink tanks.
   
   
2. Print head cleaning is performed when you connect the power cord. Your machine may perform print head cleaning periodically to avoid clogging.
   

Overview:
Step1:
Print the Nozzle Check Pattern.
To check whether the print head nozzles are clogged, print the Nozzle Check Pattern.
If the print quality is poor, perform print head cleaning.
Step 2:
Perform print head cleaning.
This unclogs the print head nozzles
Print the Nozzle Check Pattern again.
To check whether the print head nozzles are clogged, print the Nozzle Check Pattern.
If the print quality is still poor, perform two print head cleanings.
Print the Nozzle Check Pattern again.
Step 3:
Perform deep print head cleaning.
This is a more powerful cleaning.

Displaying the Maintenance screen

1. Ensure that the printer is powered on.
   
   
2. Press the <Menu> button.
   
   
3. Press the left or right cursor to select [Maintenance/settings], then press <OK>.
   
   
4. Press the left or right cursor to select [Maintenance], then press <OK>.
   

Print Nozzle Check Pattern

1. Press the Open button to open the output tray.
   
   
   
   
2. Load letter-sized plain paper in the auto sheet feeder (ASF) or the cassette.
   
   
3. Display the Maintenance screen on the printer.
   
   
4. Press the up or down cursor to select [Nozzle check], then press the <OK>.
   
   
   
   
5. Press the up or down cursor to select [Yes], then press <OK>. (The nozzle check pattern is printed.)
   
   
6. Confirm the nozzle check pattern.
   

< 1 > The normal nozzle check pattern
< 2 > The abnormal nozzle check pattern
< 3 > Some black ink lines are broken.
< 4 > White lines are present in the color ink pattern.
< 5 > Both black and color inks are not present.

Note:

1. When all patterns are printed normally, press the up / down cursor button to select "All A" and press the OK button.
   
   
2. When any patterns are printed abnormally, press the up / down cursor button to select "Also B" and press the OK button.
   

Print Head Cleaning:

1. Display the Maintenance screen on the printer.
   
   
2. Press the up or down cursor to select [Cleaning], then press <OK>.
   
   
   
   
3. Press the up or down cursor to select [Yes], then press <OK> to start print head cleaning.
   
   Note:
   Do not do any other operations until print head cleaning is completed.
   
   
   
4. Print the nozzle check pattern and check the print head status.
   

Deep (Print Head) cleaning:

1. Display the Maintenance screen.
   
   
2. Press the up or down cursor to select [Deep cleaning], then press <OK>.
   
   
   
   
3. Press the up or down cursor to select [Yes], then press <OK> to start print head deep cleaning.
   
   Note:
   Do not do any other operations until print head deep cleaning is completed.
   
   
   
4. Print the nozzle check pattern and check the print head status.
   
   Note:
   If the printed result does not improve even after doing print head deep cleaning, turn off the printer. Then, after 24 hours or later, do print head deep cleaning again. (After a given time interval, ink could dissolve itself, resulting in ink unclogging.)
   

I hope this information allows you to resolve this issue. If you need further assistance, please post back with a comment to this thread.
If I've managed to answer your question or solve a problem, please take just a moment to rate this post....thanks!

try aligning the print heads before cleaning them

Solution: Clean The Print Head Nozzles (Windows) MP500 / MP800
lean The Print Head Nozzles (Windows) The following contains instructions to check the nozzles for poor print quality and perform cleanings of the print head nozzles as necessary. If print results are faint or streaks are printed, the print head nozzles may be clogged. Those phenomena can be improved by performing print head cleanings or print head deep cleanings.