Your Guide In Troubleshooting Common Problems On Your Inkjet Printer

By Author: Stone Will
Total Articles: 7
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If you compare the complexity between laser and inkjet printers, you’ll notice that inkjet printers have a lesser complex parts that could malfunction than laser printers. On the other hand there are plenty of inkjet printers being sold for under $100, unfortunately, they don’t last long. The problems associated with inkjet printers lie on the electronic side or poor printing quality. Below is a list of solutions that you can apply to the problems that commonly plague your inkjet printer and how to fix print head problems

Remember
Before going through the instructions of this guide, keep in mind this article is only limited to the basic scope of repair and maintenance of an inkjet printer. If you’re having doubts about your ability to follow instructions or performing any of these technical procedures, then it is advisable that you get help from a qualified service professional or the manufacturer itself so that you will not void the warranty of the merchandise.

Check for print quality
Usually the most prevailing error that occurs in an inkjet printer is its low print quality. You’ll know when ...
... this happens if you see white horizontal lines that break the fine quality print or it could also be an uneven distribution of ink throughout the printed page. What causes this are clogged nozzles, the dried ink that got stuck in them prevents any ink dispersion thus the white lines. Manufacturing the ink cartridge and the print head as one part is what printer manufacturers see as the solution to fix print head issues. This way you don’t have to wait for your print head to experience problems and you get a new print head each time you change the ink cartridge.

Buying replacement parts for your print head before it even experiences any printing hick-ups may make you feel at ease because it instantly eliminate the problem, leaving you worry-free; however, the downside to this is if your printer’s print head is built right into the printer itself and it is not disposable, or if you still have enough ink before buying a replacement and your print head malfunctions.

The manual cleaning process
For clogged print head nozzles use a cotton swab and pour small amounts of alcohol onto it and then swipe it on the nozzles of the print head to remove dried ink build-up. Then use paper towel or microfiber cloth to wipe out excess ink that may have remained on the print head. Once you’ve done all this, turn the printer on and initiate the self-cleaning mechanism and depending on the manufacturer’s specifications of the different intensity of the printer’s cleaning features; you’ll just follow the instructions on how to fix print head problems.

There could something wrong with the print head ribbon
Old printer units have a print head ribbon and in cases such as these sometimes the problem isn’t on the printhead or the clogged nozzles itself, but the misalignment or loose print head ribbon. You will have to manually reach into it and tighten the lose ribbon in order to get it to work. In newer models, however, this kind of problem doesn’t exist because laser and inkjet printers work differently.

Paper dust
Some problems are related to fix print head issues. Sometimes paper dust can interfere with the electrical contacts on the print head, which could cause the dotted or white lines you see on the printed paper. Apparently using the printer for long periods of time can accumulate enough paper dust even in the insides of the printer. To avoid running into this kind of trouble clean the insides of your printer with a feather duster, specifically in between the cartridge housing and the print cartridge.

Electrical failure
Finally some errors occur between the connection of your PC or laptop and your printer; however, most of the time the printer won’t print when this problem occurs and not print with white lines on the printouts. Still there may be instances when it could occur, but all you have to do with this problem is to reboot the computer, check the printer wire cable and check the software.

From this point on, if all your efforts have failed to fix the problem, then that means your printer needs to be checked by a professional or you’ll have to replace it with a new one.

About Author: We are in the business since last ten years and know all the ins and outs of the print head issues. Printhead 911 are one of the pioneers of fix print head, providing high quality Clean print head, refurbish print head and clean print head services.