Ricoh gx7000

[Brian J Rogalny]

I bought this machine almost two years ago. It started to leak cyan, took out cartridge cleaned it up and it would not power up just flashes. Called my salesman and their repair department and told them my problem, repairman said if it doesn't power up it is not repairable. I can't believe a $1300 printer is not repairable, having a real problem with that. I have spent almost as much in ink as I have made in profit.

[Joe Pelonio]

I remember years ago taking in a $100 printer for repairs, and being told it would be $85. Since then I have treated them all as disposable. I suppose at what you paid for that Ricoh you would expect it to have parts and repairs available, and I have an idea that you can get it repaired elsewhere, but I'd never buy a top of the line unit for sublimation. If you can't get it fixed you may have to find a used one just to avoid wasting the ink. I suppose they may have designed it badly or maybe the dealer just prefers to sell rather than fix. Might be worth checking with these people to see if there's a party you can change out yourself: http://www.recycledparts.us/?gclid=CJLs2_P7vbICFeaDQgody2oA2Q

[Mike Null]

I gave up on printing my own sublimation a few years ago after similar stuff with Epson. I threw it in the trash and have been buying my transfers ever since.

[Scott Shepherd]

Throw it in the trash and buy a $450 replacement GX3300. It'll do 8 1/2" x 11", which is probably all you need.

Mine started overspraying on the black, went through the whole deal with Sawgrass, etc. Everyone wanted samples, serial numbers off the ink, and it was going to take weeks to get resolved. Called Conde, explained I couldn't wait weeks to get it all resolved, they sold me a new printer without the ink for a very good price. Was back up and running in days.

Like Joe, I consider my dye sub printer disposable. It's paid for itself so many times, I can't count them.

[AL Ursich]

The flashing lights might be the Waste Ink Counter too... IF it has one... A little Gem places in the Epson Printers that counts Head Cleanings to shut off the printer after a number of cleanings. A software Fix will reset the counter but you are warned to replace the Waste Ink Tank / Sponge. Most likely a legal thing... To prevent a full or over flowing ink waste tank from dripping ink on the Office Carpet... Takes the "Legal Responsibility" away from the Printer Company.... Just a WAG... Wild AL Guess...

I am still hooked on Epson R1800 Sublimation... I have 4 extra printers with head cleaner Carts in storage as backup. The latest trick I found to prevent ink clogs is to turn OFF the printer when not in use so the heads get stored in the Capping Station. A Printer in Idle I believe gets dry heads.... Another WAG but works for me....

The leaking Ink may have gotten into the Electronics of the Printer Head and that is the fault.

Good Luck,

AL


EDIT: Being a Semi Retired Tech and having seen Failure Posts before I decided to do a little search... Found something that I expected on a T-Shirt Forum. Pages and Pages on this issue.... A Conde Rep has posted much needed help and behind the scene HELP.... He also is getting "Beat Up" pretty bad too.... BUT... One Tech dug into this problem at the Printer Level and found just what I expected... BUT... I did see advice to leave the printer ON all the time.... And I think this is related unofficially.... By leaving the printer ON all the time it does NOT go through the Ink Wasting Cleanings.... A Common LINK is seen between "Leaking Ink and Failure"... SO the LESS Cleanings the LESS chance of a Ink Leaking under the Carts a "Assumed Unofficial Theory"....

You will find LITTLE Failures when doing a search when the Printer is using OEM Ink.... That is Important....


Copied from http://www.t-shirtforums.com/dye-sublimation/t132123-7.html Post #95
"I spent on night tearing this printer down looking for the problem. I finally managed to get the printer to power up through a process of elimination. The problem is in the print head electronics. When I pulled the power from the head the printer powers up and gives the Code 99. Unfortunately the print head would be near impossible to remove. It is not a serviceable head like larger printers. The ink in the heads after 5 months of just sitting the ink was still fluid (not a gel) I was able to pass ink through the heads into the waste tank, so no clog. My guess is the Ink when it sits gets caustic and must eat away at the head in a way the makes the piezoelectric material short out and kills the printer."

[Martin Boekers]

Al maybe onto something, the Ricoh does have a waste ink well, when it registers you can't run it until you replace it. Conde will give you a code
to reset the counter if you ask.

It seems 50/50 with ricohs, I have had mine for over 2 years and never had an issues except the waste ink well. easy maintenance. Iwouldn't be doing
dye sub without a Ricoh. I do larger piece so I bucked up for the larger tray 13x19. But I too look at printers as consumables. $1300 for 2 years may be
a bit more than anticipated but that is about $10 a week, I sell $300-$500 a week dye sub so I look at it as an operating expense. Shoot My Xerox Laser
is no different when it ready for an imaging unit it's ready to be replaced.

[AL Ursich]

I spent time reading the T-Shirt Forum the following night and the common theme was Sublimation Ink. Only found 1 leaking ink using OEM ink. Last year the Carts were changed slightly and that helped some. I hear this unit has been replaced but like me still using a 2007 Epson R1800, if it works why replace it...

Having spent many hours reading about Ink Jet problems as I "Had" planned to buy a DCS1324 Mild Solvent Flatbed Printer with a R1900 Print Head. The Mild Solvent has or had 2 problems... 1 Plugging and 2 the Solvent from the ink AND Cleaning Solvent getting into the bottom of the head holder area eating into the Electronics. Turned out Direct Color discontinued the Pigment Ink I was planning to use as the new DCS1024UV LED Cure Ink is much more trouble free and very durable. So the plan it to get a DCS1024UV next year.

It would be curious to know if the Waste Ink Full Flashing Lights are the same as a Head no longer working? I wonder if Start Up Cycling trips the Cleaning Counter? MANY suggestions to leave the printer ON all the time in MANY posts on the T-Shirt Forum. That would limit the number of Start Up cycles... The machine also does a Self Test upon start up and if it passes then the 36 volts is turned on. During a Self Test the Computer asks all the Sub Systems, "Are you ready to GO?" and if the Print Heads OR Waste Counter are tripped then you get the NO GO NO Start Up.

The Tech found that the design of the Printer does not allow the heads to be replaced and NO Spare Parts were availably.

I am a Retired Navy Technician and did 8 years with Sony, the first 4 making Picture Tubes in San Diego starting in 95 and last 4 in Philly at a Service Center fixing Play Stations and other stuff to a component level. So this stuff peeks my interest. I have over 7000 posts on the Hobby CarveWright Forum many Troubleshooting Advice.

Good Luck with your Printer. I have 4 R1800 in hot standby if needed.... Looking for more...

AL
FCC(SW) US Navy Retired.
I was a Navy Electronics Instructor too for 3 years. Love teaching.