HP Photosmart 6510 Printhead Maintenance/Replacement?

[Jackman1933]

You say you had to take the cartidge apart?  Did you mean just remove it from the carriage?  How did you then clean the printhead??  I notie that there is quite a glob of ink where the carriage parks.  Did cleaning that up help the printing?

[tommyd48]

i  tried the swab and it didn't work. Can't use the tools because with the error message on the screen, it won't let me access the tools screen. Any more suggestions.

[ExpatChic]

Thanks for the in-depth instructions.  While this isn't my problem, I was intrigued by the part about the ribbon cables and the LCD.  My LCD came disconnected during shipment (I moved), but I was at loss as to how to get them back in.  I KNEW it could be done.  But I called HP and they suggested I upgrade to a newer printer....for a fee!  The printer is fine!  Made me really, really angry.:catsad:  I subsequently was able to reattach the cables, but I'm still fuming!

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@Schackbo wrote:

Sorry I'm late to the party, but I just experienced the same problem and there is a fix (although it can get a little messy).

You can clean the black printhead on the Photosmart 6510. You have to remove 8 screws that hold on the top cover.

Lift the cover as if you are going to replace the printer cartridges. The printer should be powered on so the printhead will not be locked down.

Now unplug the power cable (you need to have the printer head movable)

Remove all of the printer cartridges and put them aside.

Remove the two screws behind the LCD panel (just pick up the panel so it is completely vertical).

There is one screw behind the hinge on the right side of the printer. You need to grab the hinge and while holding the top cover, gently but firmly pull the hinge toward the front of the printer. It will pop off and then you will have access to the screw.  Be careful the top cover doesn't fall backward. You may need to hold it whil removing the remaining two screws.

Remove the remaining two screws by the top cover hinges.

After you remove those screws gently lay down the top cover.

Now remove the top access panel to the printer by gently pulling up - you need to be careful here because of the two ribbon cables that connect to the LCD panel and the red and black wires that attach to the switch. Carefully move the access cover to the side as far as you can without pulling off the ribbon cables (if they do come off, you can just push them back in).

Heat some distilled water (or regular water if you don't live in a hard water area). Heat the water so it is as hot as you can and still touch it without scalding yourself.

Slide the print head to the right leaving enough room for your fingers to fit around it to the right and under the it. The printhead is on the bottom.

Put on a pair of rubber glove (the kind for washing dishes), unless your tough and can stand the pain of hot water.

Now there's a few ways to proceed. You can bend cotton swabs slightly more than 90 degree so the swap points upward. Dip the swab into the water and rub the swab back and forth over the printhead. You will go through a number of swabs.

You can also perform this operation with cotton balls (be careful you don't leave any strands of cotton on the printhead!).

You can also use a thick paper towel such as Bounty.

If you decide to use the latter two methods, dip either in the hot water and then press it up against the printhead by curling one of your fingers. Gently (I mean gently) rub from side to side.

Keep doing this until you have very little black ink on the swab, cotton balls or paper towel. I suggest you finish up with a paper towel.

Remove any excess water tha has dropped into the base of the printer with paper towels.

Make sure the ribbon cables are tight and put them back in so they don't get pinched by the cover or get in the way of any moving parts.

Put the access cover back on (make sure you bring up the top cover so it's vertical or you won't be able to seat the access cover properly in the back (the hinges will push the top up so it won't lay flat).

Put all the screws back.

Align the hinge with the tab on the top cover and gently snap it toward the back of the printer.

Reinstall the printer cartridges.

Reinstall the power cable.

You will probably see an error in the LCD panel advising you of the improper shutdown. Say you're sorry and promise you won't do it again.

Run the printer though a cleaning cycle, then go throught the second, more robust cleaning.

Finally, I suggest you align the printheads.

This was the last ditch effort before the printer was going to experience an exhilrating ride through the air culminated by a sudden stop on the pavement.

But it worked, so the ride has been postponed for now.

Good luck.

Schackbo

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[jpandes]

I also removed the printer carriage and Can NOT get the printer to work again.  I get the carriage retrun error.  Now, I can't even use the POS as a scanner.  I have already given up on ALL Ink Jet Printers (I bought this printer to replace a Lexmark Inkjet that I could not get to work with Windows 😎 

I bought a Brother color Laser printer for $199 on Amazon w/o a scanner.

[jpandes]

Shackbo,

Were you ever able to get the printer to work again after you disassembled the printer head/carriage?  I'm just wondering if I should so this thing in the trash ....

John

[tommyd48]

i replaced the printer.it was over 2 years old and probably cost as much to repair as to buy a new one.

thanks for all the suggestions.

tommy

[8246]

How do you remove the printhead on hp 6510 printer?

[8246]

How do you remove the printhead for cleaning on hp 6510?

[tommyd48]

i bought a new printer!!!

Thanks,

[WL-N-M8]

Thanks,
your instructions for cleaning the 6510 print head was easy to follow and saved my unit from the trash pile.
One thing I saw in my printer was the space under where the black ink cartridge is parked was full of black ink. It appears that the print head must leak when in the store position.
the thing that upset me the most was using up $50+ dollars of colored ink trying to get the thing to clean its self with the useless clean function that HP provides.

Thanks again,
WL-N-M8