HP Designjet run out of ink temporarily

[Rich_Cohen]

I have been using an HP Designjet 111 for about 4 years now.   I print large engineering diagrams that are 3-5' feet long.  I don't use it very much.   I can go 2-3 months without priting anything and then print a dozen diagrams in 2-3 days.  Just recently I've noticed that the printer runs out of magenta ink when it is about 80% finished printing a diagram.  If I try to print a second diagram immediately there is no magenta.  If I wait 2-3 hours it's OK again.  It seems the print head is not being refilled in a timely manner.  Is this a sign of a failed printhead or is the hose from the ink resevour somehow clogged or is it something else?

[davidzuts · Accepted solution]

That is an indication of air in the tube assembly. Best solution is to get a new printhead first and before you install it take a syringe and stick the needle in the front where the pin of the printhead usually fits and then draw that color ink into the syringe so as to remove any air from the tube. You may have to draw a couple of times depending on the size of the syringe. After air has been remove, put in the new head and things should be back to normal. The reason for the loss and then flow again is that when the air pocket gets into the printhead it prevents the ink from flowing in the head. When printing stops, over time the ink seeps thru the pocket so you get some printing before it happens again.

[Rich_Cohen]

davidzuts,

Thank you.   That makes sense and you have given me the information I need to correct the problem as well.