Designjet 5500ps Check Printhead Path (1)

[AnnaStrickland]

I keep getting a "Switch power off. Check printhead path (1)" error after 20% initialization. Here's what I've done:

1) Replaced the carriage belt, including removing the gunk that had built up around the pulley. (It was totally disintegrating.)

2) Lightly oiled the rails using TriFlow.

3) Checked for obstructions along the path and tried to find sticky spots.

4) Checked the printhead cleaner path.

5) Checked the ink tubes for wear.

When carriage starts in far left position, it doesn't seem to move. When starting in the middle or at the far right, it stops around the same place:

I've tried looking in that spot for something it might get hung up on, but no luck. When the carriage starts there, it doesn't move at all before throwing the error.

Help appreciated!

- Anna

[davidzuts]

If the carriage does not move at all, then odds are the encoder strip is outside the sensor in the rear of the carriage. There is a sensor mounted to the bottom rear of the carriage that the encoder intersects so it knows its position. If the encoder is not thru the sensor or the sensor is broken the carriage will not move. Move the carriage all the way to the left and with the left side cover off make sure the encoder is thru the sensor. If the encoder and sensor are ok, remove all the printheads and try again. It is possible the height of the carriage is not correct as there is a height adjustment tool you are supposed to use when changing the belt.