HP 4620 Stopped printing black ink after cleaning printhead

[ReubenLA]

My HP InkJet 4620 printer was working just fine, but the red print was printing a bit blurry, so I ran the "Clean Printhead" function just to see if it'll help the quality of the red ink.  Instead of fixing anything, my black ink (which is FULL) stopped printing altogether.  I can't imagine cleaning printhead would create a problem which didn't exist, but it did!  I have tried various suggestions such as running level 1 and 2 cleaning printhead 5 to 7 times, changing the black ink cartridge with a brand new one, placing drops of hot water on the cartridge ink nozzle and the connector on the printhead and nothing has worked.  Ironically enough, when I washed the printhead with drops of hot water, it started printing black again but after the 3rd printout, it stopped.  Does anyone have a solution to this bizarre problem?  Everything was working just fine before the stupid "clean printhead" function!  Please help!

[Raj_05]

Hi @ReubenLA,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like there may be a clog or a blockage in the black ink nozzle or printhead, possibly worsened by the cleaning process. Here are some additional steps you can take to troubleshoot.
 

Perform a Hard Reset:

• Turn off the printer and unplug it from the power source.
• Wait for about 30 seconds and then plug it back in and turn it on.
• This can sometimes help reset the printhead and clear any temporary glitches.

Use the Printer's Self-Cleaning Function:

• Since the cleaning process seemed to have an effect initially, try running the clean printhead function once more, but this time, make sure you run Level 3 cleaning (if available), as it provides a more thorough clean than the basic two levels.

Soak the Printhead (again):

• If hot water worked for a while but the issue came back, try soaking the printhead in warm water again, but this time, allow it to soak for 10-15 minutes. Gently blot it with a paper towel after soaking.
• Dry the printhead thoroughly before reinserting it back into the printer.

Check for Printhead Alignment:

• Go to the printer’s settings menu and perform a Printhead Alignment. This can help recalibrate the printhead and potentially fix any issues with ink delivery.

Check for Ink Flow:

• Verify that the black ink cartridge is properly seated. Sometimes, if the cartridge isn’t correctly installed, it can prevent ink from flowing properly. Remove and reinsert the black ink cartridge carefully.

Manual Cleaning with Isopropyl Alcohol:

• If the hot water method wasn’t enough, you could try cleaning the printhead nozzles with isopropyl alcohol (preferably 90% or higher). Use a soft lint-free cloth or cotton swab dampened with the alcohol to clean the nozzle gently. Be sure not to damage any of the components.

If none of these steps work, there might be a deeper issue with the printhead, such as a blockage inside that can’t be cleared through basic cleaning.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4

HP Support