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HP Recommended
DESIGNJET 5500
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

My hp 5500 printer runs out of cyan ink as soon as it uses all of the ink in the printhead it is not replenished by the ink tank because the supply tube is empty the tube is clear. How can I purge / flush this tube to get tyhe ink flowing?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
HP Recommended

You can remove complete ink tubes from the printer.  Place cyan ink cartridge in a slot and place the ink side of tubes to the higher level that printhead end of tubes. Because the ink is on the higher level the ink will flow to printhead side of the tube that is in a lower level and you need to open a valve on cyan printhead slot with syringe and air will be purged and ink will flow. 

 

It sounds complicated but it's a 10-minute job, don't forget to use rubber gloves and be prepared for ink dripping on printhead side of ink tubes.




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2 REPLIES 2
HP Recommended

You can remove complete ink tubes from the printer.  Place cyan ink cartridge in a slot and place the ink side of tubes to the higher level that printhead end of tubes. Because the ink is on the higher level the ink will flow to printhead side of the tube that is in a lower level and you need to open a valve on cyan printhead slot with syringe and air will be purged and ink will flow. 

 

It sounds complicated but it's a 10-minute job, don't forget to use rubber gloves and be prepared for ink dripping on printhead side of ink tubes.




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HP Recommended

I saw the post by Markf and the solved reply from someone.........so in case someone else stumbles on these post & has this problem, try this FIRST.........you will need a syringe tool to do this!

 

Go into the ink supply door on the back of the plotter.

Unclasp the silver thumb tab that holds the vacuum tube to the ink supply tray.

Now get access to your print heads using the menu system on the plotter.

Take out the printhead that is not feeding ink.

Using the syringe tool, put the needle in THAT carriage print head hole, then start pulling the syringe plunger up, it will remove the air in the tube until you get a solid block of ink flowing into the syringe body.

 

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