My Experience Flushing Epson XP600 Printheads
- Vian
- Mar 10, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 14
In 2022, I had an experience with two new Epson XP600 printheads in my 30cm DTF printer setup that taught me an important lesson.
After about four months of use and regular cleaning, I decided to manually flush both printheads to clear out any possible ink particles or buildup.
At that time, DTF printing was still relatively new, and there was a lot of advice being shared between technicians, suppliers and printer users. A technician friend suggested warming the cleaning liquid to around 40°C, as this could help dissolve ink. I decided to give it a try.
At first, the liquid flowed perfectly through the nozzles, like a waterfall, with no signs of clogging. However, I continued flushing. By the third or fourth flush, it became difficult to push the liquid through. I kept flushing while trying to figure out why it had stopped flowing as smoothly as it had at the beginning. As the clog became so severe that pressure was building up while I was flushing, the tube eventually came off the nozzle and the liquid splashed onto my face!
I believe small ink particles were already existing inside the nozzles and began to cure as the warm cleaning liquid passed through them. By continuing to flush, I believe I caused the particles to build up and create a severe blockage.
As a result, both printheads were completely damaged!
Tips for Maintaining Printheads
Use the right cleaning solution: Always use a cleaning solution recommended for your printhead.
Clean regularly: Clean the printhead regularly, or immediately if you notice poor print quality or missing nozzles.
Flush before shutting down: At the end of your printing session/day, use the printer’s head flushing function before turning the printer off. This helps keep the printhead clean and ready for the next use.
Soak Method
Place the printhead so only the nozzle plate touches a small amount of cleaning solution on a flat surface.
Leave it for a couple of hours to loosen clogs.
After soaking, flush each nozzle gently with a suitable cleaning liquid and finish up with distilled water to remove leftover solution.
Let the printhead air-dry completely before reinstalling.
