HP Designjet 5000 / Kodak MP Inkjet 5042 not accepting new printheads
We use an HP Designjet 5000 (labeled as a Kodak MatchPrint Inkjet 5042) as a color proof printer for our printing company. We decided to install new printheads after 20,000+ hours/six years of use (fairly light use) even though we did not get any warnings. The printer accepted four out of six printheads, giving a message "reseat printhead" on the other two. Even though we removed, cleaned and replaced the printheads, we could not get rid of the message. We tried a hard shutdown, cutting off main power and un-plugging the unit, to no avail.
We re-installed one of the old printheads ( the cyan ) and the machine accepted it. Tried the same thing with the light-cyan printhead and the machine accepts it, but now says it needs replacement. When "recovering" the printheads, we get a "calibration error 1042" at 60% completion.
Any thoughts? Should we just ask for a replacement for the rejected printheads, or is there some other issue we should check? What little discussion we come across on the HP forums mentions stuff like lens replacement, but nothing really on the "reseat printhead" issue.
We re-installed one of the old printheads ( the cyan ) and the machine accepted it. Tried the same thing with the light-cyan printhead and the machine accepts it, but now says it needs replacement. When "recovering" the printheads, we get a "calibration error 1042" at 60% completion.
Any thoughts? Should we just ask for a replacement for the rejected printheads, or is there some other issue we should check? What little discussion we come across on the HP forums mentions stuff like lens replacement, but nothing really on the "reseat printhead" issue.
The obvious question is where did these come from ? Are these genuine HP print heads ? Are the old ones Genuine and the new ones aftermarket ? HP builds in lots of safeguards in the firmware to check for Genuine HP parts such as gbics and print heads.
ASKER
Razorwoods --
Yes, these are genuine HP in the proper packaging. The dates on the sides of the boxes ranger from 11/2005 to 6/2007 -- I'm assuming those are manufacture dates, and not expiration dates!?
Yes, these are genuine HP in the proper packaging. The dates on the sides of the boxes ranger from 11/2005 to 6/2007 -- I'm assuming those are manufacture dates, and not expiration dates!?
Have you tried running the calibration ? If you did where were the error codes ?
ASKER
We are getting a "calibration error 1042" at about 60% of the process. The printer will allow us to bypass this and use the printhead anyway, put it is obviously not working well. The solid test bars that the printer creates are all good except for the light cyan, which barely prints at all.
What I'm really concerned about is why the new head generates the "reseat printhead message." Is it a manufacturing defect, or does it indicate a possible problem with the carrier?
What I'm really concerned about is why the new head generates the "reseat printhead message." Is it a manufacturing defect, or does it indicate a possible problem with the carrier?
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ASKER
Razorwoods -- Thanks for the diagnosis. You gave me the idea to explore more of the options on the utilities menu, which we haven't used in a long time.
Joed -- I think you hit it. I bought the cartridges in 2006, but never installed them. Looks like the expire date was in '07 and that's why the machine is rejecting them.
Joed -- I think you hit it. I bought the cartridges in 2006, but never installed them. Looks like the expire date was in '07 and that's why the machine is rejecting them.