Healthy Printer - Epson F2000 / F2100

In order to maintain a healthy printhead, the suction cap must be able to effectively seal against the surface of the printhead to provide a positive suction force. Over time, the ink will dry and build upon its surfaces and must be periodically removed. The warning signs of an unclean cap are ineffective cleaning cycles (no change in nozzle health) and  lack of a visible maintenance flow of ink (through the right-side maintenance tube) during medium cleaning cycles.

 

An important and often overlooked procedure is the suction cap cleaning. To get started with this first watch the video with detailed instructions - Cleaning the suction cap maintenance (more). Make sure you are prepared with all the items to perform the suction cap cleaning. You need to execute the process in a timely fashion since the printhead is exposed during the cleaning. Use only the recommended materials and tools. The suction cap (unlike the user-replaceable anti-drying cap) is a permanent part of the printer and sharp objects or improper cleaning fluids could damage it, resulting in expensive repairs.

The second weekly cleaning procedure is the nozzle check and cleanings (pdf download) If the printer is idle, it’s recommended to perform a Nozzle Check at least once per week. Clean the printhead until a good nozzle check pattern is obtained.