Question:
"Hello Tim,
I'm looking at purchasing the UPDATED Printhead Recovery Kit for Designjet 500, 510, 800 (HP 11 Printhead). A few questions:
1. Is the default 4 oz. of cleaning solution enough, or do I need the larger size?
2. I see at the bottom of the listing you note that if a printhead has been starved of ink for a long time, it may have burned itself out by printing with air instead of ink, and that even if it has been starved for only a short period, the internal ink diaphragm may have deflated too much to re-inflate. Can I pre-determine my chances of recovery by weighing the printheads before purchasing, to see if it might be air? If so, what is the weight of a Designjet 500 #11 printhead? Can I check whether the internal diaphragm is deflated too much, or do I just have to try recovering and find out?
C.W."
Answer:
Good questions. You will not need more than 4 oz. of the cleaning solution.
A healthy HP 11 printhead will weigh 20-21 grams, so weighing your printheads is a good way to tell whether they have been starved of ink.
It's fairly rare for a printhead's internal diaphragm to deflate completely, and most printheads are recoverable, as long as they have been used successfully within the last 6 months. The ink for refilling the printheads comes from the ink tube system when you purge it using the purge syringe.
The kit is available here: UPDATED Printhead Recovery Kit for Designjet 500, 510, 800 (HP 11 Printhead)
Best,
Tim Wert