Phaser 850 prints 200 then ink stops printing, Help!

[Redpackman]

I have a Phaser 850 which prints fine for the first 200 or so double sided pages we print, but then around 200 the ink, one color or another, usually black, gives out. There is plenty of ink in the machine. I have used only genuine Xerox ink. The print quality to that point in the print job is perfect, but slowly one color gives out and the remaining ones are ruined until I discover the fault and quit the job. Then I have to do a series of cleanings or a complete shut down and things eventually are restored and we're back to printing fine.

I have had no heater error messages in all this. I replaced the two heater bulbs a year ago and this started about 4-6 months ago. Does the ink (even Xerox brand) get old after awhile and not melt at the point that it should? Should I check the heater bulbs again? Any ideas?

 

[Michael52x]

Yes, the ink can stagnate, and repeated heatings, while not using a lot of ink will cause problems with PQ.
Flush the reservoirs by printing a lot of solid color pages for each color.
The amount you are printing should do this unless you favor a color over others.
Non Xerox ink, which can be packaged in genuine-looking boxes can ruin a p-head by clogging up the jets.

"Impatience will reward you with dissatisfaction" RMS Cosmics'97

 

[datchupokey]

Also, if the colors seem to be mixing, then the printhead is leaking internally. The laminated plates forming the ink passages allow ink to cross migrate. Then on solid fills, it can't keep the flow even.

 

[Redpackman]

The ink does not seem to be mixing in appropriately. What does print, when it's printing looks great, but at one point one color or another (most often black) just drops out and we need to do many cleanings or shut it down, let it cool and then reboot to get it going. SO FAR that has worked, but I just wondered why I couldn't keep printing rather than having it (temporarily) fade out after 200 or so. I'm pretty sure that we've used genuine Xerox ink in this 100% of the time. It could be an old ink issue because I've got some of the ink from eBay and who knows how long some of it sat around, but it's all come sealed etc.

 

[Redpackman]

Pardon me the previous message from me should have read that the ink IS mixing well, at least to my eyes.