Poor Quality Printing, Banding, Streaks, Missing Colors. My cartridge is defective. What can I do? (LX810, LX910, LX400, LX500, LX600, LX610, IP60, Bravo series, Eddie)
If the cartridge has not been used for some time, the inkjet nozzles may dry out.
1. Clean / Test Print
Print the Clean/Test Print described in this article.
Send us a picture of the clean/test print!
2. Clean the Cartridge Manually
Remove the cartridge from the printer and follow this procedure to clean the cartridge manually. (Does not apply to 4100 series, LX900, LX1000 or LX2000)
- Fold a paper towel several times and completely saturate it with warm water or isopropyl alcohol if available. Do not squeeze out excess water from the paper towel. (Use bottled water or distilled water for Edible Ink Cartridges used in the Eddie)
- Press the cartridge nozzles to the wet paper towel for 1-5 seconds.
- Tap the top of the cartridge firmly with your fingers.
- Repeat until all three colors are visible on the paper towel.
- Try the clean print in step 1 to verify all color nozzles are clear.
Watch this video for a demonstration of the cleaning process.
Tip! Leave the printer powered on when it is not in use to maintain cartridge readiness!
Other Cleaning Methods
3. Leave your Printer powered ON!
When your printer is powered on, it will perform periodic cartridge maintenance (spitting ink and wiping nozzles) to maintain cartridge readiness. However, if a cartridge is left unused in a printer for months or years, there is still a chance a manual cleaning will need to be performed before it can be used.
4. Clean Copper Contacts
If the electronics (copper area) on the cartridge are damaged, it may not be recognized by the printer. This is easy to diagnose. Try another cartridge. If the new cartridge works but the old one doesn't, the first cartridge is probably defective. To be sure, clean the copper contacts on the cartridge and the cartridge carrier with an alcohol wipe or an isopropyl alcohol-soaked paper towel. Try the cartridge again. Ink overspray can build up inside the printer over time, causing interrupted electrical signals. See the instructions or video below.
5. Defective Cartridge
If you are unable to clean the cartridge after several attempts the cartridge may be defective and eligible for replacement.
There are only three reasons for a defective cartridge:
1. Clogged nozzles. (Banding / poor quality)
2. Mixing Colors (Colors are different from one cartridge to the next)
3. Cartridge not recognized (Not able to print)
Clogged nozzles can usually be fixed by the cleaning procedure explained above. You may have to repeat the cleaning procedure more than once. If the cartridge still does not work, the cartridge is probably defective.
Mixed Colors can be diagnosed before you even put the cartridge in the printer by the same cleaning procedure described below. Check for red, yellow, and blue when you manually clean the cartridge. If the colors look different from one cartridge to the next, you'll know that the cartridge is defective. If the colors appear to be correct after the manual cleaning, then the colors are mixing at some other point in the printing process. See the first article below.
Other Resources
If none of these apply, you may have an issue that can be explained by something other than a defective cartridge. Check the following articles regarding quality problems with ink cartridges to see if they apply to you:
- The ink in the color cartridge is mixing, or the first few passes of printing are lighter than the rest. (Cleaning the Maintenance Station)
- The ink in my new cartridge has leaked inside the packaging.
- Labels are printing with poor quality or missing colors. (LX900)
- Discs are printing with poor quality or missing colors. (4100 Series)
- Print Quality Guide for the Primera LX1000/LX2000 Color Label Printer.
- Discs are printing with poor quality or poor color matching, streaks, banding, or missing colors. (BravoPro or XRP Only)
- Labels are printing with poor quality, poor color matching, or missing colors. (LX800-810 Only)
- Labels are printing with poor quality or poor color matching, streaks, banding, or missing colors. (LX400-LX500)
Ink Replacement Policy
---To receive a replacement cartridge, contact Tech Support via Chat, Phone, or Email. Visit the customer support page to find contact information.
- Primera will replace any cartridge that has been diagnosed as defective by Tech Support. (There is no expiration date on this warranty)
- All replacements for defective cartridges must be processed through Tech Support.
- To receive replacement cartridges, you may be required to send in your defective cartridges.
- Tech Support will perform the cleaning procedures, and tests mentioned above on all cartridges received.
- Tech Support will weigh all cartridges received. They will not replace empty cartridges.
- Replacements will be shipped via ground shipping. If you need a speedy replacement of a cartridge, we recommend purchasing the cartridge and choosing the shipping speed that you require. The replacement process is not designed for speed. That is why we highly recommend that you purchase extra cartridges and have at least one backup cartridge on hand at all times. This makes it very easy to troubleshoot a cartridge problem and ensures that your business will continue uninterrupted.
Article ID: 44999
Related Articles
Discs are printing with poor quality or missing colors. (4100 Series)
Try the following solutions: 1. Change the Cartridge. Check your cartridge levels. If the lowest percentage color corresponds to a missing color in your print, replace that cartridge. Even if the software reports that the cartridge has 30% ink ...Discs are printing with poor quality, poor color matching, streaks, banding, or missing colors. (Bravo, Bravo II, Signature Only)
Bravo or Signature Print Quality Problems This could be caused by a number of things, but usually is related to an ink nozzle not firing properly because it is clogged with dried ink. There are several things to try, one of which almost always ...Poor Print Quality, Blurry Printing, Print Smearing, faded prints, or splotchy prints on my Cookie or Food Item. (Eddie)
1. Clean the Cartridge. Follow the procedures in this article to clean the cartridge. However, instead of using alcohol to clean the cartridge, use distilled or bottled water. Tip! Leave the printer powered on when it is not in use to maintain ...Discs are printing with poor quality or poor color matching, streaks, banding, or missing colors. (BravoPro or XRP Only)
Discs are printing with poor quality or poor color matching, streaks, banding, or missing colors. (BravoPro or XRP Only) Four print settings affect print quality and color matching on a Bravo Pro or XRP: Print Quality, Disc Surface Quality, Ink ...Discs are printing with poor quality or poor color matching, streaks, banding, or missing colors. (Bravo SE)
Cartridge A defective, empty or clogged cartridge will cause all of the problems listed above. 1. Try a new cartridge. Make sure that the ink cartridge has ink remaining. We often get cartridges returned as "bad" when in reality they've just run ...