Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

I print with an Epson P5000.  I purchased Qimage specifically for the Unclog feature and I cannot understand why Epson doesn't offer equivalent software.  However...  While Qimage prints properly with either PK (Gloss) ink or MK (Matt) ink, the Unclog feature works only with MK ink.  If I shift to PK ink the Unclog software reports an ink mismatch and will not run.  However I can print a PK print with no problem.  I suspect this problem is a quirk with the P5000 printer, but I could use any information available for this problem.

TIA,

Dick Frederick   

Hi Dick

Can I assume that you made two unclogs routines, one for matte paper and one for Glossy or luster?
It is the paper selection that selects the ink, so I installed your  print driver and made two routines. One is set to Luster SHEET paper and Manual feed. The other set to matte paper, sheet, manual feed.
That should make the driver change to the required black  PK or MK
Then I told Qimage to print, first the matte, and another try with Ultra Luster.
Both went through the unclog printing process to where QU turned it over to the printer.
(Since I do not  actually have the printer, the messages said PRINTER cannot print  file xxxxxx from Qimage.)
I would recheck both driver sets; the matte paper and the luster/glossy.
Notice in the screen snaps I used the p600 just because it shows the ink switch graphically.  Your driver switches but doesn't show the words in the driver..
Last screen snap shows the job made it to the driver, and stopped due to no printer.
If still NG, we wait for Mike.
Fred

According to this page:

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1230468/Epson-Sc-P5000-Series.html?page=53

There is an option in the driver where you have to set "Auto Black Ink Change" to "Auto".  After doing that, the printer should change inks based on the type of paper you chose (as Fred indicated).  So in order to unclog both matte and photo black inks, you'd need to create two unclog jobs like Fred showed: one with a matte paper selected and one with a glossy paper selected.  Then when you print one or both of those, the printer should change MK/PK inks automatically.  Some Epson printers require you to manually switch inks but it looks like the P5000 can do it automatically as long as that option is set in the driver.

I think they make you choose "Auto" because, like other Epson printers, they only have one black channel in the printhead so switching between MK/PK inks causes the printer to use between 3 and 5ml of ink doing the switch.  Given that the P5000 prints both MK and PK inks through a single black channel, both MK and PK inks are going to use the same nozzles in the printhead and it isn't necessary to unclog both MK and PK inks since either/both will flow through the same nozzles.  I've seen the recommendation that you want to occasionally switch between MK and PK inks just to keep the switch working... but I don't think I'd do that with every unclog pattern!  If it were my printer, I think I'd create the unclog pattern with a paper type that I use most often and use that and then occasionally switch to the other ink type.  For example, if I usually print glossy or semi-gloss prints, I'd probably just create an unclog pattern that uses glossy paper and use that as my regular unclog pattern.  I'd occasionally print an unclog pattern on matte paper just to keep that MK/PK ink switch working.  How often do you want to switch inks?  I think that's up for debate but I believe I remember Jose Rodriguez saying once a month in a YouTube video.  Might want to do your own research on the frequency of "exercising" the MK/PK ink switch on Epson printers.

Regards,
Mike

I have always used Epson - currently the P3000 which also has the MK/PK dual cartridges but single nozzle.  I split almost 50-50 between matte and luster/glossy and run the nozzle checks manually about 3-4 times a week.  I have not had this problem. Once I get on my QU machine, I'll check the settings.

Thanks to all - I know what to do now!

Dick