HP OfficeJet Pro 8730 weird pump like noises followed by Supply System Problem error.

[regex541]

Hello,

I have an issue with HP OfficeJet Pro 8730.

When I try to print a page, or initialize the printer after performing OOBE reset, I am encountering weird pump like noises from the printer followed by Supply System Problem error.

It sounds like the printer being unable to squeeze ink or something.

I had this printer running without issue, initially on genuine HP cartridges, and then with refillable ink cartridges (using original HP chips).

Eventually I ran out of 2 colors (2 chips depleted), and it turned out OOBE reset/initialization will not work with more than one chip reporting empty, so I have ordered ARC chips.

About 3 weeks later I have received ARC chips, installed them, and attempted to print. This is where the problem started to appear.

Here is a video (0m07s is the moment when you can hear the problem):
8730_error - Streamable
Also there are some squeaking noises that you can hear (0m27s) during printhead cleaning (I think), that I am quite certain were not present before.

Pictures of the printhead (inside):
8730 error - Album on Imgur

Pictures of the area where printhead parks/is cleaned:
Imgur: The magic of the Internet

Using refill adapter I am able to pull ink from cartridges without issue, I have also swapped refillable cartridges with refilled original HP cartridges and it is the same.

When doing initialization (as opposed to printing status page) it seems to report only black color as problematic, not sure if this is because other colors magically fixed themselves, or it simply reports colors which the printer wants to use.

Any tips what could be the cause of this, and if this is repairable?

I have done OOBE reset/initialization at least a few times in a row before finally giving up. Maybe incomplete initialization prevented proper printhead (or neighboring area) cleaning, and during those 3 weeks of rest (waited for ARC chips to arrive) something dried up. Before turning off the printer I ensured the printhead was in parked position, with all cartridges in place.

Service manual for 8730, or related models, is nowhere to be found, so I am not sure what are the exact places that I could actually try to clean (aside from obvious stuff like printhead), and how to properly get to them in the first place, so I can at least inspect them.

So far I tried cleaning bottom of the printhead with soaked paper towel (InkTec cleaning solution for HP), but it did not seem to help, I could see all the colors staining paper towel though, so it did not seem like ink flow from the printhead is blocked (or at least completely blocked). There was some buildup of the ink on the bottom of the printhead when I took it out, but that ink did not seem to be dried up.

I also wanted to push cleaning solution directly through each color of the printhead, but I would need to buy more cleaning solution, so I decided to ask here for some directions before I actually go and blindly spend more money, in case it is not related to the printhead at all.

Thanks.

[Phil B.]

Hello,

I have an issue with HP OfficeJet Pro 8730.

When I try to print a page, or initialize the printer after performing OOBE reset, I am encountering weird pump like noises from the printer followed by Supply System Problem error.

It sounds like the printer being unable to squeeze ink or something.

I had this printer running without issue, initially on genuine HP cartridges, and then with refillable ink cartridges (using original HP chips).

Eventually I ran out of 2 colors (2 chips depleted), and it turned out OOBE reset/initialization will not work with more than one chip reporting empty, so I have ordered ARC chips.

About 3 weeks later I have received ARC chips, installed them, and attempted to print. This is where the problem started to appear.

Here is a video (0m07s is the moment when you can hear the problem):
8730_error - Streamable
Also there are some squeaking noises that you can hear (0m27s) during printhead cleaning (I think), that I am quite certain were not present before.

Pictures of the printhead (inside):
8730 error - Album on Imgur

Pictures of the area where printhead parks/is cleaned:
Imgur: The magic of the Internet

Using refill adapter I am able to pull ink from cartridges without issue, I have also swapped refillable cartridges with refilled original HP cartridges and it is the same.

When doing initialization (as opposed to printing status page) it seems to report only black color as problematic, not sure if this is because other colors magically fixed themselves, or it simply reports colors which the printer wants to use.

Any tips what could be the cause of this, and if this is repairable?

I have done OOBE reset/initialization at least a few times in a row before finally giving up. Maybe incomplete initialization prevented proper printhead (or neighboring area) cleaning, and during those 3 weeks of rest (waited for ARC chips to arrive) something dried up. Before turning off the printer I ensured the printhead was in parked position, with all cartridges in place.

Service manual for 8730, or related models, is nowhere to be found, so I am not sure what are the exact places that I could actually try to clean (aside from obvious stuff like printhead), and how to properly get to them in the first place, so I can at least inspect them.

So far I tried cleaning bottom of the printhead with soaked paper towel (InkTec cleaning solution for HP), but it did not seem to help, I could see all the colors staining paper towel though, so it did not seem like ink flow from the printhead is blocked (or at least completely blocked). There was some buildup of the ink on the bottom of the printhead when I took it out, but that ink did not seem to be dried up.

I also wanted to push cleaning solution directly through each color of the printhead, but I would need to buy more cleaning solution, so I decided to ask here for some directions before I actually go and blindly spend more money, in case it is not related to the printhead at all.

Thanks.

there is no manual available... those are considered throw away units.

the noise is more than likely in the ink pump..lines..

once you run those POS without ink the INK lines get bubbles in them and then you have to purge the lines. Lotsa ink wasted in the process.

my advise:

Drop it and RUN FOREST!

[regex541]

there is no manual available... those are considered throw away units.

the noise is more than likely in the ink pump..lines..

once you run those POS without ink the INK lines get bubbles in them and then you have to purge the lines. Lotsa ink wasted in the process.

my advise:

Drop it and RUN FOREST!

Since I have invested some money into this printer I want to at least try to solve it.

By ink pump lines you mean something that is located within the printhead module itself:
https://i.imgur.com/SmyRZqQ.jpg
And this would mean completely purging each color channel?

Or capping station area:
https://i.imgur.com/u1WyxU7.jpg

Or maybe something else.

Some videos dedicated to cleaning capping stations had certain wording in them related to seal/vacuum, this is why I am asking. although capping station in 8730 looks different, it does not look completely sealed, but instead looks a little bit like a drainage.

One thing I did learn from this is to avoid HP products in the future, or at least check for service manual availability before buying a printer in general.

[Lance15]

Your best bet is to stop using non-genuine supplies. If the ink tubes have air in them already, then your already screwed. Replacing the user-replaceable printhead (M0H91A) won't help. HP does not supply any manuals of any kind for ink-based products. This doesn't just apply to HP.

This model has been discontinued by HP and the only place(s) that would have them is going to charge an arm and a leg (Amazon - $699!).

[regex541]

I have managed to restore my printer to a working state.

once you run those POS without ink the INK lines get bubbles in them and then you have to purge the lines. Lotsa ink wasted in the process.

What Phil said appears to be valid.

The issue was probably related to ink sensor inside the printhead, which upon detection of air was triggering a procedure that was trying to push air into the cartridge, supposedly attempting to create a pressure for ink flow. It seems that refillable cartridges are not designed to handle such operation, resulting in a weird air related noises, and showing error "Supply System Problem".

I have solved it by manually pushing ink into ink chambers in the printhead with the use of syringe and silicone hose (internal diameter 1.5mm, wall thickness 2mm). This procedure probably got rid of any air remains that were in the printhead. I kept pushing ink, with quite a lot of pressure, until I could see a nice miniature shower of ink coming from the printhead nozzles at the bottom. I repeated this process for each color, beside black, which surprisingly has fixed itself after about 5-10 resets (which was triggering printhead cleaning).

I have put the cartridges along with the printhead inside the printer as a means of checking cartridges status. If the cartridge was reporting to have an estimated amount of pages left more than 0, then it meant it was OK, otherwise I had to pull everything out, and continue pushing ink to chambers where sensor was still detecting air.

After confirming that all cartridges have an estimated number of pages greater than 0, I have performed printer reset (OOBE RESET), to trigger proper printer initialization, which was completed successfully this time, without any error.

After many days it is still printing without errors.

To fix magenta and yellow I have used about 10-15ml (each color) of ink. Cyan was quite stubborn and required more, about 25ml of ink.

To sum it up, it looks like "Supply System Problem" error can likely mean:
- Hard clog inside the printhead.
- Ink sensor inside the printhead detecting air, which requires to use original cartridges (I cannot give a guarantee on that though, because I have tried inserting original cartridges, and the problem has not disappeared completely), or manually pushing ink into ink chambers in the printhead, the ones where ink sensor is detecting air, as a means of getting rid of air.

As a final notice (and a precaution), always ensure that silicone hose is sitting nice and tightly on both the printhead and the syringe. Unfortunately I have somehow put silicone hose improperly on the side of syringe, which under a high pressure (pressing syringe with some force), caused the silicone hose to slip from the syringe, and ink just exploded, staining everything around in the following pattern (RIP my clothes):



One of the downsides of manually pushing ink into ink chambers is that on the bottom of the printhead, where the nozzles are located, there will be increasing ink buildup, which will be dripping. If there is a lot of ink, it can soak into the nozzles of other colors, and temporarily mix. This is what has happened to me when it comes to cyan, which I had to push multiple times in order for ink sensor to finally give me a break and stop detecting air. Magenta, yellow, and black on shades of gray, all are printing like they are slightly mixed with cyan. Fortunately everything is slowly getting back to normal. First printed page on the left, something between 15-20 on the right: