How to Connect the Water Tornado System for Your Printer's Cooling Loop: Setup, Flow Behavior, and Troubleshooting

Question:

I'm trying to set up the Water Tornado system. How should I connect the pump, water container, and the lines going into the printhead block? I have the configuration right, but no water is coming out of the top of the printhead into the exit tubes that lead to the sink. Is this normal? Does the water flow take a while to start?

Answer:

Understanding and Setting Up the Water Tornado System

The Water Tornado system is a cooling and flushing aid that integrates into a printer’s external circulation loop. Here’s how the basic setup should be structured:

1. Starting at the Water Container:
   The clean water or flushing fluid in your container is the starting point of the loop.

2. To the Pump:
   Connect a tube from the bottom of your container to the inlet of the pump. The pump will draw the liquid from here.

3. From Pump to Water Tornado:
   Connect the pump’s outlet to the input side of the Water Tornado unit.

4. Water Tornado to Printhead Block:
   The outlet from the Water Tornado then connects to the water inlet lines, which lead to the block where the printhead is located—this part of the system channels cooling or flushing water through the internal pathways.

5. Return Line from Printhead to Container:
   Finally, any exit lines (typically from the top or sides of the printhead block) should be routed to return to the water container or be dumped into a waste sink, depending on whether you're recycling or purging.

What If There’s No Water Flowing Out from the Printhead?

No water may be seen exiting from the printhead’s return lines, and this doesn’t always indicate an incorrect setup.

• Pressure Build-Up vs. Blockage:
  If the printhead’s internal channels are partially blocked or very narrow, the pump pressure might not be enough to push the water through. Think of this as a printer’s version of a clogged artery — there's resistance, and sometimes even with steady pressure, there’s no visible backflow. That doesn't always mean the printhead is dysfunctional; some printers can still print fine even if the cooling loop isn’t flowing visibly.

• Pump Strength Matters:
  The performance of your pump is critical. A weak pump may circulate water through the loop but fail to overcome internal resistance within the printhead block. Consider testing the pump's output or replacing it with a stronger model temporarily for verification.

• Air Pockets and Flow Delay:
  If air is trapped in the system, especially in the printhead block, it can prevent water from circulating. You may need to tilt or cycle the printer to release the air gently. However, nozzle-level circulation usually doesn’t self-prime easily, so some manual assistance may be necessary during the initial setup.

• Printhead Health Consideration:
  A healthy printhead might still resist backflow because its internal valves or chambers are not designed for reverse circulation. Suppose you're trying to flush or clean. In that case, it’s better to use controlled pressure pulses or dedicated cleaning fluid injection kits instead of relying solely on the Water Tornado to dislodge clogs.

Additional Notes

Keep in mind that the Water Tornado is more of a circulation aid, not a powerful unclogger. If your goal is to flush dried ink from the head, a different setup or cleaning method may be required, such as manual syringe flushing or ultrasonic cleaning.

On Repairs and Further Support

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Therefore, we're unable to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, it may take a few weeks before we can arrange for your printer to drop it off. Our services are structured to repair either the whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. However, we acknowledge that our rates aren't the most economical. Thus, we recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Look for specific videos using the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar. I receive dozens of queries every day asking about videos for specific topics. Having created videos over the past nine years, it's challenging to remember every single one. Therefore, using YouTube's search function would be the most efficient approach. Additionally, YouTube may suggest relevant videos from other channels that can assist you.

Thank you once again for your continued support and for reaching out with this question. We genuinely value your involvement in our community and hope this helps you move forward with your setup.