Procolored L1800 Clogged Printheads: Which BCH "L1800 Step" Service to Choose (and How Long It Takes)

Question: I have three Procolored L1800 printheads that need repair-I believe they're clogged. I tried to buy the Tornado system three times, but my order kept getting refunded. On your repair list I see L1800 Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3. Which one should I choose, and how long does the repair service take? I really need help fast because replacement printheads are out of stock. Also, here's the link I was looking at: Printhead Repair Service (https://bch-youtube-fan-store.myshopify.com/products/printhead-repair-service)

Answer: 

Which step should you choose?

For your situation (three L1800 printheads you believe are clogged), you should start with L1800 Step 1: Initial Electronic Test (Test-1).

Even when a printhead seems "just clogged," the most important first question is: Is the head electrically safe and functional? A printhead can be clogged and electrically damaged at the same time. If a printhead has an internal short, open line, or abnormal heating behavior, pushing further cleaning attempts can be unsafe-and in some cases can risk damaging your printer's mainboard.

Step 1: Initial Electronic Test (Test-1) - Start Here

Purpose: Determine whether each printhead is electronically functional and safe for further processing.
What we do:

• Verify electrical connections and resistance readings

• Check thermal profiles for shorts, open lines, and abnormal heating

• Confirm the printhead should not endanger your printer's electronics/mainboard

How it works: You send in the printheads. After testing, we provide a report showing how many heads passed and how many failed, and then you decide whether to proceed.

Typical turnaround time: 1-3 business days after we receive the printheads.
Shipping: Customer covers shipping to and from BCH Technologies.

This is the best "first move" because it prevents you from spending weeks (and more money) on a head that is electrically non-viable.

What Steps 2 and 3 do (and why they take longer)

Step 2: Mechanical and Nozzle Evaluation (Test-2)

Purpose: Evaluate internal/physical condition and determine whether the head is repairable.
What we do (high-level):

• Deep cleaning to remove dried ink, clogs, debris

• Remove the nozzle plate for internal access

• Examine the piezo chip and membrane

• Clean nozzle channels and inspect the nozzle array under magnification

• Count damaged/missing nozzles and determine viability

Important disposal rule: If a printhead proceeds into Test-2 and is found "bad," it will not be returned, because disassembly is required for evaluation and that process can make the printhead non-reassemblable and no longer functional as a reusable unit.

Repairability threshold: If more than ~10% of nozzles are damaged, the head is typically classified as non-repairable.

Step 3: Printhead Restoration

Purpose: Restore performance and stabilize ink delivery.
What we do (high-level):

• Nozzle-to-nozzle cleaning/restoration to clear each channel

• Glue the nozzle plate back with precise alignment

• Final electrical stability checks and nozzle pattern performance verification

Turnaround time for Steps 2 and 3: about 4-6 weeks total, depending on workload and the printhead's condition. Before repairs begin, we notify you how many units are repairable and collect payment for that phase.

Why clogged heads aren't always "just a clog" (common causes on L1800 conversions)

On Procolored / L1800-based DTF setups, "clogged" symptoms can come from multiple sources, for example:

• Dried ink in the nozzle plate (common after idle time or low humidity)

• Ink contamination or sediment (especially if ink is mixed, old, improperly stored, or exposed to heat)

• Dampers/lines restricting flow (a weak damper can mimic clogging)

• Air ingestion / poor sealing (air bubbles can cause dropout that looks like a clog)

• Electrical failure inside the head (can present as missing colors/sections that don't recover with cleaning)

That's why Step 1 is so critical: it quickly separates "electrically healthy and worth attempting" from "electrically unsafe or already failed."

About the Tornado system refunds

I understand how frustrating that is-especially after multiple attempts. While I can't diagnose the exact reason from here, refunds like that are often tied to processing flags, address/region restrictions, inventory synchronization issues, or automated risk controls on the payment/merchant side. The good news is: your printhead repair path doesn't depend on the Tornado system-you can still start with Step 1 testing and move forward based on the results.

Service disclaimer (important)

BCH Technologies provides printhead repair services on a best-effort basis. Due to factors outside our control-such as prior damage, ink contamination, or electrical failure-no guarantee of repair success, print quality, or longevity is made or implied.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. So, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility: Printer Repair Service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so it may take a few weeks before we can schedule your printer drop-off. Our services are structured to repair either a 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 highly recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage: BCH Technologies on YouTube (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-so using YouTube's search function is the fastest approach. Plus, YouTube may also suggest relevant videos from other channels that could help.

Thanks again for reaching out, and thank you for supporting BCH Technologies. We truly appreciate you, and we'll do our best to help you move forward as efficiently as possible.