Member Avatar for Member #227351

I have a Brother MVC 215C color inkjet with scanner, fax etc ...

If I don't print for a week or two, I have to clean the black ink - not the colors as they are fine, just the black. I've tried different cartridges with the same results. I have two original cartridges from Brother and they have been refilled as have the colors.

I'm on the same cartridges I bought with the printer two years ago.

Is it the print head?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Aneurysm

Dani AI

Generated

For — a short, practical troubleshooting and prevention checklist that goes beyond the suggestions already posted by and .

First, isolate cartridge vs printer:

  • Run the printer’s nozzle-check pattern and save the result.
  • Put in a brand-new genuine Brother black cartridge (or borrow one). If black prints correctly, the problem is the old/refilled cartridges. If it stays spotty, the problem is in the printer (head, capping/wiper, or feed).

If the problem points to the printer, try this sequence:

  • Use the built-in “clean print head” / deep-clean routine once or twice, then re-run the nozzle check.
  • Power off, remove the black cartridge, inspect the nozzle area and the printer’s capping/wiper for dried ink. Gently blot the nozzle onto a lint-free towel dampened with distilled water; let the nozzle sit face-down on the damp towel for 10–15 minutes to soften clogs, then run another cleaning cycle.
  • Clean electrical contacts with a lint-free swab and 90%+ isopropyl on the contacts only; avoid alcohol on the nozzle plate unless you soak and rinse carefully with distilled water.

Quick cautions and prevention:

  • Automated cleaning uses a lot of black ink — don’t run it repeatedly without checking results.
  • Low-quality refills or old cartridges can leave sediment that clogs nozzles; testing with a sealed, new OEM black cartridge is the single most informative step.
  • Print a small black test (or a line of text) a couple times a week to keep nozzles wet, or enable a periodic maintenance print if available.

If a new OEM black still fails after manual cleaning, the print head assembly, capping/wiper, or internal ink path likely needs service or replacement — Brother support or a service shop can confirm whether the head is user-replaceable or requires factory service.

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Member Avatar for Netking27

Best would be check wether the black one's are original..cant be print head as u say the color catrg is fine.

Issue would be check the black catrg

Member Avatar for Member #227351

All original cartridges. I have refilled them all at least twice. I have two blacks and the printer does the same thing. If I clean the black ink it works fine until I let it rest a few days then only the black gets spotty.

Member Avatar for Aneurysm

so your refilling? it might just be that the black ink you using is a little less then OEM quality. Try a new Brother cartridge (not a refill) and see if you get the same results after a few weeks of non use, all inks are not the same.

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