Epson Stylus 800 prints blank - Dead head or clog?

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Hi there.

I'm interested in bringing to life an old Epson Stylus 800
(the monochrome one, not the Epson Stylus Color 800).

I've bought a brand new original cartridge. The printer
behaves normal, but it prints mostly blank (some subtle
lines of ink can be seen, very thin and sparse). I've
dismantled the printing head and tried to unclog it with
alcohol and distilled water, without results, not sure
if I'm doing things right. I've read here that windows
cleaner is the best option, I will try it next, but first
would like to make sure that it's clogged before spending
more time on it.

So, how do I determine that the printhead is working
fine and that my problem is simply a clog?. Any other hint?

Help appreciated. Thanks in advance.