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Printer problem (1 Viewer)

Reader

Well-known member
First of all my Printer is an Epson Stylus C66 Photo edition.

Last night I printed off quite a few things without a problem. This morning I wanted to print out a document and the printer wouldn't recognise the black ink catridge. It recognised the other three colours ok. I tried cleaning the heads, removing and putting back the cartridge, all to no effect. Next I actually changed the cartridge for a new one and bingo it recognised it. The trouble is the printer won't print anything black just the colours. I tried cleaning the heads, removing and replacing the cartridge but still to no avail.

Do any of you guys & gals have any idea what's causing this?

John

I have suddenly developed a problem with my black ink.
 
Onr thing that's 'fixed' similar problems for me in the past is to open the lid, wait until the carts have moved into the position where you can remove them, pull out the power cable.

Close the lid, reconnect the power, start printer.

Try it ...

Andy.
 
Andrew Rowlands said:
Onr thing that's 'fixed' similar problems for me in the past is to open the lid, wait until the carts have moved into the position where you can remove them, pull out the power cable.

Close the lid, reconnect the power, start printer.

Try it ...

Andy.

Hi Andrew

Are you saying remove all cartridges then disconnect the power. Start up again then replace the cartridges.

This is a 4 cartridge printer (a cartridge for each colour plus black) The other three are being recognised and are printing ok. It's just the black that isn't printing.

I must admit that I did disconnect the power cable for a minute but it didn't work but I did still have the cartridges in the holder. I have also disconnected the power to the computer base just in case that might to the trick but it didn't.

I have removed the offending cartridge that the printer wouldn't recognise and replaced it but the 2nd cartridge just won't print (but the printer hasn't rejected it).
 
I did as Andrew has suggested but it hasn't worked. I now realise that neither the Black or the yellow work only the red and blue. Considering the fact that I did quite a bit of printing last night without any problems I can't understand why, all of a sudden, both black & yelow are not printing.

Any ideas folks.

John
 
It may be the ink jets that have become clogged in which case you could try a head clean. Was the old cartridge empty?
I had a similar problem with an Epson C70 printer, not printing black when new cartridge was fitted. Tried loads of so-called fixes and finished up ditching the printer as I couldn't seem to get it working right. Thankfully the printer wasn't too new and I had been thinking about getting combined printer/scanner anyway.
 
Keith Dickinson said:
It may be the ink jets that have become clogged in which case you could try a head clean.

I tried that Keith but it didn't work.

Keith Dickinson said:
Was the old cartridge empty?

No it was three quartes full.

I have also done what Stewart suggested and that hasn't worked either.

John
 
Stewart J. said:
Uninstall and reinstall drivers, cured a similar epsom problem a couple of years ago.

Best of luck

Stewart

I've tried that Stuart but it hasn't worked. I even tried a System Restore back to last night when it was all working ok and that didn't work either.

Now what?? :storm:

John
 
I have just looked through my receipts and found the one for the printer. I purchased it on 13/02/05.

Phew!! if there is a problem there is a chance it is covered (i hope)
 
If you are going to send it back to Epson then make sure the cartridges are all Epson originals, they won't do anything if they are compatible cartridges. Epson take the view that it is the cheap nasty ink that has done the damage, you should have used our expensive loveable ink, and insist that the warranty is invalid.
 
Keith Dickinson said:
If you are going to send it back to Epson then make sure the cartridges are all Epson originals, they won't do anything if they are compatible cartridges. Epson take the view that it is the cheap nasty ink that has done the damage, you should have used our expensive loveable ink, and insist that the warranty is invalid.


Oh dear, I thought as much as I have been using compatibles.

I purchased the printer at PC World. Is there no way they would deal with it or will they send it back to Epson.

John
 
John
Don't make the mistake of assuming that running the clean heads routine once will do the job. If the heads are clogged, and it sounds very much as if they are you may have to run the routine three or more times to sort the problem.

Whatever else is causing the problems you describe, its nothing to do with software, so don't waste your time uninstalling and reinstalling drivers etc. Also leave the cartridges that are working well alone; if you take them out the printer may refuse to recognise them once they are replaced.

Hope this helps

John Fleet
 
Keith Dickinson said:
You could try taking it back to PC World but my guess is they will want to send it back to Epson.

I suggest you replace the ink cartridges with genuine Epson cartridges and see whether they work. If they don't, then take it back to PC World with the genuine Epson cartridges installed and no one will be any the wiser, or you hope not!
 
John Fleet said:
John
Don't make the mistake of assuming that running the clean heads routine once will do the job. If the heads are clogged, and it sounds very much as if they are you may have to run the routine three or more times to sort the problem.

Whatever else is causing the problems you describe, its nothing to do with software, so don't waste your time uninstalling and reinstalling drivers etc. Also leave the cartridges that are working well alone; if you take them out the printer may refuse to recognise them once they are replaced.

Hope this helps

John Fleet

Hi John

I tried cleaning the heads quite a few times early this morning and it didn't work. I tried a few times again tonight with the same results.

I have some new cartridges and I might try replacing those that are not working again with new ones. If all that doesn't work I doubt if I will purchase new Epsons just to get the printer to be accepted under warranty as they are far too expensive. I might just as well buy another Epson Stylus 66, or any other Epson printer that uses the same cartridges as this one as I have quite a few new ones as back up.

Thanks for trying guys. Normally you answer the problem but I might be with a bit of a dead duck printer this time.



John
 
Keith Dickinson said:
If you are going to send it back to Epson then make sure the cartridges are all Epson originals, they won't do anything if they are compatible cartridges. Epson take the view that it is the cheap nasty ink that has done the damage, you should have used our expensive loveable ink, and insist that the warranty is invalid.

Not necessarily so, I had a problem with my R300 and I rang epson, they sent me to an Epson Express centre in Stalybridge, they replaced the machine for me. However they sell ink cartridges and they do not have one epson cartsidge on dosplay, when I asked about it they just said that they have no call for them, Ia sked about epson's attitude and they just said it doesn't affect the warranty.
On the problem with printng, put one of the cartridges in if it is recognised and the ink monitor says it has ink in it then run a cleaning cycle, do not print anything, run a second print cycle again without printing anything and then do it a third time without printing, leave both the printer and the computer on ( the print head must not be moved ) and then leave it overnight. If there is a blockage it will clear it, it is what epson do it they take them back. Apparently there are detergents in the ink and the three cleaning cycles pressurises the print head to the point where the detergent will get to any blockage and dissolve it.
 
Reader said:
Oh dear, I thought as much as I have been using compatibles.

I purchased the printer at PC World. Is there no way they would deal with it or will they send it back to Epson.

John

They will refer you to epson ( I bought my machine at PCworld ), who will send you to an Epson express depot.
 
baillieswells said:
I suggest you replace the ink cartridges with genuine Epson cartridges and see whether they work. If they don't, then take it back to PC World with the genuine Epson cartridges installed and no one will be any the wiser, or you hope not!


It might be cheaper to buy a new printer!

Alan
 
alancairns said:
It might be cheaper to buy a new printer!

Alan

My sentiments entirely.

If the printer still isn't functioning properly by the weekend this is something I will have to consider.
 
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