I have an Epsom C84 which I boought about 2 years ago but have seldom
used. It now refuses to print and says that it is out of ink. However,
when I shake the ink cartridges, you can still hear the ink inside. How
can I get it to print again. Secondly, I have read some coments in this
newsgroup about about problems with Print Pal ink. Can someone explain
the problem and what are other sources for inexpensive ink. If I must
use expensive ink from Epsom, I think I will throw the printer away.

Karl

Since you seldom use it throw it away. All ink jets will have the jets dry
out from lack of use. The ink level is determined by the number of pulses
sent to the cartridge, has nothing to do with how much ink is left. New
cartridges won't solve the problem as the jets in the head are dried out.
You will have to replace the head or soak it in an ammonia base solvent to
clear them, which may not even work...


"Karl" <11spare.delete@verizon.net> wrote in message
newsRC0f.231$7P5.201@trndny07...

Woody is on the right path with his remarks. I gave my 10 year old daughter
a new C84 about a year ago. She did no to little printing on it and now it
is clogged possibly beyond redemption. Epson even espouses that once the
cartridges are installed they should be replaced if they haven't been used
up within 6 months. After putting in 4 brand new cartridges in (third party,
from MIS) there is still no printing, after more than eight cleanings.
I've now removed the sides and the cover of the printer and tomorrow will
attempt to pull the head to soak it in some Windex or head cleaner. I hate
throwing new stuff away.
I should mention that this situation is not the general rule for Epsons
and my experience. We have more than 70 Epsons running at our elementary
school. Six years ago I put 35 Epson 740's into service. Thirty of them are
still running. One was stolen. Two of them were put away for bad paper
feeding, and two moe had main circuit board go. I'm glad to say not one of
them died because of an ink clog. We also have fourteen 880's running and
they are all doing well. By the way, they use Inktek 3rd party ink
cartridges. We've been using third party cartridges ever since the first
Epson cartridges went empty in each one of them. The thing that I can
clearly say about Epson printers are that the more they are run the better
they behave.

--
Jan Alter
bearpuf@verizon.net
or
jalter@phila.k12.pa.us
"Woody" <TheDuck@pond.net> wrote in message
news:19D0f.341$HA.68@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...

THERE ARE PROBLEMS USING ALL AFTERMARKET INKS. IF THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE
USING THEN YOU DESERVE WHAT YOU GOT. ADDITIONALLY, EPSON'S HAVE A
GREATER TENDENCY TO CLOG WHEN USED INFREQUENTLY THAN OTHER PRINTERS.

Karl wrote:

Karl <11spare.delete@verizon.net> wrote:
Karl
It is a good idea to make sure that you use your printer once or twice a week,
this applies to most inkjet printers and is related to the technology that is
used.
E-mail Arthur Entlich at

e-printer(at)mvps(dot)org
(at) = @
(dot) = .

for his Epson printhead cleaning manual. Art is currently on vacation so give
him some time to reply.
The problem is not related to the ink you use but simply related to how these
printers work.
Tony

Tony wrote:

measekite <inkystinky@oem.com> wrote:
Jee whiz, your ability to make deductions would shame a 2 month old Baboon.
See http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ive_baboon.jpg.
Anybody you recognise?
Could it be the reflection you see in the mirror after your enforced monthly
shower.
Tony

Of all the ink formulations, the pigment Durabrite inks are probably the
most problematical. They are waterproof once they dry, but they tend to
also dry fairly easily on the head surface, causing clogs.

I think Epson should probably redesign the inks and the head and
cleaning system to lessen the problems with these. Maybe they should
just go to using the Ultrachrome inks in these printers, although the
Ultrachrome inks are slower drying.

However, a little extra maintenance can help, and the same cleaning
process used for dye colorant inks can work with pigment inks and in
most cases it fixes the problem.

One other issue however... some 'C' printers had a design flaw which led
to the vacuum tube from the cleaning station to pop off, often during a
cartridge replacement. If that happens, the cleaning cycles don't work.

So, I'm not defending Epson, because in my opinion, they should have
recalled the units and retrofitted them to fix this issue, but these
printers are usually easy to fix.

Again, I suggest against removing print heads in Epson printers for the
vast majority of people, as it can result in head damage. Most clogs can
be remedied without head removal.

Art



Jan Alter wrote:

Arthur Entlich wrote:

CANON AND HP PRINTERS DO NOT NEED THE MAINTENANCE THAT EPSONS SEEM TO
NEED. I AM GLAD THAT EVEN THOUGH I STARTED OUT TO BUY AN EPSON I BOUGHT
A CANON. PERMANENT PRINTHEADS ALWAYS BOTHERED ME. AT LEAST WITH A CANON
HEAD YOU CAN REMOVE IT AND MAY HAVE A CHANCE OF CLEANING IT.

Judging by the amount of clogging that goes on with Epson printers
they ought to be made to make the heads 'user replaceable' but wh
won't they.. maybe the same reason they appear to be doing sod al
about the clogging issue but still persist in selling printers chea
as a bait

May be they'er behaving like the Epson Tech guy I spoke to...the on
that Art denounced an another post..

Dav

There are a number of reasons Epson can't or won't make the heads user
replaceable.

1) They are costly and few people will do it, and the current design
would need a revamp to make the process fool-proof.

2) The print head requires many internal adjustments to get the head
geometry correct.

3) Each nozzle requires a programming process, adjusting the timing and
timing offset so they all first in the correct time sequence and lay
down the ink evenly.

Art

Davy wrote:

won't make the heads user replaceable
I can't understand the problem, I can well understand the mechanic
are different to Canon & HP say, but it could be argued that i
they can do it why can't Epson

When you fit a Canon head you do an auto alignment, when you fit a ne
HP tank you just click print

Yes they can be expensive to purchase, but yet the printer's costin
next to nothing and yet they used 'customised' silicon... Chips mad
to Epson specifications and YET they can't produce a replaceabl
print head

I know one thing for a fact, when a print head goes they sooner giv
you a refurbished one, does that not cost just as much as sending a
exchanged head

The replacement printer will also have to have an head, whether use
or brand new

Dav

davecoe@blueyonder.co-dot-uk.no-spam.invalid (Davy) wrote in
news:ZIv1f.9471$XF5.2317@fe02.news.easynews.com:

Perhaps something to do with the fact they use peizo heads, as
opposed to the rest that use thermal. It could also do with
Epson being cheap. They might find it cheaper to build in the
head rather than a carriage that the head fits in.

Unless they techchinally cannot.

Arthur Entlich wrote:


THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THERE ARE SO MANY FOOLS IN THIS NG THAT WILL
NEVER BE ABLE TO DO IT.

[quote][quote="measekit

THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THERE ARE SO MANY FOOLS IN THIS NG THAT WIL

NEVER BE ABLE TO DO IT


[/quote]
Hope that don't include me...

Dav

[quote][quote="Gary Tai
It could also do with
Epson being cheap. They might find it cheaper to build in the
head rather than a carriage that the head fits in


[/quote]
Surely the cost of refurbishing a printer will cost more than doing
head exchange, a tremendous amount of time and money saved compare
to a refurbished printer that requires a new head

Dav

Davy wrote:

[quote][quote="measekite

THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THERE ARE SO MANY FOOLS IN THIS NG THAT WILL





NEVER BE ABLE TO DO IT.





Hope that don't include me...?

Davy


[/quote]
YOU SAY THINGS THAT I AGREE WITH AND SOME THING THAT I DO NOT AGREE
WITH. HOWEVER, YOU ARE DEFINITELY NOT IN THE CLASS OF FRANKIE CRANKIE,
BURTIE FURTIE AND ART THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR EPSON. =-O

Davy wrote:

[quote][quote="measekite

THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THERE ARE SO MANY FOOLS IN THIS NG THAT WILL


NEVER BE ABLE TO DO IT.




Hope that don't include me...?

Davy

There is but one fool in this ng, measershithead. EVERYONE here knows[/quote]
that to be true. No one else lies or changes others post except him. No one.
Frank

[[quote:e1256478ae]quote="measekit
YOU SAY THINGS THAT I AGREE WITH AND SOME THING THAT I DO NOT AGREE

[/quote:e1256478ae

Well I'll be damned, thats called freedom of speech -"Hyde park corne
here I come..."

A place in London where all the protesters and speakers goes, wher
folks stand on orange boxes and shout the world is neigh etc, etc

Dav

Frank wrote:

[quote]Davy wrote:

[quote="measekite

THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THERE ARE SO MANY FOOLS IN THIS NG THAT WILL



NEVER BE ABLE TO DO IT.




Hope that don't include me...?

Davy

There is but one fool in this ng, me. EVERYONE here knows that to be
true. No one else lies or changes others post except me. No one.
Frank who will not reform
[/quote]