Epson 640 with fresh cartridges and ink light still on

[ALBERT C. GOOD JR.]

Hi
My Epson inkaholic is on the blink again.

I had spent about a hour refilling and then installing cartridges.

After printing a approximately 6 test patterns and a couple of documents, it was noticed that the black ink light was blinking. At this point it is believed that the printer was still working.

During this time checked the supplies light on the progress meter, and they where showing the same level as before the cartridges where put back in the printer. A printer utility that I use for head cleaning was working and showing that the tanks where full, and after the printer quit working the progress meter does not show any ink at all. In fact that section of the progress meter is missing.

Seeing this as a bad omen I turned the printer off and manually pulled the head t the service position and gently pressed on the lid to the black ink cartridge holder.
At this point the light quit blinking and began to give a steady glow but now the printer has quit altogether and is giving me a IPT1 error message.

I most certainly would appreciate advice from those more knowledgeable than myself.

Albert

 

[measekite]

Hi
My Epson inkaholic is on the blink again.
GOOD


I had spent about a hour refilling and then installing cartridges.

THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING

After printing a approximately 6 test patterns and a couple of
documents, it was noticed that the black ink light was blinking. At
this point it is believed that the printer was still working.

During this time checked the supplies light on the progress meter, and
they where showing the same level as before the cartridges where put
back in the printer. A printer utility that I use for head cleaning
was working and showing that the tanks where full, and after the
printer quit working the progress meter does not show any ink at all.
In fact that section of the progress meter is missing.

Seeing this as a bad omen I turned the printer off and manually pulled
the head t the service position and gently pressed on the lid to the
black ink cartridge holder.
At this point the light quit blinking and began to give a steady glow
but now the printer has quit altogether and is giving me a IPT1 error
message.

I most certainly would appreciate advice from those more knowledgeable
than myself.

Albert

YOU NEED ADVICE FROM EPSON PROFESSIONALS.

 

[ALBERT C. GOOD JR.]

Found the problem, (I hope).

Seems that there is a flaky switch inside the cartridge department that
senses when the cartridge has been replaced and sets the ink monitor back to
full.

This appears to have gotten dirty, maybe a small bit of ink splatter, and
was signaling the computer to not start the printer and flashing the black
ink LED.

The above is for your information.
Albert

 

[Arthur Entlich]

The Epson 640, as an example, which is pre cartridge chip, uses a leaf
spring behind the cartridge that needs to be deactivated and reactivated
by removal of the cartridge and installation of it or another, to reset
the ink settings in the printer.

Over years, this left spring can become fatigued enough to flatten out
so it is not able to lose and reestablish contact from the cartridge
removal and reinstallation.

I usually suggest people very carefully coax out the center of this
spring a bit and bend it so the middle is peaked out into the cartridge
compartment. This should be done with care, to avoid damaging the
spring When a cartridge is placed into that compartment, the leaf
spring will end up pressed until your next cartridge removal and
replacement.

Art