Epson printer not printing in B/W

[historian]

I have a Epson printer,DX5050,it`s just over 2 years old.It`s an all in one job.
It can print/scan without using the computer.This is where it`s going wrong.
It keeps on printing out in grey scale even though I press the black ink button. The black ink cartridge is half full so I don`t think that is the problem.I can`t do a nozzle check because it has never worked,or at least I`ve never been able to get it to work,instructions or no instructions.
And there you have it.B/W pictures,when scanned,come out in grey scale and are useless,newspaper items also the same. Can some one come up with a solution for me please?
historian

 

[Abarbarian]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Unblock-epson...3|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1308|301:1|293:1|294:50

This worked for me on my Epsom printer.

 

[historian]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Unblock-epson...3|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1308|301:1|293:1|294:50

This worked for me on my Epsom printer.

Hello Abarbarian.
Thanks for your reply.
I`ve taken a look at the site you mentioned.
Is the device the chap is selling a head cleaning cartridge,I think it is?
But the problem seems not to do with the ink,because every thing prints out just fine.This seems,to me,to be a problem with the printer it self. So if I press the black ink button on the printer to scan the artical and print it out in B/W,it comes out in grey scale. If I use the computer and go into Epsoms own scan prog`there are 3 "buttons" to select. They are B/W,Grey scale, and colour. If I select colour it prints out in colour,if I select grey scale in prints out in grey scale but if I select B/W it comes out in grey scale. To me that would indicate a fault with the printer.What do you think?
historian

 

[Abarbarian]

Ah ah now you explained a bit more it does indeed look like the printer itself. Do the colours come totally right ? Have you tried printing a colour page with a large amount of black on it ? If something like that prints ok I would say the printer itself.

That link is for a bottle of fluid and a tube and a syringe. Worked well on my clogged up printer.

A decent new printer can be had for around £50.

 

[historian]

Ah ah now you explained a bit more it does indeed look like the printer itself. Do the colours come totally right ? Have you tried printing a colour page with a large amount of black on it ? If something like that prints ok I would say the printer itself.

That link is for a bottle of fluid and a tube and a syringe. Worked well on my clogged up printer.

A decent new printer can be had for around £50.

Hi Abarbarian.
The printer we have now is a replacement for another all in one Epson printer,which worked fine for about 2-3 years. Then it started to missprint or not print at all. So I bought a head cleaning cartridge,recommended by the firm I was buying my ink from at the time. Didn`t do the slightest bit of good!! I was told that the print head had failed and that to replace it would cost about the same as a new printer,so it went into the bin. Now this one seems to be playing up after about 2 years. Could it be that Epson printers are not up to scratch? By the way the ink I was using in my previous printer was Epson compatible ink,and I think that was the problem. We now use only Epson inks.
historian

 

[historian]

Hi Abarbarian--again.
You asked me a question re; printing out a colour pic with a large amount of black.
Well nothing alse is effected while printing every thing is O.K. Just this annoying fault it has developed.
historian

 

[nivrip]

By the way the ink I was using in my previous printer was Epson compatible ink,and I think that was the problem. We now use only Epson inks.

Hard to know for sure if it's the inks. A lot of people say that compatible inks are bad for printers but I ran an Epson printer for 7 years using mostly compatible inks and lots of DIY refills which I did myself (including ink all over my hands )

Eventually it packed up and certain colours wouldn't print but I reckoned I got my money's worth. I replaced it 6 months ago with another Epson printer scanner copier which cost £49.99 but I don't use it for photos - I have a separate photo printer. Incidently, my brother has a printer which costs him £65 for a full set of inks - I suggested that he buys a new printer each time he runs out of ink.

 

[historian]

Hi Nivrip.
You having an Epson printer working for seven years must be a record.
The two I`ve had,including my current one,seem to only last about two years before something happens to them. Before I went over to PCs I ran Amigas.And the printer I had for them was an Epson Stylus400 which I had for a number of years,never let me down. Now with more modern technology they seem to break down quicker.
historian

 

[historian]

Further to my query rerinter not printing out in b/w.
Well to day I had a pleasant surprise,the printer has started to print out in b/w again, how about that!! Again I don`t know what I did to get it going again, except switch it on. Strange.
historian.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Good news Historian.

Just thought I'd mention that grey scale is the preferred option for scanning text and black and white photos.

Black and white mode, as I understand, is used for scanning things that are in high contrast-rich actual black and white.

 

[mathewdavid]

I think you have to check out its software functioning.may be it not work properly.If you check it this on the search engine,you will get answer properly.