Epson R300 black ink head won't clear

[Nigel Andrews]

Any suggestions for clearing a black ink problem?

I have tried the regular clean cycle twice and the print pattern is much
worse now than before.
I have changed the cartridge and the pattern was different but still very
poor (about 5% of what it should be)!

I have used the SSC utility that is knocking around on the Net, but not
again!! This maybe should be a warning.

I used the selective black only head clean three times which made no
difference except it sucked about 50% out of black and emptied two of the
colours that were at around 80%!!!!

The black cartridge was replaced only a few days ago and printed fine right
afterwards.
The colours are still fine though I have had to replace the two that were
emptied!

Any thoughts please?!

Thanks

Nigel

 

[sherwindu]

Any suggestions for clearing a black ink problem?

I have tried the regular clean cycle twice and the print pattern is much
worse now than before.
I have changed the cartridge and the pattern was different but still very
poor (about 5% of what it should be)!

I have used the SSC utility that is knocking around on the Net, but not
again!! This maybe should be a warning.

I used the selective black only head clean three times which made no
difference except it sucked about 50% out of black and emptied two of the
colours that were at around 80%!!!!

The black cartridge was replaced only a few days ago and printed fine right
afterwards.
The colours are still fine though I have had to replace the two that were
emptied!

Any thoughts please?!

Thanks

Nigel

Sometimes this can be fixed with a cleaning cartridge if one is available
for your
printer. It is basically an empty cartridge that you fill with a cleaning
solution. I
said 'sometimes' because it didn't completely fix my cyan cartridge after a
few
cleaning cycles, but it may work for you.

Sherwin D.

 

[measekite]

I just never have any of these kinds of issued because I run my printer according to the specifications in the printer manual.  I never heard of anyone who uses OEM ink having any of these problems.

sherwindu wrote:

Nigel Andrews wrote:



Any suggestions for clearing a black ink problem? I have tried the regular clean cycle twice and the print pattern is much worse now than before. I have changed the cartridge and the pattern was different but still very poor (about 5% of what it should be)! I have used the SSC utility that is knocking around on the Net, but not again!! This maybe should be a warning. I used the selective black only head clean three times which made no difference except it sucked about 50% out of black and emptied two of the colours that were at around 80%!!!! The black cartridge was replaced only a few days ago and printed fine right afterwards. The colours are still fine though I have had to replace the two that were emptied! Any thoughts please?! Thanks Nigel



Sometimes this can be fixed with a cleaning cartridge if one is available for your printer. It is basically an empty cartridge that you fill with a cleaning solution. I said 'sometimes' because it didn't completely fix my cyan cartridge after a few cleaning cycles, but it may work for you. Sherwin D.

 

[Nigel Andrews]

measekite

I assume you are saying you buy Epson ink and have no problems?
OEM (other equipment manufacturers) are the makers that you apparently shun.

Well you may be right. But I reckon I have saved about 3 times the initial cost of the printer by buying OEM carts than the overpriced Epson ones!
So in a sense I could buy a new printer and still be in pocket!

But as a techie I want to fix the problem and not throw it out an otherwise sound printer just for what I assume is a small blockage.

Thanks
Nigel


I just never have any of these kinds of issued because I run my printer according to the specifications in the printer manual. I never heard of anyone who uses OEM ink having any of these problems.

sherwindu wrote:
Nigel Andrews wrote:

Any suggestions for clearing a black ink problem?

I have tried the regular clean cycle twice and the print pattern is much
worse now than before.
I have changed the cartridge and the pattern was different but still very
poor (about 5% of what it should be)!

I have used the SSC utility that is knocking around on the Net, but not
again!! This maybe should be a warning.

I used the selective black only head clean three times which made no
difference except it sucked about 50% out of black and emptied two of the
colours that were at around 80%!!!!

The black cartridge was replaced only a few days ago and printed fine right
afterwards.
The colours are still fine though I have had to replace the two that were
emptied!

Any thoughts please?!

Thanks

Nigel

Sometimes this can be fixed with a cleaning cartridge if one is available
for your
printer. It is basically an empty cartridge that you fill with a cleaning
solution. I
said 'sometimes' because it didn't completely fix my cyan cartridge after a
few
cleaning cycles, but it may work for you.

Sherwin D.

 

[Nigel Andrews]

sherwindu


Thanks for that suggestion but I don't know if I can get a cleaning cart for
the R300.

How are they used?
Do I leave all the other carts in a run a clean cycle? I am wary now, having
apparently blown out almost half the capacity of each of the 6 carts in my
recent cleaning attempts.
Thanks goodness they weren't Epson ones or I would really be smarting now!


Thanks
Nigel

 

[measekite]

Since it took you some time for the crap ink to ruin your printer that does not mean you saved anything.  The quality is worse and the fade resistance is not there.  If you never printed anything you would have saved more.

Nigel Andrews wrote:

measekite



 



I assume you are saying you buy Epson ink and have no problems?



OEM (other equipment manufacturers) are the makers that you apparently shun.



 



Well you may be right. But I reckon I have saved about 3 times the initial cost of the printer by buying OEM carts than the overpriced Epson ones!



So in a sense I could buy a new printer and still be in pocket!



 



But as a techie I want to fix the problem and not throw it out an otherwise sound printer just for what I assume is a small blockage.



 



Thanks



Nigel



 



 



"measekite" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

I just never have any of these kinds of issued because I run my printer according to the specifications in the printer manual.  I never heard of anyone who uses OEM ink having any of these problems.

sherwindu wrote:

Nigel Andrews wrote:



Any suggestions for clearing a black ink problem? I have tried the regular clean cycle twice and the print pattern is much worse now than before. I have changed the cartridge and the pattern was different but still very poor (about 5% of what it should be)! I have used the SSC utility that is knocking around on the Net, but not again!! This maybe should be a warning. I used the selective black only head clean three times which made no difference except it sucked about 50% out of black and emptied two of the colours that were at around 80%!!!! The black cartridge was replaced only a few days ago and printed fine right afterwards. The colours are still fine though I have had to replace the two that were emptied! Any thoughts please?! Thanks Nigel



Sometimes this can be fixed with a cleaning cartridge if one is available for your printer. It is basically an empty cartridge that you fill with a cleaning solution. I said 'sometimes' because it didn't completely fix my cyan cartridge after a few cleaning cycles, but it may work for you. Sherwin D.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

You are wasting a lot of ink and chances are it won't improve matters
much by doing more cleaning cycles.

If you email me using the address below, I will send you free of charge
a manual for cleaning clogs from Epson printer heads. The manual offers
easy solutions to most Epson problems, and the cost of materials is a
buck or two of household items.

Please mention which printer you have in the email.

Art

Email me at:

e-printerhelp(at)mvps(dot)org

(at) = @
(dot) = .

 

[measekite]

You are wasting a lot of ink and chances are it won't improve matters
much by doing more cleaning cycles.

If you email me using the address below,

You really need to email or call Epson Tech Suppt.

 

[Nigel Andrews]

Thanks 'measekite' for your constructive help, if that is what is was?

I am happy and have been very happy with the prints that I have got from my
carts. I could go a long way to be unhappy, with a 90% reduction in the
costs. But happily I don't have to!

Nigel

 

[Shooter]

Nigel,

I am unsure if you are in the UK If so www.valueshop.co.uk do cleaning carts
for Epson R300, the cost is around £2.99 each and you would purchase one for
each colour, If you used just black you would waste good ink and it's well
worth a full clean up while your at it.

You could get hold, or make up an A4 file using black and run it through the
printer several times to see if it will rid the blockage. I would never
clean my R300 more than twice before pulling the carts and replacing with
cleaning carts.

If you have to do a lot of cleaning you should consider the fitting of a
Waste Bottle, this will catch most of any liquid you puch through and leave
your waste pads free from the collection of waste ink. A lot of people have
used the SSC but from my experience I have found it lacking, far better to
get hold of an Epson R300 Service disc you then be able to rest the R300
should you ever get the "Requires Service " message. Hope the above helps.

 

[Nigel Andrews]

Art,

Thanks. I sent an email to the address you suggest.

Nigel

 

[Nigel Andrews]

Shooter,

Thanks for your suggestion, I am in the U.K and will try the website.
I am still not sure how one gets to use a clean cart, but I guess Valueshop
will tell me.

I am aware of the problem with the large sponge in the base becoming soaked
(full) of waste ink. Having partly opened another of this model I have seen
how large the sponge is. It is disgusting to think that Epson waste that
amount of ink no matter how long the printer lasts!
I have used the startup key combination to reset the printer, but the danger
is that eventually the sponge will saturate and ink spill out of the bottom!

Nigel
P.S. I think someone who could take on printer maintenance/repair for home
users could make a bomb.

 

[Shooter]

Nigel,

I doubt Valueshop will be of much help to you as they are just a retailer
who offer a good price. All you do is replace all your carts with same
colour cleaning cart then run a set of three cleans then a nozzle test, then
another three cleans. If not cleared get hold of a Purge.tiff file which
gives you all six colours and run a number of A4 plain paper through it. It
may take quite a few pages, then again it may clear quickly. I find after
doing all the above to leave the printer unused overight then print another
nozzel test.

 

[measekite]

Shooter wrote:

Nigel, I am unsure if you are in the UK If so www.valueshop.co.uk do cleaning carts for Epson R300, the cost is around £2.99 each and you would purchase one for each colour, If you used just black you would waste good ink and it's well worth a full clean up while your at it. You could get hold, or make up an A4 file using black and run it through the printer several times to see if it will rid the blockage. I would never clean my R300 more than twice before pulling the carts and replacing with cleaning carts. If you have to do a lot of cleaning you should consider the fitting of a Waste Bottle, this will catch most of any liquid you puch through and leave your waste pads free from the collection of waste ink. A lot of people have used the SSC but from my experience I have found it lacking, far better to get hold of an Epson R300 Service disc you then be able to rest the R300 should you ever get the "Requires Service " message. Hope the above helps.


None of this is worth it.  You can buy a refurbished Epson R380 (not R300) for the price of a set of ink.  And it comes with a full set of ink.


"Nigel Andrews" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:mP%[email protected]...



sherwindu Thanks for that suggestion but I don't know if I can get a cleaning cart for the R300. How are they used? Do I leave all the other carts in a run a clean cycle? I am wary now, having apparently blown out almost half the capacity of each of the 6 carts in my recent cleaning attempts. Thanks goodness they weren't Epson ones or I would really be smarting now! Thanks Nigel "sherwindu" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...



Nigel Andrews wrote:



Any suggestions for clearing a black ink problem? I have tried the regular clean cycle twice and the print pattern is much worse now than before. I have changed the cartridge and the pattern was different but still very poor (about 5% of what it should be)! I have used the SSC utility that is knocking around on the Net, but not again!! This maybe should be a warning. I used the selective black only head clean three times which made no difference except it sucked about 50% out of black and emptied two of the colours that were at around 80%!!!! The black cartridge was replaced only a few days ago and printed fine right afterwards. The colours are still fine though I have had to replace the two that were emptied! Any thoughts please?! Thanks Nigel



Sometimes this can be fixed with a cleaning cartridge if one is available for your printer. It is basically an empty cartridge that you fill with a cleaning solution. I said 'sometimes' because it didn't completely fix my cyan cartridge after a few cleaning cycles, but it may work for you. Sherwin D.

 

[One4All]

measekite

I assume you are saying you buy Epson ink and have no problems?
OEM (other equipment manufacturers) are the makers that you apparently shun.

Nigel, "OEM" means **Original** Equipment Manufacturer, not
**Other** Equipment Manufacturer.