HP 712C Problem

[literaturelover888]

I have an HP 712C that has served me well for many years. I just
installed a new color cartridge and now I get a pink cast to everything
I print. (The black works fine.) I've done the cleaning, aligning,
and priming services to no avail. I installed a second new cartridge
and it performs exactly the same. Is there any hope for this?

 

[measekite]

are they original hp prefilled carts?

 

[Bob Headrick]

I have an HP 712C that has served me well for many years. I just
installed a new color cartridge and now I get a pink cast to
everything
I print. (The black works fine.) I've done the cleaning, aligning,
and priming services to no avail. I installed a second new cartridge
and it performs exactly the same. Is there any hope for this?

My bet is that you have very old new cartridges. Check the "install be"
date on the package. These cartridges do have a shelf life of a couple
years or so depending on how they are stored. A fresh new cartridge
will almost certainly resolve your issue. Check the warranty date on
the cartridge as shown at:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bua02014.
If the cartridge is still in its two year warranty period contact your
dealer or HP for a replacement.

You can confirm the cartridge as an issue by printing a nozzle
diagnostic page: Turn on the power. Now press and hold the power
button and while holding the power button in press the formfeed button
quickly four times in succession, then release the power button. This
will print a rudimentary nozzle pattern, which I suspect will show only
magenta and black.

I have not tried this my self, but have heard reports of folks
recovering a failure of this type by putting the cartridge nose down in
an old sock (one you *really* do not care about) and swinging it rapidly
around your head. This gets the air bubble out of the way and allows
ink to flow in the printhead. Your best results would be a fresh new
cartridge I would look for a cartridge with at least six months
remaining before the "install by" date, which would mean it has a year
of warranty remaining.

When storing cartridges for an extended length of time keep them in a
cool place and keep them upright, as they would be hanging on a store
display hook.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging

 

[literaturelover888]

Thank you for the prompt, informative reply. The cartridges are of
original HP manufacture, but they are sorely out-of-date. I tried the
nozzle test and it came out precisely as you predicted. The "sock
test" was not successful on either cartridge. Are any of the on-line,
off-brand cartidge suppliers like ABC Ink any good? Since I just plan
to use this printer for copies for which I'm not concerned about the
best quality, I'd like to be able to keep using it as long as it's
working.

 

[Richard Steinfeld]

Thank you for the prompt, informative reply. The cartridges are of
original HP manufacture, but they are sorely out-of-date. I tried the
nozzle test and it came out precisely as you predicted. The "sock
test" was not successful on either cartridge. Are any of the on-line,
off-brand cartidge suppliers like ABC Ink any good? Since I just plan
to use this printer for copies for which I'm not concerned about the
best quality, I'd like to be able to keep using it as long as it's
working.

You did not use a genuine Hewlett-Packard sock. Aftermarket socks are no
good; they cause print heads to clog and will damage your printer.
Always insist on original-equipment socks and accept no substitutes.
Aftermarket sock makers won't tell you who made their thread.

Richard

 

[Bob Headrick]

Thank you for the prompt, informative reply. The cartridges are of
original HP manufacture, but they are sorely out-of-date. I tried the
nozzle test and it came out precisely as you predicted. The "sock
test" was not successful on either cartridge. Are any of the on-line,
off-brand cartidge suppliers like ABC Ink any good? Since I just plan
to use this printer for copies for which I'm not concerned about the
best quality, I'd like to be able to keep using it as long as it's
working.

I have never heard of ABC ink, but I will comment that generally you get
what you pay for. I donated a PSC 950 to my kid's school and one time I
was in they mentioned they had a problem with it. It turned out they
had run out of ink and replaced with a reman cartridge. It did not work
(rejected), and the replacement for that was color mixed The third
cartridge had a deprimed chamber that I managed to recover. It took
three cartridges to get one that worked.... The teacher said that the
reman cartridges were cheaper, I asked if they were 3x cheaper. Sooo...
If it were me I would suggest making sure there is warranty coverage for
whatever you end up buying.

Disclaimer - I worked for a dozen years or so in HP's Inkjet business.
I know what it takes to do things right, and I have seen some pretty bad
product from remans.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging

 

[Tony]

Thank you for the prompt, informative reply. The cartridges are of
original HP manufacture, but they are sorely out-of-date. I tried the
nozzle test and it came out precisely as you predicted. The "sock
test" was not successful on either cartridge. Are any of the on-line,
off-brand cartidge suppliers like ABC Ink any good? Since I just plan
to use this printer for copies for which I'm not concerned about the
best quality, I'd like to be able to keep using it as long as it's
working.

Bob's advice about remans is correct, there are some terrible ones but there
are some good ones also, ensuring whatever you buy is guaranteed to work
correctly is sound advice.
If the cartridges you have are out of warranty you might want to try to recover
them by other means, there's nothing to lose.
Try folding a kitchen towel twice, dampen it with water and place it on a
stainless steel bench or something that ink won't damage, press the printhead
down on the towel for a few seconds, keep trying that until you start to get
all three colours showing good strong imprints on the towel. Also steaming the
head using a kettle can work provided you don't scald yourself, maybe 1 minute
of this then back to the towel trick or even the sock trick again. Don't be
tempted to touch the printhead or rub it with anything, that will probably
damage it. If you persevere you might get lucky. Otherwise down to the store
I'm afraid.
Tony