HP Deskjet 842C Ink Cartridge Replacement and Refilling

[Andrew1243]

HP Deskjet 842C Ink Cartridge Replacement and Refilling 15 Black 17
Color
Hewlett Packard Deskjet 842C
Stopped Working (July 2007)

My experience with refilling and replacing ink. My printer is about 6
years old.

Last week, my printer stopped working in the middle of a page, showing
the blinking Bad Cartridge light.

In the past, I have used non-HP 17 color ink cartridges (bad color, I
consider them bad buys), and I have refilled HP 15 black cartridges
(worked fine), and tried to refill HP 17 color cartridges (bad color
resulted).

By resetting the printer (hard reset: remove cartridges, unplug,
replace cartridges, power on) I could coax additional pages from the
printer, but they were badly printed with horizontal stripes of faint
or non printing alternating with acceptable printing. Strange, because
the same print head was doing both the bad and good lines.

As a result, I bought a new HP 17 color cartridge, which didn't cure
the problem. I then realized that my refilled black cartridge might
have "timed out". A new HP 15 black cartridge satisfied the printer
after a hard reset.

The moral seems to be that these cartridges do time out, and the
printer makes it seem that the cartridge has gone bad, and also
refuses to recognize that the old cartridge is in the machine. I will
continue to refill the black cartridge until it times out again (or I
get a new printer).

 

[measekite]

HP Deskjet 842C Ink Cartridge Replacement and Refilling 15 Black 17
Color
Hewlett Packard Deskjet 842C
Stopped Working (July 2007)

My experience with refilling and replacing ink. My printer is about 6
years old.

Last week, my printer stopped working in the middle of a page, showing
the blinking Bad Cartridge light.

In the past, I have used non-HP 17 color ink cartridges (bad color, I
consider them bad buys), and I have refilled HP 15 black cartridges
(worked fine), and tried to refill HP 17 color cartridges (bad color
resulted).

That is expected and refreshing.

By resetting the printer (hard reset: remove cartridges, unplug,
replace cartridges, power on) I could coax additional pages from the
printer, but they were badly printed with horizontal stripes of faint
or non printing alternating with acceptable printing. Strange, because
the same print head was doing both the bad and good lines.

As a result, I bought a new HP 17 color cartridge, which didn't cure
the problem. I then realized that my refilled black cartridge might
have "timed out". A new HP 15 black cartridge satisfied the printer
after a hard reset.

The moral seems to be that these cartridges do time out, and the
printer makes it seem that the cartridge has gone bad, and also
refuses to recognize that the old cartridge is in the machine. I will
continue to refill the black cartridge until it times out again (or I
get a new printer).

Some never learn.

 

[Bob Headrick]

HP Deskjet 842C Ink Cartridge Replacement and Refilling 15 Black 17
Color
Hewlett Packard Deskjet 842C

Last week, my printer stopped working in the middle of a page, showing
the blinking Bad Cartridge light.

By resetting the printer (hard reset: remove cartridges, unplug,
replace cartridges, power on) I could coax additional pages from the
printer, but they were badly printed with horizontal stripes of faint
or non printing alternating with acceptable printing. Strange, because
the same print head was doing both the bad and good lines.

As a result, I bought a new HP 17 color cartridge, which didn't cure
the problem. I then realized that my refilled black cartridge might
have "timed out". A new HP 15 black cartridge satisfied the printer
after a hard reset.

The moral seems to be that these cartridges do time out, and the
printer makes it seem that the cartridge has gone bad, and also
refuses to recognize that the old cartridge is in the machine.

You are jumping to an incorrect conclusion (which is all too common in this
forum...). Firstly. there is not any "time out" in the DeskJet 842 (or any
DeskJet). What you are describing is probably a failing black cartridge,
but it may have also been caused by improper contact of the color cartridge
with the printer. There are some control lines shared between the black and
color cartridge in the DeskJet 800 and previous series printers. This can
make it more difficult to diagnose which cartridge is at fault.

In the future I would suggest a few things - clean the contacts in both
cartridges as shown at
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=bpa02060.
Once the contacts have been cleaned try printing a diagnostic test page as
shown at:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...e=bpd07098&product=61012&dlc=en&lang=en#N1008
(use the test for the DeskJet 840/845, and use the diagnostic test.) The
nozzle diagnostic test will show test patterns of black, cyan, magenta and
yellow. If there is a repeating pattern of missing nozzles in all the
colors it indicates a control line is open (not making contact). If the
missing nozzles are in all three colors as well as a repeating pattern in
the black cartridge it would indicate a shorted control line in either
cartridge. Large regular blocks of missing nozzles in a single color or
black would indicate either a different control line open or a failing
cartridge.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging

 

[Frank]

That is expected and refreshing.

What is? That you have no idea what you're talking about? Nah...that's
at least 4 yrs old news.
Are you drunk or what...is 2007 got it?


Some never learn.


Shit...we've known that about you since you first stumbled into this ng
with your stupidity and ignorance.
You've never learned a damn thing have you.
Frank

 

[Dave C.]

Thanks, Bob, your links below also had information for my Deskjet 6980.

Dave C.

 

[Andrew1243]

The following is an interesting observation give to me by Bob
Headrick, after noting that I had cleaned the contacts and reseated
the cartridges a few times.

--------
It is pretty clear the original black cartridge has failed
electrically.
The cartridge has a printhead with electronics surrounded by ink - if
the ink makes its way into the electronics it can cause a failure as
you have seen.

This may be more common with cartridges that have been refilled as
the
refill ink may (or may not, cannot tell without testing) be more
aggressive in attacking the cartridges electrical insulation layers.
Issues with the contacts can also cause failures, but you have ruled
out that case.
--------