Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (
More info?)
Thanks to your detailed troubleshooting list I discovered the cause of the problem, i.e. a broken spring contact. Don't know how that happened - perhaps the person who first removed the empty cartridge was not careful. In any case I was able to confirm that the unit is still under warranty and Epson has agreed to replace it.
Thanks to all for responding.
VS
"Arthur Entlich" <artistic@telus.net> wrote in message news:b3xqc.28$J02.26@edtnps84...
> I recently composed this posting for an Epson list, where someone was
> complaining about the exact same problem with a 1270 or 1280, which is a
> larger carriage version printer, not a great deal different from your
> own. Most of my comment apply to your situation as well (See below).
>
> Art
>
>
> The most common causes of a newly replaced brand new out of box OEM
> Epson cartridge reading empty are twofold. On some printers there is a
> leaf spring which needs to make a temporary loss of contact from the
> removal of the old cartridge, which resets the printer to recognize a
> cartridge change has occurred. When the new cartridge is then
> installed, this contact is reestablished and the printer then reads the
> cartridge for ink quantity and goes through the purging process.
>
> Look to see if your model has this small leaf spring (usually at the
> back of the cartridge cage) and that it is not deformed, stuck down from
> dried ink, etc. You can try to gently press it with a tip of a
> ball-point pen or something similar to try to (exercise) actuate it. If
> it is jammed down that may be why you are not getting a recognition of
> the new cartridge. After trying to get the spring to move a bit, try to
> put the cartridge back in and see if it works.
>
> The second cause, is if the cartridge chip pads are not making full
> contact with the wire contacts in the cartridge cage. Make sure the
> contacts in the printer cartridge area are uncompromised by dirt or
> dried ink or paper, and that they have not been bent or damaged. If the
> contact wires are not touching the pads on the cartridge chip when it is
> installed, you will not get proper reading of the cartridge status.
>
> The wires in the printer which contact the cartridge are made of a very
> brittle spring wire, which can break if they have been abused (like by
> trying to place a cartridge in which is missing its chip and then trying
> to remove it). Try cleaning them with some alcohol and a cotton swab
> (same for the cartridge chip pads).
>
> However, you MAY be able to very gently bring those wires forward if it
> looks like some are pressed back too far and not making proper contact.
> Be very careful and do not try to manipulate them more than a gentle
> tug or push. Anything more can cause them to snap off. They are made
> of similar metal wire to that used in a North American phone jack (the
> part in the wall, not the part on the phone wire). It is a very
> hardened spring steel, which isn't supposed to distort.
>
> You may also be able to place a thin "shim" (or paper or cardboard) in
> between the cartridge and the cartridge "cage" which will press the chip
> side of the cartridge more firmly on the wire contacts, but this is
> likely a "stopgap" to a repair. The shim needs to be on the opposite
> side of the cartridge that the chip contacts and contact wires are, to
> try to move the chip pads and wires closer together.
>
> If all else fails, and you cannot get the unit working, I would escalate
> this within Epson. My view on this is that the only real reason Epson
> has developed this system is to try to force people to buy their ink
> cartridges. They added a layer of mechanical and electronic complexity
> to the machine which give the customer hardly any value at all (they
> will claim it allows you to change cartridges mid-stream and keep track
> of ink levels, but few people do so or benefit from this. Let's be
> clear, this is a system designed to confound refilling and not much else.
>
> Since the only mechanism which appears to be at fault is this part of
> your printer, and especially since you are using Epson's own OEM ink
> cartridges, I believe you have the moral high ground here. I would
> strongly suggest to Epson that they cover this repair even out of
> warranty, because of the part of the printer which has failed (and don't
> rule out that they had a bad batch of cartridges... it has happened...
> where the chip is not aligned properly or was misprogrammed).
>
> If they are unyielding, I would recommend this:
>
> 1) I'd let them know you will never buy another Epson product and that
> you will tell your friends to do the same and why (it is people like you
> that Epson makes it's real money on... people who buy their OEM inks and
> or papers... people buying continuous ink systems and 3rd party inks and
> papers leave Epson with very little profit from the sale of the printers)
>
> 2) Tell them you plan on putting in a formal complain with your state's
> (if in the US, at least) Attorney General's office regarding violation
> of the Sherman Anti-Trust and Clayton Acts (Just Google them for more
> information) and asking their office to investigate and to consider
> proceeding with legislation to protect consumers from exactly this type
> of problem.
>
> 3) Don't just threaten to do it... to it!
>
> Epson and others have no legitimate right to force, or attempt to force
> you to use their consumable products. They should be charging fair and
> legitimate prices for the printers to begin with, so they do not need to
> coerce you into buying their inks, and designing elements into their
> printers which either force you to use their repair services (with the
> waste ink pads) or to deal with flaky hardware designs which break down
> and are only there to advance their own interests.
>
> I'd be most interested in the results if you take any of my suggestions,
> and I would suggest you report back publicly to the group.
>
> In my opinion, Epson needs to be held to dealing with this type of
> matter and some others which involve aspects of their designs which can
> harm the consumer unfairly.
>
> TALK WITH YOUR WALLET if all else fails. Other companies (particularly
> Canon) are being more balanced in their approach to printers versus
> consumables and from what I have seen, you will not be compromising
> either value or output quality.
>
> Art
>
> Lindyhop wrote:
> > I recently replaced a black cartridge in an Epson Stylus Photo 825 and the printer won't recognize it. The red ink warning light stays on and so does the green processing light. I tried a second new cartridge which didn't make a difference - both cartridges are new and Epson brand, not generics. Any ideas about how to fix this?
> >
> > VS
>
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