Ink Cartridge Empty - Not recognized By Epson / Epson Status Monitor

Hello Team,

I am working on fine tuning my system and discovered that the PK ink was empty while it shows that it is still approximately 30% full when I run the status monitor.

I’ve followed all directions to a T during filling using the suction method and allowing the injection of 20 ML of PK in the cartridge with no problem.

Please Advise -

Thank you!

Payam

Can you tell if the ink has drained out of the cartridge into the capping station? If the capping station is dirty/gummed up with pigments from lack of maintenance then there is a chance of cartridge draining due to a wicking behavior when the capping station is in contact with the head (while it sits unused).
Is this color position the only one installed out of your Inkjetmall carts?

When is the last time you cleaned the capping station in the printer? At this point your 2400 printer much be getting up there in age. Has it been cleaned and maintained regularly? You can watch this video for help with cleaning Epson small format printer maintenance - YouTube

Hello Kelly -

Thank you for your prompt response. The printer is in perfect shape and no gumming or draining goin on. The problem as stated is that the chip does not send info to print utility that the cartridge is empty.

So in another words, during printing, the blinking red light does not turn on and an automatic message from Print Utility does not warn me that the printer is running out of ink.

Could this be a problem with the chip on the cartridge you’ve sent me ? How can I remedy this problem.

Thank you again !

Payam

[QUOTE=KellyC;9157]Can you tell if the ink has drained out of the cartridge into the capping station? If the capping station is dirty/gummed up with pigments from lack of maintenance then there is a chance of cartridge draining due to a wicking behavior when the capping station is in contact with the head (while it sits unused).
Is this color position the only one installed out of your Inkjetmall carts?

When is the last time you cleaned the capping station in the printer? At this point your 2400 printer much be getting up there in age. Has it been cleaned and maintained regularly? You can watch this video for help with cleaning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUysQFDH6u0[/QUOTE]

The reason the chip isn’t seeing the ink levels accurately would be caused by a draining cartridge. The chip read is based on how much ink the printer is programmed that is predetermine based on cleaning cycles, printing & start ups. The printer doesn’t read the physical ink levels with a sensor, instead it decides based on these 3 printer functions how much ink is left in a cartridge.

If your cartridge is draining while sitting, then the printer wouldn’t know how much ink was being drained into the capping station. Draining is due to dirty capping stations. You didn’t directly answer my question about maintenance:

“When is the last time you Physically cleaned the capping station in the printer?”

Hi Kelly-

Thanks for the info - Can you let me know what I need to purchase to do the cleaning and get going with the printing ? Thank you !

Here is the Small format cleaning kit http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.362672/it.A/id.6605/.f?sc=18&category=39428

And the video for cleaning again Epson small format printer maintenance - YouTube

Hello Kelly,

You have been kind in offering me support but all I am experiencing with your product is severe frustration and excess waste in money and ink.

As you have seen in this thread, I reached out to you about your ink cartridges draining into the printer once they are installed. You suggested that I make an additional purchase from your company to remedy the problem which I gladly did hoping that this would solve my problem.

After a two months of being away on a job, I started diligently cleaning the printer with the Piezo Print Head Cleaning solution and refilled all ink cartridges. I had properly stored the ink cartridges as you had instructed on the site.

Again - The ink was draining into the printer, now however with the Cyan cartridge. I repeated the process two times to make sure that I had not make any technical errors and again Ink draining into my Epson r2400.

Please note, not until tonight did I have the chance to use the cyan cartridge as well due to the fact that I was waiting for my epson cartridge to empty.

I should also add that the chip resetter is now now resetting the Cyan cartridge though I have tried over 10 times with the chip and the chip setter aligning to the correct position.

I am sure that you can understand that I can be quite frustrated due to the loss of time, productivity and money in attempting to make your products work for me. The idea that I may have been able to save over 60% by using your products over Epson’s is very attractive, however, after having struggled so much in attempting to make this work for me I have unfortunately come to the conclusion that this is not the best option.

As such, I want your assistance in getting a refund for the products that I have purchased from you as they are either defective or simply not designed in the best way to work with my Epson r2400.

I have currently used 50% of all inks and cartridges with the exception of LLK, MK, and Magenta and their respective cartridges and would like to send all products back to you. I have made sure that I have kept all pieces in original packaging to the best of my ability.

I would also like to resent you the chip resetter as well, in it’s original packing.

I’ve read your return policy and understand that I had to return all products within 30 days. However as you can trace back to the threads and the purchases, I was not properly able to ascertain the fact that this product was defective and make returns, because you suggested that I purchase extra material to fix the problems.

I have taken 3 photos for you as well but cannot upload it on this forum and can send them to you if you wish.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could notify customer service about this issue so that they can issue me an RMA number. I am sad to not be able to use this product as the concept of saving %60 off of my inks is quite attractive.

You can certainly reach me any time on my mobile at 212.960.3412 or through my email studio@payam.com.

Thank you for your time and attention in expediting this order.

Payam

[QUOTE=KellyC;9163]Here is the Small format cleaning kit http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.362672/it.A/id.6605/.f?sc=18&category=39428

And the video for cleaning again https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUysQFDH6u0[/QUOTE]

I appreciate how frustrated you are. It sounds like your capping station is wicking ink from the carts - which is why Kelly recommended you clean it as shown in the video. Your leaving it sit for a few months and coming back to the situation sounds like the carts simply drained into the capping station by capillary action. It is an R2400 and certainly 5-8 years old by now and it should receive some maintenance like that illustrated in our video either annually or twice a year. Did you actually clean the capping station? If not - then that would most likely be where you start.

We did not see any photos you uploaded = here is a link on how to attach a picture. Take a picture of your capping station and we can tell you if its clean enough for use with 3rd party open vent cartridges or not.

Hello -

Thanks for writing. I have gone through all measures to clean all capping stations, followed all instructions and still am having bad results. I spoke with Will who is looking into the matter. At this point, I would like to be refunded as there seem to be too many issues that I am confronted by when using your product and all I am doing is wasting ink and time.

As I explained to Will, there are now two cartridges that are draining immediately once i Place them into their specific slot. Cyan and Photo Black have drained twice now.

Additionally, the chip resetter stopped resetting the Cyan cartridge and it’s frankly just wasting my time. I never imagined having to have invested so much time to do something that should be so simple and efficient.

As I discussed with Will, I am ready to ship all product back to you, you can refund me and I can go on with my printing, using the Epson cartridges.

Thank you again !

[QUOTE=jon;9569]I appreciate how frustrated you are. It sounds like your capping station is wicking ink from the carts - which is why Kelly recommended you clean it as shown in the video. Your leaving it sit for a few months and coming back to the situation sounds like the carts simply drained into the capping station by capillary action. It is an R2400 and certainly 5-8 years old by now and it should receive some maintenance like that illustrated in our video either annually or twice a year. Did you actually clean the capping station? If not - then that would most likely be where you start.

We did not see any photos you uploaded = here is a link on how to attach a picture. Take a picture of your capping station and we can tell you if its clean enough for use with 3rd party open vent cartridges or not.[/QUOTE]

Sounds like you’ve come to a decision, but let me offer a user perspective. Here are some lesson from personal experience in using refillables that I’ve written. The only thing that I’d add is to say that of all the Epson desktop printers, the one I have the most negative view on is the R2400. I say this from personal experience - I have one in the garage waiting to go to e-waste - and from the experience of another forum member who had similar experiences, and from a number of similar cases on this forum. They may be fine with OEM carts, but I couldn’t get mine to work with refillables from a range of suppliers, even when new. In addition to that, the R2400 is sufficiently old now that my lessons relating to ageing printers definitely apply.