Cartridge lets air into inkjets

InkjetMall Customer Support Printer Maintenance & Cartridges
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I have a Epson 7600 that I have owned for 11 years. I switched to inkjet mall cartridges and ink. They are loose in the printer. I need to do several installs to get the printer to see them. I have had major problems with inks not getting to the printer heads. This is a new problem that I think is in relation to 3 party cartridges. I now have may printer at my epson certified repairman. He says I’m getting air from the loose fitting cartridges. That air he says can cause problems to my Inkhead. He does not sell epson ink but suggested the I start using them again in this printer. Help Soundfur

2

Hi Sundfur~

We have hundreds of customers happily using these refillable cartridges in their 4000 and 7600/9600 printers, and have been selling these cartridges for several years with good results.
Regarding your cartridge recognition, if you have the full set of refill carts installed, you can turn off the printer’s chip sensor, which will eliminate the error. Instructions for disabling the printer’s chip sensors can be found in the cartridge instructions.
It is normal for cartridges to be slightly wiggly from side to side when installed in the printer, but this does not cause air to get into the ink lines.
Did you prime the cartridges so exit channels were filled with ink prior to installing into your printer? If not, air from the exit channel would be drawn into the ink lines.
Did you open the air vent plugs on all carts to allow for proper ink flow? If not, a vacuum would be created and no ink would be able to flow from the carts.

Please let me know so I can help resolve this issue so you can get back to happily printing.
Best regards~ Dana :slight_smile:

3

[QUOTE=Dana-IJM;5096]Hi Sundfur~

We have hundreds of customers happily using these refillable cartridges in their 4000 and 7600/9600 printers, and have been selling these cartridges for several years with good results.
Regarding your cartridge recognition, if you have the full set of refill carts installed, you can turn off the printer’s chip sensor, which will eliminate the error. Instructions for disabling the printer’s chip sensors can be found in the cartridge instructions.
It is normal for cartridges to be slightly wiggly from side to side when installed in the printer, but this does not cause air to get into the ink lines.
Did you prime the cartridges so exit channels were filled with ink prior to installing into your printer? If not, air from the exit channel would be drawn into the ink lines.
Did you open the air vent plugs on all carts to allow for proper ink flow? If not, a vacuum would be created and no ink would be able to flow from the carts.

Please let me know so I can help resolve this issue so you can get back to happily printing.
Best regards~ Dana :)[/QUOTE]

I have the printer at the service center now. The tech says my problem is he clears the ink lines of air but during the printing air is getting back into the lines. We have replaced with my epson cartridges to test and the problem is solved. I did prime each cartridge as instructed, and open up the air hole for printing. Help, I like your ink but I can’t keep clearing the lines to print. Too much work and ink. Soundfur

4

I have had this kind of problem with a desktop printer (R2400), and cartridges/CIS from another (non-IJM) supplier, even though the desktops don’t have ink lines like the larger printers.

The question I never really resolved was: is this an issue with faulty carts/CIS, or a printer slightly out of spec that would tolerate OEM carts but not third party, or both? I still have that printer, but still don’t know the answer. I guess the only way to test is to keep trying refillables until it works or you get sick of it. That’s time consuming and messy and expensive enough in a desktop, and much more so in a large format. At some point OEM is cheaper.

I’m going to give it one last shot with the latest IJM refillables, and it that still doesn’t work then I’m going to give it to a friend to use with OEM carts.

I have a theory that there are some printers that are sufficiently out of spec that they will still work with OEM but not refillables.

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Hi Soundfur~

I’ve only heard of or experienced air getting into the ink lines if the cartridges had air in the exit channels when carts were installed. Sometimes a tiny air bubble can enter the ink line when a cart is removed/reinstalled, but if a cart is primed so the exit channel is filled with ink, air should not continuously enter the ink lines, unless carts are taken out + put back in frequently.
About how long are the air bubbles you’re getting, and about how many in each line?
Are you getting air in all the lines, or just a few? If not all, which lines are you having issues with air in the lines?
Please examine the exit ports of your refillable carts to make sure the silicone plug and plastic outer piece are in place.

Please let me know, thanks~ Dana

6

Thanks, before I give up on the cartridge’s I will check the exit channels, and plugs. On tests I can have cyan, Magenta, and yellow also have major broken lines on test. The crazy part is that if I run 3 to 4 test in a row I will get different test readouts for each test. Now how in the world do I correct for that. As I said before I can do a cleaning 3 sometimes 4 times and if I’m lucky I can get a perfect test. Run some prints and get bad test all over again. Soundfur

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Please let me know what you find. If there is air in the lines, different channels will have interrupted ink flow as air reaches the damper/head, so it’s important to have carts properly primed, then install into the printer and purge air from the lines by doing an initial fill or few power clean cycles, then you should be good to print. When you remove carts, make sure to tilt them exit valve down to ensure the exit channel is filled with ink before reinstalling them into the printer.

Best regards~ Dana

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Thanks for the help and information. Soundfur

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You’re very welcome- we’re here to help! :slight_smile:

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Well after lots of tests, cleaning, tests, powercleaning, still more tests. I have a good nozzle check. The only problem is that’s with my OEM Epson cartridges. Now I love my printer again. Sometimes the grass isn’t greener on the other side.

11

Well I’m on the other side again and the grass is a little greener. I tried the cartridges again, this time facing them down to the floor and tapping on the side a few times before installing seems to work. I have run several nozzle tests and printed some 20 x 24 prints. Then I do some test to be sure. All’s well. I was willing to light candles and drape garlic on the printer but no need. Soundfur

12

As my Epson Cartridges are one by one going empty I have been replacing them with Inkjetmall refillable cartridges. However this time before I insert I turn the cartridges exit channel down and give some good tapes on side before I insert. I have no idea if this is needed but I now have zero problems. I was willing to light candles and string garlic on the printer. But all’s well for now. Soundfur

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Excellent, thanks for the update- I’m glad to hear you’re having good results with the refill carts now.

Best regards and happy printing~ Dana :slight_smile:

14

Since I have these refillable cartridges full of ink. I have been replacing the Epson cartridges as they go empty. What I have found is that Priming carefully, and giving the cartridge’s some good taps on the side with exit port facing down is very important. I have also learned that it takes me a few times to get the printer to see all the new cartridges. Moving the cartridges around to get them to be seen by the printer seems to allow some air to get into the lines. After 3 or so cleanings the problem go’s away and I get a good nozzle check. I just did a check after a week of not using. All the cartridges where seen and the nozzle check was good. I know that I can disable the censer on the printer so I don’t get lights but I like having feedback on levels of ink and Maintenance tank. My feeling is that there is a learning curve that has more things to be aware of using refillables. Hopefully I have learned what I need to know to head off problems. Soundfur

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Thanks for the update, I’m glad to hear things are going well now with your refill carts.

Please let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with.
Best regards and happy printing~ Dana :slight_smile: