Epson 4900 won't print cyan - bad cartridge?

I purchased a complete set of refillable cartridges and ink for my Epson 4900.

I’ve started to use the cartridges only now as the OEM cartridges run out. I loaded the cyan cartridge and the printer recognizes a full cyan cartridge. However, no cyan prints. Numerous power cleans were ineffective. The nozzle check is good for all colors except cyan, which is blank. I’m guessing it’s either a bad cartridge or air in the line because the head was fine very recently with an OEM cartridge and clogged nozzles show as gaps. To purge suspected air in the line I have used the QTR print tool to flush the cyan ink through, but no luck.

The other option I read here is to use the 4900 Adjustment Program to run an initial fill. I purchased it but am unable to use it because it runs only under Windows XP. Before I go through great lengths to follow that route, I’m wondering if it’s pointless given the QTR channel isolation test results. Should I buy an Epson Cyan cartridge and see if it works? Unfortunately my prior OEM Cyan cartridge has a bad chip and is no longer recognized by the printer. (The same was true of magenta, but the refillable magenta cartridge is now working fine.)

After filling the cartridge, I primed it, got ink in the syringe and removed the vent hole stopper before inserting the cartridge in the printer.
I’m wondering if the problem is that I have a defective cartridge.

Hi Kentaranto~

If your cyan channel was printing fine with the Epson cart, but prints nothing after installing the new refillable cart, then I suspect something is restricting ink flow.

Is this the first refill carts you’ve installed?
Did ink easily flow thru the exit channel and into the syringe when you primed the cart?
Have you removed + reinserted the cartridge into your printer?
Can you please upload a photo or two showing the cyan refill cart, both the unlabeled side and top, for my review? Instructions for attaching photos to this forum can be found here: http://www.inkjetmall.com/tech/content.php?152-How-to-attach-images-to-this-forum
Have you opened the printer cover, and examined the length of ink lines inside, to check for air?

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

Hi Dana,
Thanks for getting back to me.
No, I’ve installed three other cartridges in this 4900 already and they are all fine. (I’ve also installed a complete set without problems in a 3880 and, for what it’s worth, a complete set with piezoflush in a 9900)
Yes, ink did flow through the exit channel and into the syringe when I primed the cartridge.
I have removed and reinserted the cartridge into the printer.
I inspected the length of the ink lines with a flashlight both front lighting and rear lighting them and did not see any bubbles.

I’m having trouble uploading the two pictures. They’re 1.2 MB jpegs. I get a red exclamation point after I upload them and they don’t appear in the message. Don’t know why. Perhaps because I’m overseas? Let me know if you want me to email them instead, please.

Thanks for helping.
Ken

Hi Ken~

Thanks for the additional information.
For instructions on how to upload a photo to this forum, please read this: http://www.inkjetmall.com/tech/content.php?152-How-to-attach-images-to-this-forum
I believe you will get a size error if the files are too large.

If you’ve successfully installed three other refill carts in your 4900, then I feel confident that you know what you’re doing. The fact that ink flowed easily up the exit channel and into the syringe, and you removed the air vent plug before installing the cart, makes me think it should be working well, but I wonder if something is blocking the air vent channel, and not allowing ink to flow from the cart (I’ve never heard or this happening, but am thinking of all the possible things that would stop ink flow from a cart). I see your shipping address is NY, correct?

Warmly~ Dana

I’m located in Tel Aviv, Israel. The NY address is currently inactive.
I followed the uploading instructions again and I still get the red exclamation mark, indicating the file failed to upload. I downsized the files to under 1MB and still get the error. Perhaps my ISP or your ISP is interfering, or maybe it’s the NSA!

If you want me to email you the files or give you an address to send out a replacement cartridge, please email me.
Thank you,
Ken Taranto

[QUOTE=Dana-IJM;6016]Hi Ken~

Thanks for the additional information.
For instructions on how to upload a photo to this forum, please read this: http://www.inkjetmall.com/tech/content.php?152-How-to-attach-images-to-this-forum
I believe you will get a size error if the files are too large.

If you’ve successfully installed three other refill carts in your 4900, then I feel confident that you know what you’re doing. The fact that ink flowed easily up the exit channel and into the syringe, and you removed the air vent plug before installing the cart, makes me think it should be working well, but I wonder if something is blocking the air vent channel, and not allowing ink to flow from the cart (I’ve never heard or this happening, but am thinking of all the possible things that would stop ink flow from a cart). I see your shipping address is NY, correct?

Warmly~ Dana[/QUOTE]

Hi Ken~

Due to the purchase date (11/29/2013), the carts are well beyond our warranty period, though we will send you a new cyan cartridge if you pay the shipping cost to Israel.

Please let me know, thanks~ Dana

Sure, sounds very fair, Dana.
How do I give you address and cc info? Obviously not on a public forum!
Thanks
Ken

[QUOTE=Dana-IJM;6103]Hi Ken~

Due to the purchase date (11/29/2013), the carts are well beyond our warranty period, though we will send you a new cyan cartridge if you pay the shipping cost to Israel.

Please let me know, thanks~ Dana[/QUOTE]

I will ask Wells to email you to get your information, and he will get the cart shipped to you.

Warmly~ Dana :slight_smile: