Hopefully I’m in the correct place for Tech Support. Sorry, but I’m a retired old codger and have been having problems on how to work out your tech support. I sent an email to Jon and he referred me to here. I recently bought an InkJetMall complete set of refillable cartridges, syringes, and Piezoflush solution (purchased this week 8/14/13) for my Epson R3000 to fix a clog problem and am having the following issues.
I cannot use the yellow cartridge as I keep getting a “Cannot recognize the following cartridges(s) Try installing them again”, which I’ve done numerous times with the same results. What do I need to do to get a working Yellow replacement cartridge and/or chip?
Also. I’ve installed my OEM yellow cartridge in order to try and move forward… when doing a head cleaning I’m finally getting the “pink” solution (after 15 head cleanings) exiting to my external waste tank (I use a model airplane fuel tank and line for the waste), but I can’t see the print when attempting to do a nozzle check. Should it take this many cleanings to see pink? It appears the head is getting the solution but why should the nozzle check be so faint that it can’t be seen?
In Jon’s return email he mentioned performing an “Initialization Process” instead of head cleanings. I cannot find any reference in my Epson R3000 documentation or control panel for this function. Is this something that is going to require additional cost software? Please advise.
Hi,
Dana is out today and she is much better at support than I am! But, I can tell you that the R3000 printer is designed in the same way that EPSON designed their PRO printer models. The R3000 actually uses the Pro 3880 print head. The ink tanks are not connected directly to the print head. Instead. there are long ink lines connected to a damper/filter assembly and then this is connected to the print heads. These ink lines hold enough ink that it would take as many as 50-70 head cleanings to bring flush to the print head - and another 50-70 to bring fresh inks to the print head. However, EPSON did not provide a power clean option on this printer and therefore you have no option other than to run the inks INITIALIZATION as documented here: http://www.inkjetmall.com/tech/content.php?140-Flushing-Epson-Pro-and-desktop-model-printers-for-safe-long-term-storage-or-when-switching-inks
Finally, we are not certain why you are flushing. Do you have an issue with a print head or are you changing inks? Please let us know so that we can further assist you.
First off. I went out and bought a replacement battery for the Yellow cartridge and it appears to now be recognized. Hopefully the batteries in the other cartridges will last somewhat longer.
As to why I’m flushing? I stated above that it was to try and fix clog issues. Do I need to provide more info than that? I’m not certain if it is in the line or the print head.
I’m trying to follow the crumb trail that led me to your site referrals and came to on your site …
"To do an INITIAL FILL CYCLE with your 3800/3880, 4900 or other Pro model printers not listed above:
Download the Adjustment/Service Program specific for your printer model from www.2manuals.com
Open the Adjustment/Service Program, and select “Ink Charge” or “Ink Eject and Initial Charge”.
When complete, close the program."
When you state on your site that it will be listed by specific printers… the Epson R3000 is not listed. Is it considered “other Pro model Printer”?
I went to the referenced “www.2manuals.com” web site and could not find the terms “Adjustment/Service Program” nor “Initialization” . I did find a “WIC Reset Utility” with the purchase “key” to make it operate. Is this the “Adjustment/Service Program” you are referring to? I downloaded and install the “WIC Utility” and viewed the operational options. It gave a “clean printhead” function? Is this the power clean you are referring to?
Jon. Sorry if I appear a bit scatterbrained but I’m following the best I can.
You will need the Adjustment/Service Program. There is no other way to flush this printer. There is not even a simple power clean option from Epson - and we do not recommend that you run 100s of head cleanings as that would destroy the print head in short time.
I will add the R3000 to the doc - as it is not immediately apparent that this is designed as a PRO printer or that it uses the PRO printer dampers and ink lines and remote tanks.
The term used is INK CHARGE. This is the initialization of the printer. It will act as if you are installing carts for the first time and charge the printer with about 15ml ink (or flush) from each of the carts.
Thanks for the info.
I went to 2Manuals.com, found, purchased, and have installed the Adjustment/Service Software for the R3000. I ran the INK CHARGE function and it certainly pushes a large amount of ink/piezoflush through in a hurry. I still can’t see the “nozzle check”. I’ve tried both plain paper and glossy using the front printer control panel but am still unable to see the printed nozzle check. Even previously using OEM K3 inks the printer was printing great pictures but the nozzle check was always faint. But now I don’t see any Piezoflush nozzle check imprint at all. I have printed out a photo using the Piezoflush (nice light red picture :rolleyes:), I don’t notice any banding (which I had previouslydue to the clog) but don’t know for sure without the nozzle check. Any advice?
This is very weird that it prints an image fine but not the nozzle check. I would almost think that you have not removed the vent plugs and the ink can not drop. Are you certain the vent plugs are removed and the fill plug is in?
All 9 of the cartridges are installed with fill holes plugged and vent plugs removed. I’m able to print out a picture (red-Piezoflush) so the ink seems to be moving. The nozzle check always printed light even when OEM ink was used and printing out great pictures. I don’t understand why (but then again I know little about printers). It’s strange but isn’t the printer using the same function for nozzle checks and actual printing (isn’t that the idea, ie the nozzle check will tell you what the print will do), so why is picture ok and the nozzle check not? I’m reluctant to reinstall my ink cartridges without knowing first if the nozzles are ok. I’m flummoxed!!!
Can you scan the nozzle check for us? It should be just a barely visible pink set of lines… It will not be strong because PiezoFlush is not ink. It’s just stained pink so that you can detect it. Perhaps print it on some glossy inkjet paper and it will show up better?
I’m sorry but my scanner has been broken for some time now and I have never replaced it. I’m pretty sure that even if I scanned it you wouldn’t be able to see it. When doing a nozzle check, the “header” information is barely visable. The actual nozzle prints (under a magnifying glass) look like faint creases in the paper (I can only describe it as being like faint brushed air marks without ink). It may well be something simple but is currently beyond me.
I’m sorry but my scanner has been broken for some time now and I have never replaced it. I’m pretty sure that even if I scanned it you wouldn’t be able to see it. When doing a nozzle check, the “header” information is barely visable. The actual nozzle prints (under a magnifying glass) look like faint creases in the paper (I can only describe it as being like faint brushed air marks without ink). It may well be something simple but is currently beyond me.
Thank you[/QUOTE]
Try using the nozzle check option in the Adjustment/Service Program. My R3000 prints solid blocks of color (pink with PiezoFlush) rather than the grid line pattern when done this way. Helped me find a clogged nozzle that would have been near impossible to see with the Epson print nozzle check utility.
Thanks. I tried the Adjustment/Service Program (ASP)/Maintenance/Head Cleaning/Nozzle Check Print. It prints out perfectly, and is as visable as it should be, with no evidence of banding (at least in what I can observe in the solid printouts ie individual approx. 1 x 1 inch per each nozzle). Ironic, I then retried the normal nozzle check and still a no go for visability. Is your normal nozzle check (with the PiezoFlush) very faint? I wonder if others have this same issue with their R3000. I,m also still trying to figure out what all the functions within the ASP do. I bought the Service Manual as well but it doesn’t go into much depth as to what the functions do. Thanks again for the tip, it was a big help.
Thanks. I tried the Adjustment/Service Program (ASP)/Maintenance/Head Cleaning/Nozzle Check Print. It prints out perfectly, and is as visable as it should be, with no evidence of banding (at least in what I can observe in the solid printouts ie individual approx. 1 x 1 inch per each nozzle). Ironic, I then retried the normal nozzle check and still a no go for visability. Is your normal nozzle check (with the PiezoFlush) very faint? I wonder if others have this same issue with their R3000. I,m also still trying to figure out what all the functions within the ASP do. I bought the Service Manual as well but it doesn’t go into much depth as to what the functions do. Thanks again for the tip, it was a big help.
Regards
Mark[/QUOTE]
The Epson utility prints the nozzle check pattern in a very light shade of pink with the PiezoFlush installed. It’s clearly visible but certainly not heavy. The Epson color inks print a very light pattern also. I don’t think there is anything unusual about that. I prefer the ASP nozzle check as the squares are clearly defined and force each head to print at full density. My yellow channel had a very small but noticeable line indicating a clog that was impossible to see with the line pattern produced by the Epson utility. It would have shown up in a print at some point.
Glad to hear that you’ve solved your problems. Sounds like you’re ready to start putting that ink to paper now. Enjoy.
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