R3000 Double Quantity Cardridges not working

InkjetMall Customer Support Printer Maintenance & Cartridges
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My R3000 has been using original cone color cartridges and ink past few years and all worked on. Sometimes used piezo flush on all colors when printer not used for a period. I use the Epson Adjustment Program Ink Charge program if there were any problems.
Unfortunately I mistakenly let the original Cone Color Light Vivid magenta run dry and got air in the line. After refilling and resetting that cartridege the nozzle check showed oerfect output for al the colors except the VLM. A numver of standard cleaning cycles did not get the VLM flowing again.
I ordered the new Cone Color double size cartridge for the VLM a few weeks ago and three other color;s 60ml cartridges, filled the 4 new ones completely and inserted them in place of the the 30ml original Cone color cartridges, knowing I would use a lot of ink to run the Epson Adjustment Ink charge cycle. I ran the ink charge cycle then the nozzle check and the result was that there was no output for the VLM and worse. The other 3 colors new 60ml cartridges that had been working up to the cartridge switch now also showed that their output, that was perfect, had now stopped completely. I visually checked the 4 new double size cartridges and yes about 15 ml from each had been used, but apparently non went into the printing. However checking my external bottle for discarded ink I had installed it was clear that 8X15 ml of ink had gone there.
This time I am stumped despite my pastexperience dealing withthe Epson R3000 ink charge. I can understand continued difficulty with the VLM cartridge given air in its line, but that does not explain how the other 3 colors (the new 60ml cartridges), which were had just been working perfectly, now had stopped output, very counterintuitive for me. I am afraid to proceed to run the Epson Adj, Ink charge a second time without getting some advice from you first.
Thank you for your help in advance.

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  1. Please make sure that you have unplugged the vent hole. If they are plugged still than you are getting back pressure on the ink channels when printing. This is most likely culprit.

  2. Did you prime these cartridges?

best,
Walker

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Hi Walker,

  1. Yes I did have the air holes unplugged, assuming you mean the round hole towards the back of the cartridges. I did not prime the cartridges as there was no info telling me I needed to do that procedure or how.

And also If the cartridge was not primed, how was 15 ml of ink used after the one run of the Epson Adj. Program Ink Charge?

  1. I had used the syringe needles to do the first fill of the cartridges. lacking any included instructions that told me I should use the plastic tips instead). Is there an instruction sheet for preparing the cartridge? Can you email that or give me its online link?

  2. At this point I am still unsure how to proceed. If the 15ml of ink used per cartridge indicates the cartridges are primed then what is left to try, a second Ink Charge run? OR if the 15ml drop in each cartridge does not mean the cartridges are charged, I need to try priming, right?

  3. If you advise for me to try the Priming again the online info for the tips says " We used to advise that the tip of the syringe be used to prime a cartridge by removing any excess air from the ink bag or removing air from the ink channel. Does it mean I add more ink to the cartridge with the syringe and plastic tip , then pull the syringe piston up to create a vacuum effect in the cartridge?

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Here is a link to the instructions for R3000 cartridges. A paper copy of this should have been included with the cartridges. (At least it has been with every set of carts I’ve received over the years.)


Priming is step 13 on p.2.

I’ve never used this printer model so I can’t offer any specific advice, but it does seem that you have some sort of air lock.

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Thanks to Walker’s and jkschreiber’s posts replying to my posted inquiry, my problem is solved. Priming the new large cartridges was a must. it was unfortunate I had not done that before trying the large cartridges in the printer. Once I primed the cartridges per the instructions I ran the Epson Adjustment program’s Initial Ink Charge once more. After that the nozzle check was perfect. One word to the wise - using the Inkcharge generates a lot of discarded ink. I already had changed my printer’s ink collection to the external bottle. It is almost filled up after two of the Adjustment program’s Ink Charge routines. Spilled ink can damage furniture so some thought should be given to this.

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