URGENT PROBLEM: Printer 3880 reports NO INK CARTRIDGE

InkjetMall Customer Support Printer Maintenance & Cartridges
1

Hi

I’ve just changed my printer from Neutral to Warm Neutral inks.
Before changing the inks, the printer was working perfectly, and is regularly maintained.
I installed new carts - except for the Matt Black and GO carts. I installed the little chip under the main chip - carefully checking each chip went into the correct cart. I filled with ink, charged each cart as per the instructions, and reinstalled the carts.
Problem as reported above.
I took out each cart, to ensure the little chips were lying correctly, gold contacts to the cart front. I reinstalled the carts, to get the same problem.
I then replaced each cart chip (the large top ones) with a spare - no help there. The printer reports the same problem.
Not wishing to speak ill of my 3880, which I love - it’s not smart enough to locate where the problem is.
I have a small exhibition coming up soon and must urgently get the printer up and running.
Short of going through the process of reinstalling the small chips into the original Neutral ink carts and reinstalling them - can you help me solve this problem?
Thanks

2

Hi jerrab~

Occasionally one cart can not have a tight connection between the chip and printer’s chip sensor, which can cause all carts to read “no cart”.

Please unlock all 9 carts, then push them all back in snugly, while watching the printer’s LCD panel. When the LCD says “cartridge door open, close door” is when it sees all the cartridge chips, and it’s ok to close the door (but, if it says “no cart” or a similar message, then it’s not time to close the door). On a rare occurrence, when one cartridge chip doesn’t have a tight connection with the chip sensor, adding a thin wedge of paper under the cart makes a good connection for consistent/good read. To do this, take a piece of regular typing paper, about 3x4", and fold it in 1/2 twice so you have a 3x1" folded strip. tape the paper wedge to the bottom of the cart, and insert the cartridge into the printer so it locks into place.

Let me know your findings or if you have any questions, so I can help you past this and back to happily printing.

Best regards~ Dana

3

Hi Dana

Thanks for your prompt reply. I did exactly as you said above putting the wedge on each cart, but had no success. However, I still suspected the lack of contact between the carts and printer could be the problem. So I took a piece of board, and pushed it underneath the carts starting from Y - with an immediate result. Both the Y and VLM carts still needed additional building up to properly reach the contacts. So these 2 carts now have the piece of folded paper+tape as per your instructions, plus a piece of cardboard+tape. This means both carts are very tight under the printer contacts.

Questions:

  1. Are some of these new carts just received outside spec - a little small?
  2. If the carts are too raised, will they misalign with the print nozzle in the printer causing further problems down the track? These 2 carts are solidly in place, you couldn’t fit another piece of cigarette paper in between.
  3. Could it be parts on the printer needing replacement (these channels are not more used than others - probably the reverse - printer overall is still in excellent condition).
  4. BTW, I finally found that if you push an in-place cart towards the printer (before adding paper etc to carts), this also brings the cart closer to the contacts, so is, it would seem, an easier way to diagnose such a problem.

Thanks again and look forward to you comments.