I think I ruined my printer

[sfreeman8]

I have an Epson Workforce and i have always switched ink cartridges between OEM and re-manufactured cartridges since I can't always buy OEMs because of the price.. Everything always worked great for as many years as I have done this until this last re-manufactured black one. i think it has destroyed my printer. The black ink is very faded for one line, and the next line is barely readable. I have tried cleaning the print head and aligning the print head over a period of 2 weeks without any change. I had hoped if I bought an OEM to replace it, it would solve the problem. Nope....same conclusion.  I could cry. I can't afford to buy another printer. It's out of warranty so probably no help there. I am going to email Epson about it but will probably only get a 'see-I-told-you-so' answer. Wish me luck.

Oh, and if anyone has any suggestion or had the same problem and solved it, please let me know. Thanks.

[Gerianne]

A friend of the family gave me an Epson.
I didn't like the separate color cartridges.

I had trouble with HP.
I bought a Canon printer and am very happy with it.
The ink cartridges load easily.

[adriarobi]

If you bought re-filled cartridges, go to Walmart and purchase good ones. I always buy the brand names, at Walmart, the price is good, and so is the quality. Don't get rid of your printer till you know for sure it is broken.
When you get the new cartridges, follow the directions on the back. they usually say to shake gently.
I won't never take the risk of my small amount of money with a refilled cartridge.

I bet your printer will be fine if you start over on cartridges.

Even though I have little money, I do purchase good stuff for my computer or printer. It is worth it for me to buy Epson (my printer) at Walmart (or another, just like the price at Wally-World), but not re-filled.

 

[Katie_thehappywife]

we also have a cannon printer it works great

[catchow]

I hope you come back to read this because I had the same problem! One line would print but be faded the next line would be empty, the next line faded, the next line empty

I read something online and tried it and it worked, strangely enough because its so simple

Remove all the paper in the feeder tray, and unplug your printer cords all of them. Leave it sit, the article I read said to leave it sit a few days, actually I forgot about it and it was unplugged for a week lol!

I plugged it all back in, put paper in the feeder tray and it worked like brand new

I hope it works for you too

I read that you shouldnt leave paper in the feeder tray, which I do all the time! Not any more

[natashaspy]

Wait until you can get the brand cartridges instead of refilled.  Then when you change them, gently clean the printer head with a qtip and alcohol but don't soak the qtip, just a little will do you.  If you can open the printer program, run a cleaning cycle. Hopefully that will help you.

[bremer51]

I always unplug my electronic devices and give them a chance to re-establish themselves. Have you tried that? I've had bad luck with refilled cartridges too.

[countrygirl12]

I have an Epson Workforce and i have always switched ink cartridges between OEM and re-manufactured cartridges since I can't always buy OEMs because of the price.. Everything always worked great for as many years as I have done this until this last re-manufactured black one. i think it has destroyed my printer. The black ink is very faded for one line, and the next line is barely readable. I have tried cleaning the print head and aligning the print head over a period of 2 weeks without any change. I had hoped if I bought an OEM to replace it, it would solve the problem. Nope....same conclusion.  I could cry. I can't afford to buy another printer. It's out of warranty so probably no help there. I am going to email Epson about it but will probably only get a 'see-I-told-you-so' answer. Wish me luck.

Oh, and if anyone has any suggestion or had the same problem and solved it, please let me know. Thanks.

You can get a printer at Walmart for around $20 next weekend.  The refilled ink cartridges are not worth it.  They have leaked out and every thing else and ruined people's printers.  And you don't get the amount of ink you think you are getting.  They don't last as long.  I done it once and it ran out in no time.

[sfreeman8]

Don't get rid of your printer till you know for sure it is broken.
When you get the new cartridges, follow the directions on the back. they usually say to shake gently.
I won't never take the risk of my small amount of money with a refilled cartridge.

I immediately bought OEM cartridges, cleaned the print head 6 times like the manual says, and aligned the print head, but nothing worked. Still faded first line and almost blank 2nd line.

I hope you come back to read this because I had the same problem! One line would print but be faded the next line would be empty, the next line faded, the next line empty

I read something online and tried it and it worked, strangely enough because its so simple

Remove all the paper in the feeder tray, and unplug your printer cords all of them. Leave it sit, the article I read said to leave it sit a few days, actually I forgot about it and it was unplugged for a week lol!

I plugged it all back in, put paper in the feeder tray and it worked like brand new

I hope it works for you too

I read that you shouldnt leave paper in the feeder tray, which I do all the time! Not any more

Oh boy! That sounds exactly like my problem. THANKS! I'm going to try it. I tested a print job with just blue ink and every line came out perfect.

Wait until you can get the brand cartridges instead of refilled.  Then when you change them, gently clean the printer head with a qtip and alcohol but don't soak the qtip, just a little will do you.  If you can open the printer program, run a cleaning cycle. Hopefully that will help you.

I did the Q-Tip deal too. Did the cleaning cycle 6 times as the manual stated, then tried 3 times the next day, and gave up after 5 days of trying. No luck. It seems to only be the black ink (of course, it had to be the one used most, right?)

I have an Epson Workforce and i have always switched ink cartridges between OEM and re-manufactured cartridges since I can't always buy OEMs because of the price.. Everything always worked great for as many years as I have done this until this last re-manufactured black one. i think it has destroyed my printer. The black ink is very faded for one line, and the next line is barely readable. I have tried cleaning the print head and aligning the print head over a period of 2 weeks without any change. I had hoped if I bought an OEM to replace it, it would solve the problem. Nope....same conclusion.  I could cry. I can't afford to buy another printer. It's out of warranty so probably no help there. I am going to email Epson about it but will probably only get a 'see-I-told-you-so' answer. Wish me luck.

Oh, and if anyone has any suggestion or had the same problem and solved it, please let me know. Thanks.

You can get a printer at Walmart for around $20 next weekend.  The refilled ink cartridges are not worth it.  They have leaked out and every thing else and ruined people's printers.  And you don't get the amount of ink you think you are getting.  They don't last as long.  I done it once and it ran out in no time.

Thanks! I didn't know that and will check it out. I love my Epson, so I hope they'll have that brand, but beggars can't be choosy. Funny that back in the '80s, I started with Epson computer and printer and now back to Epson printer.

[gtdoss]

I wish you all the luck in the world in getting your printer to print clearly again. I don't print much, but my youngest son (senior in high school) does a whole lot of printing. I don't know what I'd do if something like that happened to my Canon. I've used the much cheaper ink cartridges that I've bought off of Amazon for a long time now, and I've not yet had a problem with it. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

[sfreeman8]

Shucks! Neither suggestion worked (Q-Tip, pulling the plugs).   I did change the print color to the darkest blue and tried printing. I got a combination of blue/black (not quite blue, not quite black) and the true blue printed, too.

I also emailed Epson support. Hopefully, they can help, and looked at Walmart and ebay printers and my printer goes for $69 now. So, I'll wait a couple days and see if Epson helps or will be forced to buy a new printer. I love the one I have know and want the same thing. I don't want a wireless printer. Mine can be wireless if I want, but I don't want to gp there.

[sak4kat]

It may have nothing to do with the different ink cartridges but the printer head could just be going out on you.  If you use your printer regularly that is bound to happen eventually.  We have 2 printers in our home connected and ready to go so if one gives us problems we have a stand by.  We have a 3rd in the basement (Old reliable) Printer ink is ridiculous in price - feel your pain.

[sdenimandlace1]

You could try a alcohol pad on the ink pad sometimes they are clogged and it will help.

[snuggleycutejc]

I really like the throw-away-able printers, $40.00, I can't work on printers as much as I thought I could. I like the plugin and go ones they lasts me for like 6 months since the ink is so high don't matter here.

[sfreeman8]

Heard from support. Told me to do the same thing I've been doing (clean print head, nozzle check). The more I did it, the worse it got. Then i started thinking...printer worked fine until i put a new black cartridge in. Bought OEM cartridge but when I checked ink levels (after 1-1/2 weeks of not using), it was only half full.  I thought maybe the company I bought this from was lying and it's really a re-manufactured in a true Epson case, because the last re-manufactured one did the same thing (half full) within a week of light printing).

Epson told me I could get it serviced and went to their service locator and the nearest center is 100 miles away. Not worth it. I'm going to try the cartridge i ordered from Staples and see what happens.