Epson Pro 3880 Photo Black Ink Problem

<p>Epson Pro 3880 Photo Black Ink Problem<br>

I have had this printer for five years and it has operated flawlessly until now. This is the second time that this has happened.<br>

My images look washed out and type written narrative on white paper is printing faintly. Sounds like the Photo Black ink cart needs replacing. However, the Photo Black ink cart registers (bar chart) half full in the bar chart.<br>

The first time that this happened I simply replaced the ink cart and printing went back to normal. I will do so once again when the new cart arrives in the mail. What bothers me is that I seem to being going through black ink carts faster than I have ever experienced before. Also bothering me, the cart is registering as half full.<br>

Is the bar chart registering that the cart is half full when it is really empty? Might the Bar chart be correct, that the cart really is half full, but why does my printing fail when the cart is half full?<br>

Anyone else ever have this problem?<br>

Your thoughts are appreciated. </p>

<p>there are scattered reports of the ink level being reported inaccurately. The best way to find out is to weigh the cartridge w/ a very accurate scale.</p>

<p>A full cartridge is approx 150g and an empty is about 75g </p>

<p>I have not had this issue, but I have read anecdotes where there can be a leak in the printing mechanism below the cartridge, and the printer cannot account for the lost ink since it doesn't know there is a leak. </p>

<p>certainly popping out the cart and looking in w/ a flashlight to see if there is an ink leak/puddle is easy enough.</p>

<p>Open the ink cover, take out the cartridge and give it a shake. Although you cannot gauge precisely it will be easy enough to figure out if it's empty, full or half full.</p>

<p>Printers all get clogs. You need to run successive cleaning cycles until the black clears up.</p>

<p>There seems to be frequent problems with the delivery system of the photo black ink on these printers. I had to have the entire part replaced, to the tune of almost $400. But that was cheaper than buying a new printer. You can dedicate your 3880 to matte printing and get a new printer for luster (etc.). They work so well, when they work. The man who fixed mine (the only person within 150 miles who could do it) said they last longer if you don't switch between photo and matte black too much. It seems to be the switching back and forth that does them in.</p>

<p>Thank you all for your help. As recommended, I pulled the ink cart and weighed it. The cart is empty (65 grams) and my use of photo black ink is obviously more than I was aware of. The printer's bar graph showing that the cart is half full is clearly functioning correctly. I can learn to live with this error on one bar graph. Should this expand to other ink carts this could become a more serious problem.</p>

<p>Again, thank you all for your help, Doug</p>

 

<p>I had the same issue as Stephanie, above, and the cost was about the same for me. My printer is currently in storage, will be a total of 6 months in storage before I can set it up in our new Condo. Keeping my fingers crossed...</p>

<p>This issue with the PK ink is starting to worry me as I have the same issue on my 3880 which is approx. 3 years old.<br /> The printer status monitor reported the PK cart to be 90% when in actual fact it was empty. I replaced the cart and sure enough about 1 month later the same happened again.</p>

<p>This time I have done some weighing and I think my maths are correct, here are the results.</p>

<p><strong>New cart weighed 146g - Printer showed 100% when inserted</strong><br /><strong>I have printed about 50 8x10 images and now printer shows 95% and the cart weighs 117g</strong><br /> <br /> If I have consumed 5% ink (according to the printer status window) then I would expect the cart to weigh 138g but it weighs 117g</p>

<p>The maintenance tank was at 52% when I inserted the new cart and is still at 52% so where is this ink going ?</p>

<p>I have experienced some ink droplets on some prints but after I cleaned the capping station and wiper blade, this issue seems to have gone away (fingers crossed)</p>

<p>This printer does produce beautiful prints but it is not used in a commercial environment and the thought of having to spend nearly £900 on another one worries me if this is a common issue.</p>

<p>I have tried to speak with Epson but to be honest, its like talking to a brick wall, all you seem to get is "<em>Have you updated the driver</em>"</p>

<p>Comments on this issue are welcome<br /> Ian</p>

<p>Per Epson contracted repair center: </p>

<p>Re: Photo black is not working. Prints have no black, plus black spots of ink are on each photograph printed. After nozzle cleaning, problem is solved and then problem returns. After doing this three times, the problem no longer resolves. Level of ink is no longer accurate.</p>

<p>"This is a common problem with the 3880. Most of the time the problem (symptom) is with the photo black cart. Although any cart can show symptoms. A valve is staying open pressurizing the ink carts pushing ink blobs out of the nozzle platen onto the print. This is a pressurized system and the valve is supposed to close. When it doesn't, it pressurizes each cart. The ink system (what the carts snap into) needs to be replaced. Pull the photo black ink out and any other ink carts that are problematic because they are now pressurized. Cost is $389.00."</p>

<p>I will report back after repaired.<br>

</p>

<p>Additionally, per the repairman, "upon repair, the cart levels will only show accurately after a cart has been replaced with a new full cart. A pressurized cart cannot register accurate data about how full it is." </p>

<p>I just weighed my photo black cart and it is empty at 60 grams. I just replaced it 4-28-15 and have only printed five small prints. The repair man is correct, the cart under pressure is pushing the ink out of the cart. My prints had no black in the print because there was no ink in the cart. </p>