My Epson 3880 won't print black!

[dena_eaton]

<p>It's new....as in BRAND new. I printed 3 matte prints and they were perfect.<br>

I then tried luster paper (changed the color profiles etc) It prints faded grey tones and where there is supposed to be black, it adds color. The prints are mono - no color.<br>

Help! I'm printing for an exhibit and Customer service isn't open until Monday! I am losing a whole weekend of work.</p>

 

[mac_hordam]

<p>Without knowing the settings you were using we'll be guessing in the dark. Your best course of action is to look at this site that is probably the best resource of info for the 3800 & 3880 printers<br>

http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/dp/Epson3800/faq.html<br>

If you can show a screenshot of your settings that would help too.</p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

Do you get good blacks when you change back to matte paper (inclusing all the appropriate settings)?<br><br>Colour is often (always?) added to deepen black. So when black runs out, you still get a colour picture where it was supposed to be black. Sounds like there's no more black ink.<br>Did you install fresh cartridges, or use the one supplied with the printer (which always contain no more than just a little bit of ink. They make money selling ink, not printers. So you do not get much 'for free', have to spend more to get going.)?

[howard_m]

<p>That's not a correct statement. the 3880 DOES come w/ full 80mL cartridges, not 'starter' cartridges.</p>

[howard_m]

<p>does the printer control panel say Photo Black??</p>

<p>Have you tried going into the control panel and doing a Test Print -> Nozzle Check -> Auto ? This produces a 'block pattern' that the printer itslef uses to unclog or whatever. Much more involved than the simple stepped line pattern</p>

[dena_eaton]

I'll answer as I can. The 3880 comes

with a full set of full ink. All levels show

nearly full.

 

When I switch back to matte black it

prints fine.

 

Yes it changes blacks as say the

appropriate one on the screen

 

 

Setting for photo black:

 

 

Printer controls color mgmt

Set to luster paper color profile-in PS

and in printer settings

Clicked on advanced BW settings

1440dpi

Advanced settings-"normal" not dark.

[dena_eaton]

<p>Nozzle check is good. So is printout</p>

[mac_hordam]

<p>Once again I would point you to the site I recommended. In particular the following page might help</p>

<p>http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/dp/Epson3880/abwprofiles.html</p>

<p>This gives you a guide to printing Advanced Black and White with the 3880 and some profiles to instal plus the settings to use. Note the recommended tone settings are all either Dark or Darker not Normal as you say you have set, this might be one of the reasons for your faded greys. It's important to set everything else just as listed by Eric Chan on that page don't decide to wing it on a setting or two (he knows what he's talking about).</p>

<p>Another question, is your lustre paper Epson Premium Lustre (PLPP as shown in the table on that page) or is it another brand of Lustre? That will also make a (big?) difference.</p>

<p>No disrespect meant to anyone answering on this forum but you are more likely to encounter sage advice on Eric's site re the 3800 and 3880 printers than just about anywhere else. Well intentioned advice isn't necessarily the same as correct advice. Eric's is correct.</p>

[dena_eaton]

<p>@Mac Thank you. I looked at that forum. I did try the darker setting, but then it darkens the whole print too much, which is why I switched to normal. (these are infrareds, so too dark and the whites look grey) I ended up driving into town (a bit of a drive), bringing all my prints and thumb drive and trying some stuff with the photo store's 3880. And, what the guy thought was that my drivers may be bad and somehow crossing color profiles. So I went home, discarded ALL my Epson info and started from scratch. NOW the prints look perfect.<br>

I guess I will cross my fingers that it's fixed!<br>

Thanks again for the quick responses from everyone.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[GlennS]

<p>Congratulations on finding a fix. I like to use 4x6" paper when I'm experimenting to conseve ink. When the 4x6 looks good I print larger sizes with the same setting.</p>

<p>I hope you know that switching back and forth between matte and glossy wastes a fair bit of ink purging the tubing. I bought ink just last week and there was a hefty price increase so good to know.</p>

[owen_omeara]

<p>I agree with Howard M. The printer does come with full 80ml. cartridges. </p>

<p>I am glad to see in a later post that things are OK now. This is a great printer and I have been printing for galleries with it with no problems. I have to note that I only print on matte surface Epson papers and only rarely in color.</p>

<p>-O</p>

[Landrum Kelly]

<p>Great shot! Wish I could see the print.</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

[eric_brody]

<p>FYI here is the amount of Ink used during conversion:<br /> Matte to Photo Black<br /> Approx. 4.6 ml<br /> Photo to Photo Black<br /> Approx. 1.6 ml<br>

<br />You can judge whether that's "a lot" of ink.<br /><br>

</p>

[eric_brody]

<p>Sorry, the correct statement is:<br>

Ink used during conversion:<br /> Matte Black to Photo Black<br /> Approx. 4.6 ml<br /> Photo Black to Matte Black<br /> Approx. 1.6 ml</p>