epson black cartridges

Hello
i have an Epson color stylus 740. No low ink levels are flashing but I
am not printing black. I have two old black cartridges and wondering how
I might clean/clear them to work. Before I start swabbing things I
figured I'd ask the experts!
Running on Mac OSX which is a major hurdle in itself. I do not see
headcleaning utility.

Dan

"Dan S" <> wrote in message
news:archicast-...
> Hello
> i have an Epson color stylus 740. No low ink levels are flashing but I
> am not printing black. I have two old black cartridges and wondering how
> I might clean/clear them to work. Before I start swabbing things I
> figured I'd ask the experts!
> Running on Mac OSX which is a major hurdle in itself. I do not see
> headcleaning utility.
>
> Dan

Hi,

I've worked with more than three dozen of the Epson 740 for more than a
ten years with PCs and macs in my elementary school before retiring this
year. I've seen where a cartridge runs out but no familiar flashing red
light appears to indicate it. The reason for this happening is that the
firmware and software work together to give an estimate of how much ink is
left in the cartridge from the number of pages printed. When one sees the
flashing red light there could actually be up to 20% of the ink left. Or if
one were printing very heavily after only a hundred sheets the cartridge
could actually be empty but the red light would not flash to indicate the
cartridge was empty.
The remedy is to simply put in a new cartridge. By the way Epson
indicates that if a cartridge is 6 months or older and was open it should be
replaced in the Epson with a new one. Oxidation and evaporation can make the
ink too thick to pass it through the nozzles safely. Unopened sealed
cartridges have a shelf life of two years.
I have also run across a brand new cartridge that was bad. One would
assume that every cartridge would be infalible, but that is not the case
when at least using third party cartridges. Again, the remedy is to install
a new cartridge.
Before changing cartridges I would certainly run several cleaning cycles,
because if the machine has not been used in awhile the head could simply
have gotten dried, and this is especially true if you happen to live in an
arid environment. Additionally, if the machine had not been used in awhile
then it is worth dripping a few drops of alcohol on the sponge that the
printer rests when it's turned off.
To view the sponge open the lid with the printer off. Turn the printer
on and when the print head moves to the left simply pull the power cord out
of the wall outlet. The docking sponge will be viewable. Dribble either 5 -
8 drops of isopropyl alcohol or (even better) Windex onto the sponge. Plug
the power cord into the wall and wait for the printer to settle down. Use
the power switch to turn off the printer and give it an hour's rest.
When this is accomplished turn the printer on and run a cleaning cycle
and a nozzle check.

By the way, if you happen to be running OS X.3x you will not have any
utility software available to you. Either Epson or Apple got cheap and
decided the Epson was not worth making utility software for that version of
OS X. You will need to revert to OS 9 if you have the software on your
machine, install the Epson driver for )S 9 and then go to the printer
utility software from there.
By the time OS X.4.x was released someone got wise and restored the
printer utility software.

Good luck,

Jan Alter

Thanks, these are very helpful. To fill a few gaps, the printer now
seems to be working in OSX 10.4 with a driver called Gump or something,
which was highly recommended.
I remember paying to speak to Epson and they told a better way to clean
heads than pushing that button but I don't remember now. In OS9 I used
the utility. This printer has gone through long spells of being
inoperable. Previous troubleshooting here has gotten it running, mainly
oiling the main rod. I would toss it but it prints beautifully - when it
feels like all's right.
Is it normal to go through quite a long noisy startup?
It's 101F here in Memphis today but hardly arid.
Should I attempt to refill/reuse the epson cartridges?
dan


In article <sK1lk.37132$2>,
wrote:

> > Running on Mac OSX which is a major hurdle in itself. I do not see
> > headcleaning utility.
>
> Some Epson user guides tell you how to initiate a head clean
> from the control panel.
> Mine says if you press the cleaning button for 3 secs
> when the black and color ink out lights are off, the
> printer starts cleaning the print head. May not
> apply to your model, but there may be an equivalent
> process, in your manual.
> If you haven't got the manual there is a possibility
> it may be available as a download from one of the
> many Epson sites. Try the USA one first.
> Then ask for Arthurs head cleaning guide.
> Often the recommendation is to free
> the head from its rest position, then slide
> it over a paper towel soaked with ammoniated
> cleaning solution, Windex, or diluted clear household
> ammonia solution. You can buy printer head
> cleaning fluid online, but there is no guarantee
> that it will be any better than the home made stuff.
> To clean out old cartridges I rig up a simple
> syphon from a bottle on a shelf and use rain water.
> Often if the printer has tried to print without the
> cooling effect of the ink the head dies, but you
> may be lucky as the ink out light isn't on.

I would recommend you getting some fresh replacement cartridges for your
machine rather than filling old ones. The sponges inside the cartridges tend
to deteriorate a bit after aging and could cause unnecessary clogging.

The one continual malody that the 740 has is that drying chrome plated head
guide bar. Using a light machine oil on it every 6 months or so after about
two years of initial use keeps it going fine.

It's good that you were able to utilze one of the gimp drivers in X.4. If
you will go to the System Folder and open Printers folder and then open the
Printer Que you should see 'Utility'. There you should be able to use the
software to do head cleanings. Although you could do a head cleaning by
pushing the droplet button on the printer you will get much better results
by using the software. The software head cleanings allow a more vigorous
cleaning with every third cleaning run, which is not available if one simply
pushes the droplet button. That extra cleaning allows a stronger suction to
clear any clogging in the head.

That little dance the 740 does on start up is part of the firmware. It
may do it about every three starts. I don't know any way to overcome it.
Yeh, it's kind of noisy but it's done to keep head clogs from forming.
The 740 is one of the really good workhorses that Epson produced, and
additionally uses cheap unchipped cartridges. Of all the older Epsons my
favorite is the 880. It was the next model after the 740, produced very
good photos on Epson paper, was quieter and much faster than the 740 and
again used cheap third party cartridges.
--
Jan Alter


"Dan S" <> wrote in message
news:archicast-...
> Thanks, these are very helpful. To fill a few gaps, the printer now
> seems to be working in OSX 10.4 with a driver called Gump or something,
> which was highly recommended.
> I remember paying to speak to Epson and they told a better way to clean
> heads than pushing that button but I don't remember now. In OS9 I used
> the utility. This printer has gone through long spells of being
> inoperable. Previous troubleshooting here has gotten it running, mainly
> oiling the main rod. I would toss it but it prints beautifully - when it
> feels like all's right.
> Is it normal to go through quite a long noisy startup?
> It's 101F here in Memphis today but hardly arid.
> Should I attempt to refill/reuse the epson cartridges?
> dan
>
>
> In article <sK1lk.37132$2>,
> wrote:
>
>> > Running on Mac OSX which is a major hurdle in itself. I do not see
>> > headcleaning utility.
>>
>> Some Epson user guides tell you how to initiate a head clean
>> from the control panel.
>> Mine says if you press the cleaning button for 3 secs
>> when the black and color ink out lights are off, the
>> printer starts cleaning the print head. May not
>> apply to your model, but there may be an equivalent
>> process, in your manual.
>> If you haven't got the manual there is a possibility
>> it may be available as a download from one of the
>> many Epson sites. Try the USA one first.
>> Then ask for Arthurs head cleaning guide.
>> Often the recommendation is to free
>> the head from its rest position, then slide
>> it over a paper towel soaked with ammoniated
>> cleaning solution, Windex, or diluted clear household
>> ammonia solution. You can buy printer head
>> cleaning fluid online, but there is no guarantee
>> that it will be any better than the home made stuff.
>> To clean out old cartridges I rig up a simple
>> syphon from a bottle on a shelf and use rain water.
>> Often if the printer has tried to print without the
>> cooling effect of the ink the head dies, but you
>> may be lucky as the ink out light isn't on.

Update..
Since i was unable to find that printer que folder anywhere I looked
deeper and saw the Gimp-printer app was still uninstalled! I must've
printed from original driver. Tried and failed to install Gimp. Went
back.. found an improvement called Gutenprint 5.2 beta3 and installed
that, and it did clean head (ran the test pattern anyway) and printed a
simple logo fine.
Your replies to my message appear and vanish from the newsgroup, glad I
moved them to a text page.
Dan


In article <archicast->,
Dan S <> wrote:

> Thanks, these are very helpful. To fill a few gaps, the printer now
> seems to be working in OSX 10.4 with a driver called Gump or something,
> which was highly recommended.
> I remember paying to speak to Epson and they told a better way to clean
> heads than pushing that button but I don't remember now. In OS9 I used
> the utility. This printer has gone through long spells of being
> inoperable. Previous troubleshooting here has gotten it running, mainly
> oiling the main rod. I would toss it but it prints beautifully - when it
> feels like all's right.
> Is it normal to go through quite a long noisy startup?
> It's 101F here in Memphis today but hardly arid.
> Should I attempt to refill/reuse the epson cartridges?
> dan
>
>
> In article <sK1lk.37132$2>,
> wrote:
>
> > > Running on Mac OSX which is a major hurdle in itself. I do not see
> > > headcleaning utility.
> >
> > Some Epson user guides tell you how to initiate a head clean
> > from the control panel.
> > Mine says if you press the cleaning button for 3 secs
> > when the black and color ink out lights are off, the
> > printer starts cleaning the print head. May not
> > apply to your model, but there may be an equivalent
> > process, in your manual.
> > If you haven't got the manual there is a possibility
> > it may be available as a download from one of the
> > many Epson sites. Try the USA one first.
> > Then ask for Arthurs head cleaning guide.
> > Often the recommendation is to free
> > the head from its rest position, then slide
> > it over a paper towel soaked with ammoniated
> > cleaning solution, Windex, or diluted clear household
> > ammonia solution. You can buy printer head
> > cleaning fluid online, but there is no guarantee
> > that it will be any better than the home made stuff.
> > To clean out old cartridges I rig up a simple
> > syphon from a bottle on a shelf and use rain water.
> > Often if the printer has tried to print without the
> > cooling effect of the ink the head dies, but you
> > may be lucky as the ink out light isn't on.

Jan Alter wrote:
> I would recommend you getting some fresh
Epson brand
> replacement cartridges for your
> machine rather than filling old ones.
snip

measher-****-head wrote:
----------------------------
I would recommend you try getting a real brain.

I can provide you with a free Epson Cleaning Guide if you wish it.

It gives a number of suggestions in dealing with these vintage printers
to prevent clogging.

Simply email me at the address below and indicate it is a 740 you are
concerned with, and I will send you a copy. No charge, no spam, no
sales hype.

Art

e-printerhelp(at)mvps(dot)org

(at) = @
(dot) = .



If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/

Dan S wrote:
> Hello
> i have an Epson color stylus 740. No low ink levels are flashing but I
> am not printing black. I have two old black cartridges and wondering how
> I might clean/clear them to work. Before I start swabbing things I
> figured I'd ask the experts!
> Running on Mac OSX which is a major hurdle in itself. I do not see
> headcleaning utility.
>
> Dan