First, to set context, I'm a retired amateur, I cannot afford expensive solutions like genuine Epson inks or new wide-format printers.
I have Epson Stylus Photo 1400 I bought used, and I use low-cost third-party inks (Moustache). It's been working wonderfully until recently. However, I am now having to change ink cartridges almost daily, where before they would last weeks, even printing 13x19. There is something screwy going on here.
I have weighed my old empties and compared to new full carts and my false ones. Old empties were running around 16 grams, full were about 29 grams, and the ones giving false readings are varied -- 24 to 28 grams.
So the false empties were still over 75% full!
When this happened the first few times, the supplier sent me free replacements, but it seems to be getting worse, and now I have over a dozen bum cartridges. I'm reluctant to ask for more. I've ordered refillables with ARC chips. They aren't here yet. The chips on the current carts are not resettable, apparently.
My nozzle checks are virtually always perfect. But this printer refused to budge an inch when a cartridge triggers as low, and reseating them usually has little or no effect.
Epson's updating utility says my software and firmware are fully current, but it refuses to tell me what the firmware version actually is, and the website doesn't say what it should be anyway, so that's a dead end. The code it prints under a nozzle check pattern is supposed to be firmware version, but what do I compare it with?
I'm kind of wondering if there is a source of fresh or resettable chips I could use, but looking online for those online produces only dubious results.
I have to admit, I cannot guarantee whether the problem is in the printer or the cartridges, and I'm about out of ideas on how to prove it one way or the other.
Any useful suggestions or clarifications would be gratefully appreciated.
I have Epson Stylus Photo 1400 I bought used, and I use low-cost third-party inks (Moustache). It's been working wonderfully until recently. However, I am now having to change ink cartridges almost daily, where before they would last weeks, even printing 13x19. There is something screwy going on here.
I have weighed my old empties and compared to new full carts and my false ones. Old empties were running around 16 grams, full were about 29 grams, and the ones giving false readings are varied -- 24 to 28 grams.
So the false empties were still over 75% full!
When this happened the first few times, the supplier sent me free replacements, but it seems to be getting worse, and now I have over a dozen bum cartridges. I'm reluctant to ask for more. I've ordered refillables with ARC chips. They aren't here yet. The chips on the current carts are not resettable, apparently.
My nozzle checks are virtually always perfect. But this printer refused to budge an inch when a cartridge triggers as low, and reseating them usually has little or no effect.
Epson's updating utility says my software and firmware are fully current, but it refuses to tell me what the firmware version actually is, and the website doesn't say what it should be anyway, so that's a dead end. The code it prints under a nozzle check pattern is supposed to be firmware version, but what do I compare it with?
I'm kind of wondering if there is a source of fresh or resettable chips I could use, but looking online for those online produces only dubious results.
I have to admit, I cannot guarantee whether the problem is in the printer or the cartridges, and I'm about out of ideas on how to prove it one way or the other.
Any useful suggestions or clarifications would be gratefully appreciated.