INK TANK – These don’t have a print head attached so DO NOT perform the paper towel method.

This is an extra high capacity black cartridge that only works with a few specific Epson printer models.  It is important to check to make sure you have the right cartridge for your specific model printer.

This is used in place of a T069120 black or a T068120 high yield black to provide an even greater printing capacity over those black cartridges.  The T097120 black is physically thicker than the T069120 or the T068120.

These are re-manufactured cartridges which mean the casing is an original Epson casing that’s been refilled, relabeled/sealed, and re-programmed/re-chipped.

Not Recognizing

 

Verify you have the correct cartridge for your specific model printer.

 

Make sure the cartridge is installed correctly and fully inserted.  Make sure that you are installing the right color into the right slot.

 

There is a smart chip on the cartridge located on the end that is installed into the printer.  Check to see if there is any dirt or damage on the gold contact points.  It’s normal for the Epson name on the chip to be crossed out with permanent marker.  You can use a dry Q-tip to gently wipe the chip contacts.  Do not touch the chip with your fingers, as finger print oil can cause false readings.

You can try resetting the machine.  To do this; remove the cartridges from the printer, power the printer off, unplug the power cord for 10-15 seconds, re-insert the power cord, turn the printer on, and re-insert the cartridges.

 

To replace the cartridge on the specific Workforce printer models this extra high capacity black is compatible with please do the following;

–          Press the Home button, press < or > to select Setup, and press OK.  Select Maintenance and press OK.  Then select Ink Cartridge Replacement and press OK.

–          Open the scanner.  Make sure the Auto Document Feeder is closed when you open the scanner.

–          Open the cartridge cover.

–          Squeeze the tab on the cartridge and lift the cartridge straight up to remove it.

–          Insert the T097120 into the black slot in the holder.  Push it down until it clicks into place.

–          Close the cartridge cover and then close the scanner.

–          Press the OK to begin charging the ink.

 

Sometimes when our cartridges are installed the LCD screen of certain Epson printers may ask if it is ok to use third party cartridges.  You must select Yes, the default option will have No selected so you must change it to Yes.

 

 

Print Quality Issues

 

There is a yellow piece of tape that must be removed prior to installation.  This opens a vent hole.  Do NOT remove the clear piece of plastic found on the nozzle at the bottom of the cartridge; the printer will puncture this during the cartridge replacement cycle.

Try shaking the cartridge or gently tapping it on a hard surface.  Take caution if the cartridge has already been open as ink may leak out of the punctured nozzle and vent hole.  A paper towel can be used to cover these two holes before attempting to shake or tap to prevent ink leakage.

A print head cleaning should be performed when experiencing any type of print quality issue.  On some Epson printers you will have the ability to select whether the cleaning will be done on the black or the colors depending on which cartridge is giving the issue to help conserve ink.  Print head cleaning does use a lot of ink so it should be done sparingly.  Epson recommends that if the first cleaning doesn’t resolve the issue to perform a second clean but allow the printer to sit for 10-15 minutes BEFORE attempting to do any printing.  This allows the ink to soak on the print head and help soften or loosen any dried ink which may be clogging the nozzles.

 

To perform the print head cleaning do the following;

–          Press Home, use the < or > buttons to select Setup and press OK.  Use < or > to select Maintenance and the press OK to enter the maintenance menu.

–          Select Head Cleaning and press OK.  Press Start to begin the cleaning process.

–          When you see this screen, select Nozzle Check, then press Start to run a nozzle check and confirm that the print head is clean.  Then select Finish Cleaning when you’re done.

Also, remove the cartridge and check the bottom to make sure the nozzle has been punctured.  While the cartridge is out check the slot in the printer to make sure there is no debris that may be blocking the ink from coming out correctly.

 

Not Fitting

 

Verify you are installing the correct cartridge into the correct slot.  Double check the cartridge number on the cartridge to verify it is indeed the correct cartridge and not a light cyan going into the cyan slot for example.  Also, check the ridges on the back of the cartridge for differences from the OEM.

The T097120 is physically larger than the T069120. The printers that can use the T097120 have a larger black slot to accommodate the thicker cartridge.  When a T069120 is installed in the place of a T097120 there will be empty space to the left of the cartridge as the T069120 is thinner than the T097120.

Notice the thickness difference between the T097120 and the T069120 cartridge.

Not all the printers that use the T069 cartridges can use the T097120 cartridge so it’s important to verify you have the correct cartridge for the specific model printer.