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

There is a wide line of colors in this series of Epson cartridges.  There are two different black cartridges that can be used.  One is a matte black and the other is a photo black.  In this series of cartridges is a gloss optimizer cartridge.  This cartridge gives uniform gloss coverage for prints.

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 install the cartridges into the Stylus Photo 800 and 1800 printers please do the following;

–          Open the printer cover.  Press the ink drop button.  Lift up the cartridge cover.

–          Press in the tab on the back of the cartridge and lift it out of the printer.

 

–          Insert the new cartridge into the correct color slot.  Press down on the cartridge until it clicks into place.

–          Close the cartridge cover, press the ink drop button, and then close the printer cover.  The printer will then charge the cartridge(s).

 

Print Quality Issues

 

There’s a clear piece of plastic covering the nozzle at the bottom of the cartridge.  Do NOT remove this clear piece of plastic, the printer will puncture this during the charging 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.  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 cleaning;

–          Press and hold down the ink drop button for 3 seconds to begin the print head cleaning.  The cleaning will take about 45 seconds to complete.

 

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 cyan going into the magenta slot for example.