My mom and I both have the printers listed below, currently having similar issues with these machines. The machines I am guessing are +/- 5 years old. She is in the next state (AZ) over, so not always easy helping with issues over the phone.

SKYLANE: EPSON XP-820 AIO Color
Mom: EPSON XP-830 AIO Color

NOTE: Only EPSON recommended cartridges have been used in both machines discussed above.

Both these machines have one big BK cartridge (~$20), and then the four slender cartridges in a single pack (~$50) consisting of C, M, Y, and PBK.

THE RANT:

I use the scanner function on my XP-820 all the time, works great with no issues. Wish it pulled in the paper a little straighter than it does, but not a big deal. Seems to me early on, the printing of color documents went pretty well, as I recall I didn't go thru cartridges like I seem to now.

In later years, the printer functions don't get used quite as often. Back around SEP 2020, I knew I had fairly new cartridges in my printer but the big BK cartridge was not printing on a test print at all. I had to go thru three or four head cleaning cycles to finally get a good test print from BK. Then I couldn't print because two or three of the color cartridges were consumed! Despite needing to print a B&W document, I couldn't since I had to replace the color cartridges. So, off to Target to get a box of the smaller cartridges, then install them. After printing a couple of B&W documents, then the larger BK cartridge registered empty!!! Back to Target for that. About $70 for those trips.

Now with fairly new cartridges in my XP-820 back in the fall, I figured I would be set for awhile. Last night, I needed to print two 1099 forms. Not printing much since cartridges were replaced, I printed the two 1099s and a couple of other B&W items I get notified that my BK and two of my colors are completely empty! So, no more printing until replacing cartridges! Another ~$70 bill coming unless I do something different.

With my mom's XP-830, she doesn't do a lot of printing either (from what she tells me). I helped her over the phone replace all five cartridges in her XP-830 back around DEC or JAN. She printed something back then which she said looked fine, so I didn't have her print a test page. Now, earlier this week, she was having issues with black not showing up in a color print. She sent me a pic of her ink levels, BK was about half full, but all the other four cartridges were nearly full. I had her print a test page, the BK was not printing out. It took three head cleanings to get a good test print. Guess what? The three color ink cartidges totally empty and she couldn't print anymore. Same issue I encountered above, on relatively new cartridges.


SOME QUESTIONS:

(1) When I removed my cartridges that were listed as empty and shook them a bit, there seems to feel like fluid still within. So, I popped the cartridges back into the XP-820 hoping that printer would think that the were "new" so that I could see if they would actually print. But no, printer does not see them as new. Curious: How does the printer know whether or not the cartridge new? How does the printer determine ink level?

(2) Anyone else using the XP-820 or XP-830 with similar rant?

(3) My mom is done with the cartridge issue, she wants to ditch the XP-830 and just get a B&W printer, but she still likes the scanner function. I believe I saw someone in previous thread mention a B&W CANON 11 AIO - I am hoping the scanner function is still in color. I may have her look at CANON 11 unless anyone has a better suggestion for her?

Curious: How does the printer know whether or not the cartridge new?
How does the printer determine ink level?

Cart is chipped. The chip holds the non-volatile data relevant to date
installed, cycles, ink delivered, etc. The printer reads that data.

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(3) I got my mom a multifunction HP Laserjet.

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Skylane,

I had a similar issue with a Brother HL-4040cn color laser printer. The machine was set to print in black and white only. Despite that, the printer tore through the color toner cartridges. Why? Because it uses color toner even when printing in black and white. You'd think it would've been smart enough to use just black toner and ignore the other cartridges. Nope. Got rid of the machine when I found that it wasn't cost effective to run it even with 3rd party toner cartridges.

I've had similar issues with color inkjets. Some use color ink even when printing only in black and white. Some also use color ink as a part of the normal internal maintenance routines. Better color inkjet models still let you print in black and white only even with empty color ink cartridges. In that situation, you send the doc to the printer and then you may need to tap a button its control panel to tell it to continue the job.

These days, every all-in-one printer should have the ability to scan in color even if it's a black and white only printer. Just check the specs to confirm prior to purchasing.

Robert

Sorry, but Im in the "just buy generic ink" camp.

I wouldn't buy a new printer unless generics were available.

There's nothing wrong with the printer... correct? $15 for a new set of generics. Dozens of 4.5 star rated carts on amazon.

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

I bought a Brother all-in-one and I have to run the clear clog cycle every time I use it.

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jdc,

More and more manufacturers are requiring chipped cartridges. That your experience definitely doesn't reflect all experiences. Tried 3rd party "chipped" cartridges in my office's Officejet 8620. The printer recognized the cartridges. That wasn't an issue. That they leaked and killed the printhead, that was a _very_ expensive problem. Never again.

Would be less concerned about 3rd party toner in a laser printer, though. No printhead to kill. In an inkjet? Not a chance.

Robert

Robert

I will agree chipped carts are a thing more and more printers are using. Your experience definitely doesn't reflect all experiences. Tried 3rd party ink in almost every printer I have ever owned, including going way, way back to generics in my Epson Stylus Pro 3000 and 5500. Never an issue that I can remember. Tens of thousands of pages out of both. Sure, pre chip, but the mechanical part (which is what sounds like what failed on your printer) has been flawless. Same with generic color laser toner in my Xero 7300DN and 7400DN.

My current daily drivers are Brother JW835 and Epson WF 7820, generic carts in both, chipped -- no issues.

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

Ecotank.

Laser and say farewell to
clogs
ink that fades in UV
expensive ink
deep frustration

Quote
davemchine
I bought a Brother all-in-one and I have to run the clear clog cycle every time I use it.

What model and more importantly, whose carts are you using?

Only time my 9yr old MFC-J825DW clogged was because I left it unplugged
for two weeks (couldn't run auto-purge). Followed simple cleaning vid on
YouTube & next day it was back to normal. Stays plugged in now!
Using EZ-Ink carts from bezosville.
14-pack $20 (5B+3C+3M+3Y)

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39°36'17"N 75°44'43"W

DuckDuckGo
The search engine that doesn't track you.

DemComm Records 2021 Greatest Hits
includes:
Taxman by Joe & Nancy's Rich Ice Cream Band
The Humpty Dance by The Harris-Brown Hookup
Lets Spend The Night Together by The Fang-Swalwell Gang
Díaz-Canel Is A Friend of Ours by The AOC Squad
My Old Kentucky Retirement Home by MitchMcC & The Soggy Boxer Boys
Burning Down The House by Merrick & The Goons
Back In the USSR by Bernie's Red Square Trio