Nice printer-easy repair for someone

[Kindigger]

I bought an Epson C84 for Christmas 2004 strictly to print pictures. I didn't try to print any pictures until August '05. :( By then the printhead was hopelessly clogged. I found instructions online to take the thing apart, but it's way over my head.

$125 down the drain, and I hate to throw it out. :banghead:

I have the instructions and CD.

Will send for $5 + actual shipping cost.

[Atman]

1. Hopelessly clogged? Nah...

Just keep hitting the head cleaning button. It may take several tries, but it will eventually come clean.

[Kindigger]

6. Nah....

Sorry I didn't answer anyone last night. I fell asleep.

I used the clean function a bazillion times. I called my friend (on the other side of the country). He used to own a computer repair business. He told me to do this: http://www.wesesweb.web1000.com/printhead.html

I eventually got it to the point where the black would print with blurry lines, but colors only in the test patterns (although the lines are broken).

I'm still looking for the "ink level" indicator tweak. I've lost the link.

I really hate to throw this away, as it's basically a "new" printer. I suppose I'll put the poor thing on EBay, and hike up the shipping a bit to cover the listing fees. They do sell for .99 :)

I replaced it with a Canon PIXMA iP4200...very happy with it so far. Learned my lesson, and print something at least once a week!

[DemInDistress]

2. I have a clogged Lexmark...the color cartrige is dead...

can I take it out and just use black? would you know?

[Kali]

4. not on the epson

it won't even let you clean or print when it declares it is out of ink. - there is always more ink, it lies like cheney and bush

[Kindigger]

7. Check your printer properties

There's a place where you can check "black only". Some will work with an empty color cartridge, some won't.

Good luck :)

[DemInDistress]

10. hey, thanks for the tip !!! ^5 whether it works or not

I'm always happy to get computer tips,,see my problem is I have less computer skills than bush has telling the truth...lol

[DemInDistress]

11. Ok I tried but to no avail...I will have to call Dell...

they made me waste nearly 400 minutes both on the phone and online and still they couldn't help me solve a computer malfunction..I told the Dell agent in India that I hoped Pakistan nuked them..lol, I was soo angry. I paid for this support not the agravation..BTW, all calls and online chats are recorded so the supervisor tells me, forget the "this call may be recorded bs"

Thanks again,,,you tried..

[DemInDistress]

12. one more time...I took out the color cartridge and tried it

AND IT PRINTED ^5 TO YOU, AT LEAST I CAN COPY NOW IN BLACK

Thanks again my friend....

[DemInDistress]

13. I did take out the color...and it prints thank you..

I ended up replying to myself...lol but I can print again...

[Kali]

3. go read all the comments on this printer at Amazon

I have one too. Just posted about it's potential replacement today in the computer forum..ggrrrrrr


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=242&topic_id=7000&mesg_id=7000


I would be interested in the link to the cleaning instructions.


Standard OP for these cheap epson printers: just stops working one day - after warranty is up and user wastes tons of ink and money trying to "clean" it, calls Epson, gets charged for out of warranty call and gets told you better just get a new printer, the repair is about the same price

[Atman]

9. Epson has provided THE BEST customer service ever

I'm a totally loyal Epson fan. The only non-Epson I purchased was nearly five years ago, a Canon 11x17 ink jet. It sucked. It would print one page and freeze. It was designed for PC's, even though it supposedly worked with Macs, but mine never would. I returned it and bought an Epson 1520, print(ed) up to 17 x 44." They still make a version of it. I had to retire mine, still working, when Apple switched to USB from ADB.

Anyway, I also have/had a couple of their "consumer-level" machines. The only time I've had a problem, I called Epson (it was out of warrantly by over a month) and they overnighted me a shipping container. I sent it to them on a Thursday, overnight, and received it back SATURDAY.

Just last week my son finally called Epson about his all-in-one scanner/printer/copier/fax/toaster/julienne fry maker because he couldn't get anything but blank pages. It said it was printing...nothing, though. Epson told him not even to send it back. They shipped out a brand new on, told him to toss the old one. Since he'd purchased four new ink carts, they threw in replacement ink, too. Got it less than a week after his call.

I use a C60 for my daily printer. One of the cheapest Epson makes (about $65). It was a promo printer that came with my computer FOUR YEARS AGO. Still works and prints flawlessly. Beautiful photo prints at 2880 dpi. If you're out of color ink, it will still print until the black goes out.

I know everyone has different experiences, but mine with Epson and Epson products have been about the best anyone could expect from any company. I would never switch. They're stellar products, in my book.

(BTW...you weren't using generic ink carts, were you? NEVER use generic ink. It'll clog your printer nearly every time.)

[Kali]

5. oh man - I am sorry

I just realized all my comments are NOT going to help you sell this. I got carried away because mine quit last night and I am going through the same headache - sorry can we delete the whole thread?


PS I shut mine down and closed it all up and this morning it worked fine, but now I am almost out of ink again and not sure I want to buy more.....

[Kindigger]

8. Still looking for the link....

to the ink level fix. If I find it, I'll post it.

It's okay. Really didn't think anyone would want it. The poor thing was just sitting here on the floor staring at me last night, and I can't bring myself to throw it away :)

[ima_sinnic]

14. exact same thing happened to me with a C64

I let it sit for about a year with an empty black cartridge, then--planning to ramp up my eBay business--I invested in 10 black and color cartridges -- and the #%*^ thing just would not print black with a new cartridge. I got sick of hitting the head clean button and watching all that black ink dwindle down FAST with still nothing printed, so went out and bought an HP all-in-one (the scanner on that one I don't like at all, but won't get into that now). The Epson, the installation CD, and the manual have been sitting here cluttering up the place while I try to figure out what to do with them. I was thinking of putting them on the local freecycle list but now I think I should just throw the whole dang thing in the dumpster.