Epson R3000 troubleshooting

[Jhausler]

I'll try to keep this short. I've had an Epson R3000 for several years now. It gets used every once in a while. I tried to print some B&Ws tonight for the first time in forever.

The first attempt had lines across the print. I've had this before, so i wasn't worried, usually the 1st print in a while looked like this.

I replaced the almost empty PK and LK cartridges (all on-brand) and did a nozzle cleaning and printed again. Then stuff got weird.

1st attempt w lines on top, the "weird" prints i'm asking about on bottom. I tried a few things, but now they all come out like this.

I'm guessing (hoping?) maybe a bad cartridge? Maybe something worse?

Thanks for your advice!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Did you put the cartridges in the right places? Looks like stuff that should be dark is printing light, like you had the light black ink in the dark black slot?

 

[Dogman]

You've probably got a nozzle that's clogged. I have an R3000 and it needs to run frequently or nozzles get jammed up. The way the prints look when this happens can vary from lines in the print to some sections of the print coming out dim or with weird semi-solarized appearance or off colors. The machine uses the color cartridges for B&W printing so odd colors can show up in the print as well.

Run the nozzle cleaning program until the test prints are completely clear. This might require several cleaning cycles and it will use lots of ink. Hopefully this will fix the clogged nozzle. If not...well, let's hope this works.

 

[Jhausler]

Thanks for the tips.

Yes, i triple checked the cartridges are in the right place. That was my initial thought.

Dogman, as for the nozzle cleaning. Is it worth trying the papertowel with alcohol cleaning thing to save ink, or is that a different thing?

 

[Timmyjoe]

I'm curious about this as well. Have an R3000 but never tried the alcohol cleaning of the nozzles, but that has worked well with other ink jet printers I've had over the years.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Dogman]

Never tried any methods of nozzle cleaning other than the program. Might be worth a try but I would run the cleaning program first.

 

[Jhausler]

good call.. out of curiosity, when the printer runs the cleaning program, where does all the lost ink go?

 

[Dogman]

There's a waste ink tank or sponge that collects the ink. With the larger Epsons, these are user changeable. With smaller units like the R3000, I'm not sure it's an owner maintenance item. Probably can find more with an online search.

 

[Jhausler]

Very helpful.. and very interesting. I found this about rerouting the waste tubes into a bottle instead of onto pads:
https://shop.inkjetmall.com/Small-format-waste-ink-kit.html


I had no idea there's a pad full of ill ink in my printer. that's crazy.


What's even more whack.. or good? is that there are a few companies that have software to essentially hack your printer to reset the warnings that your pads are full of ink. They charge $10 a reset. i'm astonished that this is a thing.
https://www.2manuals.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=10&products_id=1149

 

[Jhausler]

So apparently i'm at the top level of clogged nozzle. I did the self cleans and the windex method. Got a lot of gunk off, but still when i do the nozzle check, i get like 1 or 2 specs where the pattern for the PK/MK nozzle should show up.

Dang..

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Its possible your waste pad if full. When that happens ,you'll often get nozzles that won't unclog. I your printer does not have user-replaceable waste tanks, its basically time to buy a new printer because the cost of having it serviced is high. Don't use software to foll the system into thinking the waste pad has been replaced, it won't fix the problem because the full pad is what is keeping the nozzles from clearing.

 

[Dogman]

Oh, boy. Like Chris said, this is about it for the printer. Epson printers make beautiful photos but they're notorious for clogged nozzles making the printers unusable. I typically try to print something every week to 10 days to keep ink flowing properly but even then I sometimes have to run the cleaning program to clear a minor logjam.

 

[Jhausler]

Wow.. that's a real bummer. I'm gonna try the Quadtone RIP software tonight and run a sheet of just the PK/MK ink.. see if that helps.



I've gotten no warnings about the pads being full, but also seems cheap enough to buy the $12 external tank and install it.

 

[Jhausler]

I misread the RIP instructions, and it's not for cleaning a nozzle.

Faced with buying a new printer, i started with about $80 on cleaning fluid, blank cartridges and some other stuff from InkjetMall. They seem to have really good customer service and directed me on what parts i need to do the job.

Wish me luck..

 

[Bob Michaels]

Sometimes we need to step back, take a deep breath, clear our heads and make an objective assessment if it is worth simply replacing the printer at nominal costs. This solves all problems, guaranteed.

All consumer inkjet printers are very cheaply made with little consideration to repairability even extending at times to ultrastubborn clogs. But they are also sold at a very low price once you consider the ink you get when you buy a new printer. Currently a refurbished Epson P600 (replacement model for the 3000) is available for $539 including free shipping direct from Epson USA. But that also gets you $288 worth of ink, so you are effectively paying $251 for the new printer. All problems are solved and you have a new printer with one year warranty. My experience with Epson factory refurbished units is that they are as good as new, possibly better as they are more rigorously tested.

Now it is a real emotional challenge for some to buy a new consumer product, even at a nominal price, when the current one fails. We can feel cheated by the manufacturer. We can hope that investing money and time in repairing the current problem unit will result in a lower cost solution. Sometimes it does, sometimes not especially if we value our time and frustration. Not an easy decision but one we must consider.

 

[Out to Lunch]

Many moons ago, when I had an Epson printer -I don't remember the model, this is the problem I had...clogged nozzles. I ditched it, changed to a Canon printer and did not have this problem again.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Many moons ago, when I had an Epson printer -I don't remember the model, this is the problem I had...clogged nozzles. I ditched it, changed to a Canon printer and did not have this problem again.

And I haven't had a clog in my old 2400s or the replacement P600 in ten years or so. Don't bother doing nozzle checks any more unless it has been setting for many months. Even then they are OK. Now the 1280s that I had before that did clog from time to time.

I am sure one can do well with many of the modern day printers. But no other brand has the infrastructure support that Epson's do because of their popularity as photo printers.