Printer Problems - Please can anyone help?

BoogieBear_2

I have an Epson CX5400 printer. The black prints fine on documents etc but when I try to print any pictures that involve colours I get loads of lines going down every pictures that are approx 1cm apart.

I have done everything I can think of to remove them, ie cleaned heads (umpteen times) and realigned heads. Nothing makes any difference.

I phoned Epson and their only advice was to take the printer into them and they'll take a look. That will cost me a £25.00 service charge before they even find any fault and start to repair it, which I just can not afford.

Please can anyone else tell me if they've experienced this problem and, hopefully, how to cure it. It is driving me :mad: MAD :mad:

pchelpman

Plenty of good advice here and printer-specific knowledge ....

http://www.fixyourownprinter.com/

Hope it helps. Do let us know how you get on.

BoogieBear_2

Many thanks pchelpman. I'll give the link a look. :beer:

BoogieBear_2

The site you posted the link to was very helpful. It seems I have probably bought the worst printer I possibly could have.

I followed some of the advice off that site and the printing has improved a bit but I have come to the conclusion I will definitely need to buy a new printer sooner rather than later. However, thanks to you, I have gained a little more time to save enough for that unexpected expense. I will steer clear of Epson next time though!

What printer are you using? Do you recommend it? I print a lot of reports and pictures so need a decent printer that can easily cope with this use. Any suggestions? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks once again for your time pchelpman. :beer:

BoogieBear

cranhill

Hi,
It sounds to me like a Ink Cartridge problem, you don't say if your using an Epson or a Compatible. I suggest you invest in an original Epson Cartridge and see what happens. I have an Epson R300 and only use Epson Carts after having many printing problems.

pchelpman

Generally I find Epson good. I have at the moment a (new) Samsung ML1610. It's a monochrome laser as I virtually always do black & white stuff (legal letters and the like). No colour required. We also have a Canon i550 small inkjet for the few occassions when colour is needed.

The Samsung costs about £50 so it's good value. Bad comments from other users include "it's a tad noisy" and "tiny amount of paper curl" of the printed document. Nevertheless I find it great for my needs.

BoogieBear_2

Cranhill - Thanks for the thought but I have always used Epson ink cartridges.


pchelpman - As I definitely do need a good colour printer your model is not one I would consider but thanks for the info anyway.

The help you have both given is greatly appreciated.

Thanks :beer:
BoogieBear

cargo

I hav allways had epson printers and they suffer from ink head blocking usually on the black ink.
This causes the lines you talk about.
I guess you have tried cleaning the head which can take a few trys to clear.
I have used original carts and they also cause the heads to cl
og now and again so I use third party carts now,as to clear the blockage uses a fare amount of ink "not to much of a worry if you paying £5.99 a set versus over £30 a set for there own brand.

pchelpman

Hi cargo ... curiously, two days ago, I was given an Epson Stylus Color 680 ESC/P 2. It was broken and the owner didn't want it any more. She wanted it to go to a "good home"! I have fixed it but am curious as to the cost of cartridges.

You say you use cheaper compatibles sucessfully. Any advice on which ones I could but for this printer? It has the usual stand-alone black but the 3 colours are in a one cartridge.

Thanks for any tips.

cargo

Hi I have a Epson 890 and have use the brand Black Diamond in that for around 2 years and they have been great.
I recently bought an Epson r300 so as I could print onto my dvdr discs.
This as just run out of the Epson ink that came with the printer so have bought some Sumvision ink "only because I was buying paper and media from there web site and it was a free delivery weekend" otherwise I would have bought the Black Diamond brand from elsewhere as I have never had any problems with it.
Black diamond is not the cheapest third party ink on the market, but it as allways been very good.
The Sumvision ink I bought seems ok @ the minute but it as only been in the printer a couple of days and not been used that much so I wouldnt like to recommend it yet.

I have not used this site myself but they were the only online store that stock the brand I would vouch for http://www.inks2uonline.co.uk/oscommerce/epson-grade-compatible-stylus-680777-c-253_263.html

Shipping seems to be £1.29 so it says.

I usually buy the Black diamond brand locally,that said my local shop wanted well over £20 for the Black diamond r300 set "me thinks not" I will try this site myself when i have run out of the Sumvision ink.

pchelpman

Thanks cargo. I think the printer I just fixed hasn't got much ink left so I'll check out your tips. If you get any others please either post here or PM me.

Thanks again. :beer: