EPSON printer problem

derrick

I have an Epson Stylus CX3200, it is showing;- Error. Scanner error---- > See your documentation and call service if necessary.
It won't print or do anything, ink levels are Black 20%, Colour 40%. Turning off and back on gives same message. If I try to print on turning on, the printer goes though warm up, then starts to print, then stops and ejects the paper.


I have had an "online chat" with Epson and received the following;-


The printer is designed to stop operation at the point where further use of the ink pads could lead to a potential risk of property damage from an ink spill, or safety issues related to excess ink coming into contact with an electrical component. Epson is committed to ensuring the proper operation of all our devices to minimise the risk of property damage or personal injury during the life of the product. The printer will need to be serviced, when was the printer purchased?



Printer is approx 5 years old.


The price of a repair can exceed that of a new unit, have you considered upgrading at all?

I hadn't as the printer does not get a lot of use and has done alright up to now, surely there is a DIY solution?

As advised there is a part in the printer which physically needs replacing, it will need to be looked at by an engineer to find out which part. The printer will into function until it has been replaced. There are no user serviceable parts in the printer


As advised there is a part in the printer that needs replacing, if we allowed the use of the printer after a part has worn there is a risk to property and personal injury.


Am I really stuck with a "service" at a massive cost, or to purchase another printer?


Thanks.



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kwikbreaks

I think I'd just take their advice and get a replacement - you can get all-in-ones for ~ £40 so is it really worth busting a gut trying to fix something that in all liklihood is beyond economic repair. Printers like many cheap electronic products are pretty much disposable items.

derrick

kwikbreaks wrote: »

I think I'd just take their advice and get a replacement - you can get all-in-ones for ~ £40 so is it really worth busting a gut trying to fix something that in all liklihood is beyond economic repair. Printers like many cheap electronic products are pretty much disposable items.

Tend to agree with you, but this could just be another cynical ploy by printer companies to extract money from customers,(same as the printer ink costs), when there could be a cheap viable alternative solution.

Any recommendations for an all in one printer that the inks don't cost the earth for or that you can use compatibles?

kwikbreaks

Well I bought an Epson SX200 for £40 in Tesco a year or more back and it runs on cheap compatibles but they don't seem to last long. I mistrust those printer manufacturers myself and suspect that carts get declared empty when they aren't.

I gave up printing photos myself except for urgent quickies as the supermarkets and Boots do them so cheap so I mostly just use my printer as a B&W photocopier and for printing invoices and the odd letter but annoyingly it will declare a colour cartridge is empty and refuse to print at all. I do try to always remember to select black ink only but probably forget sometimes.

I think when my stash of spare cartridges run out I'll try a cheap all-in-one B&W laser instead.

derrick

kwikbreaks wrote: »

Well I bought an Epson SX200 for £40 in Tesco a year or more back and it runs on cheap compatibles but they don't seem to last long. I mistrust those printer manufacturers myself and suspect that carts get declared empty when they aren't.

I gave up printing photos myself except for urgent quickies as the supermarkets and Boots do them so cheap so I mostly just use my printer as a B&W photocopier and for printing invoices and the odd letter but annoyingly it will declare a colour cartridge is empty and refuse to print at all. I do try to always remember to select black ink only but probably forget sometimes.

I think when my stash of spare cartridges run out I'll try a cheap all-in-one B&W laser instead.

Just having a look, what do you think of one of these, I just need a pretty basic one, I won't be printing photos, and probably won't buy from PC World.

Cannon Pixma MP272

Cannon Pixma MX320

Epson Stylus SX215

Epson Stylus SX415




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deanos

derrick wrote: »

Just having a look, what do you think of one of these, I just need a pretty basic one, I won't be printing photos, and probably won't buy from PC World.

Cannon Pixma MP272

Cannon Pixma MX320

Epson Stylus SX215

Epson Stylus SX415




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First one you cant get compats you need to buy expensive originals

2nd one same

Epsons you can get cheap compats

db9_2

I wouldn't scrap your printer just yet Derrick.

Download the SSC service utility V4.30 to reset the counter. Sorry I'm not allowed to post a link to this. Using this utility you can unlock your printer, reset the overflow and reset the protection counter, bringing your printer back to life.

If necessary (it may not be) you can manually take out the waste pads and clean them. You should be able to find instruction for this online somewhere.

kwikbreaks

If it were the ink pads then I'd agree but the error message is about the scanner. I'd assumed that the online script droid hadn't bothered with what the error message was and simply launched into the standard ink pad full blurb.

Mind you it costs nowt to find, download, and run a bit of software (unless it carries something more than declared of course) so probably worth a go.

===

BTW did you try the online troubleshooting guide?

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?oid=14082

That suggests it may just be a stuck transport lock and tells you how to free it.

derrick

kwikbreaks wrote: »

If it were the ink pads then I'd agree but the error message is about the scanner. I'd assumed that the online script droid hadn't bothered with what the error message was and simply launched into the standard ink pad full blurb.

Mind you it costs nowt to find, download, and run a bit of software (unless it carries something more than declared of course) so probably worth a go.

===

BTW did you try the online troubleshooting guide?

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?oid=14082

That suggests it may just be a stuck transport lock and tells you how to free it.

Hadn't been onto that site, but I had checked the transport lock,(it was in the unlocked position, I locked it then unlocked it, I turned it off and on, but still no joy), been through the checklist and it basically says the same as Epson rep, it needs a service!

derrick

db9 wrote: »

I wouldn't scrap your printer just yet Derrick.

Download the SSC service utility V4.30 to reset the counter. Sorry I'm not allowed to post a link to this. Using this utility you can unlock your printer, reset the overflow and reset the protection counter, bringing your printer back to life.

If necessary (it may not be) you can manually take out the waste pads and clean them. You should be able to find instruction for this online somewhere.

Have used the SSC service, reset is at 0 but still showing Error message as in OP.

Have not cleaned pads as I cannot find a way into them.

Edit to add, I turned off and on a couple of times, still Error, but I pressed the print button and it is now printing and still showing the Error, although I don't have access to the menu whilst this Error light and message are on.