Will an Epson inkjet still print black if black cartridge is empty?

anotherquestion

Hi folks,
I have an Epson inkjet printer and a nozzle check shows that black is not really present at all, I have replaced the cartridge with a third party one (only problem is though I can hear the ink inside it, the cartridge  itself is over four years old) I have done a few head cleans but no good.
I can still get a black print out though when I ask it to print a normal black word document (though it wont print bold black text) is this because the other colours are somehow mixing the colours to get a black print out, though it may not be a bold deep black? I have ordered some more replacement cartridges on Ebay.
Thanks for any info.

Neil_Jones

Epsons do not go through the print motions if one of more of the cartridges are empty (or if it thinks they're empty).

What you've probably got is a blocked nozzle.  The issue with inkjets is if you don't use them regularly, they dry up and this usually manifests itself by no ink coming out of the cartridge when you print.  As a general rule replacing the cartridge should clear this but expect another head clean or two first.

All modern inkjets make all colours they can by mixing the four colours (or six depending on the printer) as appropriate.  Black can be made by mixing red, blue and yellow together but this is complicated to an extent because what you see on your screen is not necessarily what will come out (unless you have a "top end" colour-calibrated one), and what will come out is not necessarily what you think.  All to do with light.  What you see on the screen is added light.  What you see on the paper absorbs light so it looks darker.

anotherquestion

Thanks Neil, I have ordered more third party cartridges on ebay, but do hear the ink swishing about in the existing cartridge I put in as a replacement, but as it was bought in 2016 maybe the ink has gone off by now.
I do have a syringe and cleaning liquid to try and unblock the nozzle if that is indeed what it is, hope that might help, I really don't know. 
I still have the setup cartridges but it was a no go with that, even though it was never used, the printer wouldn't let me pass that stage, kept telling me it is a setup cartridge, maybe it wants me to use all the other setup cartridges as well.

Neil_Jones

Well the point of the set up cartridges was to, well, set it up.  You're well past that point by now.

For the cost of Epson compatibles (dirt cheap) they're not worth faffing around if they're old and dried up.  Just replace them.