coolhanduke Loc: Redondo Beach, CA

In the house I have an epson XP800. Don’t do any photo printing on it. I got a message that the maintenance tank needs replaced which cost more than printer.

I found a download on line that resets the tank for a few dollars which I bought realizing at some point it will overflow. I put a towel under it and have been using it for months and it still has not overflowed. Not that I use it that much but they obviously set the counter to go off way long before it needs replaced.

Paul Buckhiester Loc: Columbus, GA USA

one_eyed_pete Loc: Colonie NY

I've solved the Epson printer "waste ink tank" problem a couple times. The most recent was a 6 months ago on an XP-950. I found a youtube video showing how to disassemble the printer and access the waste ink tank to remove it. After I removed the tank I squeezed out and rinsed the saturated pads several times. Then I let them soak in a bucket of water and a half cup of bleach overnight. The next day I rinsed them several times again, squeezed them out and set them out to dry for a few hours. The dry pads were not white but close and slightly deformed from the squeezing. I replaced them and reassembled the printer. Before I started I'd found a waste ink tank reset "key" online with instructions (Paid $4.95 w/ Paypal). My printer has been working perfectly since. I sort of hoped it would fail so I could justify buying a new larger format photo printer.

FYI, it can be messy, I did the disassembly outside on newspaper. I wore rubber gloves to squeeze out the saturated ink pads.

Ron Dial Loc: Cuenca, Ecuador

I have one of those chips. They work, but you have to be very careful or you will have an ink mess. I would not recommend it.

jwreed50 Loc: Manassas, VA

The Epson maintenance cartridge is $21 at B&H and it is easy to change on the 3880 (and I would assume also on the 4880). No mess at all.

10MPlayer Loc: California

I don't know about the chip but I do know I've tried aftermarket ink cartridges before and it's never worked. I tried the cheap aftermarket cartridge and I tried the kit where you refill the OEM cartridge. Neither worked. It's best to suck it up and pay for the OEM product. It will work every time and in the end it's cheaper because you don't have to go out and buy OEM after you tried the aftermarket garbage.

Retrobug

I’ve had an Epson R2400 since they cams out. Epsons use ink in cleaning cycles, and the tank is where the ink goes. On the R2400, it’s not actually a tank, it’s an absorbent felt pad sitting in a tray with minimally high walls around it. The pad is rated to absorb only so much ink, and Epson estimates when the pad should be full by an internal print counter. When the counter hits the number, a warning message gets sent telling you it needs addressing.

There are two steps to the solution: resetting the internal counter, and fixing the physical ink problem.

I don’t know your R4880, but for the R2400 there was a utility program you could run from windows to reset the coumter. People here are talking about a chip resetter, so maybe newer or bigger Epsons are different. I do know it’s possible to run the printer after resetting and not fix the waste ink tank, but on the R2400 at least, that results in a waste ink overflow after a while.

My smaller format printer has an aftermarket external waste ink tank that can be installed, but I don’t know if you can find one for a 4880. Before I got my external tank I did take my printer apart and clean the waste ink resevoir. It was difficult but worth the effort. I see replacement tanks for your 4880 on Amazon, so it must be reasonably doable.

I think you have a nice printer, and it would be a shame to replace it just because the waste ink tank is full.

one_eyed_pete Loc: Colonie NY

As a follow up to my first reply, in a 30 second google search I found the following you tube video showing exactly how to remove, clean and reset the chip which is on the side of the maintenance tank. You would need to buy a chip resitter. The 4880 tank is essentially a drawer, way, way easier than with my printer. The girl (Vicky) cleaned the example while wearing white pants. I would rinse out the original pads but she replaced them with paper towels.

https://youtu.be/Qkh0wAywfnc

FYI, if you want to learn more than you ever wanted to know about printers, OEM ink, 3rd party ink and refilling cartridges check out videos by JTOOLMAN. You will learn more than any of the UHH comments you'll get here.

Ron2photo Loc: Holliston, MA

I have been resetting my Epson 4800 for years. I purchased the resetter. Now I split open the cartridges and roll up the bag inside and reset the chips. Same thing with the tank. I have an overflowed tank right now, so check frequently. It's a really good printer.