Epson Printer Obsolesence
Jan 11, 2023 21:13:21 #
I received an article from Consumer Affairs “Are these printers designed to quit working"? They claim that after a certain period of use Epson inkjet printers stop working and produce a message indicating that the printer needs a repair or replacement. The address for the article is shown below.
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Some Epson inkjet printers are designed to shut down after a certain number of prints (consumeraffairs.com)
In the article they also reference an Epson website that confirms this statement. Epson claims that the ink pad that soaks up excess ink is predicted to be full and could over flow after the measured amount of use. The Epson website is shown here:
Epson Printer Parts “Service Required” Message One-Time Maintenance Ink Pad Reset Utility | Epson US
Nice to know they are looking out for us but one wonders if this notification is as far from being accurate as their “low on in change cartridges now”?
I quite using Epson about 5-10 years ago when I found a problem where they decided not to update there software so I could continue to use my , only a few year old, printer.
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Some Epson inkjet printers are designed to shut down after a certain number of prints (consumeraffairs.com)
In the article they also reference an Epson website that confirms this statement. Epson claims that the ink pad that soaks up excess ink is predicted to be full and could over flow after the measured amount of use. The Epson website is shown here:
Epson Printer Parts “Service Required” Message One-Time Maintenance Ink Pad Reset Utility | Epson US
Nice to know they are looking out for us but one wonders if this notification is as far from being accurate as their “low on in change cartridges now”?
I quite using Epson about 5-10 years ago when I found a problem where they decided not to update there software so I could continue to use my , only a few year old, printer.
Jan 12, 2023 05:48:12 #
Funny that this should come up now. I've just 'serviced' my Epson ET-7700 ecotank printer. I use a You Tube guide and the author goes out of his way to say it is unofficial.
I clean the INK PAD out by dropping neat alcohol onto it and waiting for it to soak up some ink then blot it away, repeating several times. I've made enquiries Epson who tell me the Ink Pad cannot be replaced, and even a licensed agent cannot get a part.
Maybe this is part of a planned obselesence programme.
I clean the INK PAD out by dropping neat alcohol onto it and waiting for it to soak up some ink then blot it away, repeating several times. I've made enquiries Epson who tell me the Ink Pad cannot be replaced, and even a licensed agent cannot get a part.
Maybe this is part of a planned obselesence programme.
Jan 12, 2023 07:57:10 #
Toby wrote:
Some Epson inkjet printers are designed to shut down after a certain number of prints (consumeraffairs.com)
Speaking for the P800, there is a pad/tank that collects excess ink. Epson calls it a Maintenance Box.When it is full the printer stops working to prevent a mess inside the printer. The fix is to open the door on the front of the printer, slide out the the old tray and slide in a new one. I replaced mine after 4 years of printing for a cost of $35. Today they are $30 at Amazon.
The sky is not falliing.
Some people prefer to save a few bucks and clean the tanks.
https://files.support.epson.com/docid/cpd5/cpd57990/source/printers/source/ink_functions/concepts/replace_maintenance_box_et3700_4750.html
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Jan 12, 2023 08:16:27 #
My printer has a maintenance box and this does get replaced. But there is a small ink pad under the printhead that collects ink. It maybe that the ink filters through this into the maintenance box, but you can get residual semi-dried ink on this. It is that that I was referring to, I'm not skimping on the maintenance box.
Jan 12, 2023 08:40:09 #
This problem is not limited to Epson. Even large commercial zerox machines have built in obsolescence. That's why they have print counters built in. We contracted to Zerox for hundreds of printers in dozens of buildings. When they reach a certain age or print copy use, they are swapped out and upgraded. On average the machines are swapped at 5 year intervals by contract. This goes for individual desktop printers, to high-end ink plotters, and Zerox copy/scan/fax B&W and Color laser equipment. If a piece of equipment fails its usually not repaired at site; it is swapped out by contract. Thus PM is essential for vendor to keep up on PM.
Jan 12, 2023 09:03:18 #
Toby wrote:
Some Epson inkjet printers are designed to shut down after a certain number of prints (consumeraffairs.com)
Some Epson inkjet printers are designed to shut down after a certain number of prints (consumeraffairs.com)
If this is true, we need laws! We also need laws to prevent people from having to pay subscriptions to keep the features of their new cars working.
Jan 12, 2023 09:27:47 #
I just replaced the Maintenance Box for my Epson XP8600. Cost $10 and received about a week after order. Tech guided me through the simple installation process plus emailing written instructions .
Jan 12, 2023 09:35:50 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
Toby wrote:
I received an article from Consumer Affairs “Are t... (show quote)
I use more ink cleaning my Epson printer heads than I do printing. I’m sure that ink pad is nearing saturation after about four years of use. I’m truly disappointed in Epson’s inkjet consumer printing technology. Why not provide a way for the consumer to replace the ink pad, thereby extending the life and use of the printer, and the purchase of more ink from Epson? Or better yet, why not develop an ink that won’t clog the print head? When my Epson printer stops working, I’m replacing it with a monotone laser printer. Since I seldom print full color documents and photographs at home, a laser printer will serve my needs just fine. Any color printing needs can be done at OfficeMax or a locally owned office supply and print shop.
Stan
Jan 12, 2023 09:39:56 #
StanMac wrote:
I use more ink cleaning my Epson printer heads tha... (show quote)
Sadly the local print outlets are going away. Costco is a prime example. Because of hazmat, greener society efforts more and more of these will dry up. Soon Natural Gas will be outlawed in California. Its already starting.
Jan 12, 2023 10:08:43 #
DaveC
Loc: Illinois
When the Epson 2200 was announced I immediately purchased one. It worked flawlessly for years, albeit with occasional nozzle clean message. And then one day I got the “printer needs maintenance “ message. It continued to work. I checked and the pads underneath the heads were saturated. I found a local Epson service agency near me. I called them, they told me that if I continued to print eventually the pads would overflow and start dripping onto the desk. They had replacement pads in stock, the replacement cost was about $100. (That included cleaning and checking. I had it done, and the printer has been running fine ever since. I have just replaced it because I needed a printer with air print. But I still have it. It was and is a great printer.
Jan 12, 2023 11:06:57 #
I found an Epson sitting on the curb with a free sign on it, the cleaning pad was soaked and it would not print, an absorbent pad and a few Q tips cleared the error message.
Jan 12, 2023 11:16:04 #
Found this on the Epson site:
Why is the printer displaying a service alert for parts in the printer?
Epson printers are designed to provide the optimal level of print quality and performance. Depending on the level of use, the product may reach a condition where satisfactory print quality cannot be maintained, or components have reached the end of their usable life.
What parts need service on the printer?
The service alert refers to the ink pads. There are a number of porous pads in the printer that collect, distribute, and contain ink that is not used on printed pages. Ink is collected by these pads during the initial setup of the product, during cleaning cycles, and when printing borderless photographs.
Most users will never receive this message under normal use scenarios. However, some high-volume users or those who use the printer for many years may receive this message about ink pads before other components reach the end of their usable life. It is dependent on the frequency and type of printing done over time.
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Why is the printer displaying a service alert for parts in the printer?
Epson printers are designed to provide the optimal level of print quality and performance. Depending on the level of use, the product may reach a condition where satisfactory print quality cannot be maintained, or components have reached the end of their usable life.
What parts need service on the printer?
The service alert refers to the ink pads. There are a number of porous pads in the printer that collect, distribute, and contain ink that is not used on printed pages. Ink is collected by these pads during the initial setup of the product, during cleaning cycles, and when printing borderless photographs.
Most users will never receive this message under normal use scenarios. However, some high-volume users or those who use the printer for many years may receive this message about ink pads before other components reach the end of their usable life. It is dependent on the frequency and type of printing done over time.
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Jan 12, 2023 11:43:08 #
delder
Loc: Maryland
Real Nikon Lover wrote:
This problem is not limited to Epson. Even large c... (show quote)
The Duty cycle of the Printer/Copier should be considered. While we might not exceed this on a monthly basis,
It is easy to exceed that if print jobs cluster on a deadline .
Jan 12, 2023 12:19:28 #
I got rid of my Epson printer a long time ago. I got tired of jet clogging and waste of printing paper.
I am very satisfied with the quality and price when using independent commercial printing.
I am very satisfied with the quality and price when using independent commercial printing.
Jan 12, 2023 13:35:07 #
Quite agree. And laws for other companies who are disrupting the printing or print badly, so they force you to use their inks. I use some decent non OEM ink cartridges and then after a month ao so they start printing badly for a couple of days and then start printing regulary again and it goes on. Some chip in the firmware is doing the job.
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