jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

A window popped up on my computer after using my Epson L2350DW laser printer. It was a "WARNING" telling me that the toner was running low. I'm assuming that this is because the toner that shipped with the printer was a smaller amount than usual. I'll keep an eye on it and replace the cartridge before it runs out and stops printing. Or, maybe I should wait until it says it can't print anymore. I have two standard cartridges standing by.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I let mine run 'till the printer says "Replace xxx Ink".
"Low" is an advance warning, not empty yet, but getting there.

BebuLamar

I used to shake the toner cartridge and get more prints out of it.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

The "left" side gets used the most.

BebuLamar

Well I think you meant the Brother printer and not Epson. The toner that came with the printer is supposed to be good for 1200 pages. You are only half way there. But then they rate for only 5% coverage. That is the ink is supposed to cover only 5% of the page.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Oddly, I might print only 3 or 4 things in a year now.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I think I'll just shake the whole printer.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Tell it who's boss....

BebuLamar

Yeah and it's the Brother not Epson.

ecblackiii Loc: Maryland

dadaist

Sounds like youth's strength is still with you!! Stan

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

All printers know who the boss is. 😢

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Ah, yes!

muggins88 Loc: Inverness, Florida

Me too. Then the ink dries up.

Red6

When I was working, one of my many duties was overseeing the copiers and calling for maintenance when needed. Once when the tech was there performing routine maintenance I asked him a question about the cartridges and he gave me a short lesson on printer/copier toner cartridges. He said that one thing you can do to extend the time on the cartridges was to pull them out, tap them sharply against your hand a few times, and then shake them. Toner powder is extremely fine and can cake up over time. Tapping and shaking the cartridge breaks up the caked toner and redistributes it inside the cartridge.

I have a Brother laser printer and have used this technique many times. After getting a low toner message, I tap and shake the cartridge and get another 50 or more copies out of the cartridges. I keep doing this until the copies start coming out too light. This to me indicates it is time to change. If making copies just for my use and not being sent out, they have to get pretty light before I change. On my printer, the warning of low toner is just that, a warning. It will never just stop or refuse to print due to low toner. Usually, it just gets lighter or be missing in certain spots.

If you change cartridges with the first toner warning light, you are wasting a lot of toner. Of course, this is exactly what the toner cartridge makers want you to do.