Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Figureman52 on 30 October 2012, 16:14:17

Title: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: Figureman52 on 30 October 2012, 16:14:17
Wonder if anyone can help with this?

Print head resisted all attempts to unblock it using the cleaning function.
Took it apart and manually cleaned the printhead.
On putting it back together the printer refused to recognise the cartridges, even when replaced with a new set of compatibles. >:(

Does anyone know of any way of forcing the printer to accept the new cartridges?
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: rob in gib on 30 October 2012, 17:06:58
With the cost of a new Epson costing not much more than a set of ink catridges I would throw it.

Not heared of P50 so forgive me if it`s an expensive 1.
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: STMO123 on 30 October 2012, 17:57:54
I suppose you could try uninstalling and reinstalling the driver :-\
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: TheBoy on 30 October 2012, 18:56:58
If its out of warranty, bin it.
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: Figureman52 on 30 October 2012, 19:02:11
Tried the driver approach, no success >:(

The printer was about £80, one of the few that prints Cds and DVDs, which is why I got it.

A set of compatible inks costs about £8, so I really don't want to scrap the printer if there is any other way.
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: TheBoy on 30 October 2012, 19:09:30
Tried the driver approach, no success >:(

The printer was about £80, one of the few that prints Cds and DVDs, which is why I got it.

A set of compatible inks costs about £8, so I really don't want to scrap the printer if there is any other way.
Compatible inks do tend to quickly kill Epsons, as unlike, for example HP, the nozzles are not part of the cartridge.

Once the nozzles are blocked, they are blocked. You can waste money on cleaning fluids, but in my experience (on my old Epson PX700W (destroyed with 4 packs of compatible inks ::)), they don't help. Then the cleaning tray/tank/pad overfills, and it all goes PT.

I just replaced mine with a PX730Wd, from Amshambles, with a 2nd free ink pack (genuine).  Obviously, as a 6 colour printer, ink isn't the cheapest, but I'm sticking to genuine this time. See if it lasts longer than the 3yrs the old one did.

Like you, I'm tied to Epson for CD Printing.


But all that waffle makes no difference, bin it.
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: tigers_gonads on 30 October 2012, 19:49:05
I've the same printer and had the same problem  >:(

Too fix mine, I injected the empty cartridge with nail varnish remover and kept running the cleaning cycle until it started to try and print with nail varnish remover  ;)
Not exactly a text book fix but it did the job for me  :y

A word of warning .................. All the aftermarket claria ink will shag up your printer so its just not worth it.

What I tend to do is remove the ink cartrage and lay a piece of cotton wool across where the cartrage meets the printer and soak it in nail varnish remover to keep it clear.
For day to day printing, I use an old 950  :-\ which takes pattern inks weith no problem.

As for the printer cartrages them self, if you buy the larger refills, it works out a hell of alot cheaper  :y
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: STMO123 on 30 October 2012, 19:56:20
I've got an epson SX130, cost me £29, prints fine with cartridges that are £12 for 12 on ebay. Not gonna pay 30 odd quid for genuine when the printer cost pennies.
Oh yeah, scans and copies as well ;D
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: TheBoy on 30 October 2012, 20:08:02
I've got an epson SX130, cost me £29, prints fine with cartridges that are £12 for 12 on ebay. Not gonna pay 30 odd quid for genuine when the printer cost pennies.
Oh yeah, scans and copies as well ;D
OP needs one that does CDs, so have to pay a little more :)
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: dbug on 30 October 2012, 21:23:47
Try Jet-tec inks - they also fill epson cartridges for epsom!!  Used to be an agent for them and never had any issue with their epson compats, even on expensive A3 photo printers.
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: PhilRich on 30 October 2012, 22:15:34
Try uninstalling the printer from your pc, shut down & reboot it and then reinstall the printer software. As for inks i've tried many & various for my Epsons and found these people (see link below) sell epson compatible cartridges which they guarantee are as good as epson original ink in all respects. I've used them for over 2 years now with no problems. As for blocked heads I used Isopropylene Alcohol in a plastic syringe with a short length of fish tank air hose attached to pump the fluid under pressure through the printhead, worked every time and saved me binning an otherwise great printer. As for full surplus inktanks/pads, there are workarounds found easily on Google for this and most other problems you may encounter. I hope you manage to sort your printer problems one way or another, good luck!  :y

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=7dayshop&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.7dayshop.com%2F&ei=IU6QULHxIujU0QX7-YHIAg&usg=AFQjCNHHM77b0hEsWAXXdc_d2DV16biKqA
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: Seth on 31 October 2012, 01:14:11

Compatible inks do tend to quickly kill Epsons, as unlike, for example HP, the nozzles are not part of the cartridge.

Once the nozzles are blocked, they are blocked. You can waste money on cleaning fluids, but in my experience (on my old Epson PX700W (destroyed with 4 packs of compatible inks ::)), they don't help. Then the cleaning tray/tank/pad overfills, and it all goes PT.

But all that waffle makes no difference, bin it.

Same happened here! >:(

Only use the genuine Epson Durabrite ink, which I find is top-notch :y

Now got an Epson DX8400, and find it's zoom facility extremely useful, especially for the sign-making that I do, (and some of these are a few years old now):

(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/43954633/img211.jpg)



And of course:

(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/43954633/IMG_0384.JPG)
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: Vamps on 31 October 2012, 01:42:42
2 years between those photos?............ :) :)
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 31 October 2012, 06:43:42
Ive got an Epson 1400 fitted with one of these...

http://www.inkexpress.co.uk/catalogue/Ink-Cartridges/Epson/Stylus-Photo-1400/CISS-1400.html#.UJDHkm_geR8

The nozzles do block occasionally, but thats due to i dont use it often enough, but when i do use it, it gets hammered. 

When the nozzles get blocked, i use this..

 http://www.printheadhospital.co.uk/buy-printhead-cleaning-kits.html

Sorts it out a treat  :y

Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: TheBoy on 31 October 2012, 13:03:55
TD - IME those cleaning kits don't shift Claria inks.  May be because mine is the type where the cartridges stay still, and there are long tubes to the moving head/nozzle?
Title: Re: Epson P50 Printer
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 31 October 2012, 14:04:22
Same as my ciss. Ink bottles stay still and 6 long tubes to the nozzles. However I make sure I buy dye based ink for the ciss and not pigment type. Dye based is less likely to clog up. The cleaning kit I mentoined does state you might have to leave the cleaner in overnight if 10-15 mins doesn't shift the blockage. 15 mins has so far been enough time when I've had to use it. Also comes with blotting paper to soak up excess of cleaner. It was recommended to by the manu of ciss when the nozzles first blocked up.