Epson Generic Printer Ink - Here I Go Again!

[leebo]

I have an Epson Stylus Photo R380 that was given to me about a year and a half ago. I had purchased generic ink cartridges from Meritline and they worked fine for my purposes (printing B&W text on my printable DVD's).

Then generics disappeared for about a year, as everyone probably knows. 4 months ago, I needed a black cartridge and checked Meritline, and to my delight they once again had generics!
I purchased a set and installed the black one, and it has worked fine.

This week I needed to change one of the colored ones, so I installed one of the generics. The printer wouldn't recognize it. I had to order some DVD blanks, so I ordered from Meritline and added a genuine Epson ink cartridge as I didn't have time to play games.

I also wrote to Meritline and explained the situation. their response was to read their return policy, which I did. It states that returns must take place within 30 days, so I'm screwed. I don't change all my cartridges at the same time, I change them when they're empty, so it's normal for me to have a few sitting on the shelf for a couple of months.

Here's where it gets weird:
After installing the "genuine" cartridge, the printer reported that yet another cartrage, one that it had happily been using for the past 4 month, was no longer recognized!!! My R380 seems to have developed Alzheimer's!

After a string of cus words, off I went to Staples to buy a few more genuine cartridges. After replacing that cartridge, my printer all of a sudden could not recognize the final two cartridges (cartridges it had also been happily using for months).

So my question is, how come it stopped recognizing cartridges all of a sudden? It's not even a matter of who made the generics. I used to use G&G but can't find them anymore. The newest say only "Re-manufactured cartridge" and "Made in China".

I found this old thread that seems to be related, but it still doesn't explain my situation.
https://forum.videohelp.com/topic328815.html?highlight=generic%20ink

[craigarta]

I have a Workforce 500 and I got some generics that work great and cheap too


http://myworld.ebay.com/ink.manufactory/

[minidv2dvd]

don't feel bad. epson's have a nasty reputation for not even recognizing "genuine epson" carts at times. if i ever lost my mind and bought an epson the only thing i'd use is a cis system.

[disturbed1]

Epson sued G&G, one of the few manufacturers of generic Ink carts that actually worked. Epson patented their chips on carts, so it's harder for generics to work properly. You can try the ol' switch-a-roo, but it gets tiring constantly popping carts in and out every time you want to print. Not to mention Epson does a head cleaning every time you swap carts.

One way to get by all of this crap, is to remove the genuine Epson chips for their ink carts, attach them to the generics. Get a chip resetter, and be happy until it clogs your print heads

[leebo]

Come to think of it, the last batch of generics that worked had a removable "clip" that the chip was attached to. You had to assemble it before putting it in the printer. Unfortunately, the clips only work with the special carts they snap onto. There is no way to use them with other cartridges.

I wish there was a printer that printed on DVD's, that only used black ink. Six carts, only one is black. That's 5 X $15 for no reason. $75.

[BobbyScot]

Epson sure know how to charge for cartridges to suit their c42 printer - £22 for the black colour cartridge.

[brucejackson]

I suggest you use the UFOSYSTEM ink refill system.
I bought a auto loader printer from CES show and the problem that I had with Epson ink cartridge was not only the price but also the cartridge contain small amount of ink.
I had to stop the print job, refill the ink and keep monitoring the printing process.
With the UFOSYSTEM solution, I fill up the ink every time I reload the disks.
Check the product here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d44CL5-G7sE
http://www.neweggmall.com/Product/2008616780/product.html
I think I save more than 90% of ink cost and it is a much smoother dvd printing process.

[classfour]

I'm using refillables on an Artisan 800, R280 (the same basic version of your R380) that I purchased from a seller on ebay.

The R280 did on occasion dislike a cartridge (actually the chip), and I could get past it by re-inserting the cartridge.

I've never used the generics from meritline. I went to the refillables because of the headache of working with a CIS system (more frequent fills, but you don't have to decapitate the printer).

The only printer that I can't get refillables to work in is a CX5000, and I suspect the printhead is clogged beyond repair - because it sat for three months before the family used it.

[KTH]

You may have to use either genuine or generic cartridges at any one time. I used to have a R380 that I used refillable ink cartridges with auto reset chips and when I first tried installing one of these refillable cartridge after one of the OEM cartridge was empty I couldn't get the printer to recognize the new cartridge. I contacted the seller of the generic and was told that sometimes you need to remove all the OEM cartridges and replace them with the refillables. After I did this all the refillable cartridges were recognized. Kind of a waste of ink unless you remove the ink from the OEM cartridges and put it in the refillables.

[LCSHG]

Again
I have an Epson NX300 and a Workforce 600 , Both have a 4 cartridge system
Black, Yellow, Magenta,. Cyan. The replacement cartridges are clear with onboard chips that the Epson will recognize and work without fail in both I do feel that these cart. Will work fine in most all of the Epson 4 cart. Systems. This is a Bulk ink system and the cartridges are removed and filled and replaced. The ink recommended and used is excellent. Both printers are some 2yr old and the cartridges filed many times, both by removal and in place --No Problems


inkproducts.com


No Reset chips are needed

PS This is far cheaper than the Epson cartridges and cheaper and less problems than any generic

Forgot The cartridges are double capasity

[hock2k5]

Epson printers can be a pain. You may try removing all of the cartridges, and turning off the printer and unplugging it from the wall for about 5 minutes. Then plug it back in and reinstall the cartridges. I've been buying my replacement ink at Professorink.com lately and they have been working very well.

Good Luck!

[LCSHG]

Take A look At This Site
Hopefully Again

http://inkproducts.com/

That is the correct site address.

[delius]

http://stores.ebay.com/ezink-store -- use these generics on my epson 800 no problems at all on 3rd batch
http://www.epson.ca/cgi-bin/ceStore/BuyEpson/ccHome.jsp refurb but with warranty bought mine here