To avoid problems with printing on an Epson printer, you should purchase consumables only from authorized dealers and trusted manufacturers, for example, in the "Master Service". We carry out diagnostics and repair of printers with any malfunction.
Most Epson printers have a separate print head. The ink is located in a separate part of the printer and is a kind of storage. As commands are received, ink flows from the front of the printer into the machine and onto the paper.
One of the frequent breakdowns in which people contact the service center is that the epson printer does not print black. It is possible that other colors appear correctly on the screen, but black ink is not being delivered.
Before making repairs, you should carry out diagnostics and understand why the printer does not print in black epson.
The reasons why the Epson printer does not print black
Of course, only qualified service technicians can identify the cause of the malfunction and fix the malfunction. However, users will also be interested to know about the most common causes of problems why an Epson inkjet printer does not print black. Among them:
- Use of substandard consumables. Sometimes incorrectly selected cartridges or combination of cartridges from different kits leads to the fact that the printer starts to work incorrectly;
- Using ink that is too thick or too thin will clog the nozzles;
- For some Epson printers, insufficient ink in the cartridges causes a malfunction. In this case, the black color may be absent or look very pale. It turns out that the printer does not print in black but in color;
- Clogged print head. Only specialists can deal with this problem.
- The printer is not configured correctly. This may be either not installed drivers, or not correctly configured, or the printer itself is not configured correctly in the settings. This often causes the Epson printer to not print in black.
Epson inkjet printer does not print in black: repair
Manual cleaning is necessary when using the device for a long time. Only an experienced master can make it efficiently.
In order to consult with a specialist, it is enough to call our service center and agree on a convenient time for the visit. Cleaning your printer properly will extend its useful life by several years. Especially often they contact us, since the epson l120 and r300 printer does not print in black.
Highly qualified specialists, a competent approach to solving each situation and the availability of modern equipment allow us to carry out repairs and cope with the problem when a color printer does not print black.
You urgently need to print a document, and the printer turns out to print or prints with a marriage. Do not rush to run to the service, the problem can be solved quickly, cheaply and on your own.
HP office equipment, according to experts, is the most frequent customers of service centers. Therefore, when buying an HP printer, you need to prepare for future problems and learn how to solve them yourself. Of course, complex faults must be trusted by specialists, but in some cases, you can diagnose and fix the problem yourself.
Important! When starting to repair the printer yourself, you should be aware that, due to inept actions, the device may never work again and is not subject to warranty repair.
Printer does not print in black
Such a nuisance can happen for various reasons:- lack of paint
- drying paint in nozzles
- contact block clogging
- printhead failure
If the printer is rarely used, the remaining ink in the head nozzles may dry out. Such a head will not be able to print. Routine head cleaning will most likely not help. But it is possible to clean it in other ways.
Prepare a small container of distilled water, remove the black cartridge and immerse it in the liquid so that only the print head is in the water. Leave the cartridge in this position for a day.
Advice! You can speed up the process by using glass cleaner instead of water. The head is cleaned in 20 minutes, but it is not known how the parts of the cartridge will react to the influence of an aggressive environment.If the computer does not see the cartridge, and you are sure that you inserted it correctly, then most likely the contact group is dirty. It is enough to clean it well with a napkin and the cartridge will work.
Nothing helped? This means that the head or the control chip is out of order. Only replacing the entire cartridge will help.
Printer does not print with color ink
Everything that applies to black ink cartridges is also true for color ones. But if all colors stopped printing at the same time, then most likely the head is out of order.
Advice! Make sure Print in Grayscale is not enabled in the printer properties. In this case, only the black cartridge is forced to work.Sometimes reinstalling the printer drivers fixes the problem. This is an acknowledged HP error when updating the operating system. The MFP prints scans in color, but only grayscale images from the computer are printed. If the PCL6 or 5 driver is installed, replace it with PostScript (download from the official website). Reinstallation usually fixes the problem.
Problems with the hardware or electronics of the printer itself are not excluded. In this case, you must contact the service center.
The printer does not print, although there is ink
Any of the reasons described above are not excluded.
A working, charged printer should display a reminder:
- out of ink
- no paper
- unidentified cartridge
- there is no connection with the computer
First, restart the printer. This removes random errors and temporary files that may have blocked the printing device.
If it doesn't help, you need to check the settings using the following algorithm:
- Start\u003e Settings\u003e Devices\u003e Printers & Scanners\u003e Printer Model.
- Double click on the printer icon.
- Activate "Use as default".
- Deactivate "Pause Printing" and "Work Offline".
- In the properties, right-click on the printer icon.
- In the drop-down rollout, specify the main default printer.
- Start\u003e Control Panel\u003e View Local Services.
- In the search box, specify "services".
- Select "View Local Services".
- In the window that opens, double-click on "Print Manager".
- In the window we find the "General" tab. From the drop-down rollout in the "Startup Type" select "Automatic".
- We press "Start" and "Ok".
The printer prints blank sheets
This symptom is typical for malfunctions of cartridges, ink tanks, printheads. They are described in detail above. Also, white sheets can get caught during heavy printing. This indicates overheating of the print head. Let the printer rest for a couple of hours and it should start working properly.
If the problem persists, try printing a test page. The printed page indicates the printer is working properly. Computer problem
Check:
- whether the document was created correctly, sometimes it may contain missing pages
- whether the saturation, contrast, brightness controls in the settings have gone to a minimum
- whether the driver has crashed, it is better to reinstall it
Printer queues instead of printing
Typically, these problems are related to the printer properties settings set on the computer.
Advice! Verify that no other real or virtual printer is connected by default as the primary printer.To fix the problem, follow the following algorithm:
- Delete all jobs and restart the printer and computer.
- Press the Windows and R keys at the same time.
- Enter services.msc in the field, click OK.
- In the list of services that opens, select the "Print Manager" or "Print Standby Manager" service.
- Right click on the service and stop the process.
- Navigate to C: \\ Windows \\ System32 \\ Spool \\ PRINTERS folder.
- Delete the contents of the folder.
- Connect your printer and restart your computer.
All described problems are easy to fix on your own, but if you are not sure, take them to a service center. At least they won't make it worse.
Some users of office equipment sometimes have to answer the question of why the printer prints in red. If the device prints in some other color instead of black, for example, gray, then in general it is possible to solve such a nuisance absolutely independently, without the help of professionals.
The most common causes and remedies
- Poor quality ink or compatible cartridges.
If an inkjet printer does not print well in black or even prints in blue, then one of the most likely problems with such a defect is the use of poor consumables. Thus, incorrectly selected cartridges or the use of cartridges belonging to completely different kits can negatively affect the operation of the printer and mfp. The same applies to ink, which during the operation of office equipment can clog nozzles or thicken too quickly. The solution to the problem consists in a careful and competent selection of compatible cartridges, which must be purchased only from trusted manufacturers. Also, in no case should you allow the simultaneous use of consumables from different manufacturers.
- Insufficient ink level.
So, what if the printer does not print in black, but the reason for the malfunctioning of the device is not the wrong consumables? If the machine starts printing with color ink, the possible cause of the problem is insufficient ink in the black cartridge. The fact is that some models of printing devices do not function well with consumables, the reservoirs of which are almost completely empty. It is in this situation that the printer confuses colors or prints but is very faint and indistinct. To eliminate the described cause, you just need to refill all practically empty cartridges or replace them with new ones. Then try printing a couple of test sheets on your printer.
- Clogged ventilation holes or printhead.
Another fairly common reason a printer stops printing in black is clogged vents or the print head that is built into the consumable of the device. Thus, if the printer does not work properly for these reasons, then you should start cleaning the print head. You can solve a problem of this kind using the software method by selecting the appropriate option in the device menu. But if the printing printer after that does not work as it should, then you will have to resort to manual cleaning. Also check the vents on the cartridge, which can be blocked by all kinds of debris. To clean them, carefully pierce each of them with a pin, after removing the ink cartridge from the turned off device.
- Parking hub pump problem.
A possible reason that the printer started to stop printing with black ink is the pump, which could clog over time. As a result, the device does not pump paints. This cause can be eliminated with the help of a conventional cleaning, having previously poured the required amount of flushing liquid or distilled water into the parking area. If water remains on the surface, then you will have to carefully disassemble the device and thoroughly clean the pump. But if the water has been pumped, then the cause of the print defect is a completely different detail.
- Clogged nozzles and channels with crystallized ink.
There is one more very interesting point that will interest all users of office equipment using refillable consumables. It consists in the fact that many paints, as a rule, are made on the basis of water. However, over time, sediment begins to form in expired products of this type. Filtration of such paints is, of course, very expensive and time consuming. For this reason, some manufacturers add alcohol to expired ink to dissolve residue that has formed in it. But alcohol also dissolves dirt, as a result of which the property of the coloring matter changes. If the printer, the cartridge of which was filled with ink with alcohol, is idle for a long time, then the coloring matter begins to crystallize. The insoluble crystals formed in this way can block both the channels and the nozzles of the device, which begins to stop printing in one color or another. Therefore, if your printer does not print yellow, then crystals clogging the nozzle channels may be the cause of this problem.
Other defects and their causes
If a color printer confuses colors or prints in black, the control board or print head may be the cause of this defect. To determine the specific cause, you will need to test the head on another normally functioning device. After that, perform several cleaning cycles of this part, but if the cause is still not eliminated, then most likely the problem is not in the print head.
It should also be added that on the contact pads of some printer models, the conductor may burn out over time. Damage to the contacts may also be the cause of a print defect due to the carriage being filled with ink. The only way out of this situation is to repair in a service center, where you will be advised to change the carriage to a new one or to solder the tracks.
The following problem is often encountered: a color printer prints in black and white. Its cause is most likely a malfunction of the device control program. You can fix the problem by reinstalling it. It is also possible that its default settings are black and white and that is why the printer does not print in color.
If the device prints pink, then to solve this problem, you can first try to clean the cartridge nozzles using the appropriate function, which can be activated from the printer menu. Otherwise, you may need to purchase a new consumable.
In general, as you can see, the causes of the malfunction are very diverse. Some of them are quite specific and depend on the printer model.
Why doesn't the cartridge print after refilling?
So, you have refilled an inkjet cartridge, inserted it into the printer, and the printer either refuses to print and gives an error, or prints but the sheets come out blank (or the colors are wrong). What could be the problem and how to try to solve it?
Most of these problems arise with those HP and Canon printers that have only two cartridges: black and color (tri-color). This is due to the fact that the cartridge itself is a printhead with an ink tank in one housing. There are several weaknesses in this system:
- The print head itself, namely the nozzles... These are channels of very small diameter. The consequence of the small diameter is fast drying during downtime, clogging with various contaminants.
- Print cartridge electronics. The very principle of operation of HP and Canon thermal ink cartridges involves heating the ink in nozzles to "spit out" a drop. Therefore, if, for some reason, there was no ink in the channel, the print head overheats and a partial or complete failure of the electronics and, accordingly, the entire cartridge.
Now let's try to determine the reason why the cartridge does not print and try to make it work. To begin with, let's agree that you have filled the ink in the cartridge and the ink is there. Describes the inside of the inkjet cartridge and describes how to determine the correct refill port.
The first thing to do after refueling is to check if ink is flowing through the nozzles of the print head.To do this, take a filled cartridge and a clean paper towel. We put the napkin on a flat surface and lean the cartridge with the printing part against the napkin for a few seconds, then remove the cartridge to the side and see what we have done (Here you need to be careful because the ink can quickly soak the napkin and stain the tablecloth under the napkin, so it's better put something non-absorbent under the napkin).
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You can see the result of these actions in the table
| Partially or completely missing color | Print cartridge in good condition, all colors are present without gaps | |
| Black cartridge |
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| Color cartridge |
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If you see clear ink stripes on the napkin, one black or triple color (yellow + red + blue together), then the cartridge is refilled and the ink passes well through the channels. Such a cartridge should print.
If there is no ink print at all on the napkin, or it is intermittent, or (in the case of a color cartridge) there are not three color stripes in the print, then there is an obvious problem with the ink supply to the print head.
There are three reasons:
1) No ink
2) Air lock in the channels of the print head
3) Drying of the print head channels
There are three options for solving cartridge ink system problems:
- In the case of an airlock, it can be used to bleed the cartridge and remove air from the channels of the print head. The cartridge must be inserted into the device and, using the supplied syringe, extract air from the print head until ink drops appear in the syringe.
If you do not have this device and you need to print, you can try to displace the air from the print head by shaking the cartridge like a mercury thermometer. When using this method, you must first wrap the lower printing part of the cartridge with a napkin or something else in order not to splatter everything around with ink, and do it in the bathroom.
- Drying of the channels of the print heads of printers can be tried to soak. For this there are special flushing fluids, for example, here. You can also use improvised means, for example, the green "Mr. Muscle" has proven itself quite well. The problem of using improvised washes is only that it is impossible to predict 100% the result of the reaction of the improvised liquid and the internal parts of the cartridge. Special washings are guaranteed safety.
In general, flushing inkjet cartridges is a topic for a separate article.
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After all the procedures, your cartridge should leave such prints on the napkin.
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This means that the ink supply is working properly.
The cartridge leaves a print on the napkin but the printer still won't print, why?
1) Electrical problems
The ink system of the cartridge is working, but in order for the printer to print, the electrical system of the HP or Canon inkjet cartridge must also be working.
If after installing the refilled cartridge in the carriage - the printer displays a message that the cartridge is faulty or missing - you can try to remove the cartridge from the printer and gently wipe the golden electrical contacts of the cartridge with a rubber eraser or alcohol (followed by drying).
It is also useful to look inside the printer into the carriage (this is the place where
Cartridges are installed) and check electrical contacts including there. Often, everything in the carriage is soiled with ink at the contacts - this is the reason for the inoperative cartridge. You need to wipe the contacts in the printer, of course, with the power cord disconnected from the electrical network.
2) Problems of overfilling the cartridge.
Quite often there is such a situation: after refueling the cartridge with ink, when checking on the napkin there is a clear print (either black or three-color) but the cartridge does not print, or does not print in all colors... The reason may be a banal excess of ink in the foam sponge of the cartridge. A sign of such an oversupply is the formation of a drop of ink from the bottom of the cartridge at the outlet openings (when you lift the cartridge, you can see that ink is oozing out of the cartridge). This shouldn't be! The cartridge should not leak in a resting state!
The explanation is pretty simple. When printing, a build-up of ink droplets prevents the droplets from firing onto the paper and can leave blots.
If you have all the signs of refilling, just pump out some ink and make sure that nothing leaks from the cartridge and after wiping it with a napkin, the nozzle part of the cartridge remains clean.
Important notes!
If the printer detects a cartridge, but shows that the ink is at zero, then you should not worry. The thing is that no ink level sensor in the cartridge of course, no printer does not know that you have refilled this cartridge. You just need to ignore the messages about the lack of ink and print calmly.
If the cartridge is detected by the printer and gives good prints on the napkin, but blank sheets come out when printing, it is most likely that the cartridge is faulty electrically and nothing can be done about it. Buy a new cartridge, for example, and refill it on time without printing with a dry cartridge.
Some users may face a problem when the printer does not print well with black, or does not print at all. Such a malfunction can be easily resolved in most cases by yourself, without the help of specialists.
Possible causes of the malfunction
- Bad consumables.
Incorrect selection of cartridges, or cartridges from different sets may not work correctly in the printer. This also swings in the ink - they can thicken too quickly or clog the nozzles.
- The ink cartridges are low on ink.
Some printer models do not work well with cartridges that contain a small amount of ink. It is in such cases that the black color will not be completely absent, remaining pale and indistinct on the prints.
- Clogged printhead or vents in cartridges.
Sometimes the printer does not print black due to the air in the print head or clogged vents in the cartridges.
How to fix problems
It is important to carefully select compatible consumables, purchasing them from trusted manufacturers, and also not to allow cartridges from different manufacturers to work together.
If there is insufficient ink in the cartridges, they must be refilled or replaced.
The printhead problem is the most serious and requires cleaning. To do this, you can use the hardware method by selecting the appropriate command in the printer menu. With prolonged downtime of the device, manual cleaning will be required, which requires care and certain skills. Sometimes, if your printer doesn't print in black, clogged vents are to blame. After turning off the printer, remove the ink cartridges and carefully clean them with a pin.