Epson ECO TANK FAILURE

[rocknanchor]

CONSTANT PRINTER FAILURE, SUBSEQUENT COMPANY FAILURE
Epson ECO-TANK ET3760
Purchased 2020
​

Aware of the global excellence of the tech and product giant, Seiko Epson Corporation isn’t much comfort when all that technology comes to a halt in my work area. One of their popular printers has failed one of its customers and customer service itself. My specific problem working within this printer isn't available it’s internally locked from view, operated by yours truly, a novice technician. Yes, Epson Customer Support was unable to administer a remedy to this recurring but identical problem with this otherwise wonderful product.

ISSUE: The first two years have been a wonderful experience with their product, consistently printing 150 color documents per week, give-or-take. Then about a month ago problems started to take hold and accumulate from the start with trace voids in my printing. Using the deep cleaning feature or regular, didn't matter, it is stubbornly consistent. Let the machine set for 10-15 minutes and its either heavily striped with voids or no output at all consistently, all the time, every time. Not until 2-quick head cleanings are performed which loads up the 'Maintenance Box' cleaning system in short order. But to resume operation, this function is required to perform ordinary printing, all the time, every time.

Do remember, I'm the novice, you tell me how this is not a deliberate design feature within the scope of Epson’s programmed product sequence? The web forums covering printer owners retrieving their printers from error aren't especially rich with success, but ripe with agreement on a technology-advanced industry who's product, printers, universally (with scant exception) inflicts the marketplace with a deliberate inadequacy - short-lived lifespan.

2-year lifespan? How surprising from one such as Epson, who has been serving the graphics industry for decades.

Hopefully, there are plenty reading this who are fully content with their home printer. Thank God for the exceptional exception!​

 

[JesseRaymondBassett]

So are you saying that your epson printer is not working or am I missing something?

 

[rocknanchor]

So are you saying that your epson printer is not working or am I missing something?

Sorry Jesse, for whatever reason, operation of notifications on my account are woefully reliant on my own manual retrieval.

Working fine that is IF, a constant watch is set on the clock. If not, the whole inoperative condition reappears. It all hinges on that second paragraph,

Let the machine set for 10-15 minutes and its either heavily striped with voids or no output at all consistently, all the time, every time. Not until 2-quick head cleanings are performed which loads up the 'Maintenance Box' cleaning system in short order. But to resume normal operation, this function is required to perform ordinary printing.

 

[JesseRaymondBassett]

@rockanchor,
I apologize for my tone. I was trying to figure out the question. I would suggest you try to contact Epson.

 

[rocknanchor]

@rockanchor,
I apologize for my tone. I was trying to figure out the question. I would suggest you try to contact Epson.

Ok, I do admit, I have not contacted them several times, but, curious enough in those final exchanges there were constant 10-15 second gaps waiting for response, repeatedly. No thank you. My suggestion is, if you want a good standby printer who's images are not top-shelf quality but are of adequate representation and the distinct possiblity of 2-3yr lifespan, the Eco-Tank can save you some money.

 

[rocknanchor]

A few yrs back, Epson, among others says the silent part out loud; we're not concerned and did "not agree to discuss ink prices with Consumer Reports." Though that is precisely what the "Eco-Tank" was thought to offer the public. For the first few months, my ink levels stayed at a standstill. But, this was deceiving as between 8-to-10 months after purchase, this lovely feature had very slowly started to use more and more.

CR's Calculations

 

[rocknanchor]

As continuing readers the Mrs and I are of selective info and news of the day, we still prefer to inspect the details - hardcopy. Studies have shown long hours at the computer are reportedly bad on the eyes. Corrective eyeglass lenses reportedly do filter out damaging blue-light, but this still remains a concern for us. This is why for the last 20-yrs we have resorted to gather info hardcopy on paper.

Since posting this thread, I am happy to report after 14-months, our Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw has been a workhorse that churns out 50-plus pages of B&W / Color copy reading every day. As added features, as far as I know, there is no "printhead cleaning" with laser printers as there always is with ink-jet printers and Canon has stepped in for the private consumer as this model does accept 3rd-party compatible toner cartridges as well which saves me hundreds in a few short months. Just be sure the chips on each are, however they term it, upgraded. Price? A salty $349.99 was the best I could do, but with the above in mind, I am wayyyyy ahead.

We'll see if this printer can surpass Epson's eco-tank 2-yr run with me? But I'm already ahead as Epson doesn't care for cost-cutting 3rd-party cartridges.

Hazardous Blu-light Rays

 

[Lost4words]

I prefer Canon...

My printer is over 15 years old and still going strong!! Inks are costly but thats life!

Edit: I think it just expired!!

 

[jas3]

Since posting this thread, I am happy to report after 14-months, our Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw has been a workhorse that churns out 50-plus pages of B&W / Color copy reading every day. As added features, as far as I know, there is no "printhead cleaning" with laser printers as there always is with ink-jet printers and Canon has stepped in for the private consumer as this model does accept 3rd-party compatible toner cartridges as well which saves me hundreds in a few short months. Just be sure the chips on each are, however they term it, upgraded. Price? A salty $349.99 was the best I could do, but with the above in mind, I am wayyyyy ahead.

I switched to a laser printer 2 or 3 years ago and haven't looked back. We had an HP ink printer that had similar problems to what you describe, but it was more basic than the Eco Tank printers and none of the "self cleaning" functions would work. The only way to get it printing cleanly again was to remove the print head, remove the ink cartridges, and flush everything with hot water until it ran clear (steam cleaning is normally the way to do this, but I didn't have a steamer, and hot tap water worked alright). Let everything dry completely and put it back together, and it would be good for another few months. Eventually it ran into a software issue that completely locked up the printer.

Now I've got a Brother color laser printer, and I haven't had any of the issues I did with ink. Similar to yours, it's definitely a higher up-front cost than an ink printer - I think mine was around $450 for one that can do scanning, faxing, and color printing, but it sure beats the endless headaches I've had with ink printers.

 

[rocknanchor]

Edit: I think it just expired!!

Sorry I missed this L4W! What? In service for 15yrs and expires 3-days after your post????

The update to my Canon printer is this: Printer still working (copying, printing) but now refuses to print what the PC tells it to. Dozens of "fixes" 17-months later, worthless!

 

[rocknanchor]

The update to my Canon printer is this: Printer still working (copying, printing) but now refuses to print what the PC tells it to. Dozens of "fixes" 17-months later, worthless!

And I'm still a novice. But persisted in this ''bug''. You know as well as I, programmers have the upper hand 360*. So, why did they lead me on this fools errand?

Went down and purchased the least expensive, highest review laser printer available. Got home, installed and still no initiation from PC to printer to print. Not until their little evil setup was run down. Norton, I discovered, had quarantined and refused to delete a suspicious ''Canon Scan'' file. The fix:

1.Uninstall Norton and Canon (Control Panel).
2.Install the ''Everything'' app.
3.Run Microsoft full system 'safety scanner'' tool and then immediately cut pwr to the modem and restart the system in ''safe mode''.
4.Open the ''Everything'' app and delete all remaining Canon and Norton files.
5.Reboot modem and test.

Success with the new printer. Confident the Canon workhorse will be fine as well. Haven't decided though. As for the question, even though the OP centers on an Epson product printhead, could that also have been internally motivated? Not impossible. For those who like to run things by your choice and no one else, , although I uninstalled Epson's software shortly before starting this thread last year, the "Everything" app revealed some thirty remaining files for Epson. One of those files was updated without my consent as late as this past October.

If you find that you are a host of a certain stubborn thing on your OS and want direct control, do avail yourself to the "Safe Mode" in all the Windows based environments. Don't be fooled by a fake safe mode either. Entering Safe Mode will reveal a darkened or black desktop and offers only and fully, the things needed to make desired changes (step 4) as I should with Epson.

 

[rocknanchor]

1.Uninstall Norton and Canon (Control Panel).
2.Install the ''Everything'' app.
3.Run Microsoft full system 'safety scanner'' tool and then immediately cut pwr to the modem and restart the system in ''safe mode''.
4.Open the ''Everything'' app and delete all remaining Canon and Norton files.
5.Reboot modem and test.

Success with the new printer. Confident the Canon workhorse will be fine as well. Haven't decided though.

Just wanted to leave anyone interested with this last bit of advice. The above remedy worked on getting both laser printers up and running. And I would not be surprised if the OP "ECO TANK" printer fell into positive functionality again as well. As discussed before, think I have purchased my last ink-jet printer. Lastly, as is the custom of some manufactures to recommend agitating laser toner cartridges before install them, I would advise do not shake them as you would a rattle-can of paint (end-to-end), but edgeways like a push-broom. This is your best bet of having an equal distribution of toner. God bless!

 

[rocknanchor]

Hello! Thought you might be interested in a quarterly chime of mine.

The above remedy worked on getting both laser printers up and running.

And that stands, although there has been considerable tampering of the more expensive Canon all-in-one. Who knows, some bot somewhere still assigned to disrupt my 'intolerable' longstanding output. Wouldn't surprise me if they haven't for years now, dispatched hordes of bots designed to maintain steady profit margins, concerns from the very beginning (James 5:4).

 

[rocknanchor]

And that [above remedy] stands, although there has been considerable tampering of the more expensive Canon all-in-one. Who knows, some bot somewhere still assigned to disrupt my 'intolerable' longstanding output.

Wrong. No bot at all, but now, a continued tampering from Microsoft itself on behalf of Canon. The installed drivers for the Canon printer came up reassigned as Microsoft owned and would not budge even while in Safe-Mode, only online so its removal I initiate I'm sure would have been forwarded back to MS. What a bunch of hucksters. And they expect us to swallow the notion that AI will one day assist the public in a pristine state when their makers can't keep their hands off OUR products? This isn't what I would call, a track-record that lends itself in the direction of the buyers best interest!