Banding

[GoonerGary]

Noticed that some banding was appearing in prints. Realised that the ink was running very very low and topped up the cartridges. That seemed fine then the banding returned. Checked alignment and done head cleans which helped. But the problem has gotten worse and now I can't print at all on certain colours.

So could there be an air trap somewhere? Or would some cleaning carts help a possible blockage?

[ArferMo]

what printer

[GoonerGary]

Epson WF-4015DN

[socialgiraffe]

Have exactly the same on a brand new Epson so would be interested in any solutions as I am about to throw the machine in the skip.

Cartridges were never low on ink either

[GoonerGary]

In my wisdom I purchased two of them in case this happened during the Christmas madness. Ordered new carts from cityinkexpress, put the same ink in and it still starts banding after a quarter of a page of printing, so it is not the carts. Nozzle check is perfect.

Put those carts into the back up printer and wow what a difference in quality! Much more ink was being delivered to the transfer. So could the heads be overheating?

[socialgiraffe]

I was looking for something that is very cheap to fulfil the hi vis orders I get, the contract is for 20,000 per year so want something that is very cheap and can be thrown away for a new one instantly. Gave up with this Workforce thing and am using Ricoh's instead.

As they are mostly just black then god bless the Chinese and their ink

[pisquee]

If the ink runs low in a cart, and head clean cycles don't help, then repriming the cart usually will - we certainly notice this when we forget to keep an eye on ink levels in our carts, if they run too low/empty then they need repriming.

[GoonerGary]

I don't know how to prime these particular cartridges, can't seem to draw ink though the printer head hole on the cart.

Printing text has lost it's sharpness now with scattered ink around the edges.

[Cragdale]

I have had similar problems with the new ranges of Epson printers namely XP305 & WF2010 print perfectly until one runs out then all hell breaks loose. I seem to think Epson have written something in the printer software that if you are not using OE inks it throws a wobbley. My answer was to go on ebay and buy an old R330, polish off my old bulk ink system for the R220 that lasted for 10 years !!!! This has done me the last 6 months with nothing more than a clean every day or 2, I always do a print head test before I run it each day and for £25 inc p+p it was the bargain of the year I now watch ebay for another just in case this one packs up and if it does it wont owe me a penny unlike the XP and WF. As a note on the XP305 it did run for a while but after 6 weeks of good use it came up with the waste ink pads want changing job. As the Epson reset program I have doesn't go as far as the XP305 it was relegated to the heap of dead printers I have just in case i want bits.... My A3 printer in an Epson 1290 which dare I say it is brilliant all be it a bit slow.

[GoonerGary]

If the ink runs low in a cart, and head clean cycles don't help, then repriming the cart usually will - we certainly notice this when we forget to keep an eye on ink levels in our carts, if they run too low/empty then they need repriming.

Despite my best efforts the printer would never return to a workable state. I received some advice today and believe that the print heads might have been damaged by overheating. If your carts run empty the print heads can reach temperatures of 300 degrees and without any ink to cool them and keep them lubricated, they will burn out. Poor refilling can cause the printer to print air and do the same damage. Another possible reason, is that the lines could have been damaged due to increase in use and interrupted the ink flow, again damaging the print heads. These printers certainly aren't workhorses, they need us to buy next years model don't they?