Printer issues?

I picked up a Canon pixma MP520, but after printing just a single page, this message popped up on the display

which keeps cycling through with this one



The ink is third-party, clear cartridges, fully loaded, liquid state, and the print head is definitely bleeding all colors—you can see it when you dab it with a paper towel—but it still won't function. It was working fine before, so now I'm stuck wondering: is this a refill issue, or is the print head simply shot? I've scoured Google, but nothing I found helped; it's all just various resets and nonsense... I'm not sure if switching to different third-party inks would even make a difference. Any advice would be appreciated; the machine itself is great, has everything a kid could need....

Just to be clear, I've already cleaned all the contacts with alcohol....
What's the move here? Should I just return it, or is there actually a fix for this?

urbanfalcon7 said:I picked up a Canon pixma MP520, but after printing just one single page, this message popped up on the display

alternating with this one



The ink is third-party stuff—clear cartridges, fully loaded, liquid state... the print head is bleeding all colors (you can see it if you dab it with a paper towel), but it just won't work. It was working fine before, and now? Is it an issue with how they were filled, or is the print head just dead? I've been Googling, but nothing helps—just endless talk about resets and whatnot. Would switching to different third-party inks fix this? Please, help me out here; this machine is great, it’s got everything a kid could need...

Just to be clear, I've already cleaned all the contacts with alcohol...
What's the move? Should I return it, or is there actually a way to fix this?

When manufacturers over in China produce things, they basically bake a 5% defect rate right into the shipment. Honestly, it's often closer to 10%.

That scrap rate shows up everywhere in production. You get cheap plastic that cracks or an Intel that's shorted out.

If you drop an Intel like that into your printer, a short in the Intel can cause a short in the print head, and then the printer won't recognize the head at all.

To verify that, you'd have to buy a brand new print head and try putting that suspicious third-party cartridge into it. If the same error pops up, then yeah, you're definitely stuck in that 5% to 10% failure bracket.

And if you take it to a repair shop and ask them to run that test, don't be surprised if they show you the door and tell you to come back next time with original ink in the machine.

I get where you're coming from, but my boss insists that ink has been sitting in there for quite a while and it’s been performing just fine until now...
So, are we saying the print head is a total lost cause?

urbanfalcon7 said:I get where you're coming from, but the boss insists this paint has been in him for quite a while now and he’s been working just fine...
So, we're looking at a 100% defective cylinder head?

Even a brand-new LED bulb doesn't just pop the second you screw it in.

Yet some of them burn out in a week, and one single bulb costs as much as five old-school incandescents.

And nothing more...

Roger Martinez97 said:Hi everyone,
does anyone have experience using HP color laser printers?
Does this one look like a solid deal to you?

Anyone?🤔

Roger Martinez97 said:Anyone out there? 🤔

So, what's on your mind?

I'm curious if anyone here is running an HP printer, specifically this particular model.
It’s one of the more budget-friendly options out there, so I'd love to get some feedback on the actual print quality.
The main selling point for me is that this unit can handle paper up to 110lb stock, which is a huge plus.
A lot of much more expensive models cap out at around 60lb cardstock, so it actually holds its own.

Frank Barnes said:Epson isn't even making inkjets in this price bracket anymore, and frankly, no one with half a brain is selling a perfectly functional unit like that for $33.

For comparison, if you look at $167, you could snag a refurbished Epson MF equipped with a CISS, including enough ink to match the equivalent of 88 cartridges. You’d actually be certain to get through all that ink because it comes as a vetted, reliable package.

On the other hand, if you pick up this Epson for $33, you're looking at a service bill of == $50 at the very least. Then there's the cost of fresh ink, since cleaning the print head just to feed it the same old sludge that clogged it in the first place makes zero sense—you're looking at a minimum of 4 * $6.75 == $27 or 20 * 88 == $587.

Or you've got the $33 + $50 for the repair, plus 150, plus $50 for that CISS kit and the ink for 88 refills.

And if you aren't careful and grab a model that burns through 3.5 ml of ink per cartridge, you'll find yourself needing 136 cartridges for the same amount of money.

Do the math yourself and decide which option is actually the smart move.

Just tell me exactly which Epson model you're targeting with this post so I can go take a look at it myself...

urbanfalcon7 said:Come on, just tell me which specific Epson model you're targeting with this post so I can go find it...

The model doesn't really matter. What matters is the ink being used.

If you’re looking for a specific model we’ve been putting through the wringer here in the States—testing them with a CISS setup that’s still running like a champ even after 24 and 36 months...

1. Epson Px 710
2. Epson Cx 3200

I’m a total amateur when it comes to this stuff, but after some digging on Google and getting your help, I’ve realized I need to look for a printer where the ink is fed through a print head system. Sure, they might cost more upfront, but some models actually allow you to refill them. For a student working on school projects, that seems like the way to go—ideally something where each color comes in its own separate tank. I’m hoping to find something within a reasonable $233 range. I’m heading out to a few local shops in Chicago tomorrow to scout around... though I suppose I probably shouldn't be posting specific details about my shopping trip here, right? We'll see what the local retailers have in stock, so please, feel free to drop some recommendations.

...from what I can gather, Canon and HP tend to run into issues with third-party inks and their chip restrictions, whereas Epson doesn't seem to have those same headaches. Or am I totally off base?

urbanfalcon7 said:....I’m a total amateur when it comes to this stuff, but after some Googling and getting your help, I think I get it now. I need to look for a printer where the ink sits in its own tanks rather than just cartridges. Sure, they might cost more upfront, but some of them can be refilled... Basically, for a student and all their school projects, that seems like the way to go—ideally with each color in its own separate container.... And if it stays under about $233, I'm heading out to a few shops in Chicago tomorrow to check things out.... I probably shouldn't mention specific store names here, right? So we'll see what the local shops have to offer, and feel free to drop some recommendations....

....From what I gather, Canon and HP have issues with third-party inks and their chips, but Epson doesn't seem to run into those problems.... Or did I get that part wrong?

You've got it backwards.

Why?

Because you're operating under the assumption that companies are going to design printers specifically so you can hunt down cheap, off-brand ink for them.

And what happens when a company decides that game isn't worth their time?

They simply stop making the models that allow for easy third-party ink swaps.

Or they start designing models that make finding compatible ink nearly impossible.

It doesn't matter which manufacturer you're looking at. They all share the same bottom line.

...honestly, I’m completely lost now. Earlier you were talking about these "permanent" cartridges and refilling them, but then you go on to say that manufacturers intentionally design printers specifically so you can't buy third-party ink... It's a bit much. If that's the case, what am I actually supposed to buy? An Epson, a Canon, or an HP? And if I pick one, which specific model won't leave me stranded? What's the main thing I should even be looking out for here?

urbanfalcon7 said:....now I'm just completely lost. Earlier you were talking about those "permanent" cartridges and refilling them, but now you're saying manufacturers design printers specifically so you can't even find third-party ink... I mean, damn, what am I supposed to buy then? An Epson, a Canon, an HP? And which specific model? What's the main thing I should actually be looking for here?

Maybe take a walk down to a local electronics store and ask around. You've got plenty of interesting questions there to throw at any salesperson.

It would be even more interesting to hear how they try to answer them.

Check out what Continuous Ink Supply system actually is.

Right now, if you're looking for a printer that comes straight from the factory with this setup built-in, Epson is pretty much the only big player doing it with their L series. For those older printers or gear from other brands, you can find CISS kits out there—but honestly, they’re kind of clunky and require you to mess with the hardware itself, which totally nukes your manufacturer's warranty.

...it’s interesting, really. Back in '99 when I picked up my very first inkjet, the standard advice was always "go with HP" because their printheads were built right into the cartridges, making third-party refills about a third of the cost of the originals. Meanwhile, Epson wouldn't touch anything except their own pricey ink and those integrated printhead setups. So, hearing both of you vouching for Epson is quite something.

Look, I’m just saying—do yourself a favor and really dig into what a CISS actually is and how it functions. Once you get that, the subtle hint in that ad above will make way more sense.

Those third-party ink tanks aren't even a third of the price of the originals anymore. See, the genuine cartridges have these little chips on them, and trying to trick a printer by copying those chips is getting harder—and way more expensive—every single day. Plus, these printers are basically mini-computers now; they connect to the internet and pull down firmware updates, and then—boom—suddenly that cheap ink you just grabbed from your local Target or Walmart that worked perfectly yesterday? It’s suddenly "incompatible."

And honestly, that’s exactly why you see people hunting for used or older printer models that have already been modded with a CISS by the guys who specialize in selling "off-brand" inks and toners.

Let's be real here, though—it’s the exact same deal with laser printers. The toner powder just stays "fresh" in the cartridge longer than liquid ink does, and since you can print way more pages per load, it ends up being a much better value if you're mostly just cranking out black and white docs.

...I’ve been looking over the Wiki entries regarding CISS, but honestly, I think it's overkill for my situation. If we're talking about my wife, the kid, and myself, we’ll probably only print maybe 250 pages over the course of an entire year—half of which might have a little color detail or a small image thrown in. Those massive ink tanks are clearly designed for high volume, and we wouldn't even touch them in several years. Who knows if they'd even stay functional with such low usage? What I'm actually hunting for is a printer with a decent scanner and a reliable print head—something that won't just clog up and die after sitting idle for ten days. I need something where, once I eventually run through the ink (which likely won't happen for at least six months), I'm not stuck shelling out two-thirds of the printer's original cost just to get some official cartridges. Ideally, I'd like something that works well with third-party replacements, or perhaps something that allows for manual refills via syringe or similar methods, provided it actually holds up over the long haul. So, thanks to both of you for taking the time to explain things. I'm just trying to figure out what the actual "best buy" is for MY specific needs.

Look, here’s the deal. The cheapest all-in-one printer you can find is going to run you maybe $35. But get this—the amount of ink they shove in those cartridges when you first buy it? It’s basically nothing, like 4ml. You’ve got two tanks (black and color) that'll give you maybe 100 pages total before they're bone dry. When you go to grab replacements, they're $100 and even then, the capacity is only about double what you started with. You might squeeze out 300 pages max. And honestly, it’s totally normal for them to just... die on you. Plus, you can't even find cheap third-party stuff for some models. For the ones where you actually *can* find replacements, those cartridges are like $23 each, and since you need 4 of them, you're looking at $100 just for the ink. By the time you're done, you've spent nearly $80 on a printer that was supposed to be "cheap." And hey, watch out—those off-brand inks can be super flaky and incompatible for the exact reasons I mentioned.

Now, if you look at a budget Epson L series, it’ll set you back about $500. But man, the value there is different—you get 3x70ml color bottles and 3x70ml black. We're talking 6,500 color pages and 4,000 black pages per fill. Later on, those original 70ml bottles will cost you about $20 each. The best part? The ink sits in tanks OUTSIDE the printer itself.

Just crunch the numbers yourself and see what actually makes sense for your wallet.

Alright, thanks... I know there are cheaper options out there... but honestly, what’s the point? It’s all a waste if I spend a fortune on high-end ink only for the printheads to clog up or just die on me anyway....

Heh, typical—it’s always "plus tax!"