HP 940C Cartridge Problems

[jtr1962]

I've been going crazy the last month trying to get my printer to print consistently. The black cartridge(hp 6615) is very inconsistent-sometimes it prints fine, sometimes some lines are missing, sometimes it doesn't print at all. Not way to tell in advance since it can print fine and then a few minutes later not at all.

A more nagging problem exists with the color cartridge(hp 6578). While it usually prints OK there are times after refilling it that the printer just plain thinks something is wrong with the cartridge, and then it refuses to print anything at all. Sometimes reinserting the cartridge works(maybe) after about 100 tries. Basically I just want to know which contacts I need to cover and/or connect on the cartridge to get the printer to think the cartridge is OK. No luck trying to find this info on my own but maybe someone has already run into it.

Both cartridges have been refilled several times but I've had no problems in the past. Don't bother telling me to purchase new cartridges. First, I don't have the money right now. Second, for what it would cost I can almost buy a brand new printer with brand new cartridges. Third, there might be some problem with my printer that gives the same errors even with new cartridges.

BTW, while I've been happy with the print quality and speed of this printer when it was working, this is definitely the last inkjet I'm ever buying. When color lasers get under $200 I plan to buy one. Unless you refill your cartridges the consumables on inkjets end up costing a ludicrous amount(come on, $30-$35 dollars for each cartridge?). Refilling has its own set of problems, and now that they're trying to make the cartridges "smart" the problem is worse. I'd rather we had the old, dumb cartridges where the only problem with refilling was making sure the heads were primed.

Are problems like this common to HP printers, or are other makes as fussy when it comes to refilling? I'm about ready to throw this thing through a wall.

 

[Mercutio]

I have the very similar DJ932 (seems to be the same printing "engine", but uses different carts). I don't refill myself, but I have used refilled #45 cartridges without any problem.

Inkjets are a scam. Period.

Still, it costs me $600 to fill my Textronics 850DP with crayons, and I pay $400 a year for a service agreement. It isn't like things get better on the high end.

 

[Fushigi]

I've never had decent luck with refilling cartridges. I tried it on a Canon and later an Epson. The results were less than desireable. So when I got a DJ990 I decided to just stick with the HP cartridges. Expensive, yeah, but I don't go through that many.

Have you tried the steps outlined here?

 

[jtr1962]

I've tried those steps with no luck. From what I managed to find on a few bulletin boards the kind of error I've been getting is fairly common for the 6578 cartridge but I haven't found any fix for it. Basically, the printer thinks either no color cartridge is installed, or the improper one is installed.

Yeah, filling cartridges is an art. Some people have luck with it, others don't. The best results are obtained when you don't let the cartridge go completely dry and only buy ink formulated for your cartridge(I avoid those generic refill kits). The annoying part about all this is that about a month ago I purchased a giant size(1 pint of each color) refill kit on eBay for my printer. Good for about 55 refills, which is more than enough to hold me until color lasers come down. I might have to bite the bullet and get a remanufactured cartridge on eBay(they're running about $18 + shipping) if I can't get this thing to work. For the amount I print(~100 pages/month or more) I just can't afford to buy OEM cartridges. I've refilled the color maybe 5 or 6 times and the black about 3 so far so even remanufactured cartridges would have cost me over $200.

Inkjets are definitely a ripoff. Anyone know how many pages the toner carts on most color printers are good for? I know they aren't cheap, but if they'll last for, say, 30,000 pages I should be set for a long time once I can afford one.

 

[blakerwry]

completely depends on the printer and cartridge... the consumer style printers usually use cartridges that are good for less prints than the heavy duty office printers... that's definately something to consider when buying a printer...


i've heard some printer cartridges have an electronic "expiratoin date" .. after that date they refuse to work... great idea, huh? maybe that's the problem...

 

[jtr1962]

As far as I know this type of cartridge doesn't have an expiration date. I personally don't think that concept will last too long or be very popular with consumers. What happens to the poor slob who hardly uses his/her printer and then discovers one day that their nearly full $50 cartridge is useless? The inkjet makers should get on the bandwagon and make their cartridges refillable. Most cartridges will print fine for at least 10 refills. Eventually, when the print quality degrades you just buy a new cartridge. I know one manufacturer actually has a printer that lets you refill each individual color as they run dry, and even lets you change the print head separately. Good idea in my opinion, and cuts down on landfill.

Some more searching of HP's site led me to the following:

http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/document.jhtml?lc=en&docName=bpa00299

http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/document.jhtml?lc=en&docName=bpa02060

http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/document.jhtml?lc=en&docName=bpd07585

Apparently there is some problem with both firmware and the contacts on the cartridge. However, I've had no luck resolving the problem. The cartridge has been steadily getting harder and harder to make work, and now it just refuses to work at all.