Hello I have a Epson Ink Jet colour 600
I have replaced the cartridges
I have gone through all the scenarios for trouble shooting
It does print all colours and pictures
But when I try to print strictly letters you get something as like this>>
................................................
and that is it. I tried everything possible to enlarge the print cleaned heads alignment, etc.
There is a disk with this printer and the drivers plus all else is working.
I changed from one PC to another to see if there would be a difference.
But to no avail, it still will not print letters ??

A little bit down the FAQs listed is a description of a problem with garbled text:

http://www.epson.com.sg/html/body_inkjet_common_faq.html

thank you for the web site/ I read and completed all that was possible related to the site, unfortunately no luck. I will now replace the cable, that is the only item left other then that >> a new printer.

What happens if you print coloured text? [using the colour cartridges]

If that prints ok, and concluding that it's a blocked black ink head:

How about printing black [a solid block of black perhaps] using an old, cleaned out, black ink cartridge with solvent in it as a head-cleaning aid?

Yes the colour printing as you refer to is OK. I have printed several images with no problem. And yes I believe you are correct as it is only the black ink cartridge that cannot supply the ink I assume this may be a block area somewhere from the cartridge {probably at the beginning of the distribution of ink to the heads, your idea sounds good and I will try this. The other point that I have mention in trying another cable that this one may be faulty. For if the electrical current does go through to give the signal there would be no opration for the heads.

I learned from bitter experience that Epson printers have the print heads built in to the printer unlike Hewlett Packard [which I now have] that have the heads built into the cartridge.

When my Epson heads blocked the printer ended up scrapped.
It costs more than a new printer just to have the heads unblocked.
The printer must be sent away etc, blah, blah.

With Hewlett Packard, if the print head becomes blocked you just buy a new cartridge, and anyway, the cartridges [with heads] are replaced with new ones as a matter of routine.

Somewhere along the line [whilst thinking about the Epson print head problem] I came across the idea of a cartridge filled with solvent.
"Good idea!" I thought, and filed it away in memory.

Does your Epson have a head-cleaning procedure you can use?

With my present printer I can print a test photo and a character test page [I think] without the printer even being connected to a PC, just so long as it has mains power. That would soon show you whether the cable is ok or not.

Thank you Sylvander i do think you are right, to be a cable is very highly unlikely, esp when I can use the colour printing part of the Epson, and really I have left the printer for a considerable amount of time without using, with that said I believe I will junk it. It is a old one and was relatively cheap, so yes it is time to upgrade and your suggestion as regards to the heads located in the cartridge's sounds good. Nevertheless a grand thanks for your support and Ideas.

Happy to be of some assistance. :) :D

I saw inkjets selling in a store for $69.99 today, I think it was C66 Epson. No recommendations from me as to quality for that one or HP.
I am not fond of Lexmark for several reasons (lock-out chips in ink reservoirs, and printer driver loading quirks).

HPs are not much better unless you purchase as Sylvander did with the head on the cartridge. My multi-function d135 has separate heads and when they go bad...around $40@ ($40@.) and there are 4 heads.

The HP carts are dated and will not work beyond the expiration date even if they have never been used! :mad:

Yes, and they call that progress? :mad:

On my older HP [Deskjet 840c], the cartridges have no expiry dates.

I refill the black cartridge from a 250 ml bottle of black ink.

When the heads begin to go bad [signs of poor printing quality] I fit a new cartridge [I also have a spare one sitting ready to fit].

It's been there rather a long time, so I hope it works when it's finally needed. :)

Sylvander may I ask as to what you paid for your HP printer?
Actually I find myself using less and less amount of paper for the last so many yrs/ due to the transfer of knowledge through so many memory devices.
If you could give me approx. value for your model of printer>>

It cost me £88 in Edinburgh, Scotland in December 2000.

It's not the fastest printer around, but the quality is excellent and it just keeps working. I've never had even one problem with it! :D

See it here http://www.creativepro.com/hardware/home/1245.html

It can be had for as little as $65 so the adverts say.

The paper sits in the lower tray and comes back out into the upper tray. This has side flaps which hinge down to support the latest sheet so it doesn't fall onto the previous one, and thus prevents smudging of the ink. Because the printer is not too fast there is time for the ink to dry. When the sheet is fully out, the flaps are raised and the sheet is dropped onto the one beneath.

Nice! :) :D

Got my HP612C this past spring for $5 :D Looks almost the same as Sylvander's.

Yard sale, told the guy who was selling it for someone else, that I didn't dare to pay more in case it didn't work. All it needed was cartridges. So I assume my ink doesn't have expiration dates either? :cool:

I think we'll have to enroll you as an honourary Scotsman ted. :D

"Waste not, want not"!

Even technology deserves to be well and properly used. :)

That reminds me of a girl I once "knew". :) :D