Doesn't recognize ink cartridge

[BKing]

My old 3520 printer is now giving me a "Can't recognize an ink cartridge try reinstalling" error msg. Can't get past it. tried multiple times but cant even reboot and restart without it going back to the error message.

 

[PeterBJ]

I don't know much about Epson printers, but since the cartridge is rejected it must be chipped like Canon cartridges.

So I suggest to clean the contact surfaces on the chip and the chip contacts in the printer with an electronics contact cleaner or Isopropyl Alcohol on a Q-tip.

If you are using a resetter it might need a new battery.

If that doesn't help then I suggest to try installing a new OEM cartridge. It is expensive but the best test tool in this case. If that is too expensive you could also try a refilled and known good cartridge.

 

[davidparker]

Cleaning the chip contacts is worth trying first since it's cheap and quick. I'd use a Q-tip with a little isopropyl alcohol on both the cartridge chip and the contacts inside the carriage, then let it dry before reseating. If you're using a resetter, check the battery as mentioned. One thing to add: after cleaning, power the printer off at the wall for a minute so it fully resets before retrying. If the error persists, testing with a known-good OEM cartridge is the clearest way to isolate whether the issue is the cartridge or the printer's contact assembly.

 

[juliaseward]

The wall-power step is the part I'd underline — leaving it unplugged for a minute or two seems to clear a stuck carriage state better than a simple on/off cycle. On the contact cleaning, I'd add that the metal pads on the cartridge chip can look fine while the spring contacts behind them are slightly bent or gummy, so a quick look with a flashlight helps. If the error follows the same slot after cleaning, that points to the printer side rather than the cartridge. Swapping in one known-good cartridge slot by slot would narrow it down from there.

 

[alexandersmith]

The flashlight tip is useful — I'd also check whether the error follows the cartridge or stays with the slot, since that separates the two sides cleanly. When you reseat the cartridge, listen for a positive click; a partially seated one can cause exactly this. And after the wall-power reset, print a nozzle check rather than a full document, so you know whether the printer accepted the cartridge before wasting ink. If the spring contacts look gummy at all, avoid pressing hard on them — a light wipe is enough.

 

[Epatcola]

How long before the majority of posts to this forum are slop from i560 owning AI?