ET-8550 - Repeated ink filling over 2/3 of the ink tank could damage the printer.

[Epatcola]

I now think the mechanism is simpler than before.

To the right is the outlet to the print head. In the middle is the filling tube. To the left is the breather tube and breathable film.

The bottles have some kind of seal to prevent ink release until they are pushed onto the filling tube. When pushed on the bottle to tube interface is air tight.

When pushed on ink flows from the bottle into the tank until enough vacuum is pulled in the bottle above the ink. After that air from the tank needs to bubble up the filling tube to displace more ink flowing into the tank. You hear the 'glugging' noise while that happens.

When the tank ink level reaches the bottom of the filling tube it blocks air bubble formation and flow stops.

When the bottle is removed the ink in the filling tube flows into the tank.

So even when the tank ink level is above the end of the filling tube inserting the bottle will cause enough to pull the vacuum and a filling tube full of ink to flow into the tank.

If you insert the bottle repeatedly the tank will be over filled and if ink reaches the breathable film will be ruined requiring the tank to be replaced.

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

When the tank ink level reaches the bottom of the filling tube it blocks air bubble formation and flow stops.

Indeed, that's probably how it works. When the liquid level reaches the filling tube, no more air can be drawn into the fill tube, so filling stops.

When the bottle is removed the ink in the filling tube flows into the tank.

So even when the tank ink level is above the end of the filling tube inserting the bottle will cause enough to pull the vacuum and a filling tube full of ink to flow into the tank.

If you insert the bottle repeatedly the tank will be over filled and if ink reaches the breathable film will be ruined requiring the tank to be replaced.

It seems that it would be possible to force too much ink into the tank, but it would be stupid to try. If we just don't do anything stupid, everything will be fine.

I can't imagine how one could repeatedly fill it from the 2/3 level, but it's probably just a bad translation.

 

[Epatcola]

It seems that it would be possible to force too much ink into the tank, but it would be stupid to try. If we just don't do anything stupid, everything will be fine.

Just stick the bottle in a number of times when the tank is already full and it will will overfill and damage the printer - no force required and nothing to stop you doing it. Thinking you can keep the tanks topped to the brim by sticking in the bottle when it already looks full isn't a particularly dumb idea. I am sure people have done it and damaged their printer.

That is why there is a (badly worded) warning about doing it. That warning may always have been there although I don't recall seeing it. It may have been added with a firmware update.

 

[bplaman]

I couldn't find any good information or diagram of how the automatic level cut off works. I suspect in principle it is something like this

View attachment 17904

The filling tube is on the left and a breather tube capped with breathable film is on the right.

The bottles sort of 'glug' when filling and I suspect an amount of head is required to form an air bubble in the bottle nozzle and let more ink out. When the tank level reaches the bottom of the breather tube ink has to flow up it reducing the amount of head the bottle sees and at some point stopping the flow.

You have to put some more ink into the tank to pressurise the air in it and fill the breather tube for the flow to be cut off.

If you repeatedly stick in the bottle you will overfill the tank and if the ink reaches the breathable film it will be clogged and ruined which would be the printer damage in the warning.

The breathable film is required to let air molecules in and not let liquid molecules out so the tank can be vented without evaporating the ink.

That film would also be how you damage the printer by putting it on its side or upside down with ink in it.

Dear Epatcola, please provide the source of this information. Or is this your personal assumption? Thank you.​

 

[Epatcola]

Dear Epatcola, please provide the source of this information. Or is this your personal assumption? Thank you.​

The location of the breathable film in the tank and instructions to check if ink ever reached it and to replace the tank if it did is in the printer service manual. Something the AI you quoted made no mention of.

The AI drivel offered zero explanation of how the automatic level cut off works and so zero explanation of how it might not work. If you have a suggestion more plausible than my second post please post it.

There was one statement in your second quote of AI generated answer that I wouldn't argue with. All else and everything in the first quote was made up utter garbage. Did you actually believe any of it?

 

[bplaman]

Dear Epatkola, you haven't answered my question. I'll repeat it: please provide the source of this information. Or is this just your own guess? Thank you.