Soon: big test of refillable Epson Pro 3800 cartridges + resetters

[websnail]

However: the maintenance tank chip still needs an expensive resetter to be reused. Also the chip must be registered completely empty, otherwise resetting is impossibleSometimes you will need a second maintenance tank (registered as completely saturated) to get a successful reset, adding to the cost of this already very expensive resetter (like the one from Inkjetmall.com). The one I have seems to deal with just one maintenance tank, but the chip was not below 15 %. I purchased this resetter a few years ago and I paid $99 for it. If the chip of your maintenance tank is registered empty by the printer, the is chip is shut down and any attempt to reset the chip will give this (my very old and first maintenance tank of my Epson Pro 3800):

Thanks for the information but wanted to clarify the above...

Are you saying that the chip must be empty before it can be reset or above 15%? You seem to contradict yourself above but I wasn't sure if this was because you were talking about 2 different resetters, chips or similar.

If you could clarify that would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Martin

 

[pharmacist]

Hi Martin,

It must be above 15 %. If it is registered empty, then you will get that message "non genuine maintenance cartridge". For the original cartridge chips the limit is around 10 % (from my previous experiments....). When the ink level is showing low (flashing LED), it is impossible to reset the chip. I believe Marrutt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej9oUHSeGyM) also warns the chip not to be completely empty for a succesfull usage with the tuning chip.

However: somehow the reset algorithm of the I-refill system seems to dea with this problematic (already registered as empty) maintenance cartridge without any problems. This maintenance tank was from my previous Epson Pro 3800, used alongside with the Pro 3800 I-refill system and I wanted to sell the new maintenance cartridge of my new Epson Pro 3880....Unfortunately with these small size cartridges + resetter for the maintenance cartridge I encountered this very problem with the chip level limit and I ended to use the supplied maintenance cartridge anyhow...

I did not know the old maintenance cartridge was already shut down by my previous Epson Pro 3800, but because I used the Inkrepublic.com I-refill system it went unnoticed, until I tried it to reset it with this blue resetter for usage with the small size refillable cartridges....

So watch out if you want to use this maintenance tank resetter: if the level drops below 15 %, you will most likely encounter "the printer says NO....." syndrome.

 

[websnail]

From memory I believe the i-refill cartridge replacement chip requires the cartridge chips to be installed for it to work in the R3800... could be wrong but might explain the problem.

Thanks for clarifying... much appreciatd.

 

[pharmacist]

Yes, but so are these small size cartridges: you will need to install the original Epson cartridge under the craddle containing the tuning chip. Together the cartridge becomes autoreset. So both systems need the original chips to function, the I-refill system only 7 of the original chips and the small size cartridges all 9 chips.

Another problem I have encountered is the craddle sometimes does not make good contact (or loose contact) with the original Epson chip, causing an error message by the printer. Some plastic scotch tape will help the chip to be firmly seated into place. It shouldn't be so: because it is not well seated it slightly bounces back a bit and when you try to remove this from the printer, it sometimes get hooked inside the cartridge slot....and you have to be very careful not to destroy the delicate gold contacts of the chip reader.... Because I am experienced with this printer I now how to solve it, but inexperienced users must watch out for it.... I would not be happy as a reseller if these refillable cartridges would damage this expensive printer from his/her client, because the tuning chip craddle does not make good contact giving an error and the end user tries to pull out the cartridge to see what the problem is....and it get stucked....giving a hard pull, still not responding and then.....bang !!!

Because the ink outlet valve is still made of rubber: you know my problem a few years ago with similar cartridges and a rubber rupture causing a massive leak in my printer. Unfortunately the electrical part was untouched, leaving me with a tough cleaning job...

Well: why did I tried these small size cartridges ? I could obtain these cartridges at a very competetive price from a wholesaler in China and would like to experience by myself how these cartridges function. I would say: not bad. Ink flow is very good indeed, but the problem with the tuning chip craddle, the rubber ink outlet valve, the position of the refill hole (plug) is making me happy.

On the other hand: despite the superior design of the large size I-refill system (material, design of ink outlet valve, advanced reset algorithm), not all end users are charmed by cartridges sticking out from the printer. I do not care about this (ease of refilling for me). So I ended again with the more expensive but in the past proven reliability with the I-refill system.

Note: there is no R3800....yes: the R3000 and the Pro 3800.

 

[jtoolman]

Ok here is my quick experience with my refillable carts from Inkjetfly for the 3800
You install a MK and PK OEM chip under the controller or carrier chips. The rest of the carts just carry the Controller chip.
Insert all the filled carts into the printer ink bay and close the lid.
After recognition and initialization, all carts will read about a 10% drop in the level. Note that my Maintenance Carts which was about 50% became 100% ( as in new condition ) after the initial recognition of the carts. Not sure how that happens but I am very happy it does.
I printed a bunch of prints and dropped the ink levels a bit more. Turned printer off for the night. Next morning after turning on the printer, much to my surprise, both the ink carts and the maintenance cart were brought back up to FULL condition. So any power interuption will reset all the carts plus the Maint Cart.
So every month of so, all I need to do is top off all the carts and check the Maintenace Cart.

No expensive resetter is required.
By the way I am using Color Munki Profiled OCP K3 inks on my 3800 with really great color rendition and tonal purity. Also excellent gloss surpasing IS and others I've tried inthe past. Cost is 3.4 cents ( US ) per ML.
I may replace the Magentas with another brand as proposed by The Hat and proceed to compare. But after profiling I can't really complain about the results I am getting.

 

[pharmacist]

Hi Jtoolman: I too have the same controller chips for the Epson Pro 3800 (uses only the PK and MK OEM chip + 7 dummy chips + always full maintenance cartridge chip), but I tried these chips in my small size cartridges, but the Pro 3880 refuses it, so the Pro 3800 chips are not compatible with the Pro 3880. Even the special "always full" maintenance cartridge chip is refused by the Epson Pro 3880.

 

[jtoolman]

It's been a long time since this thread was updated but I have a question for Pharmacist which I thought I would post here rather than by PM so maybe someone here knows the answer.

I think I've finally defeated the One Way valve on OEM PRO3800 carts and have managed to sucessfully refilled one of them.
I will discuss the whole process and all details after I prove to myself that it does work on the actual printer. At this point I am pretty much sure that it will.
However, I will need to ultimately reset the OEM chicp and after searching this long thread I remembered that a resetter had been tested by Pharmacist which may be the one shown here.

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4746&p=15

If this is the one, can someone provide a source ( alibaba?) for it?

I thank you all in advance!

Joe

 

[martin0reg]

Old thread .. but as I have finally bought me a 3880 - which refill carts are recommended today?

Are there models on the market with any known problems, for example difficult priming resulting in air bubbles or bad valves or bad resetter chips...and more important: can you recognize or distinguish them from the good ones?
Or are they all more or less similar? It seems to be that they all need an original chip (which has not run empty below 10%) and all are to prime at first refilling..

Please take a look at these two offers..
http://www.patronenprofis.de/Fuer-E...ILL---FILL-IN-Patronenset-Epson-Pro-3880.html
http://www.ebay.de/itm/80ml-CISS-na...88?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item3f371957bc
..probably okay or to avoid at first sight?

Beside this I am curious to try out defeating the valve and refilling OEM carts, the method introduced and refined by jtoolman (thank you for sharing this instead of having it patented..)
- Is this resetter still the only reliable working model for OEM carts:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Epson-Ink-Ca...985?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27e3ed3059

- Joe, what is the best tool for poking through the border of the valve? What I see in your hand looks to me like a small nail or hook...what about a bigger pin or needle..?
After seeing and hearing your instructions once again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTbnlJgxMV8&feature=youtu.be
..what is a "soey"?? needle"...I just don't understand the english word exactly to do a search for it...found "sewing needles" but seem to be different..

 

[Ian Barber]

I have a service manual for the R3880 if you still need one

 

[Oleg3d]

Old thread .. but as I have finally bought me a 3880 - which refill carts are recommended today?

Old thread but anyways, this is my experience on gun-shaped carts.

https://youtu.be/u99itJ-SbHw

Did the swap just a week ago. And imo they are the best!

~100$ for the carts
~200$ for the 9x500ml ink