XP 6100 Switching back from photo black

[Jackofsometrades]

A friend has an Epson XP-6100. It has five ink tanks; three for color, one for photo black, and a big one for printing black. At one point a message came up asking her if she wanted to use the photo black cartridge instead of the printing black. She hit yes. Fast forward to now: the photo black tank is empty, the printing black tank is full and there seems to be no way to switch back to the printing black tank. Not on the computer, and not on the very capable printer console. One web site said to start by going into "setup." There is no "setup." Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[stratman]

Welcome to the forum, Jack.

First, the manual states that the printer may not function if non-OEM cartridges - ie third party aftermarket cartridges - are used.

Do you use all OEM cartridges? If not, which cartridges are third party cartridges?

Second, the Epson XP-6100 is very different from Canon printers I know about. This Epson can continue to print if the "Black ink" is low. I'm guessing they mean the Pigment Black cartridge used when Plain Paper setting is selected to make text. If the Black ink (Pigment?) low the printer will ask you if you would like to use a mixture of the other ink colors to make a composite Black color.

Once you disable the Black (Pigment) ink cartridge then you must install a new Pigment Black ink cartridge to re-enable and turn back on the use of the Pigment Black ink cartridge.

Maybe this is what happened.

See "Conserving Low Black Ink with Windows" section in the following link. Use the Search function to quickly find it.

https://files.support.epson.com/docid/cpd5/cpd56653/index.html

3) Before buying a new cartridge, consider removing the problem cartridge (or all the cartridges) from the print head, close the lid and see if the print head returns to the park position. Whether it does or not, unplug the printer from the wall and wait a minute. Then plug the printer back into the electrical outlet. The printer may give an error message - probably no or a missing cartridge(s). Now reinstall the cartridge(s), close the lid and try printing on Plain Paper a page of text. If the Pigment Black Ink cartridge works then the printed text is resistant to smearing from a highliter and water. Dye ink will easily smear.

If this doesn't work then a new OEM cartridge may be required.

4) Another cool thing about this printer is it can print even if one of the Color cartridges is empty. Canon printers I know of cannot natively due this. The Epson will give you the option to use the Black ink cartridge ONLY. You must print in Black/Grayscale. No other color but black will be used. Don't know which Black cartridge but because the instruction discuss the Plain Paper setting I would think they mean it would use the Pigment Black ink cartridge.

See "Printing with Black Ink and Expended Color Cartridges" in the link.