Epson R220 Died with both ink and paper lights flashing

[CHARLIE]

Hi all! And thanks Neil for referring me to this site!

I have an Epson R220 printer that sent the message that "this printer is nearing the end of it's maintenance life" it also said I had 80 pages left, however the next time I turned it on both the ink and paper lights were flashing. I suspect the waste ink tank and counter are the problem. Does anyone have the reset code and the procedure for this? Would certainly appreciate any assistance anyone can give.
Thanks,
Charlie

 

[mikling]

http://www.ssclg.com/epsone.shtml

is free and works.

 

[PeterBJ]

Hi Charlie!

Yes, your printer needs a waste ink counter reset and changing the waste ink tank, which is a kind of sponge. For resetting you will need the SSC- service utility, link here: http://www.ssclg.com/epsone.shtml If you are using Win XP, you might need dosapps_sp2_patch.exe, for SSC utility to run. Link here: http://www.processlist.com/info/dosapps_sp2_patch.html or it can be downloaded from Microsoft.

But DON'T just reset the counter without changing the waste ink tank. Check this link and see what might happen if you don't: http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=308. Now you have been warned!

To take apart your printer you might find a servicemanual useful, link here: http://resetterprinters.blogspot.com/2008/11/epson-r220-service-manual.html

A few years ago I was given an Epson R200, which needed a reset. I succeded in resesetting the counter, and the printer was working again, but I started taking the printer apart to clean or change the waste ink tank. I didn't have the servicemanual, so I ended up having a lot of parts that I gave up on putting back together, so I dumped the printer. So I recommend getting the servicemanual before starting to take the printer apart.

For more info and a waste ink kit, check this link from one of the forum members: http://www.octoink.co.uk/categories/Waste-Ink-Kits/

I hope this is understandable, english is not my first language, I'm from Denmark.

Good luck and best regards
Peter

 

[mikling]

If you're not using the R220 commercially or semi, then chances are you won't have to worry about the pads. Just reset and move on. Dye ink dries up a lot more than pigment. If it is a seldom used printer, then there really is no worry at all. Epson has allowed a large safety margin to avoid lawsuits of ink leaking out. As a result the message appears too quickly for the vast majority of cases. If you are using the printer commercially or often then the time span in which the ink builds up is short and one should then be attentive of the risk.

One reset is for the majority of cases fine and will not leak out. After the second reset, then you should start thinking about adding a waste ink line rather than taking the printer apart. On the rear of the printer, there is a screw that holds a hatch closed. This hatch leads right to the waste ink line of the R220. Less than one minute and one screw and you're onto the waste ink line but if this is the first time you get the message, that task is down the road. In case you're wondering, just attach a tube to the internal tube that would lead out to a container that can hold ink. Ideally do NOT leave the ink in the container without some absorption pads. This is pure folly. If the container falls or disconnects you will be sorry. Something as simple as feminine hygiene pads are easily obtainable and have high absorption capacity so that the ink is always safely contained and disposed of conveniently.

The R220 is a workhorse and in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing will still make prints that can stand next to that produced by the todays best printers...including the megabuck pigment ones. And yes, you can run good quality color pigment ink in the R220 without ill effects.

These are still being sought out by people using them for commercial reasons.

 

[CHARLIE]

It is very much appreciated to both of you Peter BJ, and Mikling, for taking the time to share your knowledge in this Epson printer! You have saved me a great deal of anguish if I had to scrap this machine! I don't use it commercially, but I do use it to print my backup DVD covers on printable discs and this printer will print down to the 20 mm size of the inner diameter center hole on the disc. My Canon IP 4500 will only go down to 30mm and that leaves an unsightly white ring in the center of the disc. And thanks again Peter, I had tried the ssc service utility but it would not display the menu for me. So thanks for the Patch for it!

Best regards, Charlie

 

[PeterBJ]

Hi Charlie!

You're welcome. I'm glad it worked. I suggest you follow Miklings advice and don't take the printer apart. In my opinion CANON pixma's are much easier to deal with.

If I may be a bit off topic : The IP4500 can ALSO print fullface CD/DVD discs. You just have to tell it how. I think it has been shown in this forum, but I couldn't find it doing a search. Maybe somebody remembers where ?

The trick is to define a new PAPER format in CD Label Print. Here is how in short:

Open CD Label Print, click NEW to get started. From menuline click File, click Select Paper... , In Paper Selection Window at the bottom click New, An Add/Edit User Defined window opens. In this window you can adjust inner circle size down to 17 mm . for most discs 25 mm will be the proper setting. You may remame User Defined1 to fullface or whatever you prefer or just save by clicking OK. You now have the option to select and print fullface discs.

The tricky part is that Canon for some strange reason speak of a PAPER format when they actually mean DISC format. The manual is not very clear on this subject either.

I hope it is clear, else start a new thread on Canon and fullface disc print. I will then try to post screendumps, to make i clearer, if it has not been posted before.

Best regards, Peter.

 

[01systems]

Hello all and thank you for this thread.

I found this info quite useful and have managed to resolve my issue.

I used WIC Reset Utility to reset the waste counters - even though I did not do any maintenance.

I have seen some "Printer Potty" waste ink kits. Looks like there is a tube inside the printer you can re-direct the flow out to these vessels. Do you recommend somthing like this?

 

[The Hat]

Hi all! And thanks Neil for referring me to this site!

This doesn’t go to well, on such an old thread.. We’ll see.. !...

 

[websnail]

Hello all and thank you for this thread.

I found this info quite useful and have managed to resolve my issue.

I used WIC Reset Utility to reset the waste counters - even though I did not do any maintenance.

I have seen some "Printer Potty" waste ink kits. Looks like there is a tube inside the printer you can re-direct the flow out to these vessels. Do you recommend somthing like this?

Vested interest here... I developed the Printer Potty so I'm just a teensy bit biased... *ahem*

But whatever you do I would definitely recommend you install some kind of external waste ink kit so that you aren't running the risk of over saturating your printers waste ink pads and eventually leaking ink on desk, carpets, etc...

You don't want to ignore the waste ink...

 

[01systems]

Thank you, I've just ordered it from Octo Inkjet. Waste Ink Kit for: Epson R200, R220, R300, R320, R310, R210 (kit only)

Do I need to do any maintenance on this old printer, like oil somthing?

Wait, thats you