Epson T0801-T0806 ARC Refillable cartridge strange behavior

[james3]

Hello,
I just installed on my Epson Stylus Photo PX820FWD a set of refillable cartridge with auto reset chip, I always taught that the auto reset chip will autoreset automatically once the printer says that the cartridge is empty/doesn't recognize it anymore and you remove it from the printer and put it into the printer again (no matter if you refill or not, but of course you should refill it for avoiding airclogs),.

On my printer, that was airclogged, I was running several printer head cleaning (and I fixed the clog) and a couple of these ARC cartridges, that the printer read as half empty (actually they were all t completely filled just before installing ), auto-reset their ink level without my intervention during the printer head cleanings and I found them read as 100% completely fill, luckily there was plenty of ink so nothing happened, but if they were half empty ?

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

you are apparently using several sets of cartridges with ARC chips, yes - strange effects can happen, ARC chips are not officially supported by Epson firmware which can cause funny behaviour. Swap cartridges only when they are showing at least some ink level, you may get a funny effect when you remove an empty cart with an ARC chip but then insert another cart with another ARC chip still partially full, and that one gets a reset as well, or you swap one cart with another one, and that one gets the ink level transferred from the first one, and it is giving even more fun if you have a 2nd printer and swap cartridges between printers. You even can reset cartridges with one-time chips and re-use them on a 2nd printer - you can reset such chips before they report empty, you even could reset original Epson carts and re-use them in another printer - if you are able to refill them. All this can happen or not , depending on the ARC chip and printer model, different versions and combinations may operate differently - and deliver even more and other effects e.g. you refill one cart, reinsert it, and suddenly all other cartridges show empty although they are not.

 

[james3]

No I'm using just a a single ARC cartridges set, the only one that I own, to replace the compatible cartridge that I was using till yesterday that gave me airclog problem each time I had to replace them (they were probably poorly primed )
The fact is that some of these ARC refillable cartridge even if just installed and completely filled, were read by my printer as empty or almost empty because I used to use them in the past filled with cleaning solution trying to clean my printer head and then stored (but I recently discovered that my printer head has nothing bad and works perfectly it had only had airclog problem, so priming refillable cartridge and keeping it that way should fix the problem definitely)

 

[james3]

Ok I can confirm, tomorrow morning I found another cartridge, the Cyan, resetted to 100% by itself, I didn't do anything,

 

[PeterBJ]

There are at least two types of ARC chips. The old type resets when it is removed from the printer or the power to the printer is removed. This is independent of the indicated ink level. This type can do unwanted resets and give a false full indication. With this type of chips the printer must never be disconnected from the mains as this will cause an unwanted reset.

The newer and "intelligent" type can only reset if it is removed and reinserted in the printer when it indicates empty. Removing and reinserting it or cutting the power to the printer, if the chip does not indicate empty, does not cause a reset. This type of chip is more safe for the printer.

Could your chips be of the old type and the unwanted resets caused by an intermittent contact between the chip and the chip contact springs? Could there be a problem with the mains cable or mains power outlet?

 

[james3]

Thanks for you answer, but I think that my cartridge are of the second kind since when I remove and reinstall them the system read always the same ink level

anyway attached to this message a picture of the chip installed on my cartridges