Epson WF 3620 Not Printing at All

[coconut]

About a week ago, I was getting spotty printing with my magenta replacement cartridge and nothing out of my cyan replacement cartridge from 4inkjets.com. I've never had trouble with their cartridges before. From what I've read, more than likely, the initial problem has to do with not using the printer for several months.

After running nozzle checks and cleaning the printhead multiple times, I tried soaking a paper towel with Windex. A lot of ink soaked into the paper towel when I ran the carriage over the paper towel. The next day, I started getting NOTHING when I ran a nozzle check. The page would come out blank.

I decided to try flushing the print nozzles. Still, nothing printed. I let the printer stand for a couple of days before I tried running more nozzle checks. Now I just barely get some black lines when I do the nozzle check (see image attached). I pulled out the maintenance box, and there was black ink smeared on the otherwise clean white filter. I don't know if that means anything.

I'm actually afraid I may have ruined the printer altogether. Does anyone have any suggestions? They would be much appreciated.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

the initial problem has to do with not using the printer for several months.

That's most likely the reason for your problems, pigment inkjet printers don't like that. You did already quite a lot of actions to get your printer working again. The maintenance box is the depository for the ink which is pulled through the nozzles during the cleaning cycles.
There is one other area which needs some inspection, a foam pad of the cleaning unit is pressed against the nozzle rows of the printhead from underneath in idle position, this cleaning pad dries out as well and may put some ink smear onto the nozzle plate , you may put some water or cleaning liquid onto the cleaning unit, start a cleaning cycle and all the liquid should be pumped away, if not there could be a clog in the tube from the cleaning unit to the pump to the maintenance/waste ink box.
when flushing the ink channels you should do that color by color and watch the paper towel underneath whether and what ink/color shows up there, this should indicate when the majority of the nozzles are clean.
You may have a problem as well with the ink flow of the cartridges you are using - the air vent hole is not open, the cartridges are not seated properly . It would be an (expensive) alternative to use a set of original Epson cartridges at this point to exclude any cartridge problems after all your actions - or a different type of cartridges like refill carts

 

[coconut]

Thank you so much for your reply. To be sure I'm proceeding correctly, I hope you can confirm a few things for me.

1. In one photo I've attached (IMG-1994), I've drawn a red box around what I think is the foam pad surrounding the nozzle rows you refer to. Is this correct or should I be looking elsewhere? I also wondered if, when I soaked the paper towels with Windex, if they touched that foam pad with the ink channels visible in the photo, could that have caused the ink to stop flowing? I was getting nozzle check patterns for all but the cyan before I did that.
2. When you say "cleaning unit," do you mean the nozzles I've marked in the other photo (IMG-1995)? The area surrounding the nozzles is clean, but do you mean I should try pouring a little water or cleaning liquid into that area? Meaning, I pour it into that well surrounding the nozzles?
3. I will try flushing the ink channels again. I did do them each separately, changing the paper towel beneath each of them each time.
4. If I still can't get it printing again after I try all you've recommended, must I conclude that the printer is no longer able to print, and must be replaced? Or is there anything more I can do to try to fix it?

Thank you again for your reply.

 

[coconut]

P.S. - I just tried flushing the magenta channel. I pushed about 2 ml of cleaning fluid through. The photo attached is of the paper towel I had lying beneath the printhead while I did the flush. As you can see, even though I was flushing the magenta channel, black and yellow ink flushed out, along with the magenta. I believe the cyan channel remains completely blocked. Unless that little bit of purple at the top of the ink smear suggests some cyan is making it through.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

IMG_1994 - yes, that's the foam pad pressed against the nozzles rows from underneath, that areas looks o.k., not clean since it is always covered with some ink but you should not find any creamy, gel-like , pasteous smear in this area.
IMG_1995 - that image looks into the printhead carriage and shows the rods picking up the ink from within the cartridges once inserted, the actual nozzles are underneath , there is a nozzle plate with x little nozzle holes in 2 rows (with this printer), the nozzle plate moves across the paper at a pretty small distance during the printing process. You cannot easily remove an Epson printhead to do more cleaning outside and to get direct access to the nozzles.
You can easily disengage the printhead carriage from its resting position - you power on the printer, and you pull the power plug as soon as the printhead carriage starts moving, you can move the printhead into any position this way.
Since you have done already lots of cleaning actions, and ink seems to pass through the nozzles so many more should be visible as printing in the nozzle check print, there is still my concern that the ink is not flowing from the cartridges.

You may do a test with the 'WicReset' utility available for download, this offers not just the cleaning function but as well a more intensive cleaning - 'Ink Charge' which is the command for the initial ink loading on a new printer.
Do a nozzle check, do an Ink Charge and another nozzle check to compare

 

[coconut]

Ok. Thanks again.

 

[coconut]

I am thrilled to report that after running the WICReset Ink Charge I got a complete Nozzle Check pattern, including cyan! I really thought I might not be able to get my printer working again. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[The Hat]

@coconut, thanks for the great feed back...
And @Ink stained Fingers, Did it again...

 

[coconut]

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

thanks for your feedback - please find a way to keep your printer active now and then, it'll save you lots of hazzles.