Using refillable auto-reset cartridges
 

Am thinking to use these refillable auto-reset printer ink cartridges in my Epson XP200 along with vendor guaranteed dye type inks (cheap).
1) When I turn off the power to the printer if a cartridge is half full of ink, will it be reset to full via the auto-reset feature?
2) Has anyone had good/bad luck using dye inks in the Epson all-in-one printers?

I can't answer your question directly, but what I can say is that in most cases you would be better off buying a laser printer.
The only down side of laser printers is that a colour laser printer does not produce photo quality images. But then, neither do dye based inks. Photo quality inkjet printers use pigment based inks to get high quality vivid colours that don't fade as fast as dyes do.

Unless you're printing photos on a regular basis, (as in daily) you would get better economy from a laser printer. Choosing between a colour laser printer and a black only laser printer depends on your needs.

The other point to mention is that unless the cartridges are made by and approved by the manufacturer of your printer, you are probably going to experience problems at some point down the line. (and the manufacturer probably has a disclaimer where they disavow all responsibility for your printer not working after you use those cartridges)

If you do use refillable cartridges, be very careful to ensure they do not leak in any way as the contacts tend to corrode when they get wet. If that happens, the printer can't really be repaired and will stop working.

I rarely need color printing. In fact I usually set up 3 printers: 1) full color, 2) no color (saves on the use of the color tanks being used to make part of the black) quality black, and 3) draft mode black only. Normally I use #3. This is all set up with lpoptions or in CUPS.
I have refilled mfgr cartridges for years with out a problem. The problem I have had are electro/mechanical or with communication between driver and CUPS or CUPS itself never with ink. I usually use dye ink for color and the colors are way good enough for my needs. Always check the contacts. If they were to corrode they will stop working I presume.

I have never used these automatic reset chip type of refillable cartridges. They are said to contain a battery. Why?? They are said to contain no sponges like mfgr cartridges. Why??
One big question I have is if they auto reset when refilled and are reinserted then why wouldn't they auto-reset to full when the power is turned off and on?? (and they have a battery??) Hence they would always be full until out of ink.
I once recall seeing a picture of what these look like on the inside but that vensor no longer has that image on it's site. Would like to revisit that image.

Yup, that's pretty much what happens. You get an obscure error message for the effected cartridge and the printer simply refuses to do anything. :p
(note: the corrosion on the printer I had was not visible until I took it apart. the exposed tips of the contacts are gold plated but the unplated parts, which are hidden from view, corrode.)

Well, unless someone here has actually used them and comments, you may have to try them yourself to find out.

I don't see why they would need a battery. However, they may have a chip battery as is found in a real-time-clock circuit. I agree though, I don't see a reason for that.

If I were to design one, it would only reset once it reaches 'empty'

Although the irony being that printers have an optical detector that can verify when a cartridge is really empty of liquid. (so the chip is really only there to force you to buy new cartridges rather than refill the old one)

Removing the sponge doesn't make much sense either. The sponge acts as wicking and helps the ink flow evenly through the outlet and to the print head. But it's usually not an absolutely necessary feature.

It's quite a while since I played with Epson printers but, unlike HP ones which contain a "new" printhead in each cartridge, Epson have separate heads which are not replaced with the ink. HP printers use bubble jet technology where the ink is heated till it efectively boils and spits onto the paper. Epson use pizo-electric heads which is more akin to hand-milking a cow; the pizo cell has a hole through it which contracts and squeezes the ink out onto the paper.

You can refill HP carts till the bubble jet heaters fail then you'll need a new cart. If the pizo head on an Epson blocks you've a much bigger problem, hence the reason they say don't use cheap ink!

Epson also fit some sort of timer/counter thing so that when the waste ink pad within the base of the printer is "full" you get a message to say the printer needs to be replaced! Good news? - They tend to be pretty cheap. :)

Play Bonny!

:hattip: