How do Epson printers determine Supply Levels?

[jakobox2]

Hi guys,

I've owned a 3880 for awhile now and really been loving it. Just came up with a minor glitch related to replacing cartridges and I wanted to see if you guys could help.

After a good amount of use, the printer recently told me that a cartridge needed replacement. The other inks were around 10 to 25 percent full as reported by the LCD panel on the printer, so that seemed reasonable to me.

Just a few weeks later, I got a message to replace the LLK ink cartridge. I pulled it, threw it in the wastebin and went looking for the spare cartridge (I had purchased a full set of replacements). I quickly realized that the LLK was the one that I had just replaced a few weeks ago.

Since I didn't have anything to put in the printer, I pulled the LLK out of the wastebin, put it back in the printer. The printer is now reporting that LLK is 100 percent full. Prints are looking fine to me.

So my question is: Are the ink amounts reported based on the printer assuming that the cartridges are full and then calculating use? Or is there some other mechanism. That is to say.... is it a glitch that the printer told me to replace the cartridge, or was it a glitch that the cartridge is now being reported as full. Will I damage the printer using it this way?

Thanks for any insite!

[lfeagan]

The cartridge stores the information about the supply level using the small chip (IC) on the outside. If you ever get into refilling cartridges, you will find devices sold that reset the capacity of the chip so that it is full again.

Yes, it could be a glitch, possibly due to not being fully/properly seated. Also, the contacts for the chip could have been obstructed slightly.

You are very unlikely to damage it. The worst that could happen is air could get into the supply lines, and would need to be purged. This would just waste some ink, not the end of the world.

[jakobox2]

Thanks for the advice. I'll keep an eye on my prints but sounds like I'm good to go, and that the error was likely the earlier (when it said it was empty).

I appreciate it!

[dgberg]

Lots of good information about your printer on this site.
That low level warning means nothing more then time to order a replacement.
If you pulled it out,put it back in and print until it is actually empty.
The printer will stop. Replace it with a new one and you are good to go.

[Mike Guilbault]

Sounds like a glitch to me too.  When the warning notice appears I order in a new cartridge (usually next day from my dealer that's right across the street from me!!) but depending on my work load could take a week or more before  I actually replace it.  As Dan says, the printer will stop and you can insert the new cartridge and keep going.  I've not seen an ill effects from this.