Z3100 Cartridge Expiration

[Mark Lindquist]

I have let my now 3 year old Z3100 sit idle (while still plugged in) for several months and recently during a power outage it was off for a bit.  When I turned it back on it said I had to re-seat all the inks and that they were all expired.  It gives the option to install new inks or continue with old ones, but it says: "Service or repairs required as a result of using expired ink are not covered under warranty".

Does this mean it voids the warranty?  Can I just re-seat the inks and continue on?

I have another set of inks that I bought when the machine was new but I imagine they are now old as well.

What to do?

All thoughts / help appreciated -

Mark

[Roscolo]

If it's 3 years old then I don't think it's under warranty anyway, unless you have been paying for extended warranty, and I've never seen much point in that. You don't have to pay too long for the extended warranty before you could have bought a new printer.

My z3100 gets a lot of use, and I still have ink carts that "expire." I've never figured out what this is for except maybe a way HP figures they can sell more ink. I've printed with numerous carts that have expired in use, and it seems now that there is always at least one or two or three carts in the printer at any one time that are expired. I just keep on printing. Never been a problem.

Since you left it turned on you shouldn't have any problem if the power outage didn't result in the printer being off for very long. I would probably just fire it up, re-seat the inks and give it a go. If any carts present a problem, just replace those carts. Good move leaving the printer plugged in and powered on. That should have kept the ink moving through the line as the printer does a few self-checks daily. That is the saving grace of the z printers: no clogs.

[Mark Lindquist]

If it's 3 years old then I don't think it's under warranty anyway, unless you have been paying for extended warranty, and I've never seen much point in that. You don't have to pay too long for the extended warranty before you could have bought a new printer.

My z3100 gets a lot of use, and I still have ink carts that "expire." I've never figured out what this is for except maybe a way HP figures they can sell more ink. I've printed with numerous carts that have expired in use, and it seems now that there is always at least one or two or three carts in the printer at any one time that are expired. I just keep on printing. Never been a problem.

Since you left it turned on you shouldn't have any problem if the power outage didn't result in the printer being off for very long. I would probably just fire it up, re-seat the inks and give it a go. If any carts present a problem, just replace those carts. Good move leaving the printer plugged in and powered on. That should have kept the ink moving through the line as the printer does a few self-checks daily. That is the saving grace of the z printers: no clogs.

Thanks for the response - the warranty expires at the end of this month.  It's $800 to buy a new warranty for another year.  Haven't wanted to re-up, but then again....
Guess I'll just keep using the inks and keep working with it.  Thanks-

[teddillard]

I have let my now 3 year old Z3100 sit idle (while still plugged in) for several months and recently during a power outage it was off for a bit.  When I turned it back on it said I had to re-seat all the inks and that they were all expired.  It gives the option to install new inks or continue with old ones, but it says: "Service or repairs required as a result of using expired ink are not covered under warranty".

Does this mean it voids the warranty?  Can I just re-seat the inks and continue on?

I have another set of inks that I bought when the machine was new but I imagine they are now old as well.

What to do?

All thoughts / help appreciated -

Mark

As long as the inks aren't dried out you should be fine, from a performance standpoint- you can just run a diagnostic print and that will tell you.  As far as the warranty, it will not void it.  We just went through some warranty work on a printer that ultimately was replaced by HP and it had a few cartridges in there that were expired- nobody made any mention of it at all, when they went through the logs.  

[Mark Lindquist]

As long as the inks aren't dried out you should be fine, from a performance standpoint- you can just run a diagnostic print and that will tell you.  As far as the warranty, it will not void it.  We just went through some warranty work on a printer that ultimately was replaced by HP and it had a few cartridges in there that were expired- nobody made any mention of it at all, when they went through the logs.

Thanks Ted, that's good to know.  Appreciate the help -
Mark