Reusable Epson Cartridge Instructions
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Unlike genuine Epson cartridges, our cartridges are filled to capacity. Changes in temperature and air pressure can cause pressure to build up inside the cartridge. Make sure the cartridge is at room temperature before removing the tape. It is a good idea to wear disposable gloves or wrap your hand with a paper towel and open cartridges over a sink.
Before use you must open the air hole. If air can't get in, ink will have a hard time getting out. There is a yellow piece of tape at the top between the frame and the ink tank. Remove it carefully making sure it is completely removed. It it breaks and a piece remains to cover the air hole, ink will not come out.
Epson printers dont like mixing epson and non epson cartridges in the same printer at the same time. You should replace all epson cartridges with compatibles and not one at a time. Though most of the time the printer will recognize the cartridges even if mixed, the different ink formulas can cause streaking and the black can look grayish or greenish. After you replace the cartridges, it may take a few pages for the old ink to be completely replaced by the new ink. The first few pages may look grayish or greenish.
The easiest way to remove the tank is to hold the frame on either side in one hand being careful not to touch the chip, with the label facing you. Cover a finger on the other hand with a tissue. Put it behind the bump on the bottom where the printer punctures the tank and lift up.
Don't worry too much about the ink level shown on the printer. Epson printer ink levels are notoriously unreliable and even worse with non epson cartridges. Because the cartridges are transparent, you can see how much ink remains. If the printer says the cartridge is empty and it isn't, you can go through the cartridge replacement procedure and put the same cartridge back in. The chip will be reset to full - something which doesn't happen with ordinary cartridges. But make sure you have at least 1/3 of the ink remaining. Don't re-insert a cartridge with a low ink level. If you run out of ink and the printer keeps going, it can burn out the print head, even if you have black ink and are only printing in black.
Don't wait until the ink is empty to change tanks. Since the chips can get reset to full even with an empty tank, it's possible to print with an empty cartridge which can damage the printer. Keep an eye on the black, since this usually goes fastest. When the black is down to about a third or when the printer warns that it's low, replace it. Then check the other colors and replace those at the 1/3 mark or lower.
Simply changing a tank will not reset the level. The printer doesn't know how much ink is in the cartridge. The cartridge will first have to be seen as empty before it will reset to full. It may happen automatically or you may have to go through the replace cartridge procedure. Taking the cartridges out and putting them back in, running head cleanings and nozzles checks will have no affect on the ink level displayed.