Ink expring??? SCAM!!!!

[wyocop]

Getting help/support from HP is not possiable. The issue is not solved. The printer is past it's warrenty date.  It's usless for color printing. The issue is in the printer it's self and not the print head or Ink Cart. That I am 90% sure of.

[X1Mach1]

I've been using HP inkjet printers for years.  When choosing the specific model I always researched which was easiest to refill with aftermarket ink.  I startede out with a 2500 And have been using a CP1700 for ten years.

While I cannot answer the question posed at the begining of this thread specifically, I can share what I've learned about my CP1700 printer over the years.

My printer uses separate ink catridges and printerheads.  Both are user replacable.  The ink cartridges have expiration dates and once the date is reached, the printer stops functioning and will not work until the expired ink cartridge is replaced. 

The printheads have expiration dates, but they continue functioning beyond the dates and will work untill they are worn out.

The CP1700 uses number 10 black and number 11 magenta, cyan and yellow ink cartridges.  theswe look like deoderent sticks.  

{Content Removed: Instructions may cause damage to printers}

Now, my CP1700 doesn't know if it's July 4, 2012 or July 4, 1776!  When I print a service report showing ink levels and print head use (shows number of 1000s of ink droplets put through each prinhead).

The report shows the expiration dates of each ink cartridge, and mine are all expired, going back as far as 2002.  I've replaced my printheads since disconnecting the memory battery and the report shows "??/??/????' as the installation date for all of my printheads.

So, I currently have ink cartridges in my CP1700 dated 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2011.  I have many more and refill them in batches, then swap them out as they run out. aThe cartridges are marked "single use only."

I believe HP's ink expiration dates are baloney at least for the larger separate cartridges.  Maybe it has merit in the small tri color units.

I've been using and refilling ink cartridges for ten years and have had no problem with failures or clogging.  I have all four original ink cartridges with 2002 expiration dates that work perfectly in 2012 after I disconeected the printer's memory battery.

The magenta, cyan and yellow cartridges contain 28 ml of ink - .9 ounce.  Not nine ounces, point nine ounces.  My black cartridges hold a whopping 69 mls of ink - two point 33 ounces.  At $31 per cartridge, HP is selling color ink for $34.50 per ounce and black ink for a bargain $13.30 per ounce!

At those prices, HP can and should give the printers away for free!   To put things in perspective, I calculated the ink cost for printing abn 8 X 10 color photo on glossy photopaper using OEM ink:  Over one dollar.   The cost using aftermarket ink?  One cent.  that's one penny. 

[5150firefighter]

I'm inclined to go along with the "SCAM" definition. I have a Photosmart C6180. I was buying my ink at COSTCO and, as those who shop there know, their products usually come in bulk. The price was fair also.

Recently, I received the "expired ink" message. I put in a new cartridge even though I only had about 3 days worth of usage on the old one. Surprise of surprises, the new one gave me the same message. I contacted COSTCO and inquired about the date on the ink. The sales person told me the ink was fresh from the supplier and not more than a month old. I told him what was happening and the sales person there told me that "this is common with HP. They have designed obsolescence in their product and want you to get rid of the machine you have and buy a new one. He said don't be at all surprised if you don't start getting other "error" messages." Sure enough, I went home, put in another cartridge and now I got the message, "Low Ink"!

I removed all traces of the HP software from my machine and then re-installed all the supplied software. I then went on line and  downloaded all the updates that HP had on their "service" page. After about two hours of trying to correct some other weird messages, I finally got the machine to start printing again. The next day, I got the "expired ink" message again.

So, the bottom line is, I am going to replace the machine. But, I can assure of this fact, the machine I buy to replace it WILL NOT be an HP!

[pcroft3]

Update:

Earlier in this thread I reported I had simply given up on getting support, information, or indeed anything else, from HP and had simply ababdoned the HP.   My replacement  Canon unit (half the price of HP)  has been working flawlessly.   It uses less ink than the HP did and is only a couple of decibels noisier.  The "less ink" is less important to me than the "flawlessly."

I have used HP products for years.  It used to be a good brand.

[5150firefighter]

I do believe your idea to replace the HP printer with another brand is the only real answer.

HP has been having internal problems for some time now and it seems to be spilling over onto the quality of the product they are putting out.

As for the "noise" issue, as far as I'm concerned, I feel the "Noise" of a silent, will not work printer, is deafening. When I have a project I need to print, the very LAST thing I want to see is a message advising me that a brand new, HP branded ink cartridge has "expired ink".

[emceeceeem]

That 'power down/power up' sequence seems to be what HP suggests for just about everything. If only life were that easy. Didn't work for me on this problem but has worked for other issues (curious that I seem to have numerous HP issues, no?).

I get two different cartridge symbols on the screen; magenta and cyan. When I hit OK once, the magenta symbol cleared but not the cyan. Hitting it again didn't resolve it and my printer remains frozen, even for scanning.

One day, I'll be HP free.

[gwood48]

A FRIEND WAS ABLE TO BYPASS THE EXPIRED MESSAGE.  HE IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE.  I WILL POST WHEN HE RETURNS.

[pcroft3]

Will believe this when I see it and try it and it works.   HP has steadfastly ignored this problem for years.  I think they can not fix it either.

[JC-MC]

I TOTALLY AGREE

[pcroft3]

I have the same comments I had a year ago:

1. My expensive L7650 HP continues to refuse to print (though it can be used to scan pages into USB devices).

2. My much less expensive Canon continues to performs perfecly with Costco refllls.   It gives error messages about low ink, but continues to operate normally otherwise.

3. Canon was very responsive on a question I had about another of their products.

4. This my last HP product

5. If anyone wants a bulky scanner, I'll help carry mine to your car.

This is supposed to be an "HP Forum."    Has anyone ever had a satisfactory or eveb helpful response from HP on this subject?