HPGT 5820 (P0R21A)

[tecmed]

Hello, everyone

I have an HP DeskJet GT 5820 (P0R21A) printer. After the printer has not been used for some time, air always gets into the color ink tubes, which prevents the printer from printing colors correctly.

I have already tried several troubleshooting procedures, but the only method that has worked for me is replacing the printheads.

The problem is that the printhead replacement counter is getting close to zero. What will happen when it reaches zero? Will I no longer be able to replace the printheads, leaving the printer unusable?

Is there any way to reset this counter or solve this issue?

Could someone please help me?

Best

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @tecmed,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Thank you for explaining the issue in detail. I understand that your HP DeskJet GT 5820 All-in-One Printer (P0R21A) develops air gaps in the color ink tubes after it sits unused, which then affects color printing. You have already tried several troubleshooting steps, and replacing the printheads has restored printing, but the problem eventually returns.

I also understand your concern about the printhead replacement counter. The HP DeskJet GT 5820 uses two replaceable printheads, one black and one tri-color (cyan, magenta and yellow). HP provides a specific printhead replacement procedure for the DeskJet GT 5810/5820 series.

However, because air is repeatedly returning to the ink tubes, we don't want you to continue replacing otherwise functional printheads simply to correct the ink-flow problem.

Please check the following first

1. Check all four ink levels.
   Make sure the black, cyan, magenta and yellow tanks have sufficient ink. Your printer uses HP GT51 black and GT52 cyan, magenta and yellow ink bottles.
2. Check the ink tubes carefully.
   When the color-printing problem occurs, confirm whether you can actually see an air gap in one or more of the cyan, magenta or yellow ink tubes.
3. Do not replace the printhead again yet.
   Since replacing it only temporarily restores operation and the air later returns, repeatedly replacing the printhead is not addressing the recurring condition.
4. If the air continues returning to the ink tubes after the printer has been unused, the printer should be checked by HP for the recurring ink-delivery issue, particularly because you have already replaced the printheads more than once.

You can use HP's official guidance here: HP DeskJet GT 5810, 5820 printers - Replacing printheads | HP® Support

The official article confirms that printheads that are damaged or no longer functioning properly can be replaced on the DeskJet GT 5820.

Regarding the printhead replacement counter
We would not recommend trying to reset or bypass this counter through a service menu or undocumented button combination.

The HP documentation available for the DeskJet GT 5820 provides the procedure for replacing the printheads, but it does not provide a customer procedure for resetting the printhead replacement counter. Therefore, rather than risk changing internal printer settings, we recommend addressing the recurring ink-flow problem itself.

Since you are already close to that point and the problem keeps returning, please contact HP Support before installing another printhead and explain that:

• there are recurring visible air gaps in the color ink tubes,
• color printing stops working when this happens,
• replacing the printhead restores printing only temporarily, and
• the printhead replacement counter is now approaching zero.

Please also let us know which color tube develops the air gap, approximately where in the tube the gap appears, and what the printer displays when the color stops printing. That information will help us narrow down the issue further.

[tecmed]

Hello .@VikramTheGreat,

Thank you for your detailed response.

I would like to clarify an important point regarding my HP DeskJet GT 5820.

The printheads themselves do not appear to be damaged. The problem occurs after the printer has been left unused for a long period of time. Air enters the color ink tubes, and when this happens, the printer no longer prints the colors correctly.

I have tried different cleaning and troubleshooting procedures, but so far the only method that successfully restores the ink flow is removing/replacing the printheads. After doing this, the printer performs the printhead initialization/priming process, the ink tubes fill correctly again, and color printing returns to normal.

Therefore, it seems that replacing the printhead is not actually fixing a defective printhead. Rather, the replacement procedure triggers a priming process that removes the air from the ink tubes.

My main concern is that the printer has a limited printhead replacement counter, and this counter is now approaching zero. I am concerned that eventually I will no longer be able to perform this procedure even though the printheads themselves are still functional.

Is there an official HP procedure to manually prime or purge the ink tubes without replacing the printheads?

Alternatively, is there a way for an authorized HP technician to reset or restore the printhead replacement counter if it reaches its limit?

I would prefer to solve the actual ink-flow/air problem rather than continue replacing functional printheads unnecessarily.

Thank you for your help.