HP Officejet Pro 8600 - Now won't print in Black Ink Only!

[UNC666]

I'm In contact with Local TV Station and CBS folks. Let them alert others so that they don't get struck with this type of Scam.

[unhappywithhpII]

All of these simply solutions do nothing to remedy the real situation:  the 8600 is high priced junk and HP needs to take responsibility to buy back these.  For 2-1/2 years the folks with nothing to do but respond to the never ending task of correcting the faulty, poor quality 8600 printer need to get a life.  I am tired of seeing the response in my email and wish i could end the thread with:  it is simply a failure and HP should come forward and pay the folks stuck with it!!

[brewpack]

Is there any solution to this? I always print in black only and now can't print because Magenta levels are low.  First, why is Magenta low when I don't print in color.  Second, just let me print HP.

[Bob_Headrick]

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@brewpack wrote:

Is there any solution to this? I always print in black only and now can't print because Magenta levels are low.  First, why is Magenta low when I don't print in color.  Second, just let me print HP.

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The solution is - you need to replace the depleted  cartridge.  The Officejet Pro 8600 series printers have separate ink supplies and printheads.  Running the printer without ink is something like running a car without oil - damage will occur. 

There are printer models that have printheads built into the ink supply.  For these printers it is possible to print with a depleted cartrdige, because replacing the cartrdige will replace the printhead.  For your Officejet Pro 8600 if the printhead runs without ink it may ingest air, causing clogging or other damage.

As for why color ink is used during black printing, see the document here.

Not what you want to hear, but if you want to print black only a mono laserjet is likely a better choice.  If you print mostly black but need occasional color a printer with integrated printheads like the Officejet 8040a may meet your needs.

[Looksha]

Thank you, Bob, for your explanantion.  Technically, this is about what I had figured was the case.  Too bad HP did not offer a clear explanantion more than a year ago!  

[-PSi-]

Bob, you failed to explain why I can print with empty black cartridge but cannot with empty yellow cartridge.

Convince me and all others here with some real hard evidence that this has nothing to do with the fact that printing black using only CMY cartridges is consuming so much more expensive inks that it is ok by you, as it just creates more profitable business.

You could start by explaining where excactly is the difference in the black and CMY heads that makes the black head so much more tolerable for limited dry running than the CMY heads?

pekka

[Bob_Headrick]

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@-PSi- wrote:

Bob, you failed to explain why I can print with empty black cartridge but cannot with empty yellow cartridge. 

Convince me and all others here with some real hard evidence that this has nothing to do with the fact that printing black using only CMY cartridges is consuming so much more expensive inks that it is ok by you, as it just creates more profitable business. 

You could start by explaining where excactly is the difference in the black and CMY heads that makes the black head so much more tolerable for limited dry running than the CMY heads? 

pekka 

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There are a few possibilities:

• The printer will first give a warning, suggesting printing in black only or color only when the black or color are "low".  When a cartridge is comepletely empty this option is no longer available and printing will be blocked to prevent damage to the printer.
• The black droplets are optmiized for text, while color is optimized for graphics.  The color droplets are much smaller.  To effect this the nozzles for color are much smaller and more likely to clog.

The above are speculations, I cannot say I have ever run out of black in my Officejet Pro 8620 and been offered the option to use color.  I recently ran out of cyan and needed to replace it - but since I had warnings in advance I had all the cartridges on hand.

[brewpack]

I found my solution.  Buy a new printer from an HP competitor.  It seems cheaper than buying the ink cartridges.

[ErinB23]

Thanks for the explination Bob. The problem is that HP customers were not made aware of this detail whilst purchasing and it does not state this information on the box. I believe nobody here would have bought the 8600 if this information was made available before/whilst purchasing. I clearly asked the salesman at a very popular electronic shop and I was told that it would most certainly work with 'Black Only' ink. So, even the people selling the things are not aware and are unknowingly selling people substandard, expensive rubbish which will soon become the bain of their customers lives. 

[crispy40]

there is alegitimate reason! I think I paid over $50 for my color cartridge!!
I also resent this as NO LRGE LETTER WARNING OF THIS IS PRINTED ON THE BOX!!