How to contact HP Instant ink to tell them that I have run out of yellow ink?

[Brynl]

Having printed a few printer checker and cleaner pages, with no idea what the output should look like, I then Googled for a image of what it should look like and see that I am lacking yellow, hence my prints of green grass come out blue.  My 'estimated' link levels say 'ok'...

The Instant Ink page has a support form to fill in, I did this then you have an 'option' button which says 'chat' and phone suport is not available at the weekend, and that's it, with no option to send the support form as a message/email...

Have I missed something?  Can I only make contact with them during working hours, and then have to use chat or phone them?

Cheers

Bryn

[Drakster]

Hello @Brynl,

Welcome to the HP Support Forums!

I understand that you're experiencing print quality issues. I would be happy to look into this with you and please remember to return to this thread and mark 'Accept as Solution', if I have successfully helped you resolve the issue. If you wish to say 'thanks' for my effort to help, click the 'thumbs up' to give me a Kudos.

Have you tried to steps within this guide? 

• Fixing Poor Print Quality

NOTE: "Step 9: Examine the Print Quality Diagnostic Report for defects" shows what the diagnostic report should look like. 

If the issue persists and you get to "Step 13: Replace the problem ink cartridge" send me a private message with your account number or email address and I will look at replacing the defective cartridge for you. Also, confirm that the address on your account is correct.

I look forward to hearing back from you. 🙂

[Brynl]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.  I managed to contact the HP Instant Ink support, via CHAT on a week day, and they have ordered a replacement tri-color cartridge for me and also credited my account for the wasted prints.  It’s a shame there is no way of messaging them ‘out-of-hours’ e.g. at the weekend.

Do you have a view on the Print Checker and Print Quality Diagnostic reports? i.e. there is nothing to say what they should like?  In my case the reports were both missing the yellow square and the thick yellow bar… the ink cartridge levels were both flagged as OK… I eventually went on Google and found an image of what a ‘good’ report should look like and I could see that I was missing the yellow.  I think the actual report print should have some text saying Yellow goes here… Blue goes here… etc else how does the user know a colour is missing?

And whist I have the ear of an expert…..  my long running issue is that sometimes when I print a picture it just prints half or less of the image.  It is almost as if it feeds too much of the paper into the printer and starts printing too far up the sheet…  I thought this could be paper slippage and/or the paper being too thick (300 g/m).  So I now use 200 g/m HP gloss paper and just feed in one sheet at a time, but I still get the issue, say 3 prints out of 10.  I have tried re-booting the PC and the Printer, but can have the issue on the very first print….  Could be a memory issue?

My configuration  is:

• Windows XP sp3
• Dell desktop  Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.4GHz, 3.24 GB of RAM
• Printer connected via direct USB
• Printing from Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0  (I know it’s old but it works for me, mostly…)

Any suggestions would be appreciated, but I can’t test print at the moment until the new cartridges arrive.

Cheers

Bryn

[Drakster]

Hello @Brynl,

Thanks for getting back to me.:) 

Have you looked at the document that I suggested? It shows you exactly what the diagnostic report looks like and how to determine what the problem is specifically. It also shows you to how to make sure that the print settings are correct. 

Have you tried printing photos from other applications other than 'Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0'? I would try Photo Printing Wizard.  

• Photo Printing Wizard
• Printing Photos (Windows)

Please make sure that you're using the HP Print Driver. 

Once you receive the replacement cartridge, I would try copying a photo on the printer and make sure that you do not have issues.

• Update the firmware on the printer.

Your Trusted HP Instant Ink Services Specialist

[Brynl]

Hi,

Yes I did take a look at the doc, but it goes through the standard support answer of re-install all the drivers, re-do all your config  etc…  I did all that a few months back and it can be a pain getting the wifi etc all working again.  The doc did have an example of what a report with no defects looks like, which is good, but I couldn’t find this doc at the time.  I still think it would be useful if the Defect Report itself could be more informative, by saying which colors should appear and where.

My prints from other apps, e.g. MS Word and Excel always work fine, but I am never printing from these on the HP 200 g/m gloss paper and at a high quality resolution, plus 7 out of 10 prints from Elements work fine.  I could try printing 10 pages from MS Word at a high resolution on some HP 200g/m paper and print ten pages in thinner paper from Elements, but that would use up half my HP Instant Print monthly allowance in one go!

My ‘gut feel’ is that it is either some kind of memory issue between XP, Elements and HP printer, or more likely, a physical issue with the thicker gloss (slippery) paper , not feeding properly into the  printer.

It’s a shame as I like the printer and the concept of the Ink supply contract (HP Instant Print).  My previous printers were Epson, which were good quality but having 6 cartridges to manage/replace, just got to be very expensive.

Anyway, I have taken up enough of your time, lets close this one

Thanks

Bryn

[Drakster]

Hello @Brynl,

On the report in section "Examples of defects on the print quality diagnostic report," it breaks down what the possible causes are. I'm sorry you're having difficulties deciphering the report. We're always here to help. : )

When you get the replacement cartridge, I want you to perform a test. Adjust the copy settings for the correct paper type and quality and perform copy and let me know what the results. : )

The reason I wanted you to trying copying a photo rather than sending it from the computer is to rule out software and driver problems.  If you can't copy a photo without defects then try updating the printer's firmware.

Your Trusted HP Instant Ink Services Specialist