Officejet 7000 won't recognise cartridges

[Nigh]

We have an Officejet 7000 wide format inkjet which we have been using for about 1 year. We use an external ink tank system which has been working OK for several months. Last week, the printer was working fine then all 4 cartridge lights started flashing at the same time. If I try the utilities like printhead cleaning it says no cartridges are recognised.

I've cleaned the printhead connections & reseated the cartridges but no change.

Any ideas how I can fix this?

PC is Win XP Pro SP2

Printer uses network connection.

[dgr19530]

It is because HP invested money to detect ink from other manufacturers of ink refills so they can FORCE you not to purchase from others.  This is a threat to you purchasing supplies from anyone other than HP.  I would recommend you investigate other printer manufactuers to ascertain their policies on replacement ink use and blocking techonology to prevent consumers from utilizing this source of products.  I consider what HP is doing to be anti-competitive and disruptive to consumers.  In adition, if you have ever taken a contract law course, you would know that every product sold has a requirement of performance.  HP is going in exactly the oposite direction that consumers want.  Instead of making thei products superior based on performance, they are instead investing time and money to identify if you are using the products of cmpetitiors in their printers... if you are, they make their equipment stop working.

I would file complaints with the FTC, as I have, and with your congressmaen.  Compete used to be part of the HP mantra.  now it is thei war cry to NOT compete.

dgr19530

[Nigh · Accepted solution]

We managed to fix this more or less by accident. Whilst poking about at the connections to the print head the main ribbon cable fell off. Having reconnected this the printer is now OK. I guess the cable must have come loose but was still being held by the connector & not making contact.

[guymark]

I realise this is an old post - BUT as I have firsthand experience of the problem and a different solution to the one posted, thought it might be useful.

This is likely to ONLY be of use for people using a CISS system unless you have tried using "compatible" cartridges without a silicon seal.

In short, if you are being told that you have no cartridges installed (and you have), then assuming that the chips in your cartridges worked before and/or you have good reason to believe they work then read on.

Of course stage one is remove the cartridge, clean the contacts on both the cartridge and the housing. They suggest distilled water which is fine, in reality, so is either methylated spirits and/or isopropyl alcohol. BOTH of these will clean the contacts and NEITHER will harm the plastic uses.

I am guessing you have already cleaned the contacts and been distressed to see that it STILL thinks the printheads are missing.

There is a VERY good chance that the problem is that the little PCB UNDER the plastic of the printhead housing has been flooded with ink. This is conductive enough when wet to generate the rogue error.

1. Lift the lid. The printhead and cartridges should end up roughly in the middle.
2. Remove power by unplugging from the mains OR unplugging from the back of the printer.

3. Remove ALL cartridges.

4. Gently wip clean the contacts on all cartridges and store upside down OR in a "holder" to stop them leaking.

5. Remove any obvious signs of ink etc from the contacts in the printhead assembly - chances are you already have.

6. Remove all paper and place several sheets of kitchen roll in the printer tray ready.

7. CAREFULLY slide some kitchen roll UNDER the FRONT side of the printhead assembly - near the cartridge contacts

8. Using a CLEAN syringe, load and squirt with some force, methylated spirits OR Isopropyl alcohol around the contacts

9. Repeat for EACH set of cartridge contacts (4 in total)

10. REPEAT step 8 and 9

What can happen is that a baldy set up CISS system OR refillable cartridge can leak a LOT of ink quite quickly if your kit did not include silicone seals to fit over the receptacles in the printer (which match up with the outlet of the cartridges).

The ink is slightly conductive and if it gets around the contacts (big clue) then there is a VERY good chance, some of it has gone UNDER the contacts onto the little PCB. You do not need to dissassemble, but several high power "squirts" of methylated spirits, Isopropyl alocohol or distilled water wil clean the board and stop it malfunctioning.

If using meths or IPA (Isopropyl) then almost as soon as you have finished you are ready to go. If using distilled water, you MAY need to wait several hours unless you have removed EVERY trace of ink, for it to dry sufficiently to work.

With meths or IPA, once you have flushed all the ink off the PCB, then removing power for a few seconds (give it 10 or more to be safe), and reapplying will do the job. If you used water, then leave the printer somewhere warm overnight to hopefully "dry out".

Once the PCB is clean and dry, the cartridges will be recognised once again and all will be well - though you may find you need several cleaning cycles to get optimum results.

Hope that helps a few other folks 🙂 x