HP Photosmart C309a won't print after installing new black ink cartridge.

[lcoll72171]

This worked like a charm!  Who would have thought you could take a part out of your printer and run it under water!  Thank you very much.

[rogerstr]

Your suggestion worked perfectly for me. My HP 309a had stopped printing.  When I removed the carriage as you directed it was clogged with ink.  The process I followed was running the clogged areas under very warm water until the water ran clear which took a few minutes, shaking the water off, blotting the water remaining on the cartridge and then drying with cool air under a house fan for 10 minutes. Thank you for your post. Hope you have found a job. Tom Rogers, Saskatoon, Canada

[hlphlponline]

Am calling support now. There should not be a fee for this nonsense.

I installed new HP black ink cartidges for both the PHOTO black and regular black....upon which the printer wouldn't print black ink.

Tried re-initializing my HP C309A printer now per your instructions.  Was a bit dismayed to see that it is counting down from about 11 minutes to do this!

That did not work, so I tried cleaning the ink cartridge carrier per other instructions.

I hope HP will do better, as this is a waste of time, and seems to be an on-going problem.

[hlphlponline]

OK.... 

After

- turning it on/off to re-install (10-15 minutes)

- Washing and drying the cartridge heads (10-15 minutes) - with running hot water until the water ran clear,

- Re-installing again (10-15 minutes)

- Calling HP Tech support (20 minutes) to no avail as the printer is out of warranty and in this ridiculous program one is supposed to not only pay exhorbitant amounts for ink, but also for tech support....

- So after doing a second wash/SOAK of the printer heads in hot water for at least 5 minutes, plus some gentle drying dabbing with paper towels for at least 5 minutes, it is NOW working.

Thank you to the public who posted here. 

(No thanks to HP; Still not happy with the non-customer-service. Plus my other printer that has never worked properly.)

[Fitzwilson]

This solution worked like a charm! Obviously, use caution when doing this so as not to damage the carriage. I used warm (not hot) water and it worked just as well. Thank you!!!!

[NX650]

Mine needed a lot of soaking and lots of agitating during the process.

[Caboozer]

I used the methods mentioned by (UnEmployed Student)  for cleaning the printhead and did notice a considerable amount of buildup, but was still unable to print in black. I decided to give the thread one last try and unplugged the printer while it was on and pressed '#' & '6' simultaneously while plugging the printer back in. This brought me back to the initial printer setup and while crossing every finger and toe I have; the printer placed beautiful black ink on my lovely *96 bright paper.

[Arty_Smarty]

Thanks for fabulous advice.  I tried the rinse routine and it worked a treat.  Hope you found a great job!

[giles4dg]

WOW!!! It worked the second time around!  I was shocked at how much ink went down the drain....so basically $$$.  Thanks for posting this info.  

[Lonecoyote69]

Feb. 3/12

Well here goes a long winded guaranteed work around to fix your non printing new or old black cartridges in your C309A HP Printer

1. Don't be scared by the techs in here saying don't do this and that, why what are you out if it doesn't work, trying to buy a cartridge no one has.

2. Yes use lots of hot water, not boiling, wash and soak the printhead unit, leave it over night, wash now and then letting the force of the water pressure push through the fine screen entrances that your ink flows thru.

3. Leave it soaking in the water while you go to work for a day, I don't think thats neccessary but I did as I had to, cuz i am not retired nor rich.

4. When you get back many hours later, from its initial first soaking and flushing etc. do it some more, 2-3 times.

5. Now are YOU ready, its simple easy and assuming you have already used the paper towel multiple times wicking the excess water out as is described multiple times in other postings, so often you are sure its got all the ink, (But it hasn't I assure You).

6. Get your CAN of Compressed air (computor handy mans fan cleaner and keyboard and all things in side a computor) with the water streaming into the print head use the compressed air to help force it thru, now here comes the ink you will not get thru soaking and wicking.........Surprized?????Don't be......After no more ink is evident start blowing up into the print head area and with the part under water just blow around the head and watch more ink come out, keep this up untill all ink is GONE, 1-2 minutes.

7. After all ink is expelled, use a paper towel to verify, dry the unit with a hair dryer and yes your can of Compressed air, it will get cold so either wait till it warms naturally or run warm(not hot) water on the can so you get ample pressure again.

8. Use the compressed air to blow out any water in any area that may hold the water, as in the curve of the ribbon and under the print head and blow backwards into the part you are warned not to touch(wow), but you can no big deal, blow about until its done expelling any water, takes 10 minutes.

9. Now for the technical part use a alcohol wipe to wipe the contact points on both the print head cartridge and the carrier, and as well the actual print head.

10. Voila you will have saved a million cuss words and hours of time on here trying to find some one that can let you do it with out scariung the dickens outof you, its just a 25 cent Printer that HP needed to spend some more engineering on.

11. Yes trust me I been around the merry-go round with HP and their C309A and its lack of wireless connection that its supposed to have so No they are not that popular in my books, but when it works it does a Bang up job.

12. Get a beer and start the reinstall process and let it do its 12 miniute thing and out will come a perfect print page.

13. If this fails I will bet you a button you didnt get all the water out from between the print head cartridge and the ribbon that carries the signals, it has the little wires embedded in it. Take it apart and dry it some more, remember NO water droplets when you are using the can of air, because if you quit with them present they have friends hiding in tighter spots you cant see, so spend time drying it all out.

14. You do not need anything for tools, just paper towel, hot water from a running tap, alcohol and the compressed air.

15. Now enjoy your printer, I am. I usually don't post as it takes me too long typing but this was killing me that a 30.00 part was keeping people from diving into the issue, its a no-brainer. I was coming home tonight and was willing to buy another printer and I said what am I out, so I tore into it and heres the post of assurance, this works iron clad.  Please send me an email if this helps you out so I know this effort of typing was of some value to others.  Lc.