Epson programs printers to self destruct

[rcmaehl]

Summary

It has been found that Epson Ecotank printers will intentially brick themselves instead of allowing users to replace a serviceable part.

 

Quotes

Quote

As some users have discovered, the hardware... programmed to simply stop working one day, if used too frequently. Haven recently took to Twitter to share a frustrating experience with their wife’s “very expensive @EpsonAmerica printer” which,... displayed a warning message stating that “it had reached the end of its service life.” So what was the issue with the printer? A dead motor? A faulty circuit board? Nope. The error message was related to porous pads inside the printer that collect and contain excess ink. These wear out over time, leading to potential risks of... ink spills, or... damage to the printer itself. Usually, other components in the printer wear out before these pads do,... but some high-volume users may end up receiving this error message. The self-bricking issue affects the Epson L130, L220, L310, L360, and L365 models, but could affect other models as well. Videos on YouTube show... other Epson users manually replacing these ink pads to bring their printers back to life. The company does provide a Windows-only Ink Pad reset utility that will extend the life of the printer for a short period of time, but it can only be used once. The company could redesign the hardware to make this part easily user-serviceable...b ut as it stands, the company’s solution runs the risk of contributing to an... e-waste problem and forcing consumers to shell out for new hardware.

 

My thoughts

*Sigh* I had such high hopes for the Ecotank series, going so far to recommend them to people as I'm the defaco IT guy for many friends, family, and acquaintences. They really were a more affordable solution. I guess there really are no good printer companies unless you splurge on a laser printer.

 

Sources

Slashdot

Gizmodo (quote source)

[yolosnail]

This is nothing new. My mother's 10 year old Brother printer (MFC-J4510DW)  did this as well a few months ago. All I had to do was undo a couple screws to take the top off, replace the pad (or just rinse it and wait for it to dry), then go into the maintenance mode on the printer and reset it.

 

She wanted to replace the printer anyway, so I just took it off her hands and now it's running perfectly fine again!

[An0maly_76]

10 minutes ago, rcmaehl said:

I guess there really are no good printer companies unless you splurge on a laser printer.

 

Won't get an argument from me there. I've never cared for inkjets. Too high-maintenance for me, and given the quality, the low-cost color capability just isn't worth the compromise and hassle. I rarely need color anyway. I bought a Dell 1130 laser at MalWart for about $200, if memory serves. At least six years and one starter toner cartridge later, it works just fine.

[Fasauceome]

Really feeling lucky I just got my Epson printer for free right now.

 

What's disappointing about this is that epson has had one of the most headache-free printing experiences for me, personally. But alas, this is emblematic of the entire printing industry.

[An0maly_76]

Just now, Fasauceome said:

Really feeling lucky I just got my Epson printer for free right now.

Better put a contract out on Murphy. Otherwise, Murphy WILL find your Epson, and he WILL make it self-destruct.

[wanderingfool2]

7 minutes ago, rcmaehl said:

*Sigh* I had such high hopes for the Ecotank series, going so far to recommend them to people as I'm the defaco IT guy for many friends, family, and acquaintences. They really were a more affordable solution. I guess there really are no good printer companies unless you splurge on a laser printer.

Sadly this is actually a bit more common than people would think for printers.  I know I've tried at least 3 printers using bootlegged brother software to fully reset that (I manually took apart the printer and emptied the pads, 2 of them were successful the last I wasn't able to get the bootleg software to work with the model).

 

I do actually understand why this is a thing, I do wish there was a reset option though (even if it takes note of it).  There has been one case where I've seen the ink pad fail and get ink everywhere (leaked out the bottom of the printer ruining a carpet).  So I do have sympathies with HP for adding it, but I do wish that it had a full restart option.

[HarryNyquist]

Stop buying inkjet printers. Buy a laser printer.

 

Don't get me wrong, laser printers do the same crap and are just razor-and-blades as inkjet printers. It's just that toner carts are much better value for your money than inkjet ink carts, with the bonus of the toner still working perfectly even if you don't print something for a week.

 

The only good case for inkjet is photo printing, but even there you will lose less money long-term buy ordering photo prints online or doing them in a kiosk in a store.

[manikyath]

4 minutes ago, HarryNyquist said:

Stop buying inkjet printers. Buy a laser printer.

 

Don't get me wrong, laser printers do the same crap and are just razor-and-blades as inkjet printers. It's just that toner carts are much better value for your money than inkjet ink carts, with the bonus of the toner still working perfectly even if you don't print something for a week.

 

The only good case for inkjet is photo printing, but even there you will lose less money long-term buy ordering photo prints online or doing them in a kiosk in a store.

yes but no.

 

buy an "LED" printer. it's like a laser printer but with a line of LED's instead of a laser and fast-moving precision optics. they pretty much dont have any moving part that isnt a 'consumable' by design. so.. as a result, they're cheaper than a laser, easier to maintain than a laser, and smaller than a laser.

 

oh, and next to no heatup time.

[Dabombinable]

If this happens to my mum's ET3700...well that's another Epson printer that's getting thrown through a window (it took her 20 years to get another Epson - the ecotank).

On the plus side, the ink pad could later on be be used to re-ink my grandmother's typewriter ribbon.

[8tg]

We use Lexmark MS810n’s at work, printing upwards of 400 sheets a day per printer in the building. They’re fairly hassle free, don’t do any of that nonsense with fake servicing and such, and we discovered that the biggest issue with these (besides the cost of use for home users as the laser cartridges and maintenance kits wear out over time) is that the toner return program really skimps on what they send you back.

We sent out some cartridges we bought on Amazon when the regular return program got delayed, they came significantly heavier than the return program ones, and lasted not just twice as long, not even 4 times as long, but 8 times longer than the return cartridges.

This is a huge difference, and we contacted Lexmark and they basically told us the cartridges after being refilled don’t hold up as well so they’re filled less.

So we said how about we pay 1/8th of the cost of a new cartridge from a third party and they declined and then brought up the contact my business has with Lexmark for the recycling program and that we had a certain quota of cartridges to run through them.

 

So now one printer uses the return program instead of 8, and when the contract is up we’re never using the return program again. They are already setting up a separate return program with just some seller on Amazon who is more than thrilled to be selling effectively 500$ in toner a week and getting reusable cartridges back.

 

The nonsense printer companies get away with is insane. They have otherwise a really good printer, spare the cost of operation, but their return program is awful.

I highly recommend these things for anyone with a small business or home business who needs a monochrome laser printer. The maintenance kit and laser carriage (imaging unit) needs replacement once a year from our heavy use. These parts are 300-350$ combined. And then the toner cartridges are around 80-100$ each.

Just don’t use their stupid return program, just buy new cartridges and find a buyback program from basically anyone else.

[rcmaehl]

48 minutes ago, manikyath said:

oh, and next to no heatup time.

How am I supposed to warm my hands in the winter then? /s

[wanderingfool2]

57 minutes ago, HarryNyquist said:

Stop buying inkjet printers. Buy a laser printer.

 

Don't get me wrong, laser printers do the same crap and are just razor-and-blades as inkjet printers. It's just that toner carts are much better value for your money than inkjet ink carts, with the bonus of the toner still working perfectly even if you don't print something for a week.

 

The only good case for inkjet is photo printing, but even there you will lose less money long-term buy ordering photo prints online or doing them in a kiosk in a store.

Well any graphics, not just photo printing.  Usually when you want to print in color there is a good likelihood that the reason you are doing so is that there are graphics.

 

I found that a lot of laser printers end up having a lot larger repair costs than inkjets.  It's good to compare toner cost vs ink cost but you in general have to calculate it also on drum costs, fuser repairs etc.

 

Actually, could be wrong (haven't dealt with ecotank printers) but the overall cost to run inkjet vs laser printer might actually be cheaper per print (although slower)

 

 

[Zomeguy]

5 minutes ago, wanderingfool2 said:

Well any graphics, not just photo printing.  Usually when you want to print in color there is a good likelihood that the reason you are doing so is that there are graphics.

 

I found that a lot of laser printers end up having a lot larger repair costs than inkjets.  It's good to compare toner cost vs ink cost but you in general have to calculate it also on drum costs, fuser repairs etc.

 

Actually, could be wrong (haven't dealt with ecotank printers) but the overall cost to run inkjet vs laser printer might actually be cheaper per print (although slower)

 

 

Cost per print varies widly on both inkjet and laser. The Epson Eco Tanks, Canon megatanks and Brother Inkvestment printers are the cheapest for inkjets. Entry level colour laser (sub $1k machines) is very expensive to run in comparison.

[HarryNyquist]

5 hours ago, manikyath said:

yes but no. buy an "LED" printer. it's like a laser printer but with a line of LED's instead of a laser and fast-moving precision optics. they pretty much dont have any moving part that isnt a 'consumable' by design. so.. as a result, they're cheaper than a laser, easier to maintain than a laser, and smaller than a laser. oh, and next to no heatup time.

Same difference, especially considering most stores will list the LED printers as "color laser" still.

 

4 hours ago, wanderingfool2 said:

you in general have to calculate it also on drum costs, fuser repairs etc.

 

4 hours ago, Zomeguy said:

Entry level colour laser (sub $1k machines) is very expensive to run in comparison.

I think the maintenance and restock cost aspect would come in if you're printing on a daily basis. For general purpose personal usage, I'm pretty sure laser/LED operating cost would come out on top of an inkjet in that category, especially considering how inkjets will dry up, clog, and become unusable over time on purpose to get you to buy more cartridges.

 

Seriously, when's the last time you printed something? I think the only things I print out anymore are my car insurance ID cards. When I need to print something I need it to just work, and LED/Laser fits that bill far better than an inkjet does. My Brother B&W laser printer sits unused most months, and still works and prints as good as it did on day 1.

[wanderingfool2]

3 hours ago, HarryNyquist said:

I think the maintenance and restock cost aspect would come in if you're printing on a daily basis. For general purpose personal usage, I'm pretty sure laser/LED operating cost would come out on top of an inkjet in that category, especially considering how inkjets will dry up, clog, and become unusable over time on purpose to get you to buy more cartridges.

 

Seriously, when's the last time you printed something? I think the only things I print out anymore are my car insurance ID cards. When I need to print something I need it to just work, and LED/Laser fits that bill far better than an inkjet does. My Brother B&W laser printer sits unused most months, and still works and prints as good as it did on day 1.

I have an inkjet and a laser.  Inkjets take up a whole lot less space, and honestly the drying up and clogging I find isn't nearly as bad as people seem to make it out to be.  I've gone without printing color for over a year and it still worked flawlessly.  I've only had 1 inkjet dry up overtime.  You can also counteract that by just running a print cycle every month.

 

Laser printers also take up quite a bit more space.

 

The cheapest color printer at Staples (CAD) was $400 [I'm too lazy, Staples was the first site I went to that allowed me to sort by color lasers].  The moderate inkjet printers cost $100, but plenty could be had for $70.  So if you rarely print (to the point the ink would dry up), you could literally go out and purchase 4 inkjets and just have them at hand in case they dry up. 

[jagdtigger]

8 hours ago, manikyath said:

oh, and next to no heatup time.

AFAIK the heatup time is required to make the baking drum hot enough to melt the toner....

[mr moose]

cannon do this too, it's why I'll never buy another cannon printer or epson now.  So far my brother has been excellent and I believe it can be reset when the pads get full.  Which means no permanent bricking.

 

 

 

[SADS]

he he, Has ECO in the name... has built in E-waste feature...

[HarryNyquist]

6 hours ago, wanderingfool2 said:

So if you rarely print (to the point the ink would dry up), you could literally go out and purchase 4 inkjets and just have them at hand in case they dry up. 

Or you could spend 400 dollars once, not generate 4 printers worth of e-waste, and not have to worry about it for the next few years at all. Idk, to each their own. I know if I need a new printer ever, it'll be a laser or LED one even though it's gonna cost more.

[Arika]

I wish the entire consumer printer category wasn't full of such shady crap.

[Needfuldoer]

So Epson bricks their printer because... the sponge that catches the ink when the printer "cleans the heads" gets saturated with ink? The sponge every inkjet printer has?

 

And it's their "EcoTank" printer, which is supposedly better for the environment because you refill it instead of replacing "wasteful" ink cartridges?

 

And they don't let you just replace the sponge, even with a factory part?

 

This is why I like laser printers.

[rcmaehl]

1 hour ago, Arika S said:

I wish the entire consumer printer category wasn't full of such shady crap.

LTT Inkjet when?

[wanderingfool2]

3 hours ago, Needfuldoer said:

So Epson bricks their printer because... the sponge that catches the ink when the printer "cleans the heads" gets saturated with ink? The sponge every inkjet printer has?

 

And it's their "EcoTank" printer, which is supposedly better for the environment because you refill it instead of replacing "wasteful" ink cartridges?

 

And they don't let you just replace the sponge, even with a factory part?

 

This is why I like laser printers.

I've actually seen one older laser printer that had a built in toner collection jar..and eventually it got full triggered an unrecoverable system needs replacing.

 

Laser printers can be just as bad in some respects.  The brother laser printer I have at my house, I thought it got bricked once I turned it off.  When you press the power button if it shutsdown incorrectly it will not respond to the power button anymore.  If you powercycle it, it does nothing.  There isn't any help in regards to it, but instead I found someone who told how to trigger a full power cycle. (Not on brother's owners manual or help guide).  The answer was something like this pull out paper tray 1, unplug, holding the power button plug in, wait 30 second release power button and then slide in paper tray.  The most complicated thing ever, where most users will think their machine is just broken.

 

The more complicated paper path also lead to more jams, especially when the rollers age and become less squishy...which leads to more jams which speaking from experience can destroy fusers, and drums.

 

3 hours ago, HarryNyquist said:

Or you could spend 400 dollars once, not generate 4 printers worth of e-waste, and not have to worry about it for the next few years at all. Idk, to each their own. I know if I need a new printer ever, it'll be a laser or LED one even though it's gonna cost more.

I think you are missing a bit of the point in regards to the 4 printers.  You say that people should stop buying inkjet, but honestly there are a lot more benefits to inkjet with the only downside being that the nozzles might dry up.  I could equally say a paper jam that ruins the fuser, or if you buy a generic cartridge that dumps enough ink to ruin the fuser...lots of people would just buy a new printer (as fuser repairs on many many models of printers are simply not user friendly)

 

Like I've mentioned, I've gone a year without printing and my color inkjet still works.  Even if it was something I worried about every few months I could just quickly use it to print out something random and then not have to worry about it.

 

So in regards to the 4 printers, you wouldn't actually buy 4 printers.  With just a touch of maintenance, you could probably get an inkjet to last maybe as long as a laser printer.  Color laser printers also tend to be a whole lot bigger than inkjets, so in terms of plastics there is likely more in laser, in terms of circuitry maybe (there are electronic recycling programs) but I'm not saying that you actually buy 4 printers.  I'm merely saying that you could potentially replace 1 laser with 4, for the same cost.  There is also the argument of all the stuff used for toners (a large chunk of the toner still gets discarded)

[Distinctly Average]

On 8/8/2022 at 9:27 PM, HarryNyquist said:

Stop buying inkjet printers. Buy a laser printer.

 

Don't get me wrong, laser printers do the same crap and are just razor-and-blades as inkjet printers. It's just that toner carts are much better value for your money than inkjet ink carts, with the bonus of the toner still working perfectly even if you don't print something for a week.

 

The only good case for inkjet is photo printing, but even there you will lose less money long-term buy ordering photo prints online or doing them in a kiosk in a store.

That really depends on what you need from a printer. Photographers who need high quality on glossy paper will not find a laser printer that does the job. For general work, laser printers are great, but not for all tasks. They have plenty of drawbacks too one of which is they use substantially more energy per page than an inkjet.

 

Full disclosure, I worked in the industry for many years in the high end laser printer environment.

[maartendc]

Crap, I've got an Ecotank printer.

These are expensive printers mind you, I think I paid close to 300 bucks for it.

 

The ink seemingly lasts forever, and it comes with a ton of ink out of the box. This was one of the major draws for me. But if it just refuses to print after a while, that is super wasteful.

 

How do I know if my model is affected by this? It is an ET-3750.