Ink Cartridge Handling Precautions

Read the following instructions before replacing ink cartridges.

Storing precautions for ink

Keep the ink cartridges out of direct sunlight.
Do not store the ink cartridges in high or freezing temperatures.
Epson recommends using the ink cartridge before the date printed on the package.
For best results, Epson recommends using up ink cartridges before the best before date printed on the package, or within six months of opening the package, whichever is earlier.
For best results, store ink cartridge packages with their bottom down.
After bringing an ink cartridge inside from a cold storage site, allow it to warm up at room temperature for at least three hours before using it.
Do not open the ink cartridge package until you are ready to install it in the printer. The cartridge is vacuum packed to maintain its reliability. If you leave a cartridge unpacked for a long time before using it, normal printing may not be possible.

Handling precautions for replacing ink cartridges

Be careful not to break the hooks on the side of the ink cartridge when you remove it from the package.
You must remove the yellow tape from the cartridge before installing it; otherwise, print quality may decline or you may not be able to print. Do not remove or tear the label on the cartridge; this can cause leakage.
Do not remove the transparent seal from the bottom of the cartridge; otherwise, the cartridge may become unusable.
Do not touch the sections shown in the illustration. Doing so may prevent normal operation and printing.
Install all ink cartridges; otherwise you cannot print.
Do not replace ink cartridges with the power off. Do not move the print head by hand; otherwise, you may damage the printer.
After installing the ink cartridge, the power and ink light will continues to flash while the printer is charging ink. Do not turn off the printer during ink charging. If the ink charging is incomplete, you may not be able to print.
Do not leave the printer with the ink cartridges removed or do not turn off the printer during cartridge replacement. Otherwise, ink remaining in the print head nozzles will dry out and you may not be able to print.
If you need to remove an ink cartridge temporarily, make sure you protect the ink supply area from dirt and dust. Store the ink cartridge in the same environment as the printer, with the ink supply port facing down or sideways. Do not store ink cartridges with the ink supply port facing up. Because the ink supply port is equipped with a valve designed to contain the release of excess ink, there is no need to supply your own covers or plugs.
Removed ink cartridges may have ink around the ink supply port, so be careful not to get any ink on the surrounding area when removing the cartridges.
This printer uses ink cartridges equipped with a green chip that monitors information such as the amount of remaining ink for each cartridge. This means that even if the cartridge is removed from the printer before it is expended, you can still use the cartridge after reinserting it back into the printer. However, when reinserting a cartridge, some ink may be consumed to guarantee printer performance.
For maximum ink efficiency, only remove an ink cartridge when you are ready to replace it. Ink cartridges with low ink status may not be used when reinserted.
To ensure you receive premium print quality and to help protect your print head, a variable ink safety reserve remains in the cartridge when your printer indicates to replace the cartridge. The yields quoted for you do not include this reserve.
Do not disassemble or remodel the ink cartridge, otherwise you may not be able to print normally.
You cannot use the cartridges that came with the printer for the replacement.

Ink consumption

To maintain optimum print head performance, some ink is consumed from all cartridges during maintenance operations. Ink may also be consumed when you replace ink cartridge or turn the printer on.
When printing in monochrome or grayscale, color inks instead of black ink may be used depending on the paper type or print quality settings. This is because a mixture of color inks is used to create black.
The ink in the ink cartridges supplied with your printer is partly used during initial setup. In order to produce high quality printouts, the print head in your printer will be fully charged with ink. This one-off process consumes a quantity of ink and therefore these cartridges may print fewer pages compared to subsequent ink cartridges.
Quoted yields may vary depending on the images that you are printing, the paper type that you are using, the frequency of your prints and environmental conditions such as temperature.