Might be of use?
Common Problems with New and Compatible Epson Cartridges
Sometimes a brand new cartridge from Epson or one of our compatibles may appear to not be working properly. There are three (3) reasons for this.
1) There may not be a pool of ink at the exit port (the pre-chamber) that the head can suck from. The solution to this is the "Centrifugal Force" tip below.
2) The vent grooves to one or more chambers may be blocked by adhesive. The adhesive from the tear away seal or the name plate sticker may have blocked up a vent groove. If air can't get into the cartridge, the ink will not flow. The solution to this is a straight pin. Use a straight pin to puncture the name plate foil and vent the cartridge. If you run your finger nail across the foil, you will find there is a hole under the foil for each chamber. This is where to stick the pin through the foil. After making the pin holes in each chamber, run a few cleaning cycles to reestablish solid ink in the head.
3) Printer stops printing after a few pages(or many) have printed. *After refilling your cartridge your printer "thinks" the "original" cartridge is empty. Simply unplug the printer and wait a couple of minutes before plugging it in again. This Should "clear" the memory so the printer recognizes your refilled cartridge as "full".
Elimination of Air Pockets Using Centrifugal Force
Some of the sponge filled cartridges can develop air pockets at the bottom of the cartridge that can block the flow of ink. HP color cartridges and Epson Stylus Color cartridges are best know for this problem. The solution is centrifugal force.
Wrap the cartridge in a towel or cloth. Place the cloth wrapped cartridge in a plastic bag, (a plastic "grocery" bag is good). Hold it in your hand with the head or exit ports pointing down. Extend your arm and swing the cartridge down towards the floor rapidly, sorta like you were going to throw it. Repeat a couple of times. Then remove the cloth wrapping. There should be a visible spot of ink from each of the chambers. If not, do it again. ** Note: Epson 400/600/800/1520 series cartridges must have a pool of ink at the exit port to work properly.
