Possible major problem with my Epson 3800 printer

[ignatiusjk]

I'm having a major problem with my Epson 3800 printer.When I make B&W prints the prints come out with a light blue cast in the shadows.When I print in color the shadows again have a "strange" cast to them.B&W prints don't really resemble a B&W print at all.I've NEVER had this problem before,I've run a power cleaning and tried shutting the printer off and turning it back on but no change in prints.Has anybody ever heard of what I'm talking about? My computer itself is running very slow as well.Could it be a computer problem?? HELP!!!!

[Jon Shiu]

Did you print a nozzle check? How did it come out?

Jon

[ignatiusjk]

Not yet but I will,thank you.

[djdister]

If the nozzle test comes out okay, then it sounds like your color workflow management is messed up. Getting some color when it should be b&w or getting wacky color casts often means the color/printer profiles are conflicting and the color management settings need to be examined.

[Ken Lee]

Nozzle checks and cleaning cycles need to be done on a regular basis. Be sure to agitate your ink cartridges before starting up the printer too: ink settles, just like paint in a can.

[Tyler Boley]

ditto what Ken said..
http://theagnosticprint.net/nozzles/

[Ken Lee]

Sometimes a nozzle check and several cleaning cycles won't unclog a nozzle if the printer has been left idle too long. You may need to flush the nozzle with the appropriate solvent.

There are many videos which describe how to clean a printer, but this one is the best I found: How to Professionally Clean Epson 3800 & 3880 Printers .

See their Piezo Flush products. I don't know what's in their formula, but probably some combination of dilute ammonia and isopropyl alcohol wouldn't be a surprise.

[Bruce Barlow]

"If the nozzle test comes out okay, then it sounds like your color workflow management is messed up. Getting some color when it should be b&w or getting wacky color casts often means the color/printer profiles are conflicting and the color management settings need to be examined."

That was my recent experience. I hadn't printed a picture in about two weeks, and Lightroom decided to change its setting without telling me, and the prints were definitely greenish. I'd had this before, so I knew what to do. Turned off LR's printer management to let only the printer do it, and all was fine. Why did LR change? who knows? I surely don't.

[Bill McMannis]

As Bruce said, this may not be a nozzle issue but color management. Are you using Epson's Advanced B&W printing? If so, make certain all color management is turned off at either PS or LR. Next, make certain the Epson toning setting did not get accidentally moved. You can shift to selenium toning, which is touchy and can, by design, add a blue caste.

If you are not using Epson's Advanced B&W give it a try. Results are often excellent and settings can easily be saved for repeated success.

[ignatiusjk]

This problem seen to happen out of the blue.I use Epson advanced B&W printing when I print B&W so I know it's not that.I did get a "maintenance cartrige full warningg but I've since replaced the cartrige. Bruce what is "color workflow management" or color/printer profiles".