I bought a set of compatible ink carts from eBay for our Epson XP-8600.  Bought from a seller of 15,000+ feedback, and 100% positive, so felt fairly confident.

 

The point at which the locking tab on the printer engages is significantly different, and it won't latch in no matter any amount of fiddling or fettling.  The compatible cart, on the left has a semi circle of additional plastic that the OEM one doesn't and the blue locking pin butts up against it and therefore cannot locate.  I can't see what else to do other than return them, or carve them up so they resemble the OEM shape.  Just wondered if I'm doing something wrong or if anyone has any tips or tricks?:

 

 

 

 

Gaz

 

Edited 5 December, 20214 yr by Gaz

The cartridge mouldings are clearly different so on the face of it I'd return them as incorrect.  Whilst you could potentially look to trim off the additional locator key from the moulding you may face two issues; 1) the cartridge case may be thin and the offending moulding not solid, so if you trim it off you may puncture the cartridge, and 2) the supplier will likely refuse a return if the cartridges have been altered.

I would say they are the wrong ones for your printer. Every compatible cartridge I've bought looks identical to the original. Sadly they don't all perform like the original. My experience is that they are ok if you use the printer a lot but if used infrequently they dry up at the nozzles & then won't work. 

Thanks Mike.  The small PCB on the compatible one is offset to the left too, whereas it's central on the OEM one 🙄

 

Gaz

1 hour ago, Gaz said:

I bought a set of compatible ink carts from eBay for our Epson XP-8600.

No you didn't based on your photograph.

1 hour ago, KenONeill said:

No you didn't based on your photograph.

he ordered them, but.... its not what was delivered...

1 hour ago, KenONeill said:

No you didn't based on your photograph.

 

Your powers of observation continue to serve you well.

 

I've just heard back from the seller who's 'confident' these are compatible and has sold them to other XP8600 users.  They apparently need a bit more pressure applied for them to lock into place.

 

As someone with many decades of experience in being ham fisted, I'm conscious of not overdoing it, but will give it another go in the morning.

 

Gaz

I gave up on compatible cartridges several years ago, about €12 bought me a kit with B&W plus the 3 coloured inks, syringes, needles and rubber pads for purging the cartridge.

 

It's worked fine for years, I have since bought a big bottle of black ink for next to nothing, I have also found that all the problems that I had with dried up & blocked cartridges often straight out of the sealed packet could have been resolved by purging with the syringe and rubber pad.

 

The only drawback is hating wearing rubber gloves I have multi-coloured hands that look like they are battered & bruised for a few days afterwards.

I've gave up on buying OEM made cartridges for my printers. My main is an HP Deskjet 2540 which takes 301 carts from HP, but those are a small fortune so I've bought Asda and Tesco ones for a wee while. They do the job. I have a 1993 Canon BJ10SX for legacy applications that Canon don't acknowledge, given it's age, so I use CartridgeInk, as recommended by my Grampa. I believe they're like DFS and always have a sale on.

@Gaz @mac11irl Ok, make that ' "I ordered Epson XP-8600 compatible cartridges", but that was not what was shipped based on the photograph'. Even slightly out cartridges can <censored> up not just printing but any scanning and/or copying functions the unit has.

Nope, it's not having it.  Even applying far more force than I want to.  So they're going back for a refund.  Seller doesn't want the black one back so I might butcher it with my friend Stanley just for interest sake.  

 

Lesson learned 🙄

 

Gaz

Sounds like a dodgy seller to me...   I've been using compatible cartridges in Canon Bubblejet printers for as long as I remember and never had an issue with them.

 

They used to come from 7dayshop.com but now I get them from inkredible.co.uk...

26 minutes ago, skomaz said:

Canon Bubblejet printers

 

I've been summoned.

ive had mixed experiences with compatibles over the years. 

in my experience the brand of printer plays as much of a role as the pattern producer's product. 

my current canon TR4250 uses more ink on the compatibles than on oems.

my last epson printed crap on compatibles. 

older HPs from my youth was 50/50 if they would even recognise the pattern ones, and those that did was a gamble on print quality. 

all were used regularly enough to avoid any drying out etc.

i tried the refill yourself option once too, and it was messy. i was also young and maybe not as patient as that task requires, but it was just too much of a faff.

 

Gaz them ones were definitely sent wrong.

Messy yes, very messy for someone like me that always seems to be in the thick of it, but very very rewarding I find.

 

I like being self sufficient, hate running out and having to order, hate paying the prices, hate it when the things dry out through lack of use, hate it even worse when I have bought spares and they are blocked straight out of the sealed package.

 

I love recycling an empty cartridge or resuscitating one that has blocked.

I don't have the time to refill cartridges sadly, or I'd have done it. Plus, I don't think my Mum would appreciate the mess a ham-fisted oaf like myself would make on the good table trying to achieve such a feat.

Can't comment on the cartridges but I've used this place for lots of years, both personally and as part of a residents association printing a newsletter ( circa 300 copies of double sided A4 with 4 pages in each) and in over 15 years we had only one bad cartridge. The MD lived locally and he delivered personally.

They are not OEM but compatible. I use a Epson WF2010 and a set of cartridges cost me circa £12 or circa £8 for two black.

The firm moved to Louth in Linc's years ago, but still the same prices and speedy service. The MD is an IT bloke and if he won't use a product he won't sell I.

 

www,printer cartridges.net.

Carts returned, refund received, original ordered, arrived today.  In, working and tickety boo 👍

 

Gaz

1 hour ago, Gaz said:

Carts returned, refund received, original ordered, arrived today.  In, working and tickety boo 👍

 

Gaz

 

Glad to hear it, Gaz.

Nice to hear it. As I posted, I've been using the place I posted for over 20 years and If I ever get a dud one, a quick call to MD gets one in post to receive the next day. TWENTY years later, I've only had one dud, when the MD lived locally. Reported at 1600, replaced at 1700.