# Epson Stylus SX515W Printing Wrong Colours



## ComputerNoobPri (Feb 4, 2012)

Hi everyone, im not so great with computers, but i have a problem that im sure you guys will be able to help me with. I have the above printer and it has been working fine until earlier.

I tried printing off images like i have been needing to everyday and the colour is coming out wrong, for instance most images come out in black but since earlier it has been coming out in red/pink/orange, i have replaced all the ink cartridges and turned the computer off and on. I did a test on the printer, level head or something along those lines which i think worked ok, did the nozzle test earlier on a bit of paper, but not sure if it's working now.

I tried contacting Epson support on their expensive number but they weren't much help, i could barely hear them and they basically told me to take the cartridges out, put them back in and try again, common knowledge which i had already tried with no luck.

Any idea on what i should do? Im hoping this is something wrong with the settings, one of my brothers said something along the lines of the printer using whatever ink it had the most colour, but even now whilst it has full black ink, it prints out in red, any suggestions on what i should do?

Thanks :thumb:


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## pip22 (Aug 22, 2004)

Most likely cause is that one or more of the ink nozzles in the printhead (that's the moving cradle that the cartridges sit in) are blocked up with dried-up ink residue. it's important to note that the blockage is not in the cartridges, it's underneath in the cradle where the cartridges sit, so putting in a new cartridge will not solve the problem.

Try running the cleaning cycle several times (in the "maintenance" section of the printer driver). If the blockage is really bad, however, no amount of cleaning cycles will shift it. You will then have to remove the cartridges and put a few drops of alcohol-based solvent down the little hole at the base of each slot where the cartridge sits, then leave overnight.

The blockage usually occurs when the printer stands idle for several days, or only black is used for several days. You can help prevent it happening again by printing off something every day which uses all the colours.


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## ComputerNoobPri (Feb 4, 2012)

I'll try the cleaning cycle several times now. Im not confident it'll work though. If not i'll try the alcohol drops and hope that'll work, thanks.


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## ComputerNoobPri (Feb 4, 2012)

I tried cleaning cycle several times, i think 4 in total before it started to not recognize the ink cartridge, i think it was the red that wasn't being recognized, i tried 2 others but still wouldn't budge, tried turning off and on and still no luck.


So i got some tissue and got to what i could from the clips at the bottom where the cartridges clip in, i poured some drops of nail vanish remover there and soaked up with tissue to remove some ink too, going to leave it for now and hopefully something will work later.


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## ComputerNoobPri (Feb 4, 2012)

Hi.

Tried that, but haven't had the chance to see if it works or not. Whenever i turn the printer on and put the cartridges in, the problem keeps coming up with the printer not recognizing the cartridge, i think it's the red one as that's the colour of the icon that comes up along with the number. I try replacing it but no matter what cartridge i put in, it still comes up with the problem of not recognizing, any ideas on what's going on now?

Thx


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## ComputerNoobPri (Feb 4, 2012)

Anyone?


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