"Splotches"/uniformity problem with cyan since changing cartridges

[aab1]

I got a new set of compatible cartridges for my CM3530 and changed all 4 just to test them and now solid cyan areas went from being uniform to now being very "splotchy" almost as if it had rained on an inkjet print, but only in cyan areas. I did set the uniformity setting to "Alternate 1" which made it much better but still not perfect.

What would be the cause for these splotches? I assume it's in the cartridges since that's when it started, should I ask to have the cyan cartridge replaced under warranty or will this fix itself with time/usage?

The good news is that other than splotches in solid cyan areas the print quality is as good or better than HP cartridges.

Thanks

[jonezy999]

I've never heard of the brand "Compatible" before. Is this a new HP thing? :b

[aab1]

I've never heard of the brand "Compatible" before. Is this a new HP thing? :b

There's no way I'm paying $1130 + tax for cartridges when compatibles are $180 and work as well almost all the time from experience with my Canon and when defective they replace it anyway.

One weird thing is that when copying a solid cyan page its perfectly uniform, but when I printed a test page with a blue kayak, it was all splotchy compared to the same test image on HP cartridges which was uniform.

What could be causing the splotches in the image but not on a solid cyan print?

Thanks

[Eric1968]

That's the problem with "compatible toner cartridges" : sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't.

[blackcat4866]

It sounds like you got exactly what you paid for: 15.92% of a good functioning cartridge. =^..^=

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

I have great luck with some compatibles, but I only use them on monochrome desktop devices. That way I'm not putting the whole machine at risk or contaminated a big toner/developer reservoir.

[aab1]

I have great luck with some compatibles, but I only use them on monochrome desktop devices. That way I'm not putting the whole machine at risk or contaminated a big toner/developer reservoir.

In my Canon I never bought original cartridges, only compatibles and never had a problem, I even managed to get about 2 refills out of each before quality degraded. Only once did I buy from another company and all 4 cartridges started leaking toner when about 60% was used which caused all pages to have darkened long edges until I got new compatibles from my previous supplier.

However the better design of this HP printer has the cartridges "upside down" compared to the Canon I had, making similar leaks impossible since it would have to leak upwards.

This printer also has the "all in one" cartridges so the drum and all those things are in the cartridges and I believe this means less risk of damage to the actual printer in case of a defect. I certainly know that whenever I had a print defect on the Canon a new cartridge always solved it.

By the way, even if they did break the printer, just 2 sets of genuine cartridges cost almost the $2500 this printer sells for, so there's no way it can be worth getting originals even if compatibles were to break the printer every few sets! And that cyan print defect has only showed up in one particular photo, not in any other prints with cyan.

[kingpd@businessprints.net]

Sounds like a defective cartridge.

The one you refilled three times or so; you can probably make it last longer by rebuilding some of the components within the cartridges.

[aab1]

Sounds like a defective cartridge.

The one you refilled three times or so; you can probably make it last longer by rebuilding some of the components within the cartridges.

I don't think it's really worth the trouble when it was under $40 for a new compatible cartridge for the Canon, even buying a single compatible for my new HP is under $70 and does 3 times more prints. It's not fun working in a toner cartridge, even refilling I sometimes don't do, I don't even know if I'll refill this HP, it already costs considerably less per page than the Canon even without refilling.

By the way, since these bigger HP cartridges do 3 times more prints, does this mean they won't last for 2 refills like the smaller Canon cartridges did because they already did 3 times the work when they're empty? Or are the parts made to last equally longer meaning I could still get 2 refills?

Thank

[Eric1968]

This is going to be a very annoying story. It's your own responsibility to use those compatible cartridges but DON'T come complaining here about quality issues!