HP 7602 Printers with Pale Yellow and Red Streaks – Ink or Printer Problem?

Question:
I’m experiencing constant plugging issues, especially with yellow and sometimes red. I use three HP 7602 printers. The two-year-old HP 7602 printer had printed beautifully for a long time until the yellow ink ran out. I bought a brand-new HP 7602, but after only about 50 prints, the yellow turned pale with lines. I returned it and got another new one with a three-year warranty, but the same issue occurred again. I used BCH ink in both new printers right from the beginning. Testing today showed that both new OEM printheads are already pale and streaky—one moderately, the other severely. Is this an ink issue or a printer issue?

Answer:

1. Common Causes of Plugging in HP 7602 Printers

The HP 7602 series uses thermal inkjet technology, where tiny resistors heat the ink to create droplets. These printheads are more sensitive to air bubbles, clogs, and ink formulation compared to piezoelectric printheads. The yellow and magenta (red) channels are often the most vulnerable because:

• Ink formulation and viscosity – Yellow pigments are prone to settling and drying more quickly than other colors, which leads to clogging.

• Frequent partial use – If yellow and red are not used heavily compared to black or cyan, their nozzles can dry faster.

• OEM head design sensitivity – The HP 7602 printheads are designed to work with specific ink properties. Even small deviations in surface tension or drying speed can accelerate nozzle blockage.

2. Is It an Ink Problem?

Using BCH ink itself is not the root cause, but compatibility can vary by model. Third-party inks (even high-quality ones) may differ slightly in drying behavior or pigment stability compared to OEM ink. With yellow in particular, if the printer sits unused for even a short period, nozzles can dry out. That said, if multiple OEM printheads failed the same way in a short period, it suggests the issue may not be solely ink-related.

3. Is It a Printer Problem?

When the same failure repeats across multiple brand-new units, the problem may be more about the HP 7602 printhead design itself. These models are known for being less forgiving when it comes to non-OEM inks or extended idle times. The pale and streaky appearance means the nozzles are partially firing, likely due to dried pigment in the nozzles or weak electrical firing from overheated resistors.

4. What You Can Do

• Run a printhead alignment and nozzle clean cycle – but do this sparingly, since too many cleans can overheat and permanently damage the head.

• Prime the printhead manually – Use a priming tool or syringe to gently pull ink through the yellow and magenta channels to remove trapped air and restore flow.

• Increase printer usage – Regularly print a small color test page (with strong yellow and red patches) to keep those nozzles active.

• Check ink environment – Store and use the printer in a room with stable humidity; very dry air accelerates nozzle drying.

• Consider a hybrid approach – Some users run OEM cartridges for yellow/magenta while using BCH ink for other colors, to minimize clogging risk on the most sensitive channels.

5. Final Thoughts

Given your experience with multiple printers, it’s less likely that BCH ink is the sole cause. Instead, this appears to be a combination of the HP 7602’s sensitivity and the challenging nature of yellow/magenta ink channels. Unfortunately, once a printhead becomes streaky and pale, recovery is hit-or-miss. Sometimes manual priming helps, but often the degradation is permanent.

Dealing with plugged heads and failed printheads can be a very hands-on process. Because of the complexity involved, we aren’t able to provide remote repair support. However, we do offer an in-person evaluation and repair service at our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). We work on a first-come, first-served basis, and depending on demand, it may take a few weeks before your printer can be seen. Our services cover both complete printers and individual parts, with clear steps on how to proceed. That said, our rates may not be the most economical, so we recommend also making use of self-help resources. A good starting point is our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Use the search icon next to “About” on the menu bar to quickly locate videos about HP printer issues. With nine years of uploads, it’s difficult to recall every single one, so the YouTube search tool will help you find the right guide faster—and it may even recommend related videos from other creators.

Thank you again for contacting us and for your ongoing support. We truly appreciate your trust in BCH Technologies and hope this gives you a clearer path forward with your HP 7602 printers.