Should You Repair an Old HP Inkjet Printer That Won’t Print Black?

Question:
My elderly neighbor's HP inkjet printer recently stopped printing black, even after replacing all four cartridges (CMYK) with brand-new genuine HP inks and performing multiple cleaning cycles. I'm a retired IT professional, and despite regular maintenance, the printer no longer functions properly. She insists on getting it repaired and specifically asked me to contact BCH Technologies about a possible repair. Can this printer realistically be repaired, and what might the costs entail?

Answer:

Based on your detailed description, it appears that your neighbor’s HP inkjet printer might indeed have reached the end of its practical lifespan. Given that you've already replaced the cartridges multiple times with genuine HP products and performed extensive cleaning cycles, yet still cannot get the printer to print black, it strongly indicates a deeper, likely internal issue—perhaps with the integrated printhead within the cartridge or an internal printer malfunction.

Typically, for older HP inkjet printers that use cartridges with built-in printheads (often recognizable by separate black and tri-color cartridges), persistent failure to print despite new cartridges usually points to defective or dry printheads in the new cartridges themselves or a fundamental printer malfunction.

At BCH Technologies, we start printer diagnostics at approximately $300, with labor billed additionally at $65 per hour, excluding material costs. Realistically, repairs for such printer models often exceed the cost of purchasing another functional unit or even an upgraded model. Thus, financially, it might not make practical sense for your neighbor to invest in repairing this particular printer.

Here's an alternative approach we commonly suggest to customers facing similar circumstances:

  • Replacement via eBay: Many used but fully functional HP inkjet printers identical or similar to the one your neighbor owns are readily available online at marketplaces such as eBay, typically priced between $20 and $60. Purchasing a fully functional replacement printer of the same model might be significantly cheaper than pursuing professional repairs.

  • Cartridge Verification: Because these printers integrate their printheads directly into the cartridges, a genuinely new, high-quality cartridge should theoretically resolve any issues related to clogged or non-functional printheads. Since this has not resolved your issue, either the cartridge itself is defective (despite being new) or there is an internal printer malfunction making repairs impractical.

Addressing printer issues remotely can indeed be quite challenging due to their hands-on complexity. Hence, we're unable to provide specific remote troubleshooting or repairs. If your neighbor insists on professional intervention, we do offer comprehensive diagnostic and repair services through our local repair facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). However, given the high demand for our services, please note that repairs are performed on a first-come, first-served basis, and it might take a few weeks before your printer can be accepted for evaluation. We understand our pricing may not be the most economical, and thus strongly recommend exploring online self-help resources. A great place to start is our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies), where you can search for detailed video tutorials using the search icon located next to the "About" tab. Given our extensive library built over the past nine years, using YouTube’s search function will help you quickly locate relevant content. Additionally, YouTube may recommend beneficial tutorials from other creators.

Thank you again for reaching out and supporting BCH Technologies. We truly value your time and effort in assisting your neighbor and appreciate your understanding regarding these repair challenges.

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