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Epson EcoTank ET-3850 troubleshooting
Epson EcoTank ET-3850 (C11CJ61201): what the ET-3850 is; same engine as the ET-4850; initial charging; speed; filling and sealing the tanks; maintenance box, and a fix for each symptom below.
- What the ET-3850 isThe Epson EcoTank ET-3850 is a cartridge-free refillable ink-tank all-in-one that prints, scans and copies, with no fax. It prints at 15.5 pages per minute in black and 8.5 in color (ISO), 6.5 and 4.5 with automatic duplex, and its 502 ink bottles give up to 7,500 black and 6,000 color pages.
Confirm the model first
Which units this covers, and how to tell yours is one of them
- Model numbers and patterns
- C11CJ61201
Published specification
What is true of this model and changes how you fix it
- Official specifications, confirmed no faxSame speed as the ET-4850 (15.5/8.5 ppm ISO; auto-duplex 6.5/4.5 ppm) and same 502 bottle yield (7,500 black / 6,000 color) — Epson's own product title lists 'Scanner, Copier, ADF and Ethernet' with fax notably absent, confirming this model drops fax versus the ET-4850.
- Type — refillable INK TANK all-in-one (EcoTank)A cartridge-free EcoTank inkjet AIO (print/scan/copy, no fax) — refillable ink BOTTLES for very low cost per page.
- Initial charging & refillsFirst setup charges the head with starter ink (normal). Refill keyed bottles when low; don't run tanks dry.
- ConnectivityWi-Fi/Ethernet/USB via Epson Smart Panel; 'offline' is usually a Wi-Fi drop or wrong queue.
- Same engine as the ET-4850It shares its speed and bottle yield with the ET-4850 but drops the fax, as Epson's own product title, with a scanner, copier, document feeder and Ethernet, shows.
- Initial chargingFirst setup charges the printhead with starter ink, which uses a noticeable amount of the first bottles and is normal. It primes the whole ink system.
- SpeedA printer's rated speed is for plain text on plain paper, a draft quality and a single page. Real jobs with photos, high quality or duplex are far slower.
- Filling and sealing the tanksEpson's bottles fit the matching tank only, and the ink should be squeezed gently, never forced. Close the tank cover after each refill and wipe up any spilled ink, because it stains and can damage the printer if it reaches the electronics.
- Maintenance boxThe printer has a maintenance box that collects waste ink. When a message says the box is nearly full, order a replacement, and do not ignore the message, since the printer will stop printing when the box reaches its limit.
- Automatic double-sided printingThe ET-3850 prints on both sides and scans from a feeder. A page that curls or smears on the second side may be a paper-weight problem, so try a heavier paper or the setting for plain paper.
Where these figures were read. epson.com/For-Work/Printers/Inkjet/EcoTank-ET-3850-Wireless-Color-All-in-One-Cartridge-Free-Supertank-Printer-with-Scanner,-Copier,-ADF-and-Ethernet/p/C11CJ61201 (Epson US product page)
Manufacturer support for this product line. Epson Support — Printer support. Official Epson model manuals, drivers, ink, paper and maintenance support.
Also read for this model. Epson Support — Epson support.
Exact questions
Questions that only have an answer for the Epson EcoTank ET-3850
Why did my new Epson EcoTank ET-3850 use so much ink on setup?+
That is normal — on first setup an EcoTank performs an initial ink 'charging' that primes the printhead and ink lines throughout the printer, which consumes a noticeable amount of the first bottles. It is not waste or a leak; it is filling the whole system so it prints reliably, and subsequent bottles last much longer (thousands of pages). So the big first-fill drop is expected, after which the low running cost of the tank system takes over.
Why did my new Epson EcoTank ET-3850 use so much ink on setup?+
It primes the whole ink system.
Does it fax?+
No.
How many pages per bottle?+
Up to 7,500 black and 6,000 color.
Where is the model number?+
On the front or the label.