Epson Aculaser c1100 laser printer

[FreeThinker]

Hi All
My epson 880 died recently (:sick:) and I bought an Epson aculaser c1100 of ebay cheap.Very happy with it (photos not great but can get them printed for pennys at the local asda) just one niggleing puzzle, How does the toner level sensor work? from what I've read it seems to be wireless.?The sensor is mounted in the end of the toner cartridge and would appear to be 'read' as the carousel indexes.What I would like to know is how does it know how much toner is left and how does it know when you but in a new cartridge?Just like to know how these things work.Took one of the sensors apart and it contained a wound copper coil with a 'chip' in the centre, an aerial and a smart chip of some discription I assume.Any one any other info? can these be reset or reprogramed?I know the carts can be refilled and the sensor does not reset or clear It's low warning Error, but stops dead if allowed to run empty and then the cart needs to be replaced (or the sensor changed which can be bought seperatly).Just fascinated has to how it works.Any Info Please!

[Hak Foo]

It could have a sense-switch to check if the cartridge was dropped, then calculate the out-of-toner state by monitoring what was printed.

[FreeThinker]

If it only monitored the useage (ie picogrammes per dot printed) how does it continue to print if you refill the cartridge? It would stop after a certain figure was reached if it only counted dots, it doesn't and therefore must know that above a certain amount of toner is available (above the empty level  but below the full level as the warning still shows) so some sort of measurement is going on.Last cart changed showed 1% remaining, emptied and weighed it at 12 grammes not too bad on a 120 gramme full cartridge.

[Hak Foo]

Well, if it resets the counter when a switch indicates the cartridge has been disturbed, it could work.

[FreeThinker]

The physical way it works prevents any sort of switch being used as the carousel rotates in one direction only thus any cables etc would snap.It looks like the sensor acts like a swipe card as it passes over the reader half of the wireless part, but I'm only guessing and would like some solid info if any one has any.