Comments

riredale wrote on 7/21/2007, 12:21 PM
Do a search on this Board for previous threads about Epson printers.

I've had about 6 Epson pigment-ink printers, and have been very pleased with them--until their nozzles began to clog. Then on to a new printer. The problem at least with the models I had was that the nozzle assembly was not a user-replaceable item. With my Canon IP3000, you can buy a whole new nozzle assembly for about $40. It's dye ink, but with the new Watershield disk medium it doesn't matter any more.

(What I mean is that dye inks weren't water and smear-proof with the old disk and label print surfaces, while the Epson pigment inks were.)
farss wrote on 7/21/2007, 12:24 PM
If the printer has individual ink tanks you can buy a syringe like gizmo to flush the clog out with pressure. Around $20 for the kit.

Bob.
JJKizak wrote on 7/21/2007, 1:40 PM
Epson printers must be manually shut off so the print heads dive into a sponge pad to protect from clogging. If you just kill the power or pull the plug this will not happen. Also if you never shut the printer off the nozzles will clog. And if the ink cartridges are too old. (6 months is too old) I ignore this anyway and just kill the power as there are about 20 to 30 units that power on and I will not waste time pushing 30 buttons.
JJK
MH_Stevens wrote on 7/21/2007, 8:37 PM
JackW - I had the exact SAME problem this morning with my R380.

I sent an email to Epsom support and no reply of yet, but I did cure the problem myself by running the head cleaners about 5 times. Where I am it is pretty hot right now and my studio is 85 deg F and I don't print a lot of color to the R380. These Epsom tanks need be used twice a day in hot weather to keep the ink flowing; that's why the color tanks get used up even printing just black.

Mike
DJPadre wrote on 7/21/2007, 11:55 PM
glad i stuck with canon...
JackW wrote on 7/22/2007, 11:28 AM
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try running the Head Cleaning utility several more times. If that doesn't work, it's off for a new printer.

We've used the Epson 200 for several years and have printed hundreds of DVDs and photos using it. I suspect part of the current problem lies with the fact that we now use a Bravo II most of the time for printing DVDs, with the Epson sitting unused on the shelf, the ink ports drying out completely between uses.

Jack
Coursedesign wrote on 7/23/2007, 12:25 AM
that's why the color tanks get used up even printing just black

Probably not. Most apps will print say black text using also the color cartridges unless you explicitly specify monochrome printing.

Epsons can't stay unused for a long time, they need at least weekly printing in normal conditions. In addition to CDs and DVDs which I produce in large batches, I do a lot of business graphics in color, and used to shoot these out on Epson R200s, later R800. Then I bought a Samsung CLP-600N color laser to do the latter, and as a result my printer started getting clogged between disc printing batches. So I started printing checks on my Epson (which I do at least twice a week), and this took care of the problem.

Before that I used a Canon S9000, it was great to the point that I actually wore it out (which is not easy to do). Unlike the Epson, it worked great with cheap inks, and the only problem really was that it couldn't print CDs and DVDs.

(I have found that G&G 3rd party inks from Supermediastore works well with Epson printers. With these, the output is close enough to factory ink cartridges for DVDs and business graphics, but the cost is 1/4th when buying them on holiday sale (frequently)).