Putting my Epson 3880 into temp. storage.

[3dogs]

I could sure use some advice on this subject please.


Environment
We live in the High country where there are good moisture levels all year round, and it is winter here. I am in hopes that I will be packing it up and putting it back in the box it was delivered in by next week end.

Timetable
The renovations should be completed by the 16th July and I SHOULD be able to set up and run again the week end after that. In all that should be about six weeks in storage.

Options
Set the printer up in one of the kids rooms (not ideal) and keep doing regular nozzle checks

Repack it in original packing and store it somewhere inside the house.

I am nervous about storing it in my barn as we have had a few minus three degree nights and the temp range suggested is not freezing!!

Remove ink...I am thinking that is not a smart option

Other as per your suggestions

Many thanks,

Andrew

 

[The Hat]

I dont know that much about Epson printers but I have heard that the newer printers like your 3880
can go without printing anything for a couple of months without the print head clogging up.

I dont know if its true or not because I dont have an Epson to try it out but my Canon 9500 went 8 weeks
without being turned on and it worked perfectly after its start up routine was finished..

Its supposed to be summer here but nobody has told the weather that yet.

 

[3dogs]

I am hearing you loud and clear!!

A fellow photographer from Yorkshire observed:

Summer is great, longer days, but sadly that just means we have more daylight hours to stare out of the window at the wettest drought on record!!

On a more serious note I am in hopes you are right, this is my first printer with pigment ink, and there is so much conflicting advice. Did you leave the carts in place, and I am assuming that you are using pigment in the 9500?

Cheers

 

[The Hat]

My 9500 does indeed use I.S. pigment inks and I've never suffer from clogs,
I did have to do a clean cycle and nozzle check once after I had ran out of grey ink.

When I am finished printing it turns itself off after an hour and I never touch till I want to use it again,

I only have to remove the cartridges for refilling (usually all of them together)
and its as reliable as the dye ink printers are if not more..

 

[3dogs]

Ok, Thanks for that.

I will leave packing the printer away till last thing to minimise downtime.

My refill carts should be arriving from the USA any day now....good timing (not) the carts I got with the printer were at about 50%, I have made about 20 or so A4 prints on Fine Art Matte and there is no change in the ink level that I can see. There has to be SOME. The same printing on the little Artisan would have had one of the colours on the way out, I am guessing that they hold 10-12ml. So I have say 25-30ml left in the lowest cart, a FULL set of OEM's supplied free as a discount, and 1Lit. of each on its way from the USA. I am thinking I may have to make myself a A2 size photobook

Cheers, n thanks again

 

[mikling]

Options
Set the printer up in one of the kids rooms (not ideal) and keep doing regular nozzle checks


The above is the recommended option for the printer. Epson printheads are different from Canon printheads and especially the model of printer you have with the remote printhead. It uses positive pressure from the pump system like the Pro1 to ensure ink delivery to the printhead. The 9500 uses gravity counteracted by internal springs within the cartridge. When the ink dries on the 9500 it just gets thicker as there is no air infiltration through the nozzle. The first startup will pull out the thicker ink. With the Epson, the nozzle openings are larger and you can get air infiltration when the meniscus collapses and if this happens over an extended period can lead to real clogs. The physics are different. You can wash out clogged heads on the 9500 not so on the Epson.

Be safe. Keep the ink moving. Do at least a nozzle check every week to be on the safe side. What is good for Peter is not good for Paul in this case.

 

[3dogs]

Hi there Mike,

Thanks for that, a bit scary, so how does one clear a blocked nozzle if it is a GOOD blockage?

I still have the 3880 connected and do regular nozzle checks to keep ink flowing.

Cheers,

Andrew

 

[mikling]

A "good" blockage can be a really "bad" situation. Keep the ink moving and avoid the possibility of having a "good" one. A stuffed one will likely need the attention of an Epson Service Center. The good news is that real clogs are not as frequent as many think due to improved printhead design and one need not be scared as long as we understand the pitfalls to avoid.

 

[3dogs]

R3880 is reinstalled, and nozzle checked. Printed a perfect pattern.........many thanks for the support advice

Just a thought, If you look at DPReview at all look at a post about the effect of air bubbles in Epson Print Heads........I am thinking system agitation, in 3880 and 3000 and the propensity to " CLOG "?????

Cheers,

Andrew

 

[Fenrir Enterprises]

I have found agitation helps clear clogs. The best way to end the banding faster in my R220 after refilling it was to make a 2% grey full page swatch and print it at the highest slowest setting which would "shake the air out of it".

I think banding is inevitable in Epsons, it happens even using only OEM supplies.