Spare color refill carts filled and stored

[jnug]

I asked a similar question in the epson forum but then figured this is a better spot to ask. Has anybody purchased two carts per color keeping one cart filled in inventory and ready to go when the one that is in the printer starts reporting low? That way you just take out a cart that has already been filled and replace the one that is reporting low and then you refill that one at your leisure and that goes into your inventory of backup filled carts. I did not think about this idea until seeing it recommended at an ink supplier web site. Has some advantages I think. Not sure the cost of extra carts is a factor cause you might want to have two carts per color anyway just in case one goes defective on you. Is anybody doing this now? Would you think it would make sense to wrap the filled extra cart in cellophane and maybe a ziploc to protect against ink getting out?

I have an artisan 837 which does not have any support clips for the carts like the Canon stuff has. Wish it did. Anyway, what do you guys think? Good idea.....bad idea.....anybody doing it currently regardless of printer type?

 

[fotofreek]

I'm using Canon printers. I've always had a spare set that is filled and ready to go when one or more is showing low or empty. At one time I had two or three sets extra depending on which colors ran out fastest. I was doing lots more printing as I was taking at least two big trips annually out of the country and was coming home with 500 to 800 images. Less trips now, so fewer spare sets. I've also been dating each refill on a label on the side of each cart to keep the use pretty even per color. I'll probably purge them all at once when I make my next order of ink. Better to keep them flowing well before they become a problem.

The Canon OEM carts have clips at the ink outlet, and there are also aftermarket clips that work well. I store them in a plastic food carton with an air-tight lid. I have one printer that uses the bci-3e cart, and I don't have a clip for it so I wrap it in a food wrap that adheres to itself and leaves no adhesive residue. It is called press'n seal and is made by Glad.

 

[jnug]

Thanks fotofreak...I have press in seal as I like it for general use as well. That is what I will do with these carts.

 

[barfl2]

jnug Like Fotofreek I maintain a spare set for my Canon MP620 and keep them in a sealed container. As each colour runs out I refill the low/empty one. I always refill when I get the low warning to err on the safe side. Also I have several of the large pigment black carts which I rotate to minimise the chance of getting a print head blockage. Another forum member recently stressed the importance of purging the pigment cart to minimise blockages. My cart rotation policy plus moderate printing these days should help.

I bought spare empty OEM carts from E-bay also I usually run a nozzle check when changing a cart. My view correct or otherwise is to leave the print head exposed to air as short as possible.

 

[jnug]

If there is one bit of luck for me I think it is in the fact that the epson only uses dye based for all color positions. I think I would not do well with a system that forced me to think about the differences between pigment and dye based especially since they are really so different.

The downside at least from what I can see is that the epson really does spit out a bunch of ink in the head cleaning process. I have purchased a waste tank system for my printer and I think it is a really good idea to use one with the epson 837 printers, maybe even any of the artisan 700/800 series. Realize that epson is trying to control cost to stay price competitive but to think that all we have at the bottom of that printer is pads trying to soak up all that ink....well.....needless to say I think it is a weak point.