The Epson XP15000 - Maybe the one to replace the Pro-100?

mikling

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First let's take a look at this machine
https://epson.ca/For-Home/Printers/...-HD-XP-15000-Wide-format-Printer/p/C11CG43201

Take a note of this : Note: This printer is designed for use with Epson cartridges only, not third-party cartridges or ink.* See Important Ink Info

Following the link:

"Designed for EPSON cartridges only: Other brands of ink supplies are not compatible and, if described as compatible, may not function properly or continuously. Such restrictions can be avoided with some other printers such as Epson EcoTank cartridge free printers.
Firmware updates: Epson periodically provides firmware updates to address issues of security, performance, minor bug fixes and ensure your printer functions as designed. Your printer was designed to work only with genuine Epson ink cartridges, therefore some updates may affect the functionality of third party ink."

So you are purchasing this with these explicit warnings.

In case you didn't know, various iterations of this printer firmware has been released and truly the latest has removed the aftermarket chips from the market.

Despite this, it is nice for the price point. It is built OK, not as rigid or sturdy as the Pro-100. It has a replaceable maintenance box but it is small. Did I say "tiny"?
13" carriage and it also prints on optical media.
It has a rear feed as well as a bottom cassette. This would allow the user to place this right against a wall for normal use and pull out when necessary when printing photos. ( Do not place photo paper on bottom cassettes for photo printing as when the paper is bent or curled when travelling, this develops cracks on the resin coating of the paper)

The feel of the printer is as if a Canon mechanical design engineer was transplanted to Epson to help them design for modern manufacturing. To save on final footprint, Epson has turned the tanks and printhead 90 degrees. Once you get beyond 4 tanks, they figured out that the width of the prinhead requires more space allowances to the left and right of the printer. This would force the design of the printer to be wider than if they turned the printhead 90 degrees and mount the tanks the other way. This is a clever thing on their part, to save even more on space they made the tanks shorter as well as a little fatter to maintain some sort of capacity in the tanks. If you look at the Pro-100 you will notice it is a significantly larger machine and one reason is that the printhead carriage is very wide since it shares the same as the 10 tank Pro-10. The extra wide print carriage forces Canon to make the printer wider especially so for the 8 tank Pro-100 as it carries the penalty of sharing the same chassis as the 10 tank Pro-10. Same issues are encountered on the Pro-200 and 300. Canon pigment ink users know that Canon engineers are really cautious about the front to rear roller distance and paper strikes.

One drawback to Epson's choice for what they did is that it is likely to suffer greater likelihood from paper jamming when paper that has a slight curl is used. This is because the printhead itself is wider as a result of the 90 degree layount and the front and rear rollers are spaced apart a greater distance. So don't think that Epson is getting a free lunch by turning the printhead 90 degrees and getting a smaller footprint. The effects will vary from user to user and how careful they are with media.

Once thing that is new is that Epson has come towards the center loading of paper and hopefully has put in an improved rear feed mechanism.

Gone is the old printhead from over 10 years ago as used in the R260, SP1400 to the Artisan 1430. Those all suffered cracking after long term use.

One key thing is that it uses a passive contact patch between the tanks and the printer for transferring ink to the printer. We first saw this on the XP600 about 8 years ago and continues to use all that printer used in the tanks but Epson dropped the optical sensor this time. Priming and cleaning cycles are e x t r e m e l y S L O W. They take a long time.......for a reason.

Last time, when I looked at the XP600, I was left with a feeling that Epson would target that machine electronically and made refilling futile. When the project started it was a nice machine then the electronic attacks began and it became more refined on Epson's part. Of course they continued with this model. However back then I got busy with the Pro-100 and lost interest. This time, equipped with what I learnt from back then, I took a closer look at the XP15000. It was a sort of a challenge. The XP600 was a letter size width. This one is 13" wide and can be a nice printer for dye ink printing. The XP600 was CYMK photoprinting. This one now carries a in addition to what the XP600 carried a GREY and RED ink channel as well. Equipped with my in house color matching capabilities, could I make this into a desirable printer, despite Epson's warnings, that users can use WITHOUT custom ICCs and the ability to use Epson's Advanced Black and White printing mode?

I will continue this at the next post. --- Keep checking because it might be worth it for you!
 
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stratman

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Nice post. Enjoyed reading it.

( Do not place photo paper on bottom cassettes for photo printing as when the paper is bent or curled when travelling, this develops cracks on the resin coating of the paper)
Pro tip! :thumbsup
 

mikling

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I started torture testing the XP15000.
Let me say this. Canon is the master at paper handling. No if and or buts at this time. The XP15000 does not handle media as well as Canon with its precision and no hassles. With the newer Pro-200 and Pro-300, Canon has promised even better than the older Pro-100 and Pro-10.
The XP15000 gets the job done and will give the odd misfeed and inability to accept or feed unless coaxed. If you are used to the Canon precision, you will find this aspect of the XP15000 to be a negative. In the end, the print is still made, but it might take an effort in the odd situation here and there. If you have always had Epson printers, then the experience is normal.
In summary, competent handling of media but not masterful.
 

pharmacist

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According to Aliexpress suppliers the XP15000 refillables are only compatible to EU version of the printer, just like the Epson P800 printers for which I now used auto reset cartridges. So I think the American region is unable to use refillables.
 

mikling

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We will be reusing the OEM tanks! The setup tanks to boot. and refilling those. Epson did not beat me this time.
Think those Aliexpress compatibles physically reliably work on this machine?
 

mikling

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You can get the full details here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh8TdWpOlEs

It's well worth a viewing
What is missing since I eventually got my spare tanks and maintenance box is this info.

The standard tanks come in at 17.5 grams, The setup tanks come in at 20.2 grams and the XL tanks come in at 26.3 grams

ALL can be refilled to 26+ grams close to 28 at times grams. So purchase standard tanks and refill them

The maintenance box has an estimated capacity of 80 grams, I estimate that opening the lid, removing one or more tanks can be performed approximately 30-34 times to fill the maintenance box which costs 9.99 USD from Epson and you do not need to monkey around with disposing of ink, ink potties etc.

So all in all, working with a chipless machine is not as bad as you might think and the cost or penalty to do so is less than $12 USD a year..maintenance box and ink all in for the average user.

All in all , the XP15000 should be on your short list of 13" printers to consider if you are in the market for a dye ink machine at a reasonable cost.

There will be more on the XP15000 as it appears ready to amped up even more and taken to the next level. Areas Epson did not intend this machine to trespass on.
 

palombian

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I was very impressed by your presentation Sunday evening, in particular the innards of the cartridges ;).

Sad it is dye (3th party dye ink is a passed station for me) but as I understood Epson printheads accept pigment too...
 

mikling

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There is more to come next year.

Yeah pigment is already on the table but that will definitely require some custom ICCS.

One step at a time.

I have Pro-300, Pro-200 in front of the queue
 
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palombian

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There is more to come next year.

Yeah pigment is already on the table but that will definitely require some custom ICCS.

One step at a time.

I have Pro-300, Pro-200 in front of the queue

No problem, I have 2 PRO-10's... as you told us.

Thinking about a way to determine how many ink is left in a PRO-300 cartridge without removing it (and trigger a purge).
 

mikling

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Easiest is to purchase an OEM tank with a working chip! as Canon had planned.

The other way is to install aftermarket one time chips. The cost of those will add up eventually. Better to purchase more Pro-10s. All said and done. Spend the time looking for ads for used machines.

Don't let printers be an addiction.
 
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