Any difference in Stylus Photo 1400 models?

[Fenrir Enterprises]

I picked up a used 1400 today, still with the box with all accessories. They claim it has only been used through two or three sets of carts - apparently it was intended for on-site printing and they didn't continue that business. They said it hasn't been used in a year, so I'm expecting to have to do some minor unclogging, since it's a dye printer I'm not too worried. But the box is the old, all-white with blue semicircles Epson packaging. I'm wondering if there's any major difference in the older models (if anything it'll have less firmware lockouts for aftermarket chips!) vs the last series before it was discontinued. Our local Staples has the Artisan 1430s in but not whatever the successor to the Workforce 1100 will be. They wanted too much for the display model ($200) and the other Staples some independent contractor (from what I've seen the Epson guys are much better dressed and have corporate logos on them, not some teen and some older dude in sweat shirts) came and took all the discontinued models away, saying they could not sell them.

Also, I see info on how to add a waste tank but does anyone have a clue how to look into the waste pads so I can see if I need to siphon out years of ink if it was used more than they said it was? Actually, even the ink from the initial purge is too much to be in there for me!

Darnit, they took the ink carts out. I wasn't expecting new ink with it but why would the pull out the carts? Ugh, now I hope I can get it working.

 

[mikling]

You WANT to get the first early 1400s, actually. the ones that came out the first few months or maybe first year. Those allowed true auto resets to all chips at once without touching anything. Then the Epson firmware revisions began afterwards when they realized it was too much of a good thing. How can you tell? Don't know.

 

[Fenrir Enterprises]

Maybe I should just keep paper towels soaked in Windex over the printhead nozzles. I wasn't planning on working on the printer until I sell off the 1100 and the OEM ink from the 1100 and the other (new in box) 1400. I just turned it on to see how bad the nozzle check would be. I guess it doesn't matter if I leave it another month or so since whatever damage is done is done.

 

[OutOFtheinkwell]

I have some OEM carts that have the Epson chips to start a 1400 up I paid around $4.50 each for them so they are available out there. My 1400 went through the shut down thing and the OEM remanufactured carts got it going again. Later I added a refillable set of dampers with the RBTF chip set. It's all working good now! For the head clogs I usually print with a set of dampers filled with head cleaner until I see all nozzles firing, but don't assume the heads are clogged until you run a nozzle check. It might not be a problem. Happy Printing!

 

[OutOFtheinkwell]

Adding a waste ink tank to an epson 1400 involves drilling one hole in the right side of the printer( facing it), and about 10 minutes easy work! If you type in (adding a waste ink tank to an Epson 1400) you can find pictures. I know Ink Republic and InkJetCarts both have tutorials on that as well as others. I would not worry about seeing the pads but that is just my own view! I see nothing to be gained.