Help me understand the waste pad issue on Artisans?

[korny]

Im about to install a CISS on an Artisan 800. But before I do..I'm considering a waste tank installation. Should I consider it "a must"?

Why do I ask, well it doesn't seem to be discussed as much on Canons and HPs in the same class? (or am I simply not paying attention..)

I suppose the question I'll get is.. what volume of printing is to be done on it, and I don't have a figure, except its small business class use, meaning *alot* more than many home printer that barely gets used....(and not insane volume printing either)

My thoughts are around the fact that -- it seems to me that alot of CISS installations still don't worry about it, is that because in the bulk of CISS installations any potential issue would pop up so far in the future (+5 years?), that people feel its a a moot point?

Any thoughts?

 

[qwertydude]

People put the waste ink tank because it's relatively easy on Epsons. You can of course not do it and just wash out the pads when it's full because the pads are easy to access anyways. Either way it's not really a hassle. It's mostly a precaution people do who do a lot of printing or switch ink types since they run extra cleaning cycles and it's easier to pour out the ink than wash out the pads and let the pads dry meaning printer down time. So it's no must, just a convenience for the really heavy printers. Just remember to print a full color document at least once a week to keep the print heads from clogging and you'll be filling the waste ink less because you won't need to run cleaning cycles because even with the tank you've still got a software counter that "fills up"

 

[korny]

Thanks for clueing me in!
Since its so easy to install, I might as well do it then.

 

[websnail]

For the 800 and 700 series it's not something you need to consider as a "must" because the pads are so much more accessible compared to virtually all other Epson desktop models. That said, the work involved in disassembling, washing, drying and re-fitting the pads each time could quickly become something of a bind so an external tank makes a bit more sense in terms of ease/laziness if nought else.

These printers also have a much reduced capacity for waste ink (read: the "Service required" point is hit much quicker) so there's something to be said for the external approach.



One last point, with a CIS you save on wasted ink because you are invariably resetting all chips and priming just the once rather than on a per cartridge basis, which as cartridges get swapped out at different times, waste far more ink. If you are using cartridges it's well worth swapping out any "almost empty" cartridges together to reduce waste too..