Most reliable inkjet printer for CISS?

[juliandroms]

I'm planning on selling my Canon MP830 and getting a different printer that will work reliably with CISS.

From these forums, is there a consensus as to what inkjet printer brand and model work most reliably for CISS?

I'm assuming it's going to be an Epson? If you can't recommend a single model of Epson printer, can you recommend a particular Epson cartridge system?

Are the Epson print heads replaceable?

 

[juliandroms]

Three possibilities I am thinking about though others may suggest others...

1. Epson Workforce 40, which uses cartridges Black (T097120), Cyan (T069220), Magenta (T069320), Yellow Ink (T069420).
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&sku=C11CA27201

2. Epson Stylus C88+, which uses cartridges black (T060120), cyan (T060220), magenta (T060320), yellow (T060420).
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&sku=C11C617121

3. Buy an older out-of-production Epson model from E-Bay that uses an older cartidge system that might be more reliable to use for CISS.

Whether or not the waste ink system can be modified & repaired is also a consideration.

Any thoughts or other suggestions? Besides the money, I'm sick and tired of having ink run out on me or print heads run dry. I just want a printer that can sit on my desk for a three months without using it, then actually have the dang thing work when I have a project to do.

 

[qwertydude]

The newer model epsons like the artisan lines are more finicky about their chips. Your standard auto reset chips may not work as reliably and you may get more unrecognizable cartridge errors. I had to get a CIS with a reset button to get my Artisan 50 to work correctly. And also the clearances are tighter. I had to cut away some of the case and print head carriage to keep the hoses from rubbing.

Also as a general rule CIS systems are generally for people that print a lot and often as it keeps the print head clean so cleaning cycles are reduced. Not printing anything for 3 months at a time means a very low ink consumption rate. Inks have a shelf life after which things may come out of solution, colors change, or biological fouling may result. I would stick with a refillable cartridge or simply compatibles if you don't plan on printing often.

It's kinda important which system and inks you use and how often because a physical clog on these and pretty much you throw the printer away, print heads are not replaceable on epsons.

 

[juliandroms]

Hmm... the print heads are not removable on Epsons then?

It would seem at first that it would make sense for someone who does not print often to use refillable cartridges; however I've been doing this for the last couple years, and found that my Canon tends to consume ink even when not in use. I think it runs occasional clean cycles when not in use to keep the head from drying out and clogging. Bottom line, I'm finding that I'm getting very few pages of use out of them, or having to refill cartridges and create a big mess far too often for the amount of use I get out of the printer.

I really just want something I can set up once and have it work without all the fuss.

Maybe I should just fork over for a cheap color laser instead. At least then the toner doesn't go bad and it doesn't consume reagent when sitting idle.

 

[The Hat]

juliandroms

Maybe I should just fork over for a cheap color laser instead. At least then the toner doesn't go bad and it doesn't consume reagent when sitting idle.

Wait till you need a new cartridge, then its all $$$ and no mess..

I just want a printer that can sit on my desk for a three months without using it, then actually have the dang thing work when I have a project to do

.

Just use your OEM Canon cartridges and refill them, that way the cost will be minimal and will even work even after three months..

Like qwertydude said.. CISS systems dont like three months holidays

 

[juliandroms]

I hear ya, and perhaps you're both right that using CISS isn't worth it. But refilling carts as often as I need to just to get a couple pages out (for how little I use the damn thing), making a big mess etc... - then worry that the chips in the carts are screwed up, which has happened a couple times already, nozzles clogged from lack of use, blah blah blah. It makes me want to chuck the damn thing out the window. I have to look at the damn thing with a sense of dread every time I turn it on. Is it going to work *this* time or or am I going to arrive at my next appointment a half hour late with ink all over my hands and a ruined shirt? Not sure my carpet will take it much longer, either.

'course I've seen laser printer color output and it looks like poo as well.

 

[juliandroms]

Also, I hate to sound wasteful, but throwing away a $84 Epson Stylus C88+ that is perhaps messed because of a clogged port from bad application of CISS is not much more expensive then buying a whole set of their outrageously priced inks.

Or else maybe I should just throw out the whole printer every time the cartridges run out and buy an entirely new printer? I'm not a strong environmentalist, and the whole cartridge racket has me so pissed, I feel like it's not a bad option at this point.

 

[The Hat]

juliandroms

Try sticking with your Canon MP830 and using OEM cartridges as they are much less lightly to go wrong.
If you do your refilling when youre not so pushed for time then the mess gets manageable.
Refilling canon cartridges is usually a labour of love, so it should be for you if youd just take your time at it.
You had the sense to come on this forum for help so dont lose it now, when you get the hang of refilling you will look back on it and wonder what all the fuss was about..

 

[qwertydude]

If you refill using the german method with your canon you may find it's all you need and completely mess free.

 

[juliandroms]

Actually, I think I may now have CISS running on the MP830.

I had to take the entire printer carriage out, remove the terminals and circuit boards that interface with the chips on the ink carts, clean all the ink out of the terminals and this small circuit board, then put the whole carriage & printer back together again. Now it's recognizing the chips on the OEM (and CISS) carts again.

This is a longstanding problem though that has just gotten worse until I finally just went in and fixed it. What a waste of my time.

I think I may just remove the chips from the carts and solder them onto this board, then seal the board or move it somewhere where it can be cleaned more easily & I don't have to take the entire printer apart to fix their shitty design problem.

What a pain in the ass. Canon designs chips on their ink cassettes ostensibly to keep people using inks that may screw up their printers causing problems with their warranty, yet the least reliable aspect of the Canon printer is the actual circuitry that reads their god forsaken chips. I can tolerate if the have a complex and necessary part like a print head that malfunctions. But when they add something to the printer to frustrate me from using it, like a chipped cart system, and then that is designed horribly so that it's the first thing that breaks (just google how many people have Canon printers that have problems recognizing OEM carts), and that's about enough to make me want to run homicidal.

Oh well, I'll just stick with this old beast on CISS until it breaks again, then throw it out.

Thank you everyone for all your help - even if you didn't know it, I was reading your posts.