reliability info on Epson 20000 wanted

[Mike Earussi]

A friend is thinking about buying the Epson 20000 and I was wondering if anyone has any user info or comments on its reliability. One of the reasons I ask is that a local Epson repairman told me he had to replace the head twice on a specific machine within a 18 month period, and I have no way of knowing whether this is a one off or the norm.

Thanks

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

without knowing anything about the usage and history of such a machine , status of maintenance counters , type of problem etc it would be quite impossible to make any judgement.

 

[mikling]

A friend is thinking about buying the Epson 20000 and I was wondering if anyone has any user info or comments on its reliability. One of the reasons I ask is that a local Epson repairman told me he had to replace the head twice on a specific machine within a 18 month period, and I have no way of knowing whether this is a one off or the norm.

Thanks

Ask the same repairman if he performs a colorimetric calibration after entering the printhead parameters into the mainboard flash memory. If he gives you a puzzled look, or does not comment how much work and the process of using specific papers and backing, then you know that the repaired printer is very likely to be not as good as one leaving the factory. How big is the difference.? easily visible. When inks go off in 5% in linear density, it is noticeable and that is what happens when you only enter the voltage parameters. My Signature Edition inks are trimmed to a fraction of that 5%. The printer needs to be trimmed with colorimetric calibration but Epson NA does not perform that. I had to ditch a repair job to a 2880 when I found this out from Epson Head Office when I asked that specific question and armed with a repair manual and understanding of how these printheads are made, calibrated and trimmed. I ditched the repair and with the help of @Roy Sletcher went into the trouble of acquring a used machine in another city.

This means that when a printhead or mainboard is replaced, there is no guarantee that the machine will be accurate EVEN when using both OEM inks and Papers. In fact for sure it will be off. Imagine if that happens to a P800 under warranty within a week, you will not likely get a proper printer thereafter or if a new defective machine is exchanged for a refurbished one when the printhead or mainboard has been replaced. This occurs even with their most expensive floor standing models. All piezo heads MUST be trimmed and the values entered., These trimmed values perform a function to adjust jetting similar to Pulse Width Modulation. After repair they let the machine run wide open with no trimming. This also affects ink consumption and the readings. Why? the ink consumption characteristics are calibrated using a reading of average readings AFTER trimming.

Sorry Epson fans..... this is something that is kept hush hush internally.