Keeping printer ink cartridges good

T18skyguy wrote:
I use my inkjet once a week for several pages, so clogging heads are no issue for me. But if I used it only once per month, has I have done in the past, I didn't have clogging issues then either. I agree lasers are superior in every way, except perhaps cost of cartridges. But I think the inkjet tank models are disrupting the cartridge business model. HP has also introduced a tank model now. Canon will have to follow especially since they are long regarded as the highest price cartridges per printed page.

You don't seem to get it.

Very few folks WILL be able to take "advantage" of bulk ink tanks in a printer.

What good is 6500 pages capability when you simply do not print enough pages to empty the tank BEFORE the ink in the tank dries or clogs.

For myself, 6500 pages would take me nearly 60 yrs, yeah, I rarely need to print in color.

I pretty much broke my family of printing everything and to print ONLY what IS NEEDED. For my needs I only need to print a couple of pages per YEAR and that is for my vehicle registration documents which I do online yearly for vehicles and every 5 yrs for trailers.

If it wasn't for my DDs school "projects" my HP 952 inkjet printer would not have had new cartridges installed recently.. Those were the first new cartridges I have had to buy in TWO YEARS and the only reason they HAD to be replaced was from LACK OF USE..

I was able to revive the cartridges a couple of times by removing the cartridges and letting them soak on several layers of wet paper towels..

I have been lucky with the HP952 printer, my first inkjet printer would clog if you didn't print at least one page every week.. This one I have been able to allow to sit unused for several months with no issue..

Because of how quick the ink clogs the print cartridge heads (which the print head IS integrated into the cartridges) I have serious doubts on just how well a tank based unit will store for long periods of disuse.

I suspect if the tank based print head clogs, it WILL result in your printer becoming a doorstop since I highly doubt the print heads will be offered as a reasonably priced replacement part..

I can't find ANY tank based printer which offers a replacement head..

Additionally, Epson states that you SHOULD use up any OPEN battle of ink within SIX MONTHS and the unopened bottles have a shelf life of only 3 yrs..

Then there IS the potential ink refilling mess to deal with, Yeah, in the past I reinked DOT Matrix printer ribbons, it was often messy, you WILL be shocked at just how little of ink it takes to get it all over your fingers, clothes and furniture.

They do also state that you should be careful when moving your tank based printer to prevent spills.. Epson even includes a plastic bag JUST FOR THAT PURPOSE.. I suspect that a tank based inkjet printer might not like the rocking and rolling that will happen in a RV environment.

As far as Laser printer cartridges being "expensive" goes, not ALL are expensive, in fact some are down right cheap to replace..

For example, I have a 20 yr old Okidata 10i monochrome laser, the replacement cartridges are $20 for OEM, get about 4K pages out of one toner. In that printer, the drum is separate from the toner refills. You only replace the drum when it's performance goes down. I have only had to replace that drum ONCE and that was because I got the printer used and it had been used by a business.

Brother lasers also use a separate drum and toner refill setup, and you can once again get those toners for around $20 and 4K-5K pages from a toner..