Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: Mark F on March 21, 2013, 04:19:39 pm

Title: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: Mark F on March 21, 2013, 04:19:39 pm
Lately I haven't been printing as much and have found that if I do not use the Epson nozzle utility (on print) at least twice a week that one or more heads clog. Is this normal for the 4880? How about for other Epson or Canon printers? People I know with the 3880 seem to be able to go for many weeks without printing and do not have this problem.

Thanks.
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: Sal Baker on March 21, 2013, 04:53:21 pm
The 3880 is unique in that it can sit unused for weeks or months and never clog.  All other Epsons need constant attention, and even then minor head cleaning will probably be needed.

Sal
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: aduke on March 21, 2013, 05:44:21 pm
Lately I haven't been printing as much and have found that if I do not use the Epson nozzle utility (on print) at least twice a week that one or more heads clog. Is this normal for the 4880? How about for other Epson or Canon printers? People I know with the 3880 seem to be able to go for many weeks without printing and do not have this problem.

Thanks.

It certainly seems to be normal for my 4880. :(

Alan
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: ternst on March 21, 2013, 07:02:57 pm
I used to get quite a few clogs in my 4880 until I started putting a small container with a soaking-wet paper towel crumpled up in it right next to the printhead. I've gone six months without any issues at all now - other than sometimes forgetting to remove the little container before printing - the printhead sometimes doesn't like it sitting there when it starts to print. The soaked paper towel just keeps the nozzles moist and helps prevent drying/clogging...
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: Iluvmycam on March 21, 2013, 07:19:31 pm
I have a 3800 and R2000. They can go a couple weeks. Just run a small 4 x 6 every once in a while. It is no big deal.
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: AFairley on March 21, 2013, 08:23:54 pm
Someone makes an applet that will automatically send a small file to the printer to print periodically, I can't remember the name and a quick search didn't turn it up, but it has been mentioned on the forum.  If I had a 4880 I would be using that and running a small print ever couple of days.
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: digitaldog on March 21, 2013, 08:48:24 pm
The 3880 is unique in that it can sit unused for weeks or months and never clog.  All other Epsons need constant attention, and even then minor head cleaning will probably be needed.

Sure seems that way and I can't understand why. I have a 3880 and 4900. Like you said, the 3880 never seems to clog no matter how infrequently I use it. The 4990 needs head cleaning all the time. Very frustrating. Man I love that 3880!
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: Scott Martin on March 22, 2013, 09:03:54 am
Sure seems that way and I can't understand why. I have a 3880 and 4900. Like you said, the 3880 never seems to clog no matter how infrequently I use it. The 4990 needs head cleaning all the time. Very frustrating. Man I love that 3880!

Very true. Seems like the newer the printer the more often it needs to be used. The older the printer the more tolerant it is to periods of inactivity. Remember the 9600 - how reliable and long lasting it was? Seems like those days are gone... In the quest  for better inks and smaller dot sizes the technology has become far more finicky.
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: Luca Ragogna on March 22, 2013, 09:19:44 am
Sure seems that way and I can't understand why. I have a 3880 and 4900. Like you said, the 3880 never seems to clog no matter how infrequently I use it. The 4990 needs head cleaning all the time. Very frustrating. Man I love that 3880!

The 2880 is the same. I use it every 6 months or so and never any clogs.
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: Mark F on March 22, 2013, 10:03:32 am
Well at least I know that it's not just my 4880. As long as I run the one line test pattern every three days all is well. And since that can be done on regular photocopy paper its not a big deal. But if I'm away for a week or more its a full head cleaning.

Any Canon printers out there?
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: chez on March 22, 2013, 05:06:11 pm
Not Canon, but HP. Don't print very frequently and never clogged. Leave it powered up and it does it's own cleaning cycles.

Well at least I know that it's not just my 4880. As long as I run the one line test pattern every three days all is well. And since that can be done on regular photocopy paper its not a big deal. But if I'm away for a week or more its a full head cleaning.

Any Canon printers out there?
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: AFairley on March 22, 2013, 05:33:55 pm
OK, I tracked down the utility that automatically will send a tiny print job to the printer daily (or whenever) to keep the heads clear.  It's called Harvey Head Cleaner (version III, $40).  http://www.harveyheadcleaner.com/  I have no affiliation with these folks, and have never used it, but it sounds like a good idea.
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: JohnBrew on March 23, 2013, 08:44:24 am
My old 3800 and now 3880 were the champs of digital printing, imo. I also have a Canon 6400 and I seem to recall someone here mentioning it should be left on all the time. However, it shuts itself down several hours after last printing. But no problems so far.
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: Scott Martin on March 23, 2013, 09:16:06 am
I also have a Canon 6400 and I... it shuts itself down several hours after last printing. But no problems so far.

Kinda dumb isn't it? You can change this in the settings. Yes, leave it on so it can sleep and maintain itself. Print an 8x10 twice a week during periods of inactivity and you'll avoid under-usage problems.
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: Mark F on March 23, 2013, 10:28:37 am
Thanks, AFairley.
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: Jim Kasson on March 23, 2013, 11:41:25 am
The 3880 is unique in that it can sit unused for weeks or months and never clog.  All other Epsons need constant attention, and even then minor head cleaning will probably be needed.

I'd add the 9800 to that list. I've turned it on after two months on disuse, ignored its pleas to run a deep cleaning, and printed a flawless nozzle check pattern. I do most of my printing on a 4900, and, although it gets a lot of use, it's not nearly as bulletproof in the clogging department (or the paper handling department either, but that's another story).

I've thought about upgrading my big printer to a 9900 to get the broader gamut and smoother B&W, but then I think about that printer's rep for clogs, and I never can pull the trigger.

Jim
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: MarkH2 on March 23, 2013, 03:23:10 pm
Mark F,

My Epson R3000 needs frequent printing to prevent clogging.  Here is a recent thread including images to print that will exercise all of the ink channels.  I have found that just printing the nozzle check is not sufficient.  I select the highest quality and a suitable media type then just use plain paper.  http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=75383.0

Mark H
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: JohnBrew on March 24, 2013, 09:25:20 am
Kinda dumb isn't it? You can change this in the settings. Yes, leave it on so it can sleep and maintain itself. Print an 8x10 twice a week during periods of inactivity and you'll avoid under-usage problems.

Thank you.
Title: Re: Does the 4880 need to be used every few days?
Post by: philbaum on April 02, 2013, 11:25:33 pm
Mark H, you reported clogging on an R3000 unless you used it every day. 

I don't think that is representative of the R3000.  When i first got my r3000 5 months ago, it was good for at least a week at a time without clogging.  I didn't test it beyond that.  Then, thru my error in setting paper thickness, i had a headstrike event with  a lot of ink smearing.  After that, frequent clogging also occurred for me. 

Following small Epson ink jet printer cleaning procedures illustrated in sites like Inkjetmall, I cleaned my print head face, and it resolved the frequent clogging problem.  later on i also cleaned the capping station and wiper blade.  Now i don't even bother to do nozzle checks and am not experiencing problems. 

I've running 3rd party Cone pigment inks ever since my original set ran out.

I find it amazing that, as far as i know, that Epson doesn't address simple cleaning procedures by the new printer owner.  at least i found all the necessary information on Cone's inkjetmall site.

phil