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Author Topic: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one  (Read 23064 times)

Nora_nor

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #40 on: June 28, 2015, 10:32:54 am »

Some say to try replacing the pump and damper unit on the 4900 every year or two, certainly after three.  But does that take an hour and a half? (lots of screws?)
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Mark D Segal

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #41 on: June 28, 2015, 10:33:58 am »

Yes and yes.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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jduncan

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #42 on: July 03, 2015, 08:17:53 pm »

Hi,

Do the  7900 has the same clog issues than the  4900 ?

Thanks
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jduncan

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #43 on: July 03, 2015, 11:05:03 pm »

Hi,


I found this one researching, seems that it does :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf6kOEtgQqE
Maybe the Canon is starting to look better. The issue is support in CR :(

Best regards,
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Nora_nor

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #44 on: July 04, 2015, 01:35:49 pm »

Well, I was given the ipf5000.
It needed ink and 1 new head.
I know it was not used a lot, and one can easily check how much it was used in service mode.

I had to wait three days for the head, after I started to change head in the dialogue and had to turn it off because I had not gotten the new printhead yet, and the other head did not clog even though it was not parked right. (red ink was not enough for this process, as it wanted to fill new ink..)
Then it started with alignments by itself, printing on paper and aligning, after two cleanings, and has worked fine since. But the ink bronzes much more than the epson ink.
This has cost just a little less than buying a new Epson SC P800.

Is there an old thread on ipf 5000? So that I do not highjack this thread.

I read canonipf.wiki and  they give the link for downloading the 5100 driver for OS X 10-8 from canon europe. On the other mac I tried a newer driver but it is missing important things so I think they are right about which driver to download. (the newer driver is missing the image showing where to load the paper and which way it prints) (I find three drivers in the add printer dialogue)
I only tried it from Lightroom, so I did not try the photoshop plugin yet I think, unless it was what I got from LR
But would the ipf5000 driver be just as good?
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Nora_nor

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #45 on: July 05, 2015, 04:56:52 am »

Back to the discussion on wether to keep the 4900, in the now review of the SC P800 it says that some will consider the SC P800

"...The 3880 is now history, the P800 will replace it and 4900 owners may be pondering whether to renew with a P800 or keep their 4900s. Hence this discussion views the P800 in the context of the 3880 and the 4900. Yes we know, the 4900 is a “one-up class” printer with two more inks (orange and green), 360 nozzles per inch rather than 180, it weighs a bit less than three P800s and costs at least twice as much (but you get more ink). That makes it all the more interesting as a “stretch target” and some of what you read below may surprise you....."

That is the impression I got when I went to look at it
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steve event

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #46 on: July 11, 2015, 12:18:26 pm »

Hi, I am a newbe to this forum.

My 4900 about 4 years old had been left unused for about 6 months with ink dated 2013 in it. When I next used it I had missing colours on all the inks and a couple were completely blank. Tried al the usual head cleaning and was ready to throw it away and get another one, when I read an article about a service CD (only works in windows, I use an old XP laptop to run it) which has the option to empty all the colour ink lines into the maintenance tank, without the head getting hot, this is part of a service routine when renewing the lines or the head. So I got it. and ran the empty routine (filled a maintenance tank with the old ink) Then I put in new cartridges and did the initial fill (like when its new) this got most of the colours back, then tried a second fill on the left hand set of cartridges and every thing is now perfect. Full set of colours & print patterns on both sides.

One other thing I read which may be of interest to those in hot climates was a service engineers comment that a few mills or water added to the maintenance tank, tends to keep the capping station moist and helps to prevent drying ink. True or not I don't know but it seem logical, and it can't hurt. And I also read a user that placed a small glass of water inside the printer when it was not being used.

So my conclusion is that older ink probably sticks & clogs more than fresh ink, and obviously the ink on the print head will dry out if left log enough. So for £20 for the CD, cost of a maintenance tank, and dumping the old ink It save loads of cash on either a service engineer or a new printer. I got the service cd download from www.2manuals.co and there loads of other stuff on their site.
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Nora_nor

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #47 on: July 11, 2015, 01:22:08 pm »

yes you have to buy that service program because it is missing in the printer software. Other Epson printers have such functions  built-in but not the 4900.

But I tried to try the waste ink trick, but mine is covered by a sheet of aluminium foil . Anybody tried removing the foil to add water to keep the printhead moist?

Someone else commented (on canon printers) that they do not recommend ammonia, but glycerine to moisten printheads and damper, glycerine added to window cleaning solution without any ammonia. Dunno.
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steve event

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #48 on: July 11, 2015, 02:25:49 pm »

under the foil its just like all the others, if you look there is a small hole in the foil you ca use a syringe, or cut the foil open.

for epson probably foil is cheaper than plastic, and it will preserve the moisture in the tank unlike the 4880 types.
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Nora_nor

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #49 on: July 11, 2015, 07:20:18 pm »

There is some special cleaning fluid I have seen on a german site: http://www.farbenwerk.com/Intensiv-Cleaning-Fluid-250ml
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Mark D Segal

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #50 on: July 11, 2015, 09:03:17 pm »

There is some special cleaning fluid I have seen on a german site: http://www.farbenwerk.com/Intensiv-Cleaning-Fluid-250ml

Any research available on whether it works, and its safety?
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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enduser

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #51 on: July 12, 2015, 03:44:58 am »

"Someone else commented (on canon printers) that they do not recommend ammonia, but glycerine to moisten printheads and damper, glycerine added to window cleaning solution without any ammonia. Dunno."

Yes, there are two glycerine reservoirs in the Canons to keep several pads from drying.
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Nora_nor

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #52 on: July 12, 2015, 07:28:20 am »

One can usually consider german stuff to be very serious. I just found it (by looking for tecco icc profiles)
I can guess that special cleaning fluid is safer than straight ammonia or windex with ammonia?


Next question is, I sometimes see used epson 3800 or 3880 for sale, some say it has been sitting, some say it works. But what is the difference between 3800 and 3880 ?   
There is a campaign on SC P800 but it comes with so little ink so one has to buy  a whole set very soon so one has to add that in the equasion.
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Mark D Segal

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #53 on: July 12, 2015, 07:37:57 am »

One can usually consider german stuff to be very serious. I just found it (by looking for tecco icc profiles)
I can guess that special cleaning fluid is safer than straight ammonia or windex with ammonia?


Next question is, I sometimes see used epson 3800 or 3880 for sale, some say it has been sitting, some say it works. But what is the difference between 3800 and 3880 ?   
There is a campaign on SC P800 but it comes with so little ink so one has to buy  a whole set very soon so one has to add that in the equasion.

Whether the stuff is "serious" has nothing to do with where it's made. It depends on the chemical content of the solution and whether it is safe and effective for the intended use. You can't guess anything. There is no substitute for finding out whether or not it works properly by researching user experience or consultation with support people who would know.

The main difference between an Epson 3800 and 3880 is the Vivid Light Magenta in the latter. I do not recommend buying a used printer blind with no warranty. The P800 comes with enough ink to make a great many prints. Don't forget the ink used to charge the lines is also used for printing. I don't how much goes to the maintenance tank during initial charging but I have been told at the technician level that it is "not very much". And you get a new printer warranty.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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Bob Rockefeller

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #54 on: July 12, 2015, 07:39:24 am »

Next question is, I sometimes see used epson 3800 or 3880 for sale, some say it has been sitting, some say it works. But what is the difference between 3800 and 3880 ?   

The primary difference is the ink set (upgraded with vivid magenta in the 3880) and, or course, the age (the 3880 is old, the 3800 is ancient).
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Mark D Segal

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #55 on: July 12, 2015, 08:04:15 am »

Yes you're right - Vivid Magenta, not Vivid Light Magenta - the latter is in the 4900. One can get confused! :-)
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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Bob Rockefeller

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #56 on: July 12, 2015, 08:07:35 am »

Yes you're right - Vivid Magenta, not Vivid Light Magenta - the latter is in the 4900. One can get confused! :-)

I think the 3880 has vivid light magenta, too, as did the 3800. Is that what you meant? The change was to vivid magenta, not to vivid light magenta?

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Bob Rockefeller
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Mark D Segal

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #57 on: July 12, 2015, 08:13:19 am »

Purely by memory - I think the main ink change was to add Vivid Magenta. Anyhow, it's all academic by now. Both printers are discontinued and I'll stand on my advice to Nora that buying a used one without knowing it intimately is risky.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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Bob Rockefeller

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #58 on: July 12, 2015, 08:19:53 am »

Purely by memory - I think the main ink change was to add Vivid Magenta. Anyhow, it's all academic by now. Both printers are discontinued and I'll stand on my advice to Nora that buying a used one without knowing it intimately is risky.

All true. My 3880 appears to be dead from nozzle clogging/failure and I can't resuscitate it. I have about 75% of the ink remaining, so if I could find a cheap used 3880 on eBay with relatively few prints on it, and some remaining ink, I may take the gamble over a P800.

Not to change this thread from replacing a 4900 to replacing a 3880...
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Bob Rockefeller
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Mark D Segal

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Re: Considering replacing a clogging Epson 4900 with a new one
« Reply #59 on: July 12, 2015, 08:30:22 am »

Fair enough - you know it's a gamble.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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