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Author Topic: Epson 9900 - Ink consumption values of various cleaning procedures  (Read 2948 times)

cybis

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While my 9900 cartridges were filled with water, I measured the approximate ink consumption of various cleaning procedures and their corresponding cost if performed with actual Epson ink (assuming $131 USD per 350 ml, does not include cost of maintenance tank).

ProcedureQty (ml)    Time (min)   Cost (USD)
Swapping K Ink*<12:000.37
Clean Color Pairs Normal32:301.12
CL1 Pair32:301.12
Clean Color Pairs Powerfull    102:453.74
Normal Cleaning124:004.49
Std. CL1143:455.24
CL4 Pair242:509
Power Cleaning694:0026
Std. CL31014:0038
Super Strong Cleaning1765:5066
Init. Fill61820:00230

*Ink swapping triggers an ANC and cleaning

A couple things surprised me:

  • 'Clean Color Pairs Normal' in normal mode seems to be the same procedure as the 'CL1 Pair' in service mode. So no need to go to service mode to go to that CL1 cleaning?

  • Swapping ink in service mode does not trigger an ANC immediately, but did trigger for me an ANC after rebooting in normal mode even though ANC was turned off.

  • I did not realized how expensive some of these procedures can be. A normal cleaning is five bucks! Since this printer seems to need at least one per printing session... it adds up!


Edit: crossed out ink swapping data until I can retest
« Last Edit: August 20, 2015, 12:43:08 am by cybis »
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jerryw

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Re: Epson 9900 - Ink consumption values of various cleaning procedures
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2015, 04:52:01 pm »

Cool/ interesting data.  Not sure there are any changes I could make as a result of these inputs (have to think about it) - but interesting just the same.

You engineer, you - you just couldn't help yourself!  :)

Thanks for posting.
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Ernst Dinkla

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Re: Epson 9900 - Ink consumption values of various cleaning procedures
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2015, 05:18:57 pm »

On the 3800/3880 the full cycle of blacks swapping, PK>MK>PK, uses 5.6 ML. It was less on the x900 printers we were told but I doubt it is just 2 ML. I wonder whether you show the PK>MK switch here that uses the least amount of ink.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
December 2014 update, 700+ inkjet media white spectral plots
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cybis

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Re: Epson 9900 - Ink consumption values of various cleaning procedures
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2015, 05:30:46 pm »

On the 3800/3880 the full cycle of blacks swapping, PK>MK>PK, uses 5.6 ML. It was less on the x900 printers we were told but I doubt it is just 2 ML. I wonder whether you show the PK>MK switch here that uses the least amount of ink.

I'll double check, Ernst. The way I gathered the data was to measure the amount of ink collected in the waste tank. I was surprised that either PK>MK or MK>PK would send so little ink to the waste tank. But, and I think that's where the rub is, any swap triggers an ANC. Since my printhead is missing some nozzles, the ANC always triggers a lengthy cleaning. So I don't know how to isolate the ink consumption of the swap vs. the cleaning. Any idea how I could do that? (Doing the swap in service mode still triggers the ANC before the next print, even with ANC off.) Maybe I should have just left that data out of the table.
« Last Edit: August 18, 2015, 05:32:39 pm by cybis »
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cybis

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Re: Epson 9900 - Ink consumption values of various cleaning procedures
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2015, 05:36:41 pm »

You engineer, you - you just couldn't help yourself!  :)
;D Thanks Jerry. I'm currently dissecting a spare cleaning station.
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Ernst Dinkla

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Re: Epson 9900 - Ink consumption values of various cleaning procedures
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2015, 05:24:52 am »

I'll double check, Ernst. The way I gathered the data was to measure the amount of ink collected in the waste tank. I was surprised that either PK>MK or MK>PK would send so little ink to the waste tank. But, and I think that's where the rub is, any swap triggers an ANC. Since my printhead is missing some nozzles, the ANC always triggers a lengthy cleaning. So I don't know how to isolate the ink consumption of the swap vs. the cleaning. Any idea how I could do that? (Doing the swap in service mode still triggers the ANC before the next print, even with ANC off.) Maybe I should have just left that data out of the table.


What I recall is that the PK>MK switch on the 3800/3880 does not need as much ink because a little contamination of MK ink with PK will not be visible on matte media. The other way around and a minimum of MK ink left would show gloss difference on gloss media. So here it is PK>MK 1.6 ML versus MK>PK 4 ML.

When the x900 series were announced I wondered about the changes on that system. You might know, is the PK/MK switch near the head on the 3800/3880 so the black ink tubes (2) are not affected or is it near the cartridges so also the black tube (1) has to be refreshed with either black? I would assume the first solution is used but it will make the ink carriage + tubes assembly heavier on a relative small printer. For the x900 I can not see another solution than a switch near the heads, it would take way more ink on the long tube and way more time for refreshing if the switch is near the cartridges. My initial thought when they claimed less ML used on the x900 models was this difference in switch systems. But if both printer types have the same switch near the head then I find it strange that a x900 would use less ink on the switch cycle, channels and ink buffers near the head should have larger dimensions for a wider format with 360 nozzles per inch per ink channel (speed). It could be that your ANC story reveals another explanation; splitting the ink waste in two and using different terms for the wastes. A gain in less waste by a redesign of the switch near the head (bringing it even closer to the black nozzles) is of course also possible but why did the 3880 not get the same treatment then?  Ink sales + printer service is the main part of the profit for printer manufacturers and there may be some differences in that approach between the 17" and 24"> models, ink per ML already differs. So I am not sure what actually happens but find 1 ML for half a cycle a low number that is not telling all.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
December 2014 update, 700+ inkjet media white spectral plots

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iCanvas

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Re: Epson 9900 - Ink consumption values of various cleaning procedures
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2015, 08:46:53 am »

OUCH! I will try not to meditate on this every day when I do a cleaning! Come on Epson fix this!  :-\
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Garnick

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Re: Epson 9900 - Ink consumption values of various cleaning procedures
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2015, 08:56:31 am »

What I recall is that the PK>MK switch on the 3800/3880 does not need as much ink because a little contamination of MK ink with PK will not be visible on matte media. The other way around and a minimum of MK ink left would show gloss difference on gloss media. So here it is PK>MK 1.6 ML versus MK>PK 4 ML.

When the x900 series were announced I wondered about the changes on that system. You might know, is the PK/MK switch near the head on the 3800/3880 so the black ink tubes (2) are not affected or is it near the cartridges so also the black tube (1) has to be refreshed with either black? I would assume the first solution is used but it will make the ink carriage + tubes assembly heavier on a relative small printer. For the x900 I can not see another solution than a switch near the heads, it would take way more ink on the long tube and way more time for refreshing if the switch is near the cartridges. My initial thought when they claimed less ML used on the x900 models was this difference in switch systems. But if both printer types have the same switch near the head then I find it strange that a x900 would use less ink on the switch cycle, channels and ink buffers near the head should have larger dimensions for a wider format with 360 nozzles per inch per ink channel (speed). It could be that your ANC story reveals another explanation; splitting the ink waste in two and using different terms for the wastes. A gain in less waste by a redesign of the switch near the head (bringing it even closer to the black nozzles) is of course also possible but why did the 3880 not get the same treatment then?  Ink sales + printer service is the main part of the profit for printer manufacturers and there may be some differences in that approach between the 17" and 24"> models, ink per ML already differs. So I am not sure what actually happens but find 1 ML for half a cycle a low number that is not telling all.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
December 2014 update, 700+ inkjet media white spectral plots




As the saying goes, your mileage vary.  Approximately two years ago I did the ink swap test on my 9900, both directions(PK>MK and MK>PK).  I suppose the difference from the original post to my procedure is that I used an actual "ink" swap, not water.  However, I doubt that would or should have any effects on the final outcome.  My procedure was to use an empty waste tank with a small container to catch the ink and then do the measurement.  Over a period of a month I repeated this procedure three times and averaged the results to take into consideration any possible measurement variables.  At that time I was initiating the ink swap in standard operating mode, so of course there was also the accompanying cleaning cycle to consider.  My averaged readings were as follows:

PK > MK  = 3ml
Mk > PK  = 5ml

Total ink dump during swap = 8ml

All prices are CDN Dollar.  350ml Cart = $.34/ml

Total cost per two way ink swap = $.34x8ml = $2.72

With the CDN Dollar at its current rate I dare not rework the figures for a current swap.

Also, for some time I have been doing the K ink swap in Service Mode to avoid the auto clean cycle that always follows the swap in Standard Mode.  I assume that by removing that factor from the equation the total cost per two way swap would be somewhat less.  

The CL1 vs Std. cleaning ink usage was a surprise to me as well.  However, it's a moot point, since I have always found that the CL1 pairs cleaning is more efficient than the same cleaning procedure in Standard operating mode.  In Standard mode it's often a matter of losing more nozzles following the first clean cycle, as opposed to Service Mode where a CL1 clean will almost always clear the nozzle on the first try.  Just my experience.

Gary

  
  
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Gary N.
"My memory isn't what it used to be. As a matter of fact it never was." (gan)
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