Epson 9800 waste tank levels

[Pacific Image Works]

I bought a used Epson 9800 about a year ago. I've made about 50 prints (average 10x14).
Since I got the printer it reports that one waste tank is about 50% full (growing) and the other is 100% empty.
Why would this be?
Could this be a problem in the vacuum system?
Is this normal?

Any thoughts welcome.

Craig

[dgberg]

I believe it fills one tank before dumping to another. At least thats how my 9900 works.
It uses quite alot of ink when switching blacks,which you already know I'm sure.

[Ken Doo]

The 9800 also uses ink to cool and clean the heads.  The waste ink is deposited in the maintenance tanks.  There are two tanks (with computer chips) on opposite ends of the printer.  What happens is that the print head will go to the closest tank to "spit" into.  In other words, the hamster inside your 9800 will run to the tank closest to it to dump ink as needed.  You'll find that the right tank fills faster if you happen to use shorter rolls, because obviously the print head stays closer to the right side where the roll is seated on the spindle, and that's where the hamster is gonna stay closer.

You can "swap" the tanks as one fills up, so it evens out----once a tank becomes full, the computer chip inside will prevent printing further---and that ornery hamster just refuses to run to the other side of the printer.  It's easier to just keep an extra maintenance tank on hand.  The hamster is happy.  And Epson is happy that you're buying their ink.....

 

[Stephen G]

+1 on kdphotography post
I worked with a 9800 for two years or so. I just set a weekly reminder to swap the tanks.

I also had a chip resetter (for hacking ink-carts for Imageprint PhatteBlack). On day the printer stopped with a full right-hand tank and I did not have a spare. I just swapped the tanks and reset the chip on the full one. I could get away with this for a day or so while I waited for a new tank to arrive as most of the waste ink got dumped onto the fresher tank.

[SydEpson]

My name is Syd and I work for Epson America, Inc.

This is normal for the printer.  The right side tank will get filled up a lot quicker because this is the tank that gets the most usage.  During the initial fill the excess ink is being deposited in the right side tank.  Also, when you run a cleaning cycle, the excess ink is being flushed into the right side tank.  This tank also gets  used when running an ink switch from photo black to matte black.

You can swap out the tanks so you can maximize the yield between the two.  This way both tanks get equal use.  You can also wait unitl one tank is down to about 20% life and then switch them out.  

The printer appears to be operating normally.  There does not appear to be any abnormal functions based on your description.

Hope this information helps,

Syd

[Wayne Fox]

The 9800 also uses ink to cool and clean the heads.  

Cool?  You're saying the ink is being used as a "coolant"?  for heads that aren't thermal?  Sounds pretty unlikely.

As far as cleaning, all inkjet printers use ink to keep nozzles clear.

[Ken Doo]

Wayne, I think you're probably right.  I had some work done on my Epson 9800 (replaced head) and am only repeating what the tech told me.  Regardless of what the hamster does inside, the tip regarding swapping maintenance tanks or keeping an extra tank on hand remains the same.   

[KevinWilliams]

I've seen people use chip resetters and stuff sponges, paper towels in the waste tanks and keep going.