Newly Purchased Epson x900 Cyan Ink 1.5 Months from "Use By" Date

[DeanChriss]

About 4 weeks ago I purchased several ink cartridges from a major New York retailer (B&H). All but the cyan cartridge had "use by" dates between 1/2013 and 10/2013. The cyan cartridge date was 8/2012, and it had different Epson packaging (no outer box). Since I didn't wait until I was totally out to buy, the ink might sit around here for a month or more before I even install it, so I returned just the cyan cartridge. I just reordered it and got another with a use by date of 8/2012. Since I really need the ink now I've reordered from a different supplier. Am I being unreasonable?

[Ken]

I've used 7900 cartridges that had remained in their sealed plastic envelopes at "room temperature" at least six months beyond their expiration dates, with no problem.

[Farmer]

Not being unreasonable, but no need to have done that.

[chaddro]

If you buy a NEW cartridge and it's approaching it's "use by" date, install it to be sure the printer recognizes it! If you have a bad cart, Epson will exchange on their bill (including shipping).

Epson is on their 3rd packaging design for the x900 carts. Hopefully this newest design will prevent damage. I've personally had to exchange 1 bad 350ml and 4 bad 700ml carts that the printer wouldn't recognize.

As far as ink age goes... if still vacuum sealed in the blue plastic, you can probably go a couple year beyond the expiration date without worry. I have not had a single issue with expired ink. You would just want to gently rock the ink back and forth for longer than a new cart.

[DeanChriss]

Thanks for the input.

I think the "use by" date on the package is 2 years out from the manufacture date, which corresponds to Epson's recommendation for the shelf life of sealed ink cartridges. I don't think I've ever gotten a new cartridge for this printer less than 6 months from its "use by" date. I do tend to have ink installed in the printer a lot longer than the 6 month post-installation life that Epson recommends, but I've never had any problem result from that either. I think the recent threads about clogging issues related to old ink made me paranoid about installing ink that's so old to start with and then leaving it in the printer perhaps twice as long as Epson recommends.

I should also mention the ink was shipped to me in an envelope and as I mentioned earlier the manufacturer's box is the old and less rugged one. I've never received ink packed that way before.

[DeanChriss]

Just to follow up, the new ink cartridge arrived yesterday and has a "use by" date of 1/2014.