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Author Topic: Can Ink Levels Foul Up Profiles?  (Read 6157 times)

Jim Kasson

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Re: Can Ink Levels Foul Up Profiles?
« Reply #20 on: February 06, 2013, 12:08:41 pm »

Quote
I would think for a $3000 printer one wouldn't have to rely on getting free troubleshooting advice online to solve their problems. That's the one aspect about these printers and their owners I can never understand.

First, a small side point. When I look at the Epson printer pricing and then look at the printers themselves, it's hard for me to see how they're making much (or maybe any) money on the printers themselves if all costs are fully allocated. I think Epson views the printers as devices to use up ink, for which the company is extremely well compensated. That doesn't negate your main point, but I'd phrase it that I'd expect Epson to be standing on its corporate head to do anything that gets its customers printing like mad.

On the advisability of bringing an esoteric complaint like the one that started this thread to this forum rather then taking it to Epson support, I'd vote for this forum. Over the years, I have had many -- too many -- dealings with Epson support. (To read about one extended set of conversations, get a cup of coffee, start here and read the next two posts, then go here and read the next three posts.) I have found them to be polite and quick to tell me anything that they knew, which did not approach the level of expertise represented here. If these people were true experts, they wouldn't be working phones for a living. I have also found that there are some topics, usually bugs, upon which they are reticent, probably because they have been told to be so.

l_d_allan

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Re: Can Ink Levels Foul Up Profiles?
« Reply #21 on: February 22, 2013, 10:01:36 pm »

Paper or humidity variation

Here in Colorado at about 6500 feet, I've pretty sure I’ve noticed differences from bad weather vs. good weather. With lower barometric pressure, I speculate that the cartridges don't "breathe" as well. That might be kind of like the old carburetors that needed to be re-jetted when you moved to Colorado.

Or not?
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l_d_allan

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Re: Can Ink Levels Foul Up Profiles?
« Reply #22 on: February 23, 2013, 12:34:11 pm »

I use i1 Profiler with an iSYS to make profiles.

I agree with other posters that you probably won't see much difference. I print with hobby'ist level Canon 9000-2 and iP4500 dye inkjets that both use fully translucent CLI-8 carts. So "consider the source" as your Epson 7900 is a whole different beast.

I've intentionally and carefully used up the ink far enough on an older Canon printer to get the ominous message "ink is really, really low ... if you insist on proceeding, hold down the reset button for five seconds, but your warranty will be void". This will happen about 5 to 10+ prints after the Empy warning has shown up.  "This way be demons"

At that point, I've pulled the cart, looked at the sponges, and weighed the cart. The bottom filter/sponge in the outlet port of the CLI-8 cart ... that touches the print-head itself ... was still moist. The sponge above that was definitely less moist than the norm when looking at a cart that was checked at the point the printer indicated "Empty". The test prints I was making still looked normal.

Here's something I've done that you might consider doing if you are still curious ...

  • When you notice the ink is not only low, but very low ...
  • load 5 or more sheets of inexpensive inkjet paper
  • use a profile that fits on 1 sheet like the TC9.18 that comes with PMP5 .. or make your own with iProfiler
  • print the test-chart profile once or twice and set aside
  • put a timestamp on these print(s) and also an annotation "low ink"
  • put a fresh/full ink tank in your printer
  • use the remaining paper to make more prints of the same test-chart
  • put a timestamp on the profiles and also an annotation "fresh/full ink"
  • set all prints aside for several hours to a day to dry thoroughly ... I've use a drying rack and don't leave them stacked on each other
  • make measurements with your software (and optionally save values with "Custom" to get human readable Lab values.
  • check with i1Profiler or MeasureTool's compare utility
  • hover your mouse over the patch of interest corresponding to the very low ink
  • see if there is a De2k reading over a threshold you decide on for that patch
  • IF the ink level makes a difference, you'll be able to observe a measureable difference in the Lab values as a "transition" from the print(s) made with the Very Low cartridge to the prints made with the fresh/full ink cart.
  • it's been a while since I've done something like this, but it seems like the De2k was well under 0.3, which is consistent with typical measurement and print-to-print variance ... and well under what most people can see
  • The acid test, of course, is the profile itself. With the compare utility, you can compare one profile to another, as well as on a patch by patch basis

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retired in Colorado Springs, CO, USA ... hobby'ist with mostly Canon gear
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