Epson 3800 : ink consumption not used matte black ink.

[alain]

Hi

I've noticed that my matte black ink is going down quite a lot faster after I started printing more, but I only print with photo black.
I thought it only was used on cleaning and  periodical auto switching, but not when printing PB type of prints.

Any clues?  Maybe a setting that's not optimal or so?

Alain

[francois]

Hi

I've noticed that my matte black ink is going down quite a lot faster after I started printing more, but I only print with photo black.
I thought it only was used on cleaning and  periodical auto switching, but not when printing PB type of prints.

Any clues?  Maybe a setting that's not optimal or so?

Alain

I can see the same with my 3800 and I've never printed with matte black on that printer. I guess that cleaning nozzles and all the maintenance operations do use all the installed inks…

[alain]

Thanks

I always thought that maintenance and cleaning where more elapsed time related and less dependent on the amount printed.
I keep buying about 30% more ink than there's registered and I now print a few times a week. I thought that % would diminish.

Alain

[KirbyKrieger]

I print only matte.  The only time I've seen the photo-black ink used is when the printer switches to photo-black when I send a mistakenly-specified print job to the printer.  But the switch uses, afaict, a lot of ink.  I make this mistake infrequently, but I've emptied almost half a tank of photo black ink and have never actually printed a photo black print (I pause the printer and delete the job, but the printer finishes the transition nonetheless).

[Randy Carone]

An Epson 3800/3880 uses 1.52ml (~$.85) on the PK to MK switch and 4ml (~$2.25) on the MK to PK switch.

[Eric Brody]

Randy, that's data I've wanted to know for a long time. Thanks for posting it. My question though is from where did it come? I'd really love to know how it was determined. Thanks.

[hugowolf]

Randy, that's data I've wanted to know for a long time. Thanks for posting it. My question though is from where did it come? I'd really love to know how it was determined. Thanks.

The 3880 specs have 1.6 and 4.6 ml: http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Pro/SeriesStylusPro3880/Overview.do?BV_UseBVCookie=yes

Mine uses less than that, more like 1.4 and 3.6 ml, but it does use PK during spells when I am only printing MK

Brian A

[alain]

An Epson 3800/3880 uses 1.52ml (~$.85) on the PK to MK switch and 4ml (~$2.25) on the MK to PK switch.

Yes, but I see my MK going down more when I print more and I now print only with PK.
I know there's a auto switch which is happening from time to time.