Goodbye Epson 4800

[HSakols]

For a while I thought I had cleared the heads of my Epson 4800, but now I'm back to clogged heads that I can't seem to clear. I've resigned to the fact that my Epson has seen better days and it is time to move on.  Now my quandary is what to do with a clogged printer?  I don't think anyone would want to buy it especially after the problems I have had.  So do you just throw it in a dumpster?  What am I supposed to do with this paper weight.  I'd pay to send it back to Epson, but just packaging it will be a pain.  At this point I'm considering just outsourcing my printing, but that will be a frustration as well.

If I buy another printer I may look at Canon.  I see at B&H I can get a Canon iPF650 for 895.00 after a rebate.  I'm also looking at the iPF510 which is about $1400.  Why is the iPF650 (a 24 in printer) so much cheaper that the iPF510 (17in)?  My real cost will be in the ink so is one more efficient than the other?  What about any other models in that price range?  The bottom line is I want a printer that does well with more occasional use and I have heard good things about canon.  I have also heard good things about the Epson 3880 but it just kills me that I go from 110ml carts to 80ml.   

[shadowblade]

What have you done to unclog it?

If you haven't tried them already, try AIS cleaning fluids first before you call it dead.

[mkihne]

I love my two 3880 printers. No problems. If you can do without a roll feed and 17 inch limitation, they are great. One is fitted with Cone B&W inks. A recent thread, possibly in this section of LL, discussed reusable cartridges in the printer and buying larger cartridges to refill from, in the long run effectively saving on per/ml ink costs, or using aftermarket inks(inkjet mall, etc).

Don't know about the Canons, but I've been looking at the large format models from Canon, basically giving up hope that the problem with large format Epsons will be resolved at all.

Mike

[dgberg]

Just addressing the oem ink cost per ml and not the size.
Epson 4800 110ml carts $69.99 = 63.6 per ml.
Epson 3880  80ml carts $53.39 = 66.7 per ml.
Not enough difference to really mean anything.

[HSakols]

Thanks for all the comments. Shadowblade, I used mis cleaning solution and also used some simple green 50% on the dampening pads.  At first the light cyan was clogged and then that cleared.  Now it is two of my blacks.  Dan, good point on the cost of usage.  No that is not much of a difference in price. 

[TylerB]

The 4800 is a workhorse, I know many that have been using them for years. Due to its age it may just need new dampers

[Peter McLennan]

Mine is recently a source of never ending frustration and annoyance. New head and dampers made it temporarily better, but now it's back to its old ways.  Whatever was once love is now hate.

My 9800 is amazing.  Reliable and trouble free.  Pressurized carts are the answer, IMHO.

[KeithR]

The 4800 is a workhorse, I know many that have been using them for years. Due to its age it may just need new dampers

I would have to agree with you on changing the dampers. Epson doesn't come right out and tell you, but from recent readings about this very issue, the dampers(which have an EXTREAMLY VERY fine mesh filter inside) need to be replaced about every 2-3 years, depending on your usage. Keep in mind, that the pigment particals are encapsulated with a resin. This ink is then pushed through the lines and forced through this mesh filter before it gets to the printhead. Consistant printing will keep the flow going-to an extent. Stop for an extended period(and/or have very dry air), and the ink can "gum up the filter", drying ink on the mesh and over time can completely clog it. Think of you vehicles oil & filter changes. What do you think would happen if you only changed the oil & not the filter? Over time that filter would become so clogged with carbon and such that soon no oil would reach the engine. Starve the engine of oil for very long you have one extreamly large paper weight. And while I don't recommend changing the dampers everytime you change ink, you do need to keep in mind that eventually they have to be changed. A power cleaning will force more in through as it stops and starts(raising and lowering the levers stops & starts the ink flow). Sometimes this does the trick, but if the damers become so clogged that ink won't go through it you run the risk of burning out the pump.  My 4800 is almost 8 years old and i just recently found this out so I ordered new dampers and this weekend will be spent doing that very procedure. If you want some visual guidence, check out a couple of YouTube videos from A.A. Supply entitled Replacing Dampers part 1 of 2 and part 2 of 2. The printer in the videos is a NoeFlex and looks like it was designed and used to print on textiles, but if you took off the nameplate, you'd swear you were looking at an Epson 4800