Do any clogging issues relate to the time between changing PK and MK black inks?

[JayWPage]

As a relatively new owner of an Epson 3880, I am wondering if there are any risks of clogging one of the black inks if you rarely switch between the PK and Mk inks? I am planning to switch every few months between the PK and MK black inks and hope this doesn't promote clogging. It's my understanding that the main problem with clogs occurs in the jets in the head, not the feed lines unless somehow air somehow gets in there. Do any long term owners of the 3880 have any advice to offer about this?

[Stan Prevost]

Not a 3880, but no problem of that nature with 7900, FWIW. 
Stan

[Some Guy]

I have two of the 3880's.  I have to use the other 3880 when the primary one fails and clogs up and has to go into the shop to fix. jk 

However, yes they can plug up and don't believe they can't or won't.  Probably any printer can and will sooner or later.  Luckily, I alternate between the MK and PK enough that it doesn't do it as much.  Sometimes by accident just switching papers too when it decides Matte Black is better for the paper than Photo Black.  When I didn't switch, the other black would print a bad nozzle check after a couple of weeks of non-use of that black ink.  I live in the desert so that is another reason my printers plug up no doubt.  The A/C sucks all the moisture out of the air and it goes out some drain pipe and forms a small lake.

Even the dye ink printers I have will plug if I do not use them within two weeks time.  My small portable Epson Charm I use on location is the absolute worst for plugging, and it is dye ink.  It needs to be fed once a week else the cleaning cycles will drain its 4 color ink cart fast.

I have had the 3880 magenta plug as well, but printing with a strong magenta usually will get it to flow again verses some power cleaning within the printer menu.  Let it sit for a while after it prints too so it can soak up and maybe get following again.  Sometimes overnight and in the morning the nozzle check again looks good.  The latest release of Qimage Ultimate has the ability to specify certain colors to try and flush verses everything which gets costly and fills the maintenance tank sooner too.

I believe one 3880 plug was bad to the point the prints were cyan with little black.  Epson must mix their black with some cyan, maybe for a cooler shade of black.  Threw me when it happened.  Nozzle check confirmed it wasn't working well, but a few cleaning cycles took care of it and got it flowing again.

Fwiw, the other 3880 runs K7 B&W inks and not color.  Haven't gotten a plug yet with it, but it is used daily too.

SG

[JayWPage]

I print about once a week, and if my printing has been only B&W then I also print a test page in colour to keep things working OK.

But I have only been printing with PK black, I am thinking of switching between PK and MK only once every month or two if this doesn't promote clogs. Don't the PK and MK black inks use the same port(s) in the head? So it doesn't matter which black you use as long as you print regularly.

I also live in a dry climate, but I am able to maintain the relative humidity that the printer is stored in between 40% - 50%. So far so good.

[Some Guy]

Fwiw, one of my 3880's is plugged in two colors after 5 days of non-use.

The Matte & Photo Black inks, even when switched, show the same missing lines in the nozzle check.  Same one in the Cyan color too.

Don't know why.  Shouldn't be air since the conversion of Matte to Photo Black, but who knows?

Damn printer! 

SG