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Author Topic: Which large format reliable printer you recommend as my 7900 may be clogged?  (Read 1338 times)

randal21

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I have babied my Epson 7900 after parting with 7800 (which has been described as your old trust worthy pickup!) but can't seem to totally clean up the yellow nozzle. A longish gap on a few bars is missing on the nozzle check. I am not gonna put $1800-2000 into a new print head and face this down the line. SO, what would you recommend? May go back to a 7800. Does the 7890 have the same print head as the 7900? Do the Z series HP's prove reliable? I like the idea of replaceable print heads at $90 for a specific color. Will I have to do all my color match proofing over if I switch to HP?  Any advise at this point would be appreciated.
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chez

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I have two Z3100 printers and have had no nozzle plugging problems with them. I had to replace two heads which are like $60 each in roughly 5 years of use. My printers stand without use for up to 3 weeks while I travel. I leave them on and they service themselves. My house becomes extremely dry in the winter and I do not apply any special humidity management at all.

Highly recommend an HP if you want maintenance free nozzle use.
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I.T. Supplies

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Another option to test on unclogging the nozzle is to create a 1"x1" box in the desired photo program and look up the color code (if it's yellow, than type that info in the web search)- something that should come up is http://www.computerhope.com/htmcolor.htm

You would type the Yellow info into the color pallet to get the exact color.  Once you fill the box, do some test prints on letter size a few times as it should only use the yellow and hopefully push thru any air bubbles (clogs) out of the nozzle.

If that doesn't help resolve the nozzle issue, I would recommend either HP or Canon.  Preferably Canon since HP has slowly discontinued many of their large photo printers which most of the ones left are Post Script (PS) editions.  You will have more selection with Canon and they are just as reliable.  Canon also comes with many more features than HP and they both have the replaceable print heads which helps to continue printing after replacing right away.  I've heard more customers happier with Canon and HP, but not saying that Epson doesn't make a good printer.  They all print great quality images...but the Epson print head issues are their biggest problem.

The nice part with Canon is that if a print head goes out or is defective within a year, since it's under warranty, you can contact Canon and they will send you a replacement at no charge (one head around $450- 2 print heads in the large printers).  HP will have 6 on most photo printers at about $50-60/ea.
Our office had the Canon iPF6450 for about 2 years with very little issues.  It found a clog nozzle and immediately fixed it.  No print head replacement was replaced while using it.  We printed almost every business day from sheets up to 24" rolls.  As long as you leave the printer on, it will do automatic cleanings to help keep the head ready (this is for any brand).  Though humidity and other conditions can also be an issue at times.
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The View

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I hear a lot of good things about Epson printers.

And the one main thing everybody is annoyed about is that nozzle clogging issue.

Why is that such a problem with Epson printers?
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The View of deserts, forests, mountains. Not the TV show that I have never watched.
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