Change printer to MK only - Epson 9890

[N-777]

Hi everyone, I have an Epson 9890 which has both PK and MK, but I only ever use the MK channel for printing on canvas. Every two months I change MK to PK to ensure the switch doesn’t get blocked, but I wonder if this is really necessary and if it’s possible to just put an MK in the PK cartridge bay (and switch the chip from a PK to the MK cartridge so it thinks it’s a PK cartridge) and then do the channel switch through software. So it doesn’t clear the lines and waste a lot of ink.

If anyone has any experience with this and what software to use, I’d be glad to hear it!

[JCD]

I have this model with matte only used.  With that printer I just put in a refillable cart with piezo flush in it. When I do head cleanings or at startup the flush fluid keeps the line clean.


quote author=N-777 link=topic=144114.msg1262227#msg1262227 date=1731439817]
Hi everyone, I have an Epson 9890 which has both PK and MK, but I only ever use the MK channel for printing on canvas. Every two months I change MK to PK to ensure the switch doesn’t get blocked, but I wonder if this is really necessary and if it’s possible to just put an MK in the PK cartridge bay (and switch the chip from a PK to the MK cartridge so it thinks it’s a PK cartridge) and then do the channel switch through software. So it doesn’t clear the lines and waste a lot of ink.

If anyone has any experience with this and what software to use, I’d be glad to hear it!
[/quote]

[N-777]

I have this model with matte only used.  With that printer I just put in a refillable cart with piezo flush in it. When I do head cleanings or at startup the flush fluid keeps the line clean.

Thank you for your reply. I have no experience with this, so do you switch between the MK and PK channel regularly with the cartridge with flush fluid installed in PK to keep the switch in working order? And when doing head cleaning, doesn’t it only clean the head with the black channel that is currently in use? So, printing only with the MK, the piezo flush will never run through the lines, or am I mistaken? When I do a head cleaning and a nozzle test print, it only shows MK (and only PK when I switched to that channel).


Again, I won’t use the PK and don’t see me using it in the future, so not switching to PK every 2 months anymore is also an option. But from what I’ve read, it’s good for maintenance and I don’t know if because of it the switch fails what the repercussions will be.

[Lessbones]

if you're never planning on using PK, then I wouldn't worry about the switcher...

If you did put MK in the PK slot and switch the chips you'd have to use photo black media types (which would in theory work just fine, but you'd have to reprofile any that you wanted to use-- the glossy medias and whathaveyou) and I wouldn't expect them to match the profiles you have on the MK side.  Also you'd still waste just as much ink switching back and forth...