Printer Ink Question

1. Rocktooloud
   Member

   
   Well, I've had my Epson R320 photo printer for awhile now, and I've gotton good milage out of it. Now, the ink is running low and I'm debating about what to do when it runs out. Previously I had a Canon i560 and when the ink ran out I replaced it with knock-off brand ink that was just as good, for 1/4 of the price. However, after 2 years the printer started printing colors wrong and is now basically unusable. I don't know if this is from the ink or because I wouldn't do a head cleaning after I changed ink for 2 years. My question is: am I ok to use knock-off brands of ink as long as I clean the heads or should I just pay the extra $$$ for the Epson brand ink? Thanks for your reply.

   Posted 6 years ago #

2. SteveMann
   Member

   

   Rocktooloud Wrote:

   ... I clean the heads ...

   
   
   ??
   
   The heads ARE the ink cartridge - how/why do you clean them?
   
   Ink jet printers thrive on frequent use. If you don't print something every few days, the ink will start to dry up and block the nozzles. (Which are, by the way, only a few microns wide).
   
   If accurate colors and repeatable results are important to your business, then this is a poor place to cut corners.

   Posted 6 years ago #

3. Korak
   Member

   
   SteveMann wrote:
   

   The heads ARE the ink cartridge - how/why do you clean them?

   
   Epson provides a 'head cleaning' option – their term – on their utility panel which clears the nozzles. Specifically, the tip of the nozzle – NOT the ink cartridge – is the head.
   
   SteveMann is correct as far as the ink drying out and causing clogs. Paper lint, dust and dirt can also contribute to clogs; when combined with dried ink it can do all sorts of funky things to print quality. I would suggest replacing the ink cartridges and then running through 2-3 head cleaning cycles. If that doesnÂ’t work then itÂ’s time for a new printer.
   
   As for using the knock-off brand ink…. I have been using Epson color printers since their first one hit the market about 12 or so years back and have used nothing but the knock-off brand ink for the last 5-6 years. I got tired of having to return Epson brand cartridges that were bad out of the box -- 2 out of the last 3 that I purchased were dried out when I opened them; in the past year I’ve only had 1 knock-off out of 3 dozen or so that was bad. I’ve printed everything from CD/DVD covers to reports/presentations to pictures and nobody has complained about the quality – and I’ve managed to save a small fortune on ink.

   Posted 6 years ago #

4. Rocktooloud
   Member

   
   SteveMann and Korak,
   
   Thanks for your replies. I guess I'm ok to use the knock-off brands as long as I clean the heads.

   Posted 6 years ago #

5. compusolver
   Member

   
   Rock, I've been getting my R200 ink from Rima.com for quite awhile now. Never had a problem, good colors, etc.

   Posted 6 years ago #

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