Inks - what's the difference?

[BD]

Hi Group

What would happen if I filled an Epson cartridge with inks designed for a
Canon or vice-versa? Aren't inks fundamentally the same?

Just wondering - can anyone enlighten me please?

Baz

 

[Bob Headrick]

Hi Group

What would happen if I filled an Epson cartridge with inks designed for a
Canon or vice-versa? Aren't inks fundamentally the same?

Inks are fundamentally different. Even within a given company there may be
several or many different and incompatible inks, each designed for particular
optimizations. The first big difference is dye vs pigment. From there there
are differences in ph, viscosity, wetting angle, decap performance, vehicle
types and a host of other factors that could make inks behave much differently
in one system vs. another.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP

 

[Ron Cohen]

Other than ruining a printhead and having a dead printer there shouldn't be
any harm in swapping the inks. Inks are formulated for specific printers.
Some are dye based as with Canon. Some are pigment based as with Epson. Inks
are no more fundamentally the same than would be lubricating oils. 30W
non-detergent oil isn't the same as 10W50HD. You wouldn't want to put Crisco
Oil in your crankcase although it's great for fried chicken. I doubt that
chicken fried in 10W50 would be very edible.

 

[Larry]

Hi Group

What would happen if I filled an Epson cartridge with inks designed for a
Canon or vice-versa? Aren't inks fundamentally the same?

Just wondering - can anyone enlighten me please?

Baz

The biggest difference in the inks you mentioned is that the Canon inks
were intended to be vaporized by HEAT while the Epson ink is designed to
be PUMPED.

Each is a completely different formula from the other.

Larry
Mystic

 

[BD]

Thanks Bob and Ron - you have been most helpful.

Baz

 

[Mark Herring]

Other than ruining a printhead and having a dead printer there shouldn't be
any harm in swapping the inks. Inks are formulated for specific printers.

Maybe--I would say inks are formulated for TYPES of printers---but,
equally important, they are formulated for papers.

Turn it around: 3rd party inks are sold for a variety of printers
within a certain category. For example, look at some of the
discussion at www.inksupply.com in re ink for the Epson Ultrachrome
printers vs for the dye-based models.

Good info also at ColorBat.


**************************
Mark Herring, Pasadena, Calif.
Private e-mail: Just say no to "No".

 

[CWatters]

Hi Group

What would happen if I filled an Epson cartridge with inks designed for a
Canon or vice-versa? Aren't inks fundamentally the same?

Don't risk it on an expensive printer (eg one with built in heads) but 3rd
party inks can and do work well. I use various inks in my HP895 and get very
good results - but I wouldn't dream of trying the same 3rd party ink in my
Epson 2100.