Epson 950 clogged - is it time to scrap it?

[Dave Stolting]

Hi,
I have an Epson Stylus Photo 950 about 18 months old - it got used fairly
intensely for few days at a time then long rest period, but in the past has
always managed to print a perfect nozzle test sheet whenever I needed to use
it again. However, now it appears clogged - I've done numerous cleaning
cycles, used cleaning cartridges which incidentally appear to show printer
working correctly albeit fainter print due to cleaning fluid, but when I
replace with normal inks (aftermarket) the jets appear blocked. With extra
cleaning I can get some of the colours back but not all. I recently bought
another full set of cartridges at a cost of 50 pounds - supposed to be
superior quality aftermarket product - Cartridge World - and put them in
directly after cleaning cartridges but they have fared no better and I've
nearly emptied them with cleaning cycles. Is it time to scrap what
was/probably still could be a super photo printer or is there still hope for
it.

Dave

 

[Michael Doherty]

Try some Genuine Epson cartridges. I have had similar results with
compatibles and the genuine cartridges always solve the problem. The best
compatibles I found were Print-Rite (and as it happens, they were also the
cheapest). They're not so good as the genuine, but certainly worth a look.

www.tonezoneuk.com
Print-Rite Cartridge = £1.95
Genuine Epson Cartridge = £9.95

With regular use the Print-Rite perform fairly well so if you use them a lot
they will definately save you money, but if you use the printer
infrequently, then they will clog.

I left Genuine Epson cartridges in my 950 for 3 months whilst I toured
Australia and upon my return the printer only needed a single clean to
perform perfect prints.

When cleaning, and when not in use, make sure that the paper thickness is
set to normal.

 

[Davy]

Try giving Art (Arthur Entlich) an email at (e-mail address removed)
requesting his free cleaning instructions.

You'll see his post up and down these pages.

Davy

 

[Dave Stolting]

Hi Michael,

I had thought of doing that but it's a big expense if the problem is still
there. I could buy another printer for the cost of a set of Epson original
cartridges!

Dave

"Michael Doherty"

 

[Dave Stolting]

Hi Davy,
Thanks for that, I'll email Art right away.

I've just been looking at Laser printers on eBay and thinking maybe a colour
laser may be a safer option, they've certainly come down a lot in price.

Dave

 

[Davy]

I was looking for a new inkjet peinter to replace the dreaded C62 an
came across a Samsung ML1510 mono laser for £54 (UK) inc delivery
brand new and 12 months warrenty from Dabs Computers in Bolton UK

I could'nt resist, it turned out a sheer workhorse....! I use it fo
making printed circuit bord designs using 'toner transfer film', th
stuff you kinda iron on after printing to melt the toner it does
super job

It's also the main document printer, and get this...l.o.l, the printe
I got was £54 including about £5 delivery charge - the toner and dru
assembley is about £60 to replace

To date I have refilled this two or three times for about £12 usin
toner refill bottles, it's still going strong and will be refillabl
as long as the drum holds out which is part of the toner unit

The refill is simply an end cap that comes off, with the kit I go
they even send you a replacement push on cap

If you want an idea of refillable printers, have a look at this sit
it may give you some ideas-: http://www.refill-toner.co.uk/index.ht

Colour lasers are OK for graphics and leaflets but for photography
think the inkjet is far better

You can't use normal 'glossy' photo paper on laser's the heat from th
rollor will cause it to jam, but you can get glossy paper suitable fo
laser's

I use the Canon ip5000 it's a super all round printer, the text bein
as good as the laser

Dav

 

[Dave Stolting]

Hi Davy,

Thanks for the info - I had considered going over to Canon but I was under
the impression that they like Epson have their problems with clogging. I
really need a printer that works when I want it to with none of the fiddling
around cleaning print heads etc. Not to mention the wastage of ink with
every clean. The laser mono sounds cheap enough but I'm still left needing
something for my photographs that's going to be reliable.

Dave

 

[Burt]

Canon reputation is that it clogs less than Epson. I have a Canon i960 in
which I use MIS bulk ink to refill carts. One year without any clogs or the
need to run a cleaning cycle other than the ones the printer does on its
own. All inkjet printers will eventually clog, either with a period of
sitting idle or simply after time when some dried ink builds up under the
print head. With HP printers you get a new print head when you change the
carts as they are built into the cart. An expensive solution, but a good
one if you don't print often. My printer has been idle for a few weeks at a
time with no problems so far.

I had an Epson Stylus Color 900 that started clogging after a few years. (I
used only Epson inks.) The first several months after I bought it, it was
hardly used but presented no problems. It started banding during a period
of heavy use two years later and I fixed it by using Arthur Entlich's
instructions. All clogs are not fatal.

My perspective now is that with the Canon and aftermarket inks I save enough
money refilling the canon carts so that I can buy two printers or more with
the savings by the time my present unit fails. With the Canon ip4000
selling presently for about $100 US that makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[Michael Doherty]

Since the heads all print with the cleaning cartridges in place, I would
assume that it is a cartridge problem rather than a printer problem. I found
that some 3rd party inks never print, some print for a few days and then
appear clogged when in fact they are empty, and some need a good firm push
into position to make sure the o-ring seals. The Genuine cartridges never
need any special handling and so far have always resuscitated my 950, but I
understand your point about the extortionate cost of the genuine cartridges.

I sometimes think that Epson drivers deliberately mis-print non epson
cartridges, but I'm sure that's not really the case.

 

[Brian E. Ashley]

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 19:28:44 GMT, "Michael Doherty"
<EXCHANGE#[email protected].[mdaudi100#ntlworld.com]>
wrote:

||>Try some Genuine Epson cartridges. I have had similar results with
||>compatibles and the genuine cartridges always solve the problem. The best
||>compatibles I found were Print-Rite (and as it happens, they were also the
||>cheapest). They're not so good as the genuine, but certainly worth a look.
||>
||>www.tonezoneuk.com
||>Print-Rite Cartridge = £1.95
||>Genuine Epson Cartridge = £9.95
||>
||>With regular use the Print-Rite perform fairly well so if you use them a lot
||>they will definately save you money, but if you use the printer
||>infrequently, then they will clog.
||>
||>I left Genuine Epson cartridges in my 950 for 3 months whilst I toured
||>Australia and upon my return the printer only needed a single clean to
||>perform perfect prints.
||>
||>When cleaning, and when not in use, make sure that the paper thickness is
||>set to normal.

I have had an Epson Photo 950 for some time and very pleased with the
quality. Occasionally but not often a Jet will clog, as you are aware
they are part of the printer not the cartridge.

Buying many Epson printers over the years as I have upgraded,
experience has taught me, whatever you read on newsgroups or TV and
press, Epson's do not like compatible cartridges or refilled ones.

Would you buy a quality car and put cheepo oil in it?

If you remove the Cartridge from the offending Jet and put a few drops
of good old window cleaning liquid in the exposed top of the Jet it
will soak through and clear it.

Please do not use the Creamy window cleaner only the Blue liquid one.
I imagine by now the foam strip under the heads must be flooded by
now, carefully prise it out and give it a good wash, be prepared for a
messy job.

Good luck

 

[Davy]

Burt is 100% correct

I was very doubtful about getting a Canon simply because all I kne
was clog after clog after clogs with the Epson and high ink usage

I intended to get a Canon to replace my C62 and was freightful abou
getting the ip5000..."finer heads = more clogs", I took the bait an
ended up with a ip5000 because I'm more into graphics and text an
yet I wanted the good photo

It's over 3 monthe old now, not one single head clog nor manual hea
clean required to date...! The text is as good as the laser and it'
just as fast after the laser warm up time

Epson waste ink Canon uses ink that's one big difference, the tank
are not chipped (but watch out the newer ones like the ip4100 are
beleive), they are clear so you can see the ink inside and easy t
refill, something I have yet to try

But after 'The curse of Epson' clog after clog you are forced to us
3rd party ink and refill's because of the waste and expense, I'm s
pleased with the performance of the Canon I've stuck with OEM ink
for the time being at least, I'm sure it's easy to see why afte
such bad experience

The first Epson clogged on the 2nd day, the heads went and th
replacement clogged on the 4th - all with Epson ink, so after th
replacement started to play up I used third party ink to save money

You get a problem with the Canon print head and it's easily replaced
it's easy just drop the assembley in and clicking a locking leve
and let it do an automatic alignment, which takes a few minutes
don't be alarmed the paper literally dissappears for a moment or two
you just wait till its all done, then it's ready for use

With the Epsons I had to check each print even if it was a text page
with the Canon I don't need to

I think Burt will correct me here, but if you are into refilling mak
sure you use 'formalated ink', formualted for the Canon and same wit
ready filled cartridges as opposed to universal ones - I'm new on thi
and yet to learn

You can say I've been Canonised...

Dav

 

[ThomasH]

Canon reputation is that it clogs less than Epson. I have a Canon i960 in
which I use MIS bulk ink to refill carts. One year without any clogs or the

Because they use only dye inks.
However, Canon seems to be behind the competition in terms
of longevity of their prints. I observed after only one year
drastic fading of images on the glossy Photo Paper Plus,
all genuine Canon, all very expensive.

Thus, give it some consideration before you will give up
Epson, because... non Epson made inks clog your printer!!
There is no logic in "saving" on ink and trash the printer.

Thomas

 

[Davy]

ThomasHwrote:
[quote:996849c037]

Thus, give it some consideration before you will give up
Epson, because... non Epson made inks clog your printer!!
There is no logic in "saving" on ink and trash the printer.
[/quote:996849c037]

Why did my Epson clog with Epson ink then?, I don't grow icicles, I
don't use it next to an oven in a bakery and it's not in direct
sunlight.

I would'nt touch Epson with a barge pole and I would advise against
buying overpriced Epson ink just to be flushed and wasted.

If you wanna keep a piccy the way to do it is to store it on a disc.

The argument is clearly, using overpriced ink which is wasted and a
lasting picture or a printer that is economical to run that uses ink
instead of wasting it with 100% print every time.

If it clogs bet ya its an Epson and not a Canon

Davy

 

[zakezuke]

Thus, give it some consideration before you will give up

Epson, because... non Epson made inks clog your printer!!
There is no logic in "saving" on ink and trash the printer.

If the printer costs $100 and the ink costs $70 and the bulk ink costs
$18 for the same amount, you save $52 each refill so after the 2nd
refill even if it thrashes your printer and you have to buy a new
printer... well you saved 4 dollars, not taking into account the fact
that the value of the ink that comes with the new printer. Even if you
only save $35 each refill and you make it to your 3rd refill and even
if you have to buy a new printer... you saved $5.00 not taking into
account the fact that the new printer comes with ink which you could
use or sell. Cost when it comes right down to it is a very logical
consideration... it's not the only one but trashing a printer won't
automaticly happen with 3rd party inks, not if you pick something
others have good experence with, and even if it shortens your printer
life, the savings is so high it's easily justified even if the printer
eventaully gets trashed.

I've done the math many times for the printers i've owned, even shared
it here so others can make an informed choice. But in the case of many
epsons, the real bitch of it is, they clog rather easily on their own
ink.

Because they use only dye inks.

i960 yes dye only. ip3000/4000/5000 use a big arse pigmented black as
well as other dyes.

But... my recent r200 showed me that Epson is perfectly happy to clog
on dye. I have needed a deep cleaning on one canon after the 4th refil
of 3rd party ink.. it was the cyan which was dye. The pigment black is
still 100% had has never been cleaned or deep cleaned I don't know if
this is better or worse than OEM. My epson r200 clogged on the OEM ink
it came with. But given the fact that the 4th refill represents a value
$200ish and the cost of the head is $60ish... and the fact that I don't
need a new head yet, gotta say it's a very logical choice.

There are good reasons to pick OEM ink in many cases, but cost doesn't
really enter into the picture.

 

[Burt]

My old Epson stylus 900 and, as I recall, the OP's Epson 950 are dye based
ink printers. They both clogged with OEM ink. As I mentioned in my
previous post, all inkjet printers can clog when either left unused for a
long period of time or after a lot of use that eventually causes a buildup
of dried ink under the printhead. My Canon prints are either framed behind
glass or are in albums and haven't visably faded in a year, but longevity of
prints is generally measured in terms considerably more than a year and all
the research I've seen reported rates Canon prints as having less longevity
than others. Nonetheless, the prints are great and I'm very happy with
them. If you need the greatest longevity you will have to go with one of
the higher priced Pigment based ink Epsons and deal with occasional clogs.
That is why most graphics and photo professionals use the higher end Epsons.

 

[Dave Stolting]

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to say thanks for the response. I've emailed Art and am
awaiting his reply but in the meantime I've ordered myself a Canon IP5000 -
can't do being without my printer and it's been a couple of weeks now since
I've been able to print anything - even solid black text. If Art can talk
me through getting the 950 up and running again then I will have a backup
printer should things go wrong in the future - always assuming that one of
them doesn't clog up again through lack of use...

Regards

Dave

 

[Arthur Entlich]

It is certainly possible the inks from the 3rd party supplier are too
thick. This occasionally happens. I suggest mildly dilution with a
ammoniated window cleaner, or even water if necessary. If the cleaning
cartridges show good nozzle checks, and the ink doesn't, it usually
implies the ink isn't quite the correct viscosity.

Art

 

[Arthur Entlich]

As Michael mentions, there are a number of "psuedo-clogs" that can occur
with badly made cartridges or ink.

If the air vents are clogged or malformed, the cartridge will not allow
for transfer of air to replace used ink, and a vacuum develops, causing
intermittent "clogs". If the cartridge was old (on the shelf), before
being used, and the ink viscosity increased, this can cause the problem
also. If the ink was not properly injected into the batting/sponge
there can be air spaces in the batting which can appear like clogs
(older style cartridges). If the seal around the ink nipple (the spike
that punctures the cartridge outlet) is not good, air can be sucked into
the cartridge and mix with the ink and cause skipping like a clog.

Art

 

[measekite]

As Michael mentions, there are a number of "psuedo-clogs" that can
occur with badly made cartridges or ink.

THAT IS LIKE ALL AFTERMARKET INK