Epson R300 ink pad access for cleaning

[Nigel Andrews]

I have the Epson service manual (in PDF) for this printer, but it is a bit
'grey' as to where the ink pads are that need to be cleaned.

This printer has had the counter reset a few times and is now starting to
overflow 'waste' ink! I am hoping to be able to clean/wash the pads, stop
the overflow and extend the life of the printer.

I can see some pads from the top, at the right with a criss cross wire grid
and also a larger pad at the left end. But as the waste tube goes down into
the bottom of the printer I guess the pad I really need to clean is down
there.
Can you give me any guidance as to where I need to look?

The maintenance manual is quite detailed and if it needs full disassembly I
believe the manual will help me do that.

Thanks

Nigel

 

[Arthur Entlich]

The waste ink pads are at the base of the printer, and fill much of the
bottom of the printer. the ones I think you refer to are the cleaning
stations which are attached to tubes that direct the waste ink into
these larger waste pads via gravity and or the vacuum pump.

What some people have done (usually before it gets so bad that the
printer is leaking) is they add an extension to the waste ink tube and
feed it out of the printer and to a small bottle. That way you don't
have to deal with cleaning the pads. What you may choose to do is to
remove and discard the ink pads and either not replace them at all (and
use that extended tube I was speaking of) or just place part of a
disposable diaper on the bottom of the printer to replace the waste ink
pads you removed.

Quite honestly, cleaning the pads on the newer printers is a bit of a
disaster. The new style pads don't hold together very well when they
are cleaned and it is a VERY messy job, also it means all that ink ends
up in the waster waste stream. It is probably better to just wrap the
pads up in a leak-proof plastic bag and discard them with non-organic waste.

Art

 

[Nigel Andrews]

Thanks for those tips and advice. I will give that a long think.

I have seen people write about the extended tube idea and may give it a try.
Were there any particular points to note, apart from the obvious like making
sure the tube is clear!?

Looking at the layout it seems that I may still have to substantially
dismantle the printer to get the tube disconnected from below.

Thanks again
Nigel

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Some models, and the R300 is one can be easily transformed through the
little hatch door in the back.

Here's an explanation and some jpegs in mixed in that you can click on
to explain:

http://forums.steves-digicams.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=51595&forum_id=40

Here is another:

http://www.ezciss.com/waste.html

I think between the two, you can see how it has been done.

Art

 

[thoss]

At 04:52:30 on Fri, 29 Jun 2007 Arthur Entlich opined:-

What some people have done (usually before it gets so bad that the
printer is leaking) is they add an extension to the waste ink tube and
feed it out of the printer and to a small bottle. That way you don't
have to deal with cleaning the pads. What you may choose to do is to
remove and discard the ink pads and either not replace them at all (and
use that extended tube I was speaking of) or just place part of a
disposable diaper on the bottom of the printer to replace the waste ink
pads you removed.

I have a Canon ip4000. Do you know if it is possible to do something
similar on this printer?

 

[Arthur Entlich]

I am not versed well in Canon product, but someone lese here may be able
to answer that for you.

Art

 

[Nigel Andrews]

Thank-you for those pointers and URL's. I should be able to do this.

Nigel

 

[Tony]

At 04:52:30 on Fri, 29 Jun 2007 Arthur Entlich opined:-


I have a Canon ip4000. Do you know if it is possible to do something
similar on this printer?

Yes it is. You can probably find the service manual somewhere but it is
probably not worth it.
The manual is very basic and does not give detailed dissasembly instructions.
However once the covers are off the pads can be accessed with the removal of
some parts and either cleaned or replaced.
Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging