Epson Stylus Photo 830 Printer - Excessive Head Cleaning

I don't use my printer on a regular basis but when I need to print something
the results are turning out all pink/red or green. So I run the head
cleaning utility over and over and by the time I get it to print properly
I've used up a quarter of my ink. The next time I want to print something, I
have to go through the same rigmarole. Years ago I had a really basic Epson
colour printer that you could leave inactive for months and it would still
print perfectly. I wrote to Epson stating my problem and included that I use
genuine Epson ink cartridges and all I got was a reply saying that I should
use genuine Epson ink cartridges and also that the head cleaning process
uses a tiny amount of ink. Not when you have to run it 30-40 times buddy!!

I don't know if there is an answer to my problem other then using the
printer everyday, but if there isn't, should I maybe go back to a more basic
colour printer? If so, what would you recommend? I don't really need it for
printing photos, just the occasional web page.

Cheers.

Si

--
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me then a frontal lobotomy.

Hi,

I can easily empathize and understand your situation. I take care of more
than 60 epson inkjets at our school. Epsons run the best when they're used a
lot and not sitting around.
Most likely the best printer for your needs is an HP since it has heads
on each individual cartridge. Though they don't give the very best photos
they do give very good ones and excellent text. Canon is also a possible
choice, but you're in the same situation of print heads as with Epson and
they too are prone to clogging. Avoid Lexmark like accepting a virus.
Although their cartridges have new heads I've found their innards to already
be set for the trash bin (IMHO).

--
Jan Alter
bearpuf@verizon.net
or
jalter@phila.k12.pa.us
"Si" <si@munirs.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:de0gtk$9bo$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> I don't use my printer on a regular basis but when I need to print
> something
> the results are turning out all pink/red or green. So I run the head
> cleaning utility over and over and by the time I get it to print properly
> I've used up a quarter of my ink. The next time I want to print something,
> I
> have to go through the same rigmarole. Years ago I had a really basic
> Epson
> colour printer that you could leave inactive for months and it would still
> print perfectly. I wrote to Epson stating my problem and included that I
> use
> genuine Epson ink cartridges and all I got was a reply saying that I
> should
> use genuine Epson ink cartridges and also that the head cleaning process
> uses a tiny amount of ink. Not when you have to run it 30-40 times buddy!!
>
> I don't know if there is an answer to my problem other then using the
> printer everyday, but if there isn't, should I maybe go back to a more
> basic
> colour printer? If so, what would you recommend? I don't really need it
> for
> printing photos, just the occasional web page.
>
> Cheers.
>
> Si
>
> --
> I'd rather have a bottle in front of me then a frontal lobotomy.
>

"Si" <si@munirs.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:de0gtk$9bo$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> I don't use my printer on a regular basis but when I need to print
> something
> the results are turning out all pink/red or green. So I run the head
> cleaning utility over and over and by the time I get it to print properly
> I've used up a quarter of my ink. The next time I want to print something,
> I
> have to go through the same rigmarole. Years ago I had a really basic
> Epson
> colour printer that you could leave inactive for months and it would still
> print perfectly. I wrote to Epson stating my problem and included that I
> use
> genuine Epson ink cartridges and all I got was a reply saying that I
> should
> use genuine Epson ink cartridges and also that the head cleaning process
> uses a tiny amount of ink. Not when you have to run it 30-40 times buddy!!
>
> I don't know if there is an answer to my problem other then using the
> printer everyday, but if there isn't, should I maybe go back to a more
> basic
> colour printer? If so, what would you recommend? I don't really need it
> for
> printing photos, just the occasional web page.
>
> Cheers.
>
> Si
>
> --
> I'd rather have a bottle in front of me then a frontal lobotomy.
>

In short, you will most likely want to change to a different company
printer, like Jan said.

I had similar issues with the Epson830. Photo prints are what I mainly
print, therefore, not very often used. It sucked that it used an incredible
amount of ink to clean itself. The print quality was superb. I've used
various Epson over the years, and the cleaning has become more often with
the newer ones.

Having had enough of being stuffed around by the 830 and the less than
mediocre support from Epson, I have switched to HP. Didn't want to, but it
was costing way too much to replace the carts so often.

Dunno if this will work - 'cos I've only done it once, but it seemed
to work here. I have the same printer, and noticed the same problem,
but I also had reason to believe that the heads weren't clogging.

So, instead of repeated cleaning, I turned my attention to the
breather holes on the top of the cartridge. Being diabetic, I have a
handy supply of narrow sharp objects, but a pin or sewing needle will
probably do. Stick a pin down each breather hole. (Of course, remove
it again - you only want to ensure a good flow of ink, not block it
completely).

Since I did that, these carts have worked like a charm.

Even the B+W head clogs up if you turn the printer off by a power strip
instead of by the power button. Evidently the head parks in a protected
position when shut off politely. It is close to a scam that the spray head
is in an inaccessible position so it requires a trip to the repair shop
instead of a quick wipe with an alcohol Q-tip.

It is also close to a scam that the cartridges are almost as expensive as a
DeskJet that includes a disposable spray head on each cartridge.


"Si" <si@munirs.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:de0gtk$9bo$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> I don't use my printer on a regular basis but when I need to print
> something
> the results are turning out all pink/red or green. So I run the head
> cleaning utility over and over and by the time I get it to print properly
> I've used up a quarter of my ink. The next time I want to print something,
> I
> have to go through the same rigmarole. Years ago I had a really basic
> Epson
> colour printer that you could leave inactive for months and it would still
> print perfectly. I wrote to Epson stating my problem and included that I
> use
> genuine Epson ink cartridges and all I got was a reply saying that I
> should
> use genuine Epson ink cartridges and also that the head cleaning process
> uses a tiny amount of ink. Not when you have to run it 30-40 times buddy!!
>
> I don't know if there is an answer to my problem other then using the
> printer everyday, but if there isn't, should I maybe go back to a more
> basic
> colour printer? If so, what would you recommend? I don't really need it
> for
> printing photos, just the occasional web page.
>
> Cheers.
>
> Si
>
> --
> I'd rather have a bottle in front of me then a frontal lobotomy.
>

it happens to me too in my Epson printer... and the answer was, because I wasn't using my printer that often.. the tendency is... the ink inside gets dry... that is why no matter new the ink was.. it works as if the ink is not enough... i guess that's the answer..
_____________________
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