Inkjet cartridge storage

[Jeff Layman]

Anyone tried removing partially-used colour cartridges from HP or Canon inkjet printers and storing them in sealed containers to stop them drying out?

I'm just about to chuck out my Epson XP-325 as it won't turn on (I spent two hours this morning cleaning a blocked yellow print head, and just before printing the test sheet after a clean it just died. I can't find a way of getting it apart and seeing if the smps has gone south. It's snap fit with the odd screw). I'll replace it with an HP or Canon.

Epsons have cartridges without print heads, but HPs and Canons have them integral with the cartridge. That means only the cartridge gets chucked if the blockage can't be removed, but if the cartridge could be prevented from drying out with only very intermittent use, that would be an advantage.

[Max Demian]

I had an Epson I had to throw away as it was out of use for a year and the heads dried out. Silly idea not to include the heads in the cartridges as I don't think you could buy the heads separately.

Why do you want to take the cartridge(s) out?

[Jeff Layman]

From what I understand, inkjet print heads are of identical design, it's just that HP and Canon put them in the cartridge, while Epson has a separate print head. They all eventually dry up and block if not used enough. With an Epson, that might mean a new printer, but with the other two just a new cartridge. I was wondering if it would be possible to take out the cartridge after use and perhaps put it in a sealed jar or wrap it in clingfilm to keep it damp and so stop it drying out.

[Andrew]

The latest Canon printers seem to gone down the 'expensive' printer and 'cheap' cartridge route.

[Pent]

They seem to use water and glycol mixture in inkjet ink, same with printer head cleaning fluid.

Put some in a jar and immerse the head in it.

Use my HP ENVY 4520 once or twice every 6 months and so far and no blockage after 4 years.

[Martin Brown]

It would be more trouble than it is worth.

Some Canons - at least all the ones I have ever owned have cartridges that are ink only and fairly robust anti drying out and cleaning cycles.

HP inkjets and Epsons are inclined to clog up at the first opportunity. Any printer with pigment inks are particularly prone to trouble.

Basically either print a bit more often or get a laser!

[T i m]

<snip>

I thought you had 'Ink jet' and 'Bubble jet', one being the ink being thrown out by a piezoelectric crystal and the other by heating the ink with a small coil and the bubble forcing the ink out?

I think that can depend on the spec of the printer. With some you can buy / replace the head. With 'bubble jets' the head is generally built into the cartridge in any case (HP's etc).

Given they often come with a 'film' or cap over the ink outlet / head, it may be possible but the issue with re-filming is getting it dry enough to stick (they probably put the film on before filling in the factory).

When I had ink jet printers they were generally HP and used reasonably frequently. Since I got the Ricoh colour laser and don't print pictures (cheaper online), I haven't bothered with an ink jet for a long time now. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Cling film is supposed to work well, but I've never tried it myself. Brian

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Most of the time you only want to print black and white, but it can be handy to have the colour function available. Brian

[Max Demian]

But you mostly don't have to change cartridges to do that, unless there is a special one to do high quality photos that takes the place of the normal black one as in my Dell Photo 924.

[Theo]

Yes. Epson is inkjet, HP and Canon are bubblejet. The nice thing about Epsons is you can fill them with things other than dye-based ink (eg pigments), whereas that's more difficult with bubblejet where the nozzle boils the ink on the way through.

The bubblejet head is simpler I think, which makes it more feasible to supply a new one with every cartridge. On Epsons you can get head cleaning cartridges, eg:

They also come with a cap for the cartridge that presumably stops it getting dry (also on refill carts - they have a rubber layer inside the cap).

Wrap them in cling film?

Theo

[T i m]

<snip>

I had thought of that and may have even tried it in the past but I think the capillary action between film and the nozzles cause the ink to come out. ;-(

Cheers, T i m