If not using a printer for a few months?

[turtle]

Hi,

I am considering buying an Epson 3880, but will periodically disappear off overseas for a few months here and there. I am keen to avoid print nozzle blockages and wonder it there is a routine I should follow to avoid this happening when the printer is laid down for a while?

 

[kdphotography]

Print head cleaning the easy way. No more clogged inkjets with Harvey Head Cleaner. is an option for PC based users.

HHC allows you print scheduled nozzle checks. Obviously much easier for roll-capable printers, but I guess you could use a short stack of paper in the tray on the 3880. I haven't heard of many clogging issues with the 38** series of printers.

 

[Lars]

I left my Epson 3800 for a year and a half in very dry storage, then shipped it from Sweden to California again. After one cleaning it prints flawlessly. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[turtle]

Cheers, v interesting Lars. I assumed that leaving such a printer for a while would be a nozzle killer!

This simplifies things greatly and I will go ahead and buy one.

 

[cornishman]

Never had that much luck with HP printers they do seem to need constant use.

 

[Cindy Flood]

I leave my 3800 for 4 months in the winter every year. I put it inside of a garbage bag before I leave. It has never had a problem starting right up again.

 

[Don Libby]

Neat trick Cindy! Make the printer think if it doesn't work then the bag is for real.

Joking aside - while I don't have actual experience with the 3800 I have owned a 4000, 9800 and currently a 9900. Living in the Southwest I quickly found that a lack of humidity was killer on inks. Just returned from a 8+ week shoot in Wyoming and Montana and found the 9900 was waiting and okay after running a humidifier the entire time.

Don

 

[JimCollum]

not sure about the 38xx series. My last Epson was a 7600, and it need to be printed from weekly or it would start to clog. I moved to an HP z3100, and have had it sitting idle for months at a time, with no clogs. In 5 years of owning it, have never had a single nozzle clog. Not sure about how their desktop models work though.

 

[srobert]

it is said that if you want to keep your printer free from problems, you should use it on regular basis. I also have bought an Epson printer before three months and traveled Argentina two times during these three months for business purpose but it is working properly.