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Advice: buying used Epson printer

ocarlo

Member
I'm in the midst of editing a big project, and got offered
a Epson 2400 for 200 bucks plus some ink.
The catch is that it hasn't been used for over two years.
Assuming the heads have dried up, what remedies are there?
For the price, seems like a good deal, and I really just want proof prints,
but don't want to get bogged down in repairs...
thanks in advance...
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
Not used in two years? I'd say no, unless it was free.

For ~$500-600 and you can get a current model, new, you know it's working, and with warranty.

ken
 

ocarlo

Member
ouch really?
thanks guys. got it down to 175, but haven't paid/picked it up yet...
awfully nice person too.
may have to take a chance, and look for Epson service center..
thanks again.
 

Dan Berg

New member
Not sure what you mean by the service center comment?
Just not worth anything really . Its old technology has out of date inks and has not been used for several years. Just one of those is a good reason not to buy.
 

ocarlo

Member
My understanding with pre-owned older printers
is that the heads may have died up/clogged with prolonged non-use.
Hence the service center.
Its not so much about saving money. I dont sell prints, and exhibition
sizes for me would be mural-sized, so its really a proofing + family pics
+ experimenting. I wouldn't want to spend my time fixing it..
thanks
 

250swb

Member
The first thing Epson will tell you to do is run six or seven cleaning cycles. If that doesn't work get the printer to a service centre. But the cleaning cycles will use pretty well a full set of inks, add that ink onto the cost of the printer, then the cost of the service (which won't be cheap), and you could have bought a brand new R3000. On the other hand it may work, but even $175 seems a lot to pay for stepping into the unknown.

Steve
 

fotophil

Member
I have many years of experience with Epson Printers. Epson Printers that have not been used for several years are very risky. I suggest you have the seller demo the printer - let him run the cleaning cycles and if the printer still will not work don't buy it. My guess is that a visit to the Epson Service Center will cost you many hundreds of dollars; especially if a new head is required. A poor risk in my opinion.
 

ocarlo

Member
Should have come back earlier in order to simply say
thanks all for the sage advice.
I pulled back, and will wait for a better deal, or a new printer after all.
sincere thanks
carlo
 

pfigen

Member
Anyone interested in buying a used Epson should slog through Eric's 73+ page thread at Luminous Landscape regarding the 7900 he bought. You'll learn more than you ever thought about them and hopefully come away better prepared to maintain whatever inkjet printer you end up buying.

Any Epson that has been sitting for a year should be considered dead unless it has had the head purged for storage. As has been mentioned in this thread already, for the smaller printers, it makes better economic sense to buy new and get that warranty. Whatever savings you think you're getting are probably only temporary. Hell, these printers can get permanent clogs just in shipping.

The first thing I did after I got my 9900 back from repair last month (print head, pump and cap station, wiper assembly) and eighteen hundred dollars less in my checking account, was to order a hygrometer and humidifier for my printer room. It's now staying steady at around 53 percent. They, whoever they is, say you want between 40 and 60 percent.
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
.... They, whoever they is, say you want between 40 and 60 percent.
I was told to keep humidity between 40-60% by an Epson tech many years ago when I got my first 9800, which clogged when I used a de-humidifier in studio once. He stated that in the more humid states, Epson just doesn't get a lot of service calls for clogs. That was probably over five years ago. I bought a hygrometer to monitor clogs and never had another clog on the 9800 (which for other user-reasons is now residing with the infamous Eric G).

9900 and 9890 and an old 4800 have been in operation in studio for years now. No clogs on any of my printers, and really nothing more than nozzle checks to prepare for printing. Hygrometers by each of the printers.

Really basic maintenance is required to keep the Epson wide formats performing at their best. I really don't understand why there are so many grumblings at times. I wouldn't expect any of my equipment (cars, cameras, printers, etc.) to operate without at least some basic attention. Over the years I've compiled a binder on my printers, a basic "how-to" of maintenance and care. It's too bad that Epson hasn't published a basic primer on basic maintenance and care for their professional series of printers. The smaller printers (38** and smaller) just don't seem to have clog issues and for whatever reason can be left alone for longer periods of time.

:) ken
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Time to publish Ken's guide to the care and feeding of the Epson behemoths. After dumping my dried out epson 2200 in the trash I ended up going down the HP big Z3200 24in & 44in self calibrating and cleaning route. Of course, as soon as I did HP abandoned the pro photographic printer market! :facesmack:
 
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