Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Luke Granfield" <luke@l...> 
wrote:
> I think MIS is having problems with the ink/cartridge as well. I got 
my
> second set of VM cartridges for the 1280 and the chip was DOA.


Did you observe anti-static precautions? You could have zapped it 
yourself walking across a carpet to install it. That said, it IS true 
that in the last month, MIS has changed the look of the chip- look at 
the black epoxy on back of chip...it is now square, not round. I have 
had more problems with this squarish chip it seems, but not when I 
insert carts with power OFF and wear a anti-stat wrist strap when 
handling. Then of course, you could reply that this is not nessesecary 
with Epson carts, they can be installed without straps or power off, 
and I'd have to agree with you.

 
Figured that
> out and moved chips from some OEM cartridges to the VM cartridges. 
Printer
> recognized them and charged them. Got 8 good prints. Then banding, 
missing
> nozzles which no amount of cleaning or printing cleared up.

As a rule I turn on my 1280 twice a day and run a quick 30 second 
draft print of the purge pattern, followed by a nozzle check. I've 
been doing this with VM inkset since January, and I have only missed 
once or twice.

I discovered that I had to do one or two cleaning cycles when the 
humidity dropped below 35%RH. At 40%RH it was "okay", only needing an 
occasional cleaning now and then. At 50%RH it worked well, but I don't 
have a lot of data at this level.

There seems to be also a correlation with temperature. I have to do 
more cleanings to get a clear nozzle check every 12 hours if the 
temperature is above 77 degrees F. At 66-72 degrees F, the printer 
seems to perform much better.

I think the best thing anyone can do with MIS VM inkset is to run at 
least a small amount of ink thru each day as a quick draft purge print 
on cheap plain paper.

I have been vacuum filling my own carts since January. Expensive, but 
I wanted flexibility in switching back to Epson carts. In the last two 
weeks, I switched over to the CFS system from MIS, and after some 
initial problems (it IS harder to install than then nomorecarts CIS) I 
am getting very good and reliable nozzle checks every 12 hours.


Reinserted OEM
> cartridges & chips, ran two cleaning cycles and then got perfect 
nozzle
> checks. Definitely a problem with the ink/cartridge from MIS.

Actually this reminds me of a similar problem I had way back in 
January when I ordered a set of  *prefilled* VM carts when I was first 
setting this printer up. It printed fine for quite awhile, then when 
the color chip read about 25-30% left, suddenly one of the colors, I 
think the Y, went dry and wouldn't print. Obviously, it hadn't been 
filled completely at MIS. I tried to point this out to MIS, but they 
never quite picked up the ball and ran with it. So I just filled my 
own<g>.

 And if 
the CIS
> system is based on feeding ink to these cartridges, it would seem 
possible
> that even the CIS system with these inks would have problems.

I could still have problems with the CFS but so far it is working 
better than even my self-vacuum filled carts. I would like to state 
that the directions could be better, and the two tubing clamps came in 
 mishapened, luckily, I had ordered an extra set. The directions 
should be re-written to include the procedure on how to install the 
CFS carts with power off to avoid killing the chips, as well as a few 
other lesser details.

Having installed both (non-chipped)nomorecarts CIS and (chipped)MIS 
CFS, the nomorecarts is definitely easier and less messy, but also 
more expensive. I figure if you're handy and want to save bucks go 
CFS, if you want the system to install with an "all thumbs" attitude, 
go CIS.  
Jim H.