Digital BW, The Print

Here's an update on the Black ink swap post of a week or so ago. 
Original post inclded below for easy reference ...

I've now done the following:

1.	Swapped out the 4 one third full Light Inks for 4 full new Light
Ink carts.
2.	Started the `replace black' routine.
3.	The printer then told me the C, M & Y carts didn't have enough ink
in them so to swap them (exactly as per the 4 Light inks) – they
actually had about the same as the Light inks i.e. about 1/3 full.  So
I swapped those 3 for 3 new carts.
4.	I then proceeded to complete the black cart swap exactly as per the
documented process.

During this swap I used a total of 91.3 ml of ink – which is very
close to what I used at a previous swap (88.3ml) but when the carts
were full enough for the swap.

So what have I learnt?

1.	To swap black inks (in this case replacing MK with PK) ALL of the
other carts must be at least 1/3 full.
2.	If they're not that full then you need to replace the `less then
1/3 full' carts before you can swap the black inks.

I have been informed (thanks to someone on the list) that I can still
use the `less then 1/3 full' carts by swapping them back in – so
apparently no actual additional ink wastage.

So what do I think?

1.	Expletive deleted.
2.	At least there's no additional ink wastage above a swap where you
don't need to replace part full carts.

Steve Gledhill
http://www.VirtuallyGrey.co.uk/



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Gledhill"
<stephengledhill@y...> wrote:
> Information about changing black inks in the Epson 4800.
> 
> Posted for information to both the DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint and
> Epson4000 Yahoo Groups.  [The Epson4000 Group also covers the 4800]
> 
> Three or four weeks ago I successfully and easily changed the black in
> my 4800 from PK to MK.  In the process I used 88.3ml of ink.  Of
> course I wasn't happy that the process wastes that amount of ink – but
> I knew before I bought the printer that was the way it worked, so …
> 
> I now need to replace the MK with the PK so I started the process
> again.  Much to my consternation the printer reports that there's not
> enough ink in the 4 right-hand cartridges (LK, LC, LM, LLK) for the
> change to take place.  But according to the ink monitor there's at
> least 25ml to 30ml in each of those four 110ml cartridges.  By the
> way, there's a similar quantity of ink in the C, M and Y carts but it
> doesn't indicate a problem with them.  The MK is much fuller.
> 
> I called Epson support in the UK.  They told me that there is a
> certain minimum that must be present in the carts for the swap of the
> Black cart to take place - although they couldn't actually say how
> much that is.  The only advice they could offer was that in order to
> change the Black cart, I'd need to purchase four more carts (LK, LC,
> LM, LLK), swap the part full carts out for the new full ones, then go
> through the procedure to change the Black cart.
> 
> At that point I'd then be left with the ink configuration I wanted,
> but also left with four carts each at least one quarter full.  I was
> told that I could then swap these for the four new carts so that I
> could use their remaining ink.  I only hope that I don't find that
> there's a minimum ink level in a cartridge below which I can't swap it
> back in!?  And if there is I wonder if it's the level that the four
> have already reached.  If that is the case then the Black ink swapping
> process gets even more seriously costly.
> 
> I guess I'm not surprised that there would be a minimum ink level
> below which this process can't take place – say a few millilitres. 
> But for it to be at least 25mls in each cart is just plain bad printer
> design.  Or is it bad programming and in fact it doesn't really need
> this much at all?  Perhaps another way to force us to buy more ink?
> 
> I'm now off to buy four more carts, much sooner than I'd planned, so
> that I can print with PK.
> 
> What a rubbish system design.  Shame, because I love the print quality
> – with both PK and MK.
> 
> I'll report back on how it goes and on exactly how much ink I consume
> to swap the blacks.
> 
> Steve Gledhill
> http://www.VirtuallyGrey.co.uk/