Digital BW, The Print

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/

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/