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Fix Epson 3000

Fix Epson 3000

2015-08-28 by cirrus_panamacanal@...

Hello All,

I have followed the group for years but haven't posted much. Although I have tried all of the systems out there I have settled on Epson inks with QTR as my go to method. The gloss ink cartridge on my 3000 leaks all of its inks out into the printer within days of installing it. The local Epson shop says $80 to diagnose and $170 plus parts if they can fix it. Is it worth it or is it time to move on? Thanks for any advise you can share.


Re: Fix Epson 3000 (3800)

2015-08-28 by cirrus_panamacanal@...

Sorry! Typo, Its a 3800...... I used to have a 3000 with piezio inks also.
John

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Re: Fix Epson 3000 (3800)

2015-08-28 by Paul Roark

The 3800's weak point is the switch between PK and MK. The 3880 I have has a dead PK. So, I use it for a matte paper only, Eboni-based system.

I became interested in this platform because I think there are going to be lots of these on the market -- cheap -- as people switch to the P800. Using the 3800/3880 as a dedicated B&W machine and never switching the black ink type is probably the best future for the platform.

FWIW

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com
Show quoted textHide quoted text
On Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 11:14 PM, cirrus_panamacanal@... [QuadtoneRIP] <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Sorry! Typo, Its a 3800...... I used to have a 3000 with piezio inks also.
John


Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Re: Fix Epson 3000 (3800)

2015-08-28 by Roy Harrington

I've had a 3800 printer for a long time and its been by far my most reliable Epson.
So in general I'd recommend it.

I don't really understand the black-ink switching comment from Paul. All the current
Ultrachrome Epson printers (Pro and Prosumer) do the same black-ink switching.
There is only one set of black ink jets -- so both MK and PK use the same jets.

In the original post you mention Epson inks and QTR driver and the problem just in PK,
so if you do just matte you can ignore the PK cart. If you want just photo PK, you
could reload this into a MK cart and just go that route.

Roy
Show quoted textHide quoted text
On Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 7:38 AM, Paul Roark roark.paul@... [QuadtoneRIP] <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


The 3800's weak point is the switch between PK and MK. The 3880 I have has a dead PK. So, I use it for a matte paper only, Eboni-based system.

I became interested in this platform because I think there are going to be lots of these on the market -- cheap -- as people switch to the P800. Using the 3800/3880 as a dedicated B&W machine and never switching the black ink type is probably the best future for the platform.

FWIW

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

On Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 11:14 PM, cirrus_panamacanal@... [QuadtoneRIP] <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Sorry! Typo, Its a 3800...... I used to have a 3000 with piezio inks also.
John







--

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Re: Fix Epson 3000 (3800)

2015-08-28 by Gan Barber

Roy, I believe that Paul's reference is related to the mechanical switch at the printhead on the 3800/3880 that controls the selection of PK or MK ink. Its been know to cause premature emptying of a cartridge due to fault or failure.
Gan




     On Friday, August 28, 2015 3:34 PM, "Roy Harrington roy@... [QuadtoneRIP]" <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:



     I've had a 3800 printer for a long time and its been by far my most reliable Epson.So in general I'd recommend it.
I don't really understand the black-ink switching comment from Paul.  All the currentUltrachrome Epson printers (Pro and Prosumer) do the same black-ink switching.There is only one set of black ink jets -- so both MK and PK use the same jets.


In the original post you mention Epson inks and QTR driver and the problem just in PK, so if you do just matte you can ignore the PK cart.  If you want just photo PK, youcould reload this into a MK cart and just go that route.
Roy
On Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 7:38 AM, Paul Roark roark.paul@gmail.com [QuadtoneRIP] <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:





The 3800's weak point is the switch between PK and MK.  The 3880 I have has a dead PK.  So, I use it for a matte paper only, Eboni-based system.  
I became interested in this platform because I think there are going to be lots of these on the market -- cheap -- as people switch to the P800.  Using the 3800/3880 as a dedicated B&W machine and never switching the black ink type is probably the best future for the platform.
FWIW
Paulwww.PaulRoark.com 
On Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 11:14 PM, cirrus_panamacanal@...m [QuadtoneRIP] <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


     Sorry! Typo, Its a 3800...... I used to have a 3000 with piezio inks also.
John














--
Roy Harrington
roy@...
www.harrington.com

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Re: Fix Epson 3000 (3800)

2015-08-28 by Paul Roark

The switching weakness comment reflects the information from the pro-printer repair person I use in Los Angeles. It's not the jets that go, apparently, as I get a perfect MK nozzle check but terrible PK nozzle check. When the "switch" is replaced, it includes the entire tubing setup. So, it's more complex than just a simply valve the switches from one tube to another.

It may be that to achieve the small footprint the 3800 has relative to the other 17" printers the switching mechanism had to be more compact than the other large format systems.

Additionally, of course, being the "weak point" does not necessarily mean that the overall reliability of the 3800/3880 platform is worse than other printers. The bottom line of the repairman's advice was that the 3880 I was looking at was probably worth investing in because they are very good machines. That overall positive position of the pro repair shop is one of the reasons I'm recommending the machine as one that the dedicated B&W people ought to consider buying as they become more available on the used market. Consistent with this, my sources tell me that demand for third party carts, etc. for the machine has increased.

Putting the MK ink in the PK position would probably be fine for QTR. However, for those who also want to be able to use the Epson driver, it probably cuts out the needed paper definitions in the driver.

As one who uses the 3880 now and only needs the one working K position, I'd say the weak point of the platform is the rear manual feed slot. I ignore it and totally understand Epson';s dropping it on the P800.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com
Show quoted textHide quoted text
On Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 12:34 PM, Roy Harrington roy@harrington.com [QuadtoneRIP] <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

I've had a 3800 printer for a long time and its been by far my most reliable Epson.
So in general I'd recommend it.

I don't really understand the black-ink switching comment from Paul. All the current
Ultrachrome Epson printers (Pro and Prosumer) do the same black-ink switching.
There is only one set of black ink jets -- so both MK and PK use the same jets.

In the original post you mention Epson inks and QTR driver and the problem just in PK,
so if you do just matte you can ignore the PK cart. If you want just photo PK, you
could reload this into a MK cart and just go that route.

Roy

On Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 7:38 AM, Paul Roark roark.paul@... [QuadtoneRIP] <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


The 3800's weak point is the switch between PK and MK. The 3880 I have has a dead PK. So, I use it for a matte paper only, Eboni-based system.

I became interested in this platform because I think there are going to be lots of these on the market -- cheap -- as people switch to the P800. Using the 3800/3880 as a dedicated B&W machine and never switching the black ink type is probably the best future for the platform.

FWIW

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

On Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 11:14 PM, cirrus_panamacanal@... [QuadtoneRIP] <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Sorry! Typo, Its a 3800...... I used to have a 3000 with piezio inks also.
John







--


Re: Fix Epson 3000

2015-08-28 by brian_downunda@...

The 3880 certainly has the reputation as being the most reliable and trouble-free printer that Epson ever made. This view is pretty clear if you read Lula. It's not yet clear whether the P800 will inherit this reputation.

However, that mostly relates to clogs, and mostly with OEM inks. If you search then you will quickly discover that there are people who have problems with the MK/PK ink selector switch. It's not clear to me whether it's just the occasional faulty part, or whether it's caused by sedimentation around the switch from not using it enough. Based on what I've seen, I suspect that both happen. Symptoms are either ink draining mysteriously, or no black ink flowing after a switch. It clearly is the weak point in an otherwise remarkable printer, and the P800 and also the R3000 & P600 are all vulnerable.

If you run K3 colour inks and want to retain the ability to print both matte and gloss then you're stuck with having to use the switch and to use it regularly to avoid sedimentation in one line and around the switch. However you can probably avoid it if you're using a monochrome inkset. I don't know about Eb, but for piezo it's possible to run it as P2 printer rather than K7, so in effect you are using K6, with both blacks installed and GO, using all the eight slots and no switch. My view is that sedimentation is a bigger issue for non-OEM inks and if I was using them in a 3880 I'd prefer not to have to use the other ink line and the switch at all.

I am surprised that Paul is so negative about the rear feed, as most people I know are more than happy with it, including yours truly. The reports that I've read are that P800 owners really miss it, as they find the front feed on the P800 not as good for when you need a manual feed slot. Price you pay for a roll option I guess, although the smaller desktops had both so I don't understand why the P800 couldn't.

Re: Fix Epson 3000

2015-08-29 by cirrus_panamacanal@...

Thanks to everyone for responding! I am going to repair it... sounds like the 3800/3880's will be supported for foreseeable future and I sure am happy with the split tones I get from the OEM inks and Roy's QTR.
John

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