Bob Parker expuso:
(JM) wrote:

Thing is - I know for sure that the cleaning cycle doesn't run
"every time" it's powered up. It runs once if the printer is off
for more than about two days. And yes Epson ink is massively
overpriced, but that's why I buy the $4.99 stuff.

If an Epson or any inject printer just starts to clog while being
used, then there's got to be something more deeply wrong with the
printer, or long periods of non-use perhaps?

There must have been something seriously wrong with your printer if
"its unstoppable self-cleaning cycles" because like I said, by
itself, it runs once in about two days, but more if manually started.


Howdy,
Let me clarify by saying that this printer didn't get a whole lot
of use. It would certainly have been many days or even weeks between
printing anything in color. There were gaps of days between using it
for anything at all. I only ever powered it up when I wanted to print
something, and every time I did, it went through the drawn-out
self-cleaning cycle which is not something you can tell the printer
not to do. It just did it every time I powered it up.
OK, so I was probably asking for trouble by not using it very much,
but that's my printer usage pattern. The Deskjet 500 doesn't get used
any more often, but it doesn't appear to go through a cleaning cycle
unless I hit the "Prime" button, and it never clogs up or prints badly
striped images.
So let's just say that the old saying of "Once bitten twice shy"
applies to my experience with Epson inkjets. I've seen too many
similar stories about the Stylus 500 and other Epsons on this
newsgroup to trust that brand again.

I've also heard many times the same stories and don't know why people is
having so many problems. I've an Stylus 400 and my usage pattern is worse
than yours, mine sits months unused sometimes. When I turn it on it usually
works just fine, no cleaning needed. Few times I've had to run just one
cycle to get it going.

I use only original ink. I know that other inks, while sitting unused few
weeks dry out. Original ink has some product that quickly breaks dried ink.
I think while other inks may be ok to print, they are not good to be kept
unused because they badly dry. So, if you print a lot and often cheaper inks
may be ok, otherwise original ink is the best.
Yet, original ink is overpriced. Given that heads are fixed Epson surely
could sell ink much cheaper than other brands, but they don't seem too
interested in doing competition.