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Question

Best printer if it will be idle for months?

May 29, 2015 3:59AM PDT

I've tried several brands/types of printers for my boss's summer house. The printer often goes unused for 6 months or more. The print heads get clogged and fail, whether he removes the ink cartridges or not. My last failure was a HP 576dw (although it appears this model has a high print head failure based on posts I've seen when tried to clear the error message). In fact, removing the cartridges seems to make it fail faster. Laser toner cakes and it seems to mess with the drum. I think a printer that the print head and cartridge are the same would be the best solution, but I haven't found one yet. Suggestions?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Will have to go back to impact printers.
May 29, 2015 4:20AM PDT

Since ribbons can be replaced or you can try to place them in hermetic small bags, this looks to be where old dot matrix printers will rule.

I've seen laser printers go for a few years but I wonder if this summer house is subject to temp, humidity extremes.
Bob

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Just spotted a laser printer for ... 60 bucks new.
May 29, 2015 5:26AM PDT

Maybe it's the price of printing yearly there.

But why must there be a printer there? Why not admit that we have to carry it in and out?
Bob

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Answer
It is going to be tough
May 29, 2015 4:45AM PDT

I know what you are going through. I had the same issue with my last couple of printers. I don't do much printing anymore so my printer sits for months. I found a cheap printer at walmart - a hp deskjet 3050 almost two years ago and it does not have that problem. ink may evaporate a bit faster but no problems with the print head - yet.

One thing you can do is if the summer home has electricity and internet access all year around is to remotely run a page through the printer once a month.

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Answer
No miracles...just box it
May 30, 2015 1:16PM PDT

Any inkjet and it seems even a laser got hosed, so that suggests *ANY PRINTER* is about to experience problems sooner or later. Since, the printer doesn't get used much, then store it in a storage box. I suggest a "cooler" large enough with a sealed lid of sorts. You have to go through the extra steps of storage but at least you have a fighting chance of a working printer at a later date once reconnected again. Just shut it down in a normal fashion, disconnect and drop in box. Of course depending on the size of printer will determine the storage box size or use some Pelican type case(google it). If a simple printer is required then a laptop mobile printer may fit the needs. Not only that but boxing these smaller printers are easier. Alas, if inkjet printer leave ink carts installed, they are "parked" in a *capped position*.

tada -----Willy Happy

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Answer
saran wrap the cartridge printer head
May 30, 2015 2:36PM PDT

be sure the saran wrap is tight across the print head. When you need to use them again, put a bit of rubbing alcohol into a small bowl, just enough to cover the flat area, not deep, and hold the print head into it for a minute or two. Dab carefully the print head to dry, install, print test page.