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General discussion

Storing ink cartridges

Oct 5, 2008 11:20AM PDT

I learned the expensive way not to leave my ink cartridges in my printer when the printer will not be used for many months. So the last time, I took the cartridges out and put them back into the foil and boxes that they came in and placed them in the desk drawer. This is a very arid country so the humidity might be as low as 10% and the temperature as high as 85 degrees. After installing the cartridges and trying to print there was nothing on the page, so I did what someone had once suggested and that was to run the cartridges under hot water. That worked, at least for one copy. Haven't tried any more yet. Would I be better of putting them in the refrigerator which is set on the warmest setting while I am gone?

Discussion is locked

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Time to switch to laser.
Oct 5, 2008 10:08PM PDT

You'll find that laser printers work better than inkjets for harsh conditions like this. I find that the usual owners will never pop for some environmentally controlled storage (temp, humidity) so that's a dead end and inkjet cartridges cost less than such an unit.

Moving to laser fixed the complaints here.
Bob

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Thanks
Oct 6, 2008 11:36AM PDT

I know that in the long run, I would be better off, particularly if I did a lot of printing. I use to print much but I am trying to keep that down to a bare minimum. I don't look at the long run that much anymore because I am really "the ancient one"

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Last idea.
Oct 6, 2008 11:41AM PDT

Some report long term storage if they pack the cartridge in an evacuated zip lock bag stored in the fridge. The reasons why that works are fairly simple.
Bob

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Too much investment for occassional printing.
Aug 26, 2014 8:52AM PDT

Moving to a laser printer is an expensive proposition. True the printers are coming down in price but the laser carts are still prohibitively expensive, especially when you are talking color and for casual printing. I print a lot of photos and have found the quality and durability of inkjet carts (Canon makes some EXCELLENT photo printers) are still affordable. A laser would eat up my printing budget pretty fast.

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6 years later?
Aug 26, 2014 9:46AM PDT

Laser costs have dropped to the point where it's very affordable.

However my old estimate of a dollar per page for full page color prints still holds today (after printer, ink and paper.)

Why not start a new discussion?
Bob

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Ink storage
Oct 7, 2008 9:14PM PDT

If you have access to a "food saver" type sealer, use that. Such sealer, vacuum the bag then seal as last step. Whether you need to put into freezer/frig. to continue the saving process is one you need to dwell on, but return to room temp. before use. I can only say, buy and use only what you need in the immediate future. There are capping enclosures for some ink carts, good for the short haul.

tada -----Willy Happy

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Do Not Use Vacuum Sealer bags!!
Oct 10, 2008 2:06PM PDT

You can use a "ziploc" type of plastic bag, but if you pull a vacuum on a inkjet cartridge you will in up with a mess!

Even if only a small amount of ink is extracted it will completely cover the outside of your cartridge.

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Ink Jet Cartridges
Oct 10, 2008 4:10PM PDT

I live in a hot dry climate and am only home about half of each year so printer is idle a lot. I have found it best to store new and part used cartridges in "Zip Loc's" in the refrigerator.

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Prefer laser, fast and cheaper
Oct 15, 2008 12:37AM PDT

Try a laser printer, fast and actually cheaper per copy for black and white printing.
How long do you cook your cartridges in the oven after removing them from the frig before eating?

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Storing Ink Cartridges
Oct 11, 2008 3:55AM PDT

My computer room is air conditioned and I buy cartridges in batch every six months. I have never experienced a dry cartridge in my sealed stock. As for open stock when not in use, I simply place a piece of scotch tape over the breather hole and a piece over the delivery hole, hence sealing them and then I place them in a plastic container and store them in the fridge. I have been doing this for approximately 15 years and have had no adverse reactions when re using previously open cartridges whether brand or generic. I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and we are subjected to four seasons from very cold and dry to very humid and wet. Where did I come up with the storage idea? From my period as an ameteur photographer I learned early to store film (both exposed and unexposed) in a cool dry area to reduce colour degregation.

R Tucker

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Food Poisoning
Oct 15, 2008 12:43AM PDT

> refrigerator which is set on the warmest setting while I am gone

Careful. If the refrigerator isn't cool enough bacteria growth won't be inhibited. A trip to the doctor with food poisoning will cost a lot more than the pennies saved on the electric bill.

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Two Types of Ink
Oct 15, 2008 12:48AM PDT

I think there's two types of ink. One dries out and the other doesn't. My previous printer used carts that dried out if not used every week. My present printer, no problem.

My present printer is a photo-quality, Canon Pixma ip6700d.

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Printer cartridges
Oct 15, 2008 5:21AM PDT

Actually, instead of storing the cartridges, running a test page or a page of coloured print once in a while will keep the print head clear and the ink running. I have an extra printer that gets little use and I force myself to print a page every few weeks and that works well.

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printing on a plotter is more expensive
Jan 13, 2012 7:14AM PST

Printing once in a while is good for a a4 or a3 printer, but i have a A0 plotter, which is sometimes not used for several months. Cartridges keep clogging up and are very expensive, and printing a page every few weeks is a bit expensive paper wise(those rolls are quit expensive too).

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Too much trouble.
Aug 26, 2014 8:46AM PDT

Instead of going to all that trouble, just print a test page once in awhile. That will keep the ink flowing.

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Re: Storing ink cartridges
Feb 9, 2015 6:43PM PST

Thanks to all,
I have two printer in my office to using Printing. my first printer is working daily and another is some time to use when first printer stopped working so another printers works ink cartridges work long time but regular printer give me best quality of print , you have printer please use of them regular basis.