[LI SNOWBIRD]

We are snowbirds and will b e leaving soon. I would like to know what you do to prep your printer for a few months span of non-use. We've had to buy a new one almost every season mainly because the heads are clogged with dry ink. a new printer is fairly cheap ( in fact I have a friend who buys a new one every time she runs out of ink-- she claims it's as much to buy new as is to buy ink). But I would rather keep the one we have
I've followed internet help with no positive results. So what's your secret?
Thanks

[DDoug]

Sell the one you have assuming it is working condition for a fair price that will off set cost of a new one next year. You start off with a fresh printer and dont lose the full cost of a new one.

[Virtual Geezer]

During my working career I had my hands in thousands of HP ink jet printers and there are a couple of things that you can do but I make no guarantees.

First of all what make of printers are we dealing with here?

If it is an HP printer the easy thing is to just take the ink cartridges with you. Remove them from the printer and cover the print head with a piece of tape. HP ink is water solvable so if the cartridge dries out just get a damp rag and wipe the nozzle where the ink comes out of the cartridge. This most always works on the older cartridges that have the actual head in the cartridge itself. You may want to run the damp rag over the cartridge every couple of weeks or so. When you do rub the cartridge go easy and if possible use a lint free rag.

Some of the newer cartridges has a metal nozzle and that can be more difficult to keep clean. You may just want to take the printer with you in that case.

The older model of HP Ink Jet printers were very easy to take apart. Four screws and the cover almost fell off. Once the cover was off you could clean out the capping station with ease. The way the older printers worked is that before the print head moved over to put ink on the paper for the first line of printing it would spritz a very small amount of ink into a little well area to the right side of the printer and this was called the capping station. The small ink would dry but over time and with a lot of usage would end up looking like grease but only black and never dry. If it built up to much it would collect on the bottom of the cartridges and be dragged across the paper leaving black lines. Cleaning the capping station correct that problem.

Now the newer printers are next to impossible to get apart without destroying it. I spent hours trying to get one apart and finally gave up. Also HP did away with the capping station concept and now just lets the ink fly. If the printer is used a lot, and by that I mean hundreds of pages a day, you may end up with a puddle of ink under the printer.

If you should get any of the ink on your hands don't worry what won't wash off will be gone in three days.

Good luck.

VG

[LI SNOWBIRD]

Originally Posted by Virtual Geezer

During my working career I had my hands in thousands of HP ink jet printers and there are a couple of things that you can do but I make no guarantees.

First of all what make of printers are we dealing with here?

If it is an HP printer the easy thing is to just take the ink cartridges with you. Remove them from the printer and cover the print head with a piece of tape. HP ink is water solvable so if the cartridge dries out just get a damp rag and wipe the nozzle where the ink comes out of the cartridge. This most always works on the older cartridges that have the actual head in the cartridge itself. You may want to run the damp rag over the cartridge every couple of weeks or so. When you do rub the cartridge go easy and if possible use a lint free rag.




The older model of HP Ink Jet printers were very easy to take apart. Four screws and the cover almost fell off. Once the cover was off you could clean out the capping station with ease. The way the older printers worked is that before the print head moved over to put ink on the paper for the first line of printing it would spritz a very small amount of ink into a little well area to the right side of the printer and this was called the capping station. The small ink would dry but over time and with a lot of usage would end up looking like grease but only black and never dry. If it built up to much it would collect on the bottom of the cartridges and be dragged across the paper leaving black lines. Cleaning the capping station correct that problem.

Now the newer printers are next to impossible to get apart without destroying it. I spent hours trying to get one apart and finally gave up. Also HP did away with the capping station concept and now just lets the ink fly. If the printer is used a lot, and by that I mean hundreds of pages a day, you may end up with a puddle of ink under the printer.

If you should get any of the ink on your hands don't worry what won't wash off will be gone in three days.

Good luck.

VG

Some of the newer cartridges has a metal nozzle and that can be more difficult to keep clean. You may just want to take the printer with you in that case.

Thanks for your detailed response. It was useful and informative.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Another option: Over the long haul, it might be worth taking a look at getting a laser printer. Initial cost of the printer will be higher than an ink jet. Cost of supplies (toner cartridges, etc.) will be higher as well but they'll last much longer.

Just a thought/something to perhaps consider.

Bill

[Gat0r]

When you get back take the printer cartridges and set in a saucer add rubbing alcohol and set the nozzles in it for a few seconds should revive.

[laceylady]

After reading this post last week, I called Lexmark re our inkjet printer. They said leave the printer plugged in, leave the cartridges in. When we get back, take the cartridges out and wipe of the bottom, where the ink comes out, with a lint free rag. Put the cartridges back in and print. She said the worst that could happen is we need new cartridges, but the printer will be fine. Suggest others call their printer manufacturer also.

[Donvito]

Originally Posted by LI SNOWBIRD

We are snowbirds and will b e leaving soon. I would like to know what you do to prep your printer for a few months span of non-use. We've had to buy a new one almost every season mainly because the heads are clogged with dry ink. a new printer is fairly cheap ( in fact I have a friend who buys a new one every time she runs out of ink-- she claims it's as much to buy new as is to buy ink). But I would rather keep the one we have
I've followed internet help with no positive results. So what's your secret?
Thanks

I had a place in Fort Myers and a place on Cape Cod for 14 years. I would keep the original packaging that came with the cartridges, and put them back in, then put each one into a zip lock bag. One of the places on Cape Cod was a travel trailer that was there all winter. I had the trailer for 5 years. Be careful when handling the cartridges so as not to touch the ink and handle the bags very carefully.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by Bill-n-Brillo

Another option: Over the long haul, it might be worth taking a look at getting a laser printer. Initial cost of the printer will be higher than an ink jet. Cost of supplies (toner cartridges, etc.) will be higher as well but they'll last much longer.

Just a thought/something to perhaps consider.

Bill

Yes, you are correct. After many years of the older HP type printers, we bought two HP laser printers many moons ago. The toner cartridges were very pricey.........but never gave us any problems when we'd go away for long periods of time. We just left everything "as is".......never took our printers apart.

I just recently changed to an HP pavilion laptop when my hard drive "tower" crashed.....got rid of the big thin screen monitor and ditto for the huge laser printer.....which was a monster on the desk..........

The new HP "wireless" printer which is PHOTOSMART 7520 has the tiniest little toner cartridges.........I love them. No storage issues. So tiny.
It prints beautifully. Everything is wireless....the computer, the printer.

I would just leave it be......when we go on vacation this summer......

[dengid]

Originally Posted by laceylady

After reading this post last week, I called Lexmark re our inkjet printer. They said leave the printer plugged in, leave the cartridges in. When we get back, take the cartridges out and wipe of the bottom, where the ink comes out, with a lint free rag. Put the cartridges back in and print. She said the worst that could happen is we need new cartridges, but the printer will be fine. Suggest others call their printer manufacturer also.

I had the same issue with a Kodak esp6100. Called customer service (yes, they still have it). and was told the same thing. Leave it on. It runs periodically to keep the printer head from drying out. A new printer head was $29

[NIPAS K-9]

Originally Posted by LI SNOWBIRD

We are snowbirds and will b e leaving soon. I would like to know what you do to prep your printer for a few months span of non-use. We've had to buy a new one almost every season mainly because the heads are clogged with dry ink. a new printer is fairly cheap ( in fact I have a friend who buys a new one every time she runs out of ink-- she claims it's as much to buy new as is to buy ink). But I would rather keep the one we have
I've followed internet help with no positive results. So what's your secret?
Thanks

TAKE OUT THE INK CARTRIDGE (S) AND PRINT SOMETHING ON PAPER UNTIL INK RUNS OUT. iT WORKS FOR US. HOPE THIS HELPS.

[Ohiogirl]

We just got back to Ohio - HP InkJet Printer we left here in December is working just fine, didn't even think to take the cartridges out. Didn't do anything in TV with our Canon printer, so hope that's ok when we get back also. I unplugged it - unplug just about everything we can down there in lightening land for the summer - TVs, microwave, small appliances.

[TomH]

[QUOTE=LI SNOWBIRD;670113][SIZE="5"]We are snowbirds and will b e leaving soon. I would like to know what you do to prep your printer for a few months span of non-use. We've had to buy a new one almost every season mainly because the heads are clogged with dry ink. a new printer is fairly cheap ( in fact I have a friend who buys a new one every time she runs out of ink-- she claims it's as much to buy new as is to buy ink). But I would rather keep the one we have
I've followed internet help with no positive results. So what's your secret?
Thanks
I have dealt with the same issue, however, in the cold northeast when closing for the winter. Have removed cartridges, sealed in plastic bags and take home with me only to find out the cartridges dried out over the winter. Last year I decided to do nothing - just leave the cartridges in and hope for the best. Lo and behold, all is fine this spring.

[Computer Corner]

Originally Posted by Bill-n-Brillo

Another option: Over the long haul, it might be worth taking a look at getting a laser printer. Initial cost of the printer will be higher than an ink jet. Cost of supplies (toner cartridges, etc.) will be higher as well but they'll last much longer.

Just a thought/something to perhaps consider.

Bill

This is a great option!