Ink life

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gordon Abbot
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Gordon Abbot

Why does re-fill ink have a set use lifetime? I have read here and
elsewhere that you should replace re-fill ink after about one year. Why?

What happens to make it no longer good for refills after one year?

The reason I ask is that I did not know this and refilled my hp carts
for more than three years with no ill effects from the same ink. It is
dye based, so maybe that make a difference.

Have a canon now and if there is a limit, it will determine the amount I
purchase.

GA
 
Gordon said:
Why does re-fill ink have a set use lifetime? I have read here and
elsewhere that you should replace re-fill ink after about one year.
Why?
What happens to make it no longer good for refills after one year?

The reason I ask is that I did not know this and refilled my hp carts
for more than three years with no ill effects from the same ink. It is
dye based, so maybe that make a difference.

Have a canon now and if there is a limit, it will determine the
amount I purchase.

GA
Click to expand...

main word is "about".... there is a sponge in cart which deteriorate with
time and then doesn't hold ink as it should which may cause in leaking, bad
quality etc... There's no absolute limit, though. Some (if not all) HP carts
have built-in head which is theoretically designed for one time use and so
it will deteriorate with time, which will result in bad quality print,
missed dots etc...
 
Gordon said:
Why does re-fill ink have a set use lifetime? I have read here and
elsewhere that you should replace re-fill ink after about one year. Why?

What happens to make it no longer good for refills after one year?

The reason I ask is that I did not know this and refilled my hp carts
for more than three years with no ill effects from the same ink. It is
dye based, so maybe that make a difference.

Have a canon now and if there is a limit, it will determine the amount I
purchase.

GA
Click to expand...

All inks, regardless of brand, have about the same "lifespan", which has
no exact limit, by the way. They always state the shortest date since
people tend to be sloppy in how they store their inks (warm, bright
places). So to be on the safe side they "short date" you.

Even genuine Canon ink in their pretty boxes has an "expiry" date. I too
have used refill ink that was 3 years old. My inks are kept in a cool,
dark place in the basement. I see no reason to be concerned since
lightning hasn't struck me. Just don't store them on your window sill in
broad daylight/sunlight. Otherwise you might find something nasty
growing in them, as someone careless reported here a while ago. . . :-)

-Taliesyn
 
Taliesyn said:
All inks, regardless of brand, have about the same "lifespan", which has
no exact limit, by the way. They always state the shortest date since
people tend to be sloppy in how they store their inks (warm, bright
places). So to be on the safe side they "short date" you.
Click to expand...

THE RELABELERS SAY ANYTHING TO GET A SALE
Even genuine Canon ink in their pretty boxes has an "expiry" date. I too
have used refill ink that was 3 years old. My inks are kept in a cool,
dark place in the basement. I see no reason to be concerned since
lightning hasn't struck me.
Click to expand...

TOO BAD
Just don't store them on your window sill in
broad daylight/sunlight. Otherwise you might find something nasty
growing in them, as someone careless reported here a while ago. . . :-)
Click to expand...

DINNER FOR TALLYHO
 
Gordon Abbot said:
Why does re-fill ink have a set use lifetime? I have read here and
elsewhere that you should replace re-fill ink after about one year.
Why?

What happens to make it no longer good for refills after one year?
Click to expand...

There are several possibilities:
- Old ink may become more viscous as its vehicle evaporates, making
it more prone to clog.
- Depending on what biocides are used you may get bacteria growing in
the ink.
- The ink may separate or settle.

- Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging
 
Bob said:
There are several possibilities:
- Old ink may become more viscous as its vehicle evaporates, making
it more prone to clog.
- Depending on what biocides are used you may get bacteria growing
in the ink.
Click to expand...

ONLY IN AFTERMARKET INK
 
Why does re-fill ink have a set use lifetime? I have read here and
elsewhere that you should replace re-fill ink after about one year. Why?

What happens to make it no longer good for refills after one year?

The reason I ask is that I did not know this and refilled my hp carts
for more than three years with no ill effects from the same ink. It is
dye based, so maybe that make a difference.

Have a canon now and if there is a limit, it will determine the amount I
purchase.

GA
Click to expand...

As Bob Headrick suggested, I would suspect that pigmented ink settling
had more to do with it than anything else. I am told that a small
percentage of the ink solution is a substance called dyethelene glycom
(probably misspelled). It is a soupy substance whose main function is
to keep the microscopic pigmented particles in suspension. However,
there still has to be some settling over a prolonged period of time.
Just imagine putting a teaspoon of sugar in a glass of syrup. It's
going to stay in suspension far longer than it would in ice tea.
Still, however, they has to be some settling.

The exposure to light of any kind has to have a long-term reaction on
either the pigmented ink or the dye in dye based ink. Having
pontificated all this, I admit that I'm dumb as a stump too and am
just guessing along with the rest of you. All I know is every
reliable source I've ever read says that ink has a shelf life. Who
knows how long. It gives us something to blame our printing failures
on ... when in doubt, bad mouth your vendor. Cheers.
 
Made said:
As Bob Headrick suggested, I would suspect that pigmented ink settling
had more to do with it than anything else. I am told that a small
percentage of the ink solution is a substance called dyethelene glycom
(probably misspelled). It is a soupy substance whose main function is
to keep the microscopic pigmented particles in suspension. However,
there still has to be some settling over a prolonged period of time.
Just imagine putting a teaspoon of sugar in a glass of syrup. It's
going to stay in suspension far longer than it would in ice tea.
Still, however, they has to be some settling.
Click to expand...

Whenever I refill I shake the contents of the refill bottle before
drawing ink. Much like we do with many other liquid products we use.
The exposure to light of any kind has to have a long-term reaction on
either the pigmented ink or the dye in dye based ink.
Click to expand...

That's why we have dark drawers, preferably in a cool place.
Having pontificated all this, I admit that I'm dumb as a stump
Click to expand...

You haven't met Measekite yet, have you? After talking to him you'll
feel you're the smartest man this side of Neptune.
All I know is every reliable source I've ever read says that ink has a shelf life.
Click to expand...

Fine. But under normal circumstances you won't even know it's there. Had
you not brought it, I would have never given it a second thought. Now,
however, I still don't give a damn about it. And I've been refilling
since I was ye high. So, you can see I don't much importance to it.
It gives us something to blame our printing failures on ...
when in doubt, bad mouth your vendor. Cheers.
Click to expand...

No need to blame an innocent vendor if one stores their ink next to an
oven, fireplace, a hot attic, or the window sill.

Print long and prosper!

-Taliesyn
 
Gordon said:
Why does re-fill ink have a set use lifetime? I have read here and
elsewhere that you should replace re-fill ink after about one year. Why?

What happens to make it no longer good for refills after one year?

The reason I ask is that I did not know this and refilled my hp carts
for more than three years with no ill effects from the same ink. It is
dye based, so maybe that make a difference.

Have a canon now and if there is a limit, it will determine the amount I
purchase.

GA
Click to expand...

Manufactures look at the expected lifetime and
adjust it for careless people. If you are
careful, the ink or cartridge will last longer.
Maintaining the ink or cartridge at a reasonable
comfortable living temperature lengthens the life,
maintaining a steady temperature lengthens life,
keeping it in the dark lengthens life, and keeping
it sealed from oxygen makes it last longer. So,
keeping it sealed, in a dark closet in your living
space will make it last long past the average
lifetime.

Inks are composed of a number of chemicals, so
there are bound to be chemical changes over time.
In addition, some are suspensions so the particles
may settle or aggregate and can't be brought back
into suspension.

You will have less problem with good inks in bulk
than you will in cartridges, especially if the
containers are well sealed with little oxygen.
You can use the trick that photographers use and
that is to replace the liquid with glass beads so
that there is very little space at the top of the
container.

I have seen nothing about replacing bulk ink after
1 year. I don't think that would be reasonable.
Reasonable might be careful monitoring after 3
years. Unless you are into refilling many
printers and printing a lot, I would limit
purchases to 4 oz size bottles, which could
provide several cartridge refills.
 
Taliesyn said:
Whenever I refill I shake the contents of the refill bottle
Click to expand...

WITH THE TOP OFF
before drawing ink. Much like we do with many other liquid products we
use.



That's why we have dark drawers,
Click to expand...

SO MOMMIE DOES NOT SEE THE STAINS AND MAKES YOU CHANGE THEM

HA HA HA
preferably in a cool place.



You haven't met Measekite yet, have you? After talking to him you'll
feel you're the smartest man this side of Neptune.
Click to expand...

I HEAR YOU ARE NOT A MAN

I HEAR YOU ARE NOT A WOMAN

I HEAR YOU ARE NOT HUMAN

YOU MUST BE A NEPTOONIAN
Fine. But under normal circumstances you won't even know it's there.
Had you not brought it, I would have never given it a second thought.
Click to expand...

I AM SURPRISED YOU HAD A 1ST THOUGHT
Now,
however, I still don't give a damn about it. And I've been refilling
since I was ye high.
Click to expand...

HE STILL IS
So, you can see I don't much importance to it.



No need to blame an innocent vendor if one stores their ink next to an
oven, fireplace, a hot attic, or the window sill.
Click to expand...

BAKE DA INK

CORE AN APPLE - FILL IT WID INK - BAKE IS FOR AN HOUR AT 350


NO NO STUPID NOT THE COMPUTER
 
George said:
Manufactures look at the expected lifetime and adjust it for careless
people. If you are careful, the ink or cartridge will last longer.
Maintaining the ink or cartridge at a reasonable comfortable living
temperature lengthens the life, maintaining a steady temperature
lengthens life, keeping it in the dark lengthens life, and keeping it
sealed from oxygen makes it last longer. So, keeping it sealed, in a
dark closet in your living space will make it last long past the
average lifetime.

Inks are composed of a number of chemicals, so there are bound to be
chemical changes over time. In addition, some are suspensions so the
particles may settle or aggregate and can't be brought back into
suspension.

You will have less problem with good inks in bulk than you will in
cartridges, especially if the containers are well sealed with little
oxygen. You can use the trick that photographers use and that is to
replace the liquid with glass beads so that there is very little space
at the top of the container.

I have seen nothing about replacing bulk ink after 1 year. I don't
think that would be reasonable. Reasonable might be careful monitoring
after 3 years. Unless you are into refilling many printers and
printing a lot,

I would limit purchases to
Click to expand...

OEM INK
 
Made said:
As Bob Headrick suggested, I would suspect that pigmented ink settling
had more to do with it than anything else. I am told that a small
percentage of the ink solution is a substance called dyethelene glycom
(probably misspelled). It is a soupy substance whose main function is
to keep the microscopic pigmented particles in suspension. However,
there still has to be some settling over a prolonged period of time.
Just imagine putting a teaspoon of sugar in a glass of syrup. It's
going to stay in suspension far longer than it would in ice tea.
Still, however, they has to be some settling.
Click to expand...

Bad example--sugar in syrup or in tea.

Sugar in any water base makes a solution not a
suspension. So it will never "settle out." The
sugar may crystallize out however. Table sugar has
such large crystals in can never be in suspension.
Suspensions are made of undissolved particles of
very small size--small enough that the movement of
molecules keeps them moving.
 
George said:
Bad example--sugar in syrup or in tea.

Sugar in any water base makes a solution not a suspension. So it will
never "settle out." The sugar may crystallize out however. Table
sugar has such large crystals in can never be in suspension.
Suspensions are
Click to expand...

IN CARS
 
Hi!
All I know is every
reliable source I've ever read says that ink has a shelf life. Who
knows how long. It gives us something to blame our printing failures
on ... when in doubt, bad mouth your vendor. Cheers.
Click to expand...

Same here. However, someone sent me a number of genuine HP cartridges for an
HP ThinkJet. They were all still sealed in the original factory box, which
had an expiry date of 1992.

I'm still going through them, and they've all worked just fine so far. I
might go so far as to say the print quality was a bit light, but I have
another ThinkJet with a relatively new cartridge in it (2003) and that
prints lightly as well. Plus, the old cartridges are labeled for use with a
special coated paper.

William
 
I won't fully agree with you. Ink lifespans do differ, and with good
reason. Pigment inks may begin to separate of clot over time. Any ink
may have components which are organic and which bacteria or algae might
grow in. Many inks have anti-fungals or reduce bacterial growth with a
anti-bacterial, but those components have restrictions, such as breaking
down over time, or if exposed to light or oxygen.

Lastly, some inks simply can become to viscous from loss of water (even
through the closed bottle, and this can make the ink too heavy-bodied.

Art
 
Dunno. I bought a big bottle of black ink to use with my BJC6000 over
three years ago and it is still producing absolutely fine results with
a ip3000. No clogging, no nuthin' but good results. It is kept in a
relatively cool drawer. At the rate I am using it I'll probably be able
to will it to my kids.
 
Curious that I commented in another thread that my RED ink alone was faulty
in a calibrate test whereas none of the inks from that cart would print at
all in a self-test or in normal use.

There is something unexplained going on here.
 
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