Ink usage? Epson CX5400

  • Thread starter Thread starter Terry
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T

Terry

Christmas 2003 I received a brand new Epson CX5400 printer.
It's quite a nice machine, because it can be also used as scanner or copier.
As bought it was fitted with an Epson TO321 black cartridge and the three
colour cartridges.
In mid August it was necessary to replace the black cartridge at a cost
equivalent to about $43 US.
I felt that ink usage was high; I am a retired senior who doesn't print very
much and the other computer active family member was continuously away for
six months.
The high ink usage seems to be confirmed. Since replacing the black ink
cartridge I have copied maybe seven, maximum ten, 8.5 by 11 single pages and
already the black ink level indicator is down!
As far as I can tell the machine is not using the dregs of the three colour
cartridges to make black; a question it did ask me before the black
cartridge was replaced to conserve the then remaining black. Having already
bought and had on hand the replacement I chose to exhaust the original
cartridge.
I also need now to replace the three colour cartridges. They didn't seem to
last long either but since were used a few times for reproducing stored
digital camera images on 8.5 by 11, that was not as unexpected.
My question; is the CX5400 an 'Ink Hog', same as my V6 truck is a gas hog!
At this rate the ink costs more than the paper!
Would much appreciate any comments or advice.
One possible alternative might be to add one of several older, less
sophisticated printers we have, merely for black/white text which will
comprise 90% plus of the limited amount of printing I will do and use the
CX5400 only for scanning and storing etc.
Is this, what seems to be, high ink/toner consumption typical of this
printer?
Is there anything I can do; all I need is visually readable copies?
The CX5400 was a gift; but the next time, if ever, we contemplate the
acquisition of any printer it seems the typical number of average pages of
text (or quantity of printed characters), per cartridge would seem to be a
specification criteria. Certainly Epson will be on my list of suspects and
probably not a likely choice to buy.
Any guidance/advice/comment would be most welcome.
TIA. Terry.
 
Terry said:
Christmas 2003 I received a brand new Epson CX5400 printer.
It's quite a nice machine, because it can be also used as scanner or copier.
As bought it was fitted with an Epson TO321 black cartridge and the three
colour cartridges.
In mid August it was necessary to replace the black cartridge at a cost
equivalent to about $43 US.
I felt that ink usage was high; I am a retired senior who doesn't print very
much and the other computer active family member was continuously away for
six months.
Click to expand...
The Epson C70/80/CX51-52-54 uses the pigmented ink. Although not renowned
for being an ink hog the combi units do seem to use more. Epson have also
admitted that they use underprinting (black enhanced over colour) so that
could explain the higher than expected ink colour usage.It could be time to
look at good compatibles. Those I distribute in the UK and Europe are now
available in the USA. The standard JetTec contains 13ml of ink...
Tony
--
Inkylink JetTec UK Quality - Wot others wanna-be
Epson C64/ C84 Lighfast pigmented inks. R200/300,
RX500 (all with 30% more free patent chip)
Canon BCI-3 i560 i750 BCI-6 i865 S-820 / S-900 series.
Specialist ink refill kits... http://www.inkylink.co.uk
remove pants for personal mail
 
Your catridges lasted from December to August, thats pretty good. Last year
at college I had the same cartridges in my epson C82 from September thru
April with the typical college student printing papers and funny's before
having to replace them. I printed an entire year's worth of papers and
pictures and flyers.

Firstly, buy a chip resetter for $5 on ebay. This lets you reset the chip on
the cartridges. When your status monitor says that the ink is empty, it
really isnt. You can reset the cartridge to show 'full' and keep printing to
get the most ink for your money, and replace the cartridge when it truely is
empty. Doing this will yield much more prints per cartridges. This is the
best advice I can give you to get more prints from the cartridges.

Aside from that, shop around for your new cartridges. Someone said that
their local walmart had a clearance on these epson ink's - all 3 colors for
$9.95. Also like Tony suggested you might want to look in to getting
'compatible' cartridges for your printer if you don't like paying so much
when it's time for replacing them.

good luck
brian
 
Brian said:
Your catridges lasted from December to August, thats pretty good. Last year
at college I had the same cartridges in my epson C82 from September thru
April with the typical college student printing papers and funny's before
having to replace them. I printed an entire year's worth of papers and
pictures and flyers.

Firstly, buy a chip resetter for $5 on ebay. This lets you reset the chip on
the cartridges. When your status monitor says that the ink is empty, it
really isnt. You can reset the cartridge to show 'full' and keep printing to
get the most ink for your money, and replace the cartridge when it truely is
empty. Doing this will yield much more prints per cartridges. This is the
best advice I can give you to get more prints from the cartridges.

Aside from that, shop around for your new cartridges. Someone said that
their local walmart had a clearance on these epson ink's - all 3 colors for
$9.95. Also like Tony suggested you might want to look in to getting
'compatible' cartridges for your printer if you don't like paying so much
when it's time for replacing them.

good luck
brian
Click to expand...


Using a chip resetter to get more mileage out of carts is dangerous. At
the very least, air can be drawn into the print head if ink runs out.
Bleeding the air out is a bugger and not for the faint of heart. At
worst, running a jet without liquid might permanently damage the head,
according to some posters here.

About Epsons using black in addition to colors when printing color
photos, I can attest that the C-80 does do this. Dunno about other
Epsons. My C-80 began getting bunged up last month, first Yellow
refusing to print, followed soon thereafter by the other two colors not
printing. A printed color photo was not colored, just a ghostly image
made of clouds of widely spaced black dots.

Eventually I got ink flowing again but I don't know what I did that
finally worked. I had completely removed the CARRIAGE several times in
order to avoid flooding the printer while forcing ammonia/alcohol and
then inks, using a syringe. No joy. No joy. But the next afternoon
the C-80 began printing beautifully again. Go figure. I'm on a fixed
income, like the OP, so I was very relieved.

I posted the heads-up about Epson carts on close-out at WalMart. I was
talking about the local store only; dunno if all WalMarts are closing
them out. And the only part# on close-out was the 3-cart package for
the Epson C-80. No black carts. :-( But yes, they cost 9 bucks and
some change. I bought 3. Went back for 3 more. And again several days
later for three more. :-)

Michael
 
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