Portable printer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeff Davis
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J

Jeff Davis

As a travelling salesman I occasionally need to print out a document while
I'm "on the road". I have some old inkjet printers that I can use but I
wondered about leaving a printer in the trunk of my car. Will the heat or
cold in a car trunk in the Midwest in the summer or winter harm the ink
cartridges?
I would guess that the temperature extremes would be from 0 to 110 F.
Jeff
 
Jeff Davis said:
As a travelling salesman I occasionally need to print out a document
while
I'm "on the road". I have some old inkjet printers that I can use but
I
wondered about leaving a printer in the trunk of my car. Will the
heat or
cold in a car trunk in the Midwest in the summer or winter harm the
ink
cartridges?
I would guess that the temperature extremes would be from 0 to 110 F.
Click to expand...

The heat could be a problem, with shorter cartridge life. The
temperature cycles could be an issue that might cause color mixing of
the color cartridge. Your best bet might be to use a printer that does
not require the color cartridge installed and only print in black (or
live with possible color shifts). If the printer is one with the
printhead built into the cartridge you do not have much to lose as a new
cartridge should clear up any problems due to large temperature swings.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging
 
I would expect you are pushing the limits of an inkjet printer,
especially one that is not designed for a portable setting.

A lot of vibration could lead to leaking cartridges and out of alignment
heads. Further, temperature changes between day and night would causes
expansion and contraction of liquids further making leakage likely. (I
do realize you are not speaking of the 0-110 F within a short period of
time, but even 30 degrees F over a day could be considerable).

Also, head clogs are going to be more likely with this type of use.

I'm assuming you will be printing from a standard 110V source from
hotels or other lodging in the evening, and not running the printer on
the 12v from your car.

There are a few printers that are designed for portable use, and some
are inkjet and will run on batteries, but I'm still not sure I can
advise them for the type of temperatures you may be experiencing.

If you don't require color, you might want to consider a small black and
white thermal printer. Some use special thermal paper, (like fax paper)
and others use special ribbons and regular paper. You could also
consider a small portable laser printer. Some aren't much bigger than an
inkjet, weight about 20 pounds, and can be acquired for well under
$100. They will cost less to run than a inkjet, and are a bit faster,
quieter, and probably more robust, but still would benefit from a
carrying box of some sort. While some thermal printers will run on low
voltages, laser printers require AC plug ins.

Art
 
I'm assuming you will be printing from a standard 110V source from
hotels or other lodging in the evening, and not running the printer on
the 12v from your car.

There are a few printers that are designed for portable use, and some
are inkjet and will run on batteries, but I'm still not sure I can
advise them for the type of temperatures you may be experiencing.

If you don't require color, you might want to consider a small black and
white thermal printer. Some use special thermal paper, (like fax paper)
and others use special ribbons and regular paper. You could also
consider a small portable laser printer. Some aren't much bigger than an
inkjet, weight about 20 pounds, and can be acquired for well under
$100. They will cost less to run than a inkjet, and are a bit faster,
quieter, and probably more robust, but still would benefit from a
carrying box of some sort. While some thermal printers will run on low
voltages, laser printers require AC plug ins.
Click to expand...
I think you swerved into a possible answer for him there Art.
If he's handy, he could construct a padded and insulated carrying box
for the trunk that would solve the temperature and vibration problems
at the same time.
 
I think you swerved into a possible answer for him there Art.
If he's handy, he could construct a padded and insulated carrying box
for the trunk that would solve the temperature and vibration problems
at the same time.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your replies,

I will be printing from the hotel so power is not a problem.
I need to print on letter head so thermal won't work.
I have some old ink-jets around the house so my question was really how does
an ink-jet cartridge stand up to temperature extremes that might be
encountered in the trunk of a car when it is parked during the day in the
sun and at night when it is zero outside.
I think I'll get a small laser printer.

Thanks again,

Jeff
 
An inkjet cartridge should be stored at 32 to 110 degrees F. I would use an
inkjet printer if I was in your situation. Of course extreme temperatures
decrease the life of the ink cartridges but this is not the case.
Just a tip, choose an inkjet with dye inks for both black and color
cartridges. This exclude all newer HP, Canon and Lexmark printers (they use
pigment for black). I suggest something like Epson R245, R240, D48, etc. Not
epson D88, C88, C68, etc that use pigment for both black and color.
You may avoid temperatures bellow 25 F (inside the truck and the printer the
temperature should be a bit higher, so about 32 F). But even temperatures
lower than 32 F may don't harm the ink. If the ink get ice is no good, but
depends on the ink. For the pigment ink, it definitely will ruin the ink.
For the dye ink, depends on the ink if it will work or not (after melting of
course).
 
addendum:

Almost all inks contain glycols (like the antifreezer), so I estimate an ink
won't freeze up to about 20 F.
Acording to the above use an inkjet without any fear.
p.s. you can even use any HP or Canon printer if:
1.. you use compatible cartridge at least for the canon black (most
compatibles use dye instead of pigment), or
2.. you use a refilled HP black cartridge (it should be more difficult to
find a place that will fill a hp cartridge with dye ink).

--
 
Yianni said:
addendum:

Almost all inks contain glycols (like the antifreezer), so I estimate
an ink won't freeze up to about 20 F.
Acording to the above use an inkjet without any fear.
p.s. you can even use any HP or Canon printer if:
1.. you use compatible cartridge at least for the canon black (most
compatibles use dye instead of pigment), or
2.. you use a refilled HP black cartridge (it should be more difficult
to find a place that will fill a hp cartridge with dye ink).
Click to expand...

I do not know where the aversion to pigment based ink comes from. HP's
cartrdiges are typically rated for storage at -40C to 40C, including the
pigmented black. HP's portable Deskjet is rated at -20C to 60C for
short term storage and 0C to 55C for operation. They use the same black
and color cartridges as many of the other HP printers.

- Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging
 
I hope I didn't injure anyone while I was swerving around ;-)

What might work best is an HP inkjet printer where he could remove the
cartridge while it was in transit, keeping the cartridge in a more
reasonable climate controlled situation (perhaps in the passenger
section, in a storage container). Since these cartridges contain both
the ink and the head, as long as they were kept in reasonable
conditions, the rest of the printer could probably tolerate the
temperature extremes with little damage.

Art
 
Hi Jeff,

Upon reconsideration, if you have an older HP or Lexmark inkjet printer
(or even an older Canon) which uses a cartridge which contains the ink
and head together, you may be able to get away with leaving the printer
in the trunk of the vehicle as long as the cartridge were protected a
bit better in the car.

I would be a bit more concerned with an Epson or newer Canon which have
installed heads.

Art

Jeff Davis - Charter wrote:
 
Thanks Art, I was thinking of using an HP 935 which has the print head and
ink supply in 1 cartridge.
However I just got an old Lexmark Optra E+ for $20 so I think I'll start
with that.

Jeff
 
I do not know where the aversion to pigment based ink comes from.

Not aversion. Pigment inks are much more unstable than dye inks.

HP's cartrdiges are typically rated for storage at -40C to 40C, including
the pigmented black.
Click to expand...

Please, could you give me any internet page of the hp site that states the
storage temperature of *any* hp cartridge?
I have seen once, another company stated for a specific cartridge -15C (5 F)
but I've never found it again, so I'm not sure.
I have on my hands a #57, says 15 to 35 C (59 to 95 F). Another #15 has
printed into the box the same temperatures. May it gives the long time
storage temperatures. I'm interested on the extreme temperatures a cartridge
could endure.

HP's portable Deskjet is rated at -20C to 60C for short term storage and
0C to 55C for operation. They use the same black and color cartridges as
many of the other HP printers.
Click to expand...

I think the printer is not a problem.
 
Yes, another choice is a printer with ink cartridges including the
printhead. Just an additional tip, there are some protection clips in which
you can keep the cartridges for protection (drying or mechanical dammage).
 
Yianni said:
Not aversion. Pigment inks are much more unstable than dye inks.
Click to expand...

Do you have any reference for this for the actual OEM inks in question?
The manufacturers go to great lengths to make sure the inks are *not*
unstable.
I think the printer is not a problem.
Click to expand...

The spec is for the *system*, which consists of the printer and its
cartridges. It is pretty difficult to operate a printer without
cartridges.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...docname=c00209088&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN
says the spec's for the #96 is 5F to 95F (-15C to 35C) for storage.

- Bob Headrick
 
Yianni said:
Yes, another choice is a printer with ink cartridges including the
printhead. Just an additional tip, there are some protection clips in
which you can keep the cartridges for protection (drying or mechanical
dammage).
Click to expand...

The printer's service station has a proper vented capping system and is
generally the best place to store a cartridge.

BTW, the #45 and #78 cartridges the OP has in his DeskJet 932 printer
are rated for storage from -40C to 60C, see:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...ame=bpa02045&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN#N743
and
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...ame=bpa02009&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN#N945

- Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging
 
I hope it works out for you.

Art

Jeff said:
Thanks Art, I was thinking of using an HP 935 which has the print head and
ink supply in 1 cartridge.
However I just got an old Lexmark Optra E+ for $20 so I think I'll start
with that.

Jeff
Click to expand...
 
Not aversion. Pigment inks are much more unstable than dye inks.
Do you have any reference for this for the actual OEM inks in question?
The manufacturers go to great lengths to make sure the inks are *not*
unstable.
Click to expand...

The pigment inks are solid particles dispersed (colloidal face) into the
liquid face. If this freeze (being ice) the colloidal coagulates. This is
common for all pigment inks. But the temperature the ink freezes depends on
the type of liquid. As I said before, most inks contains glycols that act
like anti-freezing for cars. Glycols increase the boiling point and decrease
the freezing point. So the percentage and the type of glycol determins the
freezing point.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...docname=c00209088&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN
says the spec's for the #96 is 5F to 95F (-15C to 35C) for storage.
Click to expand...

Interesting, thanks for this. I have seen in the past another epson ink with
storage temperature up to -37C. I was surprised, I search again and I
haven't found the same info. I wasn't sure if I saw correct! It seems that
the newer inks are better in all features. After our conversation I search a
bit and I found this:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...68178&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN&docname=c00379841
the storage temperature is very extreme. I wonder if glycol could decrease
so much the freezing point.
 
According to the information on my Ethylene Glycol antifreeze bottle:

E.G./water
50/50 .................-37 degrees C
60/40 .................-52 degrees C
70/30 .................-64 degrees C

Art
 
Now, I have an explanation why some inks are stable at so low temperatures.
The inks contain less percentage of glycol (about 20-30%) giving a freezing
point of -8 to -16 C (14 to 2 F). After your answer I search for freezing
points of mixtures, and I found something interesting, methanol (similar to
alcohol) decreases it more than ethylene glycol.
After the whole conversation, I don't afraid any more of the transportation
of inks. In the past I thought that 0-5C should damage the inks. Courier
delivery (by airplane at cargo) usually reach to about -0 C (32 F), and in
many cases in lower temperatures (up to -18C/0F).
 
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