Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (
More info?)
Dye based inks such as those used in the Epson 800 (I have several 800
and a 850 also, so I know this printer and its cartridges well)
are made up basically of the following components:
Water- principle base and solvent
glycol- used to increase drying time, to help with solubility and
distribution and break surface tension on paper, also helps to thicken
the ink, and to prevent freezing during shipment
sometimes alcohol of some type- flow agent
surfactant- to lower surface tension, to help flow, to help ink dissolve
itself on head surface
pH adulterator- often ammonia or another base to provide correct ionic
condition
dyes: water soluble
The SC800 cartridges themselves are basically a chamber filled with the
ink and a sponge or batting material, with a hole in the bottom and a
venting labyrinth at the top for each color.
I imagine that over time, these inks can change chemically and alter.
In the present of air, they can oxidize or otherwise alter more
readily. The water and alcohol can evaporate out of the cartridges even
sealed if the plastics have porosity to those molecules. That's why the
aluminized plastic foil helps to keep them fresher.
I would try to use up opened cartridges within 6-12 months or at least
add some ammoniated window cleaner (which has most of the components
found in the dye inks) to keep the ink from thickening too much.
The reason Epson speaks about not leaving the ink cartridges out for
long is that the ink will dry at the outlet, and more importantly on the
printer itself, which can lead to head clogs.
I have used dye ink cartridges several years out of date without problems.
Almost all clogs that occur with dye inks are clearable with minimal effort.
Art
tiktak wrote:
> "CWatters" <colin.watters@pandoraBOX.be> wrote in message
> news:nFDLe.169009$ck1.9372739@phobos.telenet-ops.be...
>
>>"tiktak" <hikoryERASETHISPART@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>news:c8tLe.17005$eg4.928401@wagner.videotron.net...
>>
>>>I opened a few of the inks to see if they were not dry (I Don't know if
>>
>>its
>>
>>>possible for ink to dry while sealed but anyway). and they are
>>>definitely
>>>not dry, I extracted some ink with a needle just to see.
>>
>>Unlikely to be dry but might have a thicker layer at the bottom. Ever
>>opened
>>an old tin of paint?
>>
>>Give them a good shake - in a plastic bag!
>
>
> ha! good analogy!
> I'll give them a good shake before opening and installing.
>
> so in short, as long as they are factory sealed they can sit like this for a
> very, very, very long time, did I get it about right? do they EVER go bad
> then?
>
> just out of pure curiosity, if I do open the original seal at some point,
> and (A) without installing the cartridge in the printer, would relocking it
> in somehting like zipbag be equivalent to never opening original factory
> seal at all, or would something be different at this point??? and ...
>
> ...(B) if after removing original seal, I did install it in the printer,
> printed a few pages, then say my printer dies on me, and I'd like to store
> the ink away, could relocking it in something like a zipbag let me keep it
> safe for a longer while? say, how long then?
>
>
> last little thing (I can't quite get that whole "shelflife issue" worked
> out, maybe that manufacturers two year lifespan propaganda got to me)...
> while reading a manual for an epson printer, how to replace ink tank
> section, they said something like this: "... after removing ink catridge
> from its holder inside the printer, ensure to put it back in after no more
> than 30 minutes or the ink may dry or start to dry". does this make sense?
> and if so, how does being in the holder prevent it from drying exactly,
> versus the ink catridge being outside of it.
>
> regards.
>
>