How often should you use your inkjet printer to avoid clogging and other problems
Summary
TLDRKeith Cooper, an expert in printer testing, discusses the usage and maintenance of inkjet printers, focusing on the Epson P5300. He addresses common concerns about printer drying issues due to inactivity and advises on how often to use printers to avoid such problems. While there’s no definitive answer, Keith suggests printing a nozzle check every one to two weeks to keep the printer in good condition. He also emphasizes the importance of proper care, such as extended warranties for expensive models and avoiding prolonged periods of disuse to prevent costly repairs.
Takeaways
- 🖨️ Regular use is important: Lack of use is the number one reason for inkjet printers having issues.
- ⏳ Longer inactivity increases risk: The more time a printer is left unused, the higher the likelihood of problems developing.
- 📅 Weekly usage recommended: For the Epson P5300, it's advised to use the printer weekly, though it can probably go longer with proper care.
- 🔄 Perform regular nozzle checks: Printing nozzle checks every week or two helps keep the printer functioning well.
- 💧 Avoid consecutive cleanings: If a cleaning cycle doesn't work, wait 10-15 minutes before trying again to avoid wasting ink.
- 🛡️ Warranty is important: For expensive printers like the P5300, investing in an extended warranty is recommended due to high repair costs.
- 📏 Larger printers need more care: Commercial-grade printers like the Epson P5000 require more frequent use than consumer-grade models like the P900.
- 💻 Keep printer software settings default: Allow the printer to manage its own sleep and power-down modes unless there's a reason to change them.
- 🌡️ Humidity control helps: For smaller printers, sealing them in plastic bags when left unused can prevent drying out.
- 📈 Positive reviews are rare: People are more likely to complain about printer issues than share long-term positive experiences.
Q & A
What is the primary issue with inkjet printers when they are not used regularly?
-The primary issue with inkjet printers is that the ink can dry out and cause problems, especially if the printer is not used frequently. The likelihood of issues increases the longer a printer remains unused.
How often should the Epson P5300 be used to prevent drying out, according to the manual?
-Epson recommends using the P5300 weekly to prevent drying out, although the speaker believes this suggestion is on the cautious side and suggests printing every week or two as a precaution.
Why is there no simple answer to how often you need to use a printer to prevent issues?
-There’s no simple answer because the problem depends on various factors, including the printer model, the frequency of use, and environmental conditions. While some printers may work after being left unused for months, others might experience problems even after shorter periods of inactivity.
What is the difference between consumer-grade printers like the P900 and commercial-grade printers like the P5000?
-Consumer-grade printers like the P900 are designed for occasional use and can tolerate longer periods of inactivity, while commercial-grade printers like the P5000 are built for daily, heavy-duty use and may encounter more problems if left unused for extended periods.
What is a nozzle check, and why is it recommended to perform one regularly?
-A nozzle check is a test print that checks if the printer’s nozzles are functioning properly. It is recommended to perform one regularly to keep the printer’s ink flowing and prevent clogs, which can occur if the printer is left unused.
How should you clean your printer if a nozzle check shows problems?
-If the nozzle check shows problems, the printer should be cleaned, but it’s important to wait at least 10 to 15 minutes between cleanings. Running multiple clean cycles back-to-back is ineffective and wastes ink.
Why does the speaker suggest setting a diary reminder for using the printer?
-The speaker suggests setting a diary reminder because it’s easy to forget when you last used the printer. Regular use is crucial for preventing ink from drying out, so having a reminder helps ensure consistent maintenance.
What is the significance of replaceable print heads in Canon printers?
-While replaceable print heads in Canon printers are sometimes touted as an advantage, the speaker notes that this is not a significant difference compared to Epson printers. Both brands use different print head technologies, but neither is inherently better in terms of reliability.
What advice does the speaker give for leaving a printer unused for an extended period?
-For extended periods of disuse, the speaker suggests sealing smaller printers in a plastic bag to maintain humidity and prevent the ink from drying out. Additionally, arranging for someone to turn the printer on occasionally can help keep it functional.
Why should negative comments about printer reliability be viewed cautiously?
-Negative comments about printer reliability should be viewed cautiously because they are often based on isolated experiences. People are more likely to share complaints than positive feedback, so it’s important to consider a variety of opinions and the context behind them.
Outlines
🖨️ Understanding Printer Usage Frequency
In this introduction, Keith Cooper shares his expertise in testing various printers, particularly the Epson P5300. He highlights a common question about how often printers need to be used to avoid drying out. While there is no simple answer, he emphasizes that printers should be used regularly to prevent issues. Cooper discusses the differences in printer technologies, such as Canon's replaceable print heads and Epson’s systems, and shares anecdotes about how printers may work even after long periods of inactivity. However, he stresses that the risk of problems increases with lack of use, particularly with more expensive, commercial-grade printers.
🧼 Printer Cleaning and Maintenance
Keith advises that regular maintenance, such as running a nozzle check or cleaning, is important for preventing printer issues. For the Epson P5300, he recommends printing a nozzle check every week or two to keep it operational. He warns against running multiple cleaning cycles consecutively as this wastes ink. Cooper mentions that while some printers allow paperless nozzle checks, others may require using paper. Keeping the printer active, even with small tasks, is critical to maintaining its functionality over time.
🤔 Navigating Printer Reviews and User Biases
In this section, Keith explores common biases in online printer reviews. Many people share negative experiences about printers breaking down, but he cautions against placing too much weight on these comments, as they often stem from isolated incidents. Printer technologies have evolved significantly over the years, making past grievances irrelevant. He explains that people are less likely to post positive feedback when their printers work well for extended periods. As a result, online reviews can be skewed. Keith also emphasizes that he doesn't assess long-term reliability in his reviews because his test periods are too short to draw such conclusions.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Inkjet Printers
💡Print Heads
💡Nozzle Check
💡Cleaning Cycles
💡Consumer vs. Commercial Printers
💡Extended Warranty
💡Humidity
💡Printer Reliability
💡Selective Observation
💡Power Management
Highlights
Lack of use is the number one reason for problems with inkjet printers.
More frequent periods of inactivity increase the likelihood of printer issues.
Canon printers have replaceable print heads, but this isn't a major advantage as it's a different print head technology compared to Epson.
Some users may report not using a printer for months without issues, but this is anecdotal and not guaranteed for all printers.
Commercial printers like the Epson P5000 are designed for heavy, daily use, unlike consumer-grade printers like the P900, which can be left idle for longer periods.
Epson recommends using the P5300 weekly to avoid problems, but a user can likely leave it idle for longer with proper care.
Setting a diary reminder to periodically print can help prevent forgetting when the printer was last used.
A simple nozzle check print can help maintain the printer's functionality and prevent ink from drying out.
Running multiple cleaning cycles in succession is not effective and wastes ink. A 10-15 minute gap between cleaning attempts is recommended.
Printers like the P5000 can perform paperless nozzle checks, but the P5300 requires actual printing.
The reliability of a printer increases with regular use, and expensive models often require more consistent use.
User feedback on printer reliability is often biased toward negative experiences, so it's important to consider a variety of perspectives.
Printers left idle for long periods can consume significant amounts of ink during startup cleaning cycles.
Small printers left unattended for long periods should be sealed in plastic bags to maintain humidity and prevent drying out.
Extended warranties are recommended for expensive printers, as repairs can be costly without one.
Transcripts
hi my name is Keith Cooper nor FL images
I test a lot of printers I use a lot of
printers um both as my work and also
because well I enjoy testing printers at
the moment I've got this
p5300 here this is a new printer from
Epson it's based on the p5000 chassis
but with the ink um ink system and print
heads of the p700 p900 and a question
I'm getting asked a lot and and
regularly get asked is how often do I
need to use a printer to stop it drying
out um there is no simple answer to this
and I give you a run through of some of
the considerations that I have when I'm
looking at printers and for printers
that I might keep for myself ones that I
might use now first of all the number
one reason for printers inkjet printers
having problems is lack of use um it is
not something that you say if you don't
use this printer for 4 weeks your
printer will break it is that the more
often you leave the printer for any
length of time without using it the
increased likelihood is that you'll get
some problem with the printer now the
fact that Canon printers have
replaceable print heads is sometimes
touted as a big Advantage it's not they
are different technology um there is no
great difference between Epson and canon
in this respect they are different print
head Technologies so you cannot really
directly connect compare one with the
other now it's quite possible that you
will hear of somebody going well I left
a printer unconnected for months and it
worked perfectly when I started it up in
fact I did a review when I had had the
Pro 300 here I think it was Canam Pro
300 I left it for months um because it
was here and I didn't need it and I
forgot about it I started it up it
needed a bit of a clean and then it
worked perfectly now that is but one
example as to say the problem is that
the more often you don't use something
generally the pro the problems build up
and in general the bigger the more
expensive the printer the more care you
actually need in using it regularly now
the p5000 that I've got one of the
problems with a p5000 was that it was
designed for commercial print use that
means running the printer every day all
day long and it got through a lot of
printing now it's got all sorts of
aspects of the design of it to minimize
the buildup of dust paper dust ink Vapor
ink droplets collecting inside and
causing problems but it was not designed
to be left for weeks on end now the p700
the
p900 are also well SE p900 is a 17in
printer the p900 for example is a
consumer grade printer it's aimed at
consumer use you would not expect to be
able to get the levels of use out of a
p900 that you could out of a p5000 for
example they're just completely
different uh the fact that I can lift
one up and move it about and this one
needs two people to shift it is you a
good indication of it so with the more
consumer oriented printers you can leave
them longer how long would I leave them
though well for this printer for P5
5300 Epson actually in the manual
suggest you use it
weekly now I think this is them being a
little bit on the safe side I think that
if I was to set a diary reminder and
it's how I remember to do it I have to
set a diary reminder to actually do this
because this is easily easy to forget
did I last print something two weeks ago
or 3 weeks ago was it last month you
will forget that sort of stuff so I have
a diary reminder pops up every week
tells me to start up the
p5000 I would if I had one of these I
would probably keep it because does no
harm if you really want to do a test
print on it now the p5000 can do a
paperless nozzle check this can't cuz
it's different technology
all you need to do to exercise your
printer is just produce a nozzle check
print now that's on an A3 A4 sheet of
paper if you're feeling really tight
then you can use the same sheet of paper
several times put back through the
printer and just do a quick check now it
may not be that you get a perfect nozzle
check if you leave it it's worthwhile
doing maybe a clean if it looks like a
serious problem
but do remember that if you run a clean
on a printer and it doesn't fix things
leave the printer a minimum of 10 to 15
minutes before doing it again doing
multiple printer cleans just one after
the other achieves very little and
wastes ink which you don't really want
to do so that's all I would do for this
particular printer every week or two I
would print this out just to keep keep
it busy because it's an expensive
printer and you don't want it going
wrong uh I'm not going to say it will go
wrong but it's a brand new model of
printer so we've got no experience of it
I mentioned about the likelihood of
printers failing increases with the
number of times you don't use them and
the amount of time that you don't use
them you know it's it's a random thing
um I suppose in a way it's like taking
out smoking um it may well kill you but
everybody will have examples of people
who've smoked for years and seem to live
to a ripe old age now that selective
observation effect I've noticed a great
deal in Printers in comments on forums
and the like beware the printer winge
now there are several types of this
there are the people who said I had an
Epson printer in 2002 it went wrong I'll
never ever use Epson again or I had a
Canon printer it went wrong in 2004 and
I'll never use one yeah you're going to
get people like that comments like that
I go yeah okay by what you're happy with
I'm not taking much notice of that
printers have changed so much in the
years in recent years that such
observations are ridiculous now they're
not that ridiculous I suppose because um
you I get people saying well you know I
had a Ford um you know car I had years
ago it broke down a lot so I'm never
going to buy a Ford again yeah people
have irrational likes and dislikes like
that um I long since gave up pointing
out the absurdity of such things and
just let them get on with it um so the
other thing is that when printers go
wrong it's annoying it's
expensive people especially these days
are far more likely to make a noise
about it you do not get people making a
noise about oh well I've had this
printer for 14 years now and it's work
perfectly every week and I use it and it
carries on working you don't hear that
you hear the negative comments so always
when you're looking for information
about reliability of printers and that
look at a variety of comments and
remember what the motives behind those
comments may be now I quite specifically
in my reviews do not cover longevity and
things like that because quite often I
don't have printers for a while I've got
this one for just over a month now just
over a month
is no way long enough for me to give any
indications of printer reliability that
can only come over time you won't get it
from this so let's say you've got your
printer I've said you know
reminders should you leave them powered
on well I normally let them leave them
at the defaults if they go into a
shutdown you know quiet mode or
something like that I let them turn
themselves off this one here will turn
itself off after a while it's gone to
sleep now I did some printing a while
ago and it's gone into a quiet mode
literally a quiet mode for this cuz this
is quite a noisy printer you will hear
the fans start up and everything once
once it gets going I leave all the
settings at defaults unless I've got
clear indications to change them there
is I've come across software that will
do test prints for you that might be if
you have to leave your printer for a
long while what should you do well my
solution when I had large format
printers here and I used to go traveling
for a month or so was well I've got lots
of plants around the house um and a
friend would come in to water the plants
and I basically asked them to when they
came into the house if they could switch
the printer on and when they left switch
the printer off didn't really matter whe
they switched off but just to get it to
do something um and it would do cleaning
Cycles I had had a for big printers you
can often set them to do automatic
cleaning
Cycles do remember as well though that
the longer you leave printers they can
use up quite a bit of ink in cleaning
when they start up very I from printer
to printer the Canon Pro 1000 for
example is renowned for occasionally if
you don't use it that often using up
perhaps 50% of its ink in cleanings now
if you use it a lot it uses a much lower
percentage but it's always a possibility
for that so you always think about what
you're doing with different printers
they are all different but essentially
try and switch them on use them in some
way regularly and that will enhance the
chances of your printer living to a ripe
old age for expensive printers like this
I would buy a warranty extended warranty
I know it's expensive but printers like
this are phenomenally expensive to
repair if you haven't got a warranty on
it and if you're paying as much as you
would for one of this or one of the
larger ones then definitely for 700 900
Canon Pro 1000 it might be worthwhile
just have to see what sort of deals you
can get on things but there you have it
uh this one won't be here long enough
for me unfortunately and will be used a
lot to do it but just don't leave your
printers
unattended um oh one other thing while I
remember it if you got a smallish
printer and you're going away for a
length of time seal it up in a plastic
bag keeps the humidity higher stops IT
drying out of course don't leave it in a
hot room where the sun's going to shine
on it and all sorts of things like that
you have any bits of equipment now if
you got any questions please do ask I
mean what I've said here here is purely
personal advice based on what I've
discovered over the years um I
appreciate that some people are going to
say to me well my printer died such and
such or whatever yeah these things
happen it's
annoying there you go uh but uh I say
take care use your printer enjoy using
your printer get more out of it anyway
there you go um thanks for watching
please do subscribe to the channel if
you find it of interest and uh back to
test this thing
thanks
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