Epson & the problem with expiration dates

[KevinCarter]

How do you beat this?
You doing a big project, so you have to have 9+ cartridges, all in good supply, all of which run out in who knows what speed.

Then you are left with a lot of boxes with coming expiration dates.

How do you beat this?

And how long can you successfully print after those dates? thanks.

[BobSmith]

I wouldn't worry about the expiration dates much. I have a 9600 that isn't used all that much any more... and some left over carts from a 4000 that has long since gone to printer heaven. As a result I have an abundance of carts for the 9600 that are well past the expiration date. The oldest cart in my 9600 shows an expiration date of April 2006 (MK cart). The printer prints just fine... performance is consistent and very few clogs. Just be sure the gently shake the carts once in a while so that the pigment doesn't settle out.

Bob Smith

[KevinCarter]

Great Bob:
I was getting to the point of racing back to the store, trying to get refund the month it comes up and realized, maybe it's just as you suggest. cool.

[larry_angier]

Don't sweat the date too much.

I'm still running a 4000 and MK is dated June 2005, almost three years out of date. I ran a bunch of matt stock a few weeks ago and it was just as happy as could be.

The trick that I've heard is to simply remove the older carts, agitate gently to keep homogenous and put them back in.

[BobSmith]

another thought... re reading your original post is sounds like you're trying to make sure that you always have carts that are full enough to make it through a lengthy print run. You don't say what printer you are working with but all of the larger Epsons and at least some of the desktop models will let you swap carts in the middle of a print with no noticeable effect on the print at all. The only real reason for worrying about having a good supply in all of the carts is if you're planning to leave the printer unattended. Otherwise don't worry about it. A low cart means the printer stops in mid print and waits for someone to change the cart before it continues on. It's rather depressing to leave a large rushed job on the printer overnight only to come in in the morning and see that it only printed a small portion and is waiting for me to feed it more ink.

Bob Smith

[JimHayes]

Just to get this clear and to rephrase for my own purposes; I have an 4880: Epson gives two expirations in the manual. They say the carts are good for two years from purchase, and once opened, six months.

In addition, there is an expiration date code printed on each cart package.

I know I'm probably going to use the cart before 2 years or the printed date code is up. The thing that interests me is that I think this thread is also saying that the carts last well beyond the six month out of plastic wrapper deadline(?).

If so, I can switch to the cheaper per ml 220ml carts instead of the 110ml, since I don't have to worry about using them up within six months.

Can someone clarify how long they have used carts in printer, UNSEALED without degradation? If I read the thread right, it may easily be around two years. If longer than six months, how often do you shake the carts?

[BobSmith]

I have three large format Epsons and I've never heard that six months after opened figure. Maybe I didn't read the manual thoroughly enough. At any rate I know I have had some the slower to use colors in my 9600 or 4000 for well over a year.... and often well past the expiration date without incident. The new printers like (I think) the 48xx and the 98xx ( I know the 9800, I have one) use pressurized carts. That might change this a little. Still I know I've probably had some of the lower usage carts go well beyond six months in my 9800 without incident.

Bob Smith

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