When Ink Costs More Than The Printer

[Drew Aitch]

Hi Forum

In my ignorance, I bought a brand new printer for just 950 Baht thinking that I would be able to fit external ink wells to it once the first tiny sample cartridges ran dry. I'm well aware of the high cost of replacement ink, but assuming external ink wells could be fitted to any model, I didn’t think this was a problem. Well, it is

Apparently there are certain models/brands where external ink can't be fitted. So my question here is does anyone know which printers are able to fit these outside cartridges?

I don't print a lot so don't need a state of the art model but will spend around 2000+ Baht on something half decent if necessary.

So are there any happy campers out there who have been using a printer that uses external ink wells? If so please let me know make and model so that i can make a short list of options.

Thanks in advance

Aitch

[Darrel]

"does anyone know which printers are able to fit these outside cartridges?"

Why not ask the shops that fit the tanks?

In Pattaya most (all?) of them sell the printers also, and have piles of them stacked up in full view.

[Daffy D]

As the man says buy a printer with the external tanks fitted.

I did this about a year ago and am well satisfied. Enough ink in the tanks to last loooong time and topping them up is easy peasy. Non of that messing about with the cartridges inside the printer.

I do very little printing so to stop the print head drying out print a couple of color pictures on scrap paper at least once a week.

My printer is a Canon iP2770 but I guess any printer will work just as well.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Daffy D

[CharlieH]

I got the Canon too, combined scanner printer, great machine, ink tanks, does a good job. I just had to refill the Black and the ink was 80baht!!! a bottle. VERY HAPPY !!!!!

I used to use the Brother printer but the cartirdges were 520 for Black and 320 for each colour, cost 1500 baht for ink replacement !! so needed to change that so I know just how you feel.

This Canon is MP287 paid 2400 all in .

Edited August 7, 2011 by CharlieH

[Tywais]

My printer is a Canon iP2770 but I guess any printer will work just as well.

We have that same model at the office and also fitted. Price around 1500.00 Baht.

[Drew Aitch]

Thanks for all the replies guys, appreciate it

I'm in Chiang Mai and I've never seen 'new' printers for sale with external cartridges fitted. In fact I'm not even sure that the warranty would be valid if they were? I have seen used printers in use with external ink at the mall. I also know where to buy the ink wells, but just wanted a recommendation on a printer that works with them (HP doesn't as but one example), and feedback on how well it functions. The cannon sounds ideal and has had a few thumbs up here, so I'll likely go and have a look at one of those next week.

Not all printers are equal, and after having a 16,500 Baht all-in-one pack up on me only 10 months after purchase, I'm a bit reluctant what to buy. This particular model, i was told, has caused so many problems for customers that they wouldn't even attempt to repair it but suggested i bring it in and get some discount on another model seeing as it was still under warranty. I bought that from Central Chidlom can you believe

Anyhow, thanks again, i think all will be fine now.

Aitch

[teflonjon]

I second the Canon Pixma MP287. It's an all in one printer, scanner and copier and comes with external ink.

[Pib]

I got the Canon too, combined scanner printer, great machine, ink tanks, does a good job. I just had to refill the Black and the ink was 80baht!!! a bottle. VERY HAPPY !!!!!

I used to use the Brother printer but the cartirdges were 520 for Black and 320 for each colour, cost 1500 baht for ink replacement !! so needed to change that so I know just how you feel.

This Canon is MP287 paid 2400 all in .

I got a Canon MP287 outfitted the same way a couple months ago...paid 2600 baht for it here in Bangkok (Pantip). It would have been 2200 baht without the external tanks....but then I would have been refilling those little Canon printerheads every few weeks/months. The printer is working just fine. I'm not sure I will ever run out of ink with the external tanks.

And yes, the Canon warranty is voided with install of the external tanks but normally the shop you buy it from will give you a 30 day guarantee. When it comes to electronic devices, usually if they get through the first week or so of operation they will continue to operate pass a year making the manufacturers warranty not a real player, especially if you are dealing with some electronic items that only costs a couple thousand baht. Actually the modification to add external ink tanks is simple and fairly fast to install.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Pib

[teflonjon]

I got the Canon too, combined scanner printer, great machine, ink tanks, does a good job. I just had to refill the Black and the ink was 80baht!!! a bottle. VERY HAPPY !!!!!

I used to use the Brother printer but the cartirdges were 520 for Black and 320 for each colour, cost 1500 baht for ink replacement !! so needed to change that so I know just how you feel.

This Canon is MP287 paid 2400 all in .

I got a Canon MP287 outfitted the same way a couple months ago...paid 2600 baht for it here in Bangkok (Pantip). It would have been 2200 baht without the external tanks....but then I would have been refilling those little Canon printerheads every few weeks/months. The printer is working just fine. I'm not sure I will ever run out of ink with the external tanks.

Same as...I've had mine a year and have barely managed to use a quarter of the back, and less than 10% of the colors.

[Darrel]

I also know where to buy the ink wells, but just wanted a recommendation on a printer that works with them (HP doesn't as but one example), .......

There are loads of HP printers with tanks fitted in Tukcom Pattaya.

Maybe they just dont know how to do it in CM?

Your warranty is voided as soon as you fit external tanks so that isnt an issue.

[mausbiber]

...

I'm in Chiang Mai and I've never seen 'new' printers for sale with external cartridges fitted. In fact I'm not even sure that the warranty would be valid if they were? I have seen used printers in use with external ink at the mall. I also know where to buy the ink wells, but just wanted a recommendation on a printer that works with them (HP doesn't as but one example), and feedback on how well it functions. The cannon sounds ideal and has had a few thumbs up here, so I'll likely go and have a look at one of those next week.

...

I am sure you can find new printer with external tanks at IT City and surrounding shops:

http://maps.google.d...234589&t=h&z=18

One thing I would care for: take a model with a permanent print head. Printer from HP and Lexmark (may be also cheaper models from other producer) will loose print quality after some cycles of refilling.

[pomchop]

I also know where to buy the ink wells, but just wanted a recommendation on a printer that works with them (HP doesn't as but one example), .......

There are loads of HP printers with tanks fitted in Tukcom Pattaya.

Maybe they just dont know how to do it in CM?

Your warranty is voided as soon as you fit external tanks so that isnt an issue.

I have an HP printer/scanner. I have tried to have the cartridges refilled with ink but they don't work. Is is possible/practical to take the printer to some shop and they can fit it with these external ink things everyone is referring to in this post? Or does it make more sense to just junk my current printer and buy a new one that is already fitted? I gave up on buying the cartridges as i don't print that much plus since i am gone several months a year the cartridges dry and don't work after a few months anyway even though still plenty of ink. So i find myself putting stuff on my flash drive and taking it to a shop to get stuff printed.

[Darrel]

Your refilled cartridges probably dont work because they have a chip that indicates to the printer that the cartridge is empty. There may be some way to reset the chip.

It may be possible to fit external tanks to your model but you would have to ask the people who do it.

If you only print little and rarely (just like me) you should perhaps consider a laser printer: the ink (toner) never dries out on these. I used the original toner cartridge in my Canon black laser printer for 8 years, without emptying it.

Depending on your requirements, a home black laser printer (all-in-one machines also exist) combined with a print shop for colour work might be ideal.

[ignis]

I don't print a lot so don't need a state of the art model but will spend around 2000+ Baht on something half decent if necessary.

Question why if you do not print a lot do you need to fit external tanks?

I bought in the UK in 2002 a Canon printer, here I had the shop fit the external tanks, as a poster above said you must print something in colour, I forgot and the print head dried out, repairs were not worth it, so bought another Canon about 4 years ago, only at the time it was a brand new model and there was no external tanks made for the new model...

There is now, but still have not bought them, as I take the empty cartridge to the shop and have them refilled.. Last Friday had all the tanks refilled, Black is 3x the size of the colour cartridges total cost Friday 450 baht.. The shop also sells the original Canon cartridge = total for all colors + Black = 2,150 baht...

Only problem with refilling is is the print box flashes saying the cartridges are low, but still prints fine, sometime next year the print will be bad so will have to have them refilled again when this happens.

On the other question the little shop did sell 1x model Canon printer, but the 2 girls had many printer in the shop fitting external tanks both new and old, Most were different models of Canon + a very old A3 size HP printer.. while she was filling my cartridges a man came in with the new Canon all in one still in he box, Printer, Scanner, copier, fax and yes they would fit the external tanks... Had looked at this new Canon a few days ago, looked good and interdiction offer was 3,150 baht. [have a HP copier and Fax = nothing but problems, not working again + just over 1 year old. had been replaced 3x and repaired 4x in 1 yr !!]

[Maejo Man]

Thanks for all the replies guys, appreciate it

I'm in Chiang Mai and I've never seen 'new' printers for sale with external cartridges fitted. In fact I'm not even sure that the warranty would be valid if they were?...........................snip.................. Anyhow, thanks again, i think all will be fine now.

Aitch

The Canon shop at Computer Plaza has the Canon Pixma all set up ready to go and not expensive, It's the first shop on the right as you enter..

[Drew Aitch]

Question why if you do not print a lot do you need to fit external tanks?

Because the replacement cartridges cost more than the printer even on a brand new basic job. I did get the black refilled once but after a couple of weeks I got an error saying it was empty (although it wasn't), and so wouldn't print any more.

After emptying and refilling again, plus getting the print head cleaned, the same thing happened shortly after. So you see, If i had external cartridges, or at least the option to fit them when the originals ran low, I wouldn't have to worry. I just wasn't prepared to pay 2,700 Baht for 2 replacement cartridges on a printer that cost 950 Baht brand new.

And anyway, the point is that it's nice to have the choice to fit external ink wells when the originals run out, and i know its been said that HP can be done, but I did visit a number of shops in CM who all said this couldn't, not with HP printers. That's all i know.

Cheers

Aitch

Edited August 8, 2011 by Drew Aitch

[Drew Aitch]

The Canon shop at Computer Plaza has the Canon Pixma all set up ready to go and not expensive, It's the first shop on the right as you enter..

Thanks Maejo Man, i'm on my way

Aitch

[Darrel]

This is definitely an HP with a tank.

http://www.inkmanonline.com/listbrand.php?catno=22&brandno=14

Admittedly, this tank fitter only does that one HP model whereas for the other brands they have many models.

Probably due to the cartridge chip problem that I mentioned previously.

EIther way, the same site shows several brands, models and prices.

[Daffy D]

If you have the external tanks on a Canon you will get the ink warning messages. This is because the printer does not know it has the tanks and is thinking a normal cartridge is empty.

When the message pops up you have the option of disabling it, I forget the exact sequence to do this but I did it so it can't be too complicated.

You should check the level in the tanks occasionally or one day you will run out of ink

[Pib]

If you have the external tanks on a Canon you will get the ink warning messages. This is because the printer does not know it has the tanks and is thinking a normal cartridge is empty.

When the message pops up you have the option of disabling it, I forget the exact sequence to do this but I did it so it can't be too complicated.

You should check the level in the tanks occasionally or one day you will run out of ink

When buying my Canon with the external ink tanks, the shop told me the same thing. When the message pops up just click the Resume button or something like that and continue on...it shouldn't bother you again...just keep an eye on your external tanks ink levels.

[Rinrada]

Agree Ink prices are a rip off.(apart from old Epsons black ink..99 pence)

In the past have just dumped printer when the stuff runs out and bought a new ones.

RE THE TANKS..Great idea...Spoke to the guys on last visit downstairs at Seacon Square,Shri Nak when I first noticed them but my "all in one" over here is a Lexmark X3580 and they say that...Lexmark..mai meedont do for...Lmk.....Arggg...pity

As it happens I dont remember seeing externalS anywhere for comps in UK ..must check.

[ignis]

Agree Ink prices are a rip off.(apart from old Epsons black ink..99 pence)

In the past have just dumped printer when the stuff runs out and bought a new ones.

RE THE TANKS..Great idea...Spoke to the guys on last visit downstairs at Seacon Square,Shri Nak when I first noticed them but my "all in one" over here is a Lexmark X3580 and they say that...Lexmark..mai meedont do for...Lmk.....Arggg...pity

As it happens I dont remember seeing externalS anywhere for comps in UK ..must check.

http://www.continuous-ink-systems.co.uk/

[astral]

I do very little printing so to stop the print head drying out print a couple of color pictures on scrap paper at least once a week.

A good idea, but doesn't rather defeat the object, wasting precious ink each week?

I don't need colour printing, so I an seriously considering buying a laser printer.

No problem there with drying heads.

[Daffy D]

A good idea, but doesn't rather defeat the object, wasting precious ink each week?

Well yes but I had the same problem with the cartridges drying out if not used regularly. At least with the tanks its cheaper

[Pib]

I do very little printing so to stop the print head drying out print a couple of color pictures on scrap paper at least once a week.

A good idea, but doesn't rather defeat the object, wasting precious ink each week?

I don't need colour printing, so I an seriously considering buying a laser printer.

No problem there with drying heads.

But the toner can go bad on you, especially in a high humidity environment and infrequent use (the toner in the cartridge can gum-up when it's still pretty full). Plus a good laser printer costs noticeably more than a good ink jet printer. With external ink tanks, being able to buy ink "everywhere", and such a wide, wide variety of ink jet printers available, I think an ink jet printer is the best choice when used with external ink tanks. Please tell me you don't use a black & white TV?

I to turn both of my Canon ink jet printers on approx once a week just to cause printer head movement which will draw just a little ink by that movement when they return to their resting location which has soak pads. Only takes about 30 seconds to do the on-off cycle. And approx twice a month I will print-out one multi-color page from both printers. This has worked for me over the years to keep the printer heads flowing. One of my Canon ink jet printers is around 9 years old and keeps on trucking....it has easily refillable/non-chipped cartridiges. My other Canon is around 4 months old and it has external tanks. Seems my printer usage ranges from none to a whole-lot depending on what I'm working on during the year.

Edited August 9, 2011 by Pib

[Darrel]

But the toner can go bad on you, especially in a high humidity environment and infrequent use (the toner in the cartridge can gum-up when it's still pretty full). Plus a good laser printer costs noticeably more than a good ink jet printer. ........ Please tell me you don't use a black & white TV?

I never had any trouble with clogged toner. The cartridges can be easily taken out and shaken anyway.

Lasers are available from about twice the price of decent inkjet machines. As a rule laser printers are more robust than inkjets anyway.

The main drawback with laser is the cost of new toner cartridges, and if you hardly ever use it (like me) that isnt an issue. They can be refilled also.

I have a colour TV (a very expensive one) because I use it a lot. I dont have a colour printer because I never need to print colour. YMMV

[Drew Aitch]

I do very little printing so to stop the print head drying out print a couple of color pictures on scrap paper at least once a week.

A good idea, but doesn't rather defeat the object, wasting precious ink each week?

Not really because you only need to print off a couple of pages in draft mode which would hardly equate to a drop of ink, yet at the same time keep the print head moist.

Aitch

Edited August 9, 2011 by Drew Aitch

[Drew Aitch]

Okay folks, just to update anyone who's interested on this topic.

I've since been out and bought the Cannon PIXMA iP2770 as suggested by Maejo Man. The cost was just 1,290 Baht and an additional 500 Baht for the big, full to the brim, external ink cartridges. Installation took only a few minutes and now it's working like a charm. So no more worries about the high cost of ink

Thanks one and all

Aitch

Edited August 9, 2011 by Drew Aitch

[Pib]

But the toner can go bad on you, especially in a high humidity environment and infrequent use (the toner in the cartridge can gum-up when it's still pretty full). Plus a good laser printer costs noticeably more than a good ink jet printer. ........ Please tell me you don't use a black & white TV?

I never had any trouble with clogged toner. The cartridges can be easily taken out and shaken anyway.

Lasers are available from about twice the price of decent inkjet machines. As a rule laser printers are more robust than inkjets anyway.

The main drawback with laser is the cost of new toner cartridges, and if you hardly ever use it (like me) that isnt an issue. They can be refilled also.

I have a colour TV (a very expensive one) because I use it a lot. I dont have a colour printer because I never need to print colour. YMMV

I tried the shaking and shaking and shaking....I even tried placing the cartridge in the oven at low heat for a few hours in an attempt to dry it out...all of this didn't help much. When shaking some of the toner powder out you could see it was not a fine, dry powder any more but more of a fine, moist, sticking together power. Now the cartridge had been in the printer around two years, printer getting used every few weeks, and still had plenty of toner left according to the page counter as I wasn't printing much....I expect if I had been printing enough/more to use the cartridge up before the two year period the toner power may not have gummed up from the humidity. I bought a new (refilled) cartridge at a healthy cost and the problem was gone...and when shaking some of the power out of this refilled cartridge the powder was dry. And if I remember right, a toner cartridge even comes with shelf life date meaning the toner cartridge is likely to deteriorate/absorb too much moisture after X years or so, especially after opened from it's packaging. I really can't remember what the shelf life date was on the Epson toner cartridge but I remember it did have one. This occurred over about 9 years ago...this incident was one reason I switched to an ink jet printer (plus I wanted to print in color also)....and I was sure I got an jet printer with refillable cartridges which was the Canon S750 (which I still have/use and it just keeps on trucking). To me Canon printers are hard to beat....I love the two I have...your experience may vary.. Cheers.

[guzzi850m2]

I bought an Epson with 4 external tanks. The problem is when I came home after 2 month overseas working, all my A4 photo prints on the wall in my office had faded away quite badly. I am disappointed about it a will have to take the printer back to the shop for empty the tanks and get better quality ink.