[sindabad.sailor]

Black costs Rs. 450 and colour Rs. 675 both MRP.

I guess the cartridge number is HP 802. At least is so for my HP 2050. The cartridge doesn't print 100 pages as advertised. On draft mode i get 70-80 pages at the best. Also refill is dicey. For last 2 - 3 times the cartridge is not lasting beyond 2-3 refills. I do not repeat refillers lest he himself damaging it and compelling me to buy new one at fat commission.
I was told by many that these cartridges are deliberately manufactured weak so that the electronic circuits short on repeated removal / insertion.
I have very limited printing and it is relatively not so difficult to use cyber cafe.

[audioholic]

Yes it is the 802 cartridge. I have been using it in various modes, majority fast draft and so far it has printed 65 full pages and is reporting around 30% ink left in black cartridge. However I have already topped up Ink twice so I don't know the exact consumption. I did so to ensure that the nozzles wont go dry once the ink gets empty. Have topped up 2ml so far. Think stock ink is over long back.

Refilling is quite easy and I learnt it myself. Also, the printhead got partially clogged once which was resolved by cleaning the head with IPA. Think thats when the stock ink got over.

Btw, are you able to use refilled cartridges? What about the ink level? I read in a lot of forums that in USA, the same printers use HP61, and are not able to reuse the cartridges. I hope we dont have the same problem. Else I am going to junk the printer right away.

[phamilyman]

My 802 cartridges have twice gone bad on me while refilling. One has gone dry while just standing. I bought the twice as expensive larger cartridge hoping it would be able to sustain a 2-3 month dry period, but nope - they are all the same :(

I have regretted this HP2050 purchase decision simply for the continuing cost of the cartridges, given my limited usage. It would've been better to buy the equivalently priced Epson + 1000 bucks for the ink tank. This continuous struggle against ink drying has been a darned waste of time. I will junk it in another year or so.

[audioholic]

What happened to the cartridges? Did they dry up or leak? As I mentioned even mine partially dried but it was solved using a wipe with IPA. Moreover, yesterday I confirmed that the refilled ink has reached the nozzles and the stock ink has indeed dried as the black ink was no longer water proof.

What ink do you use? I am in search for a good quality pigmented ink. I print once in two days at least. The test page is best for keeping the black cartridge active. It takes up a few lines so wont consume much ink too. For colour I print a small spectrum like image once every five days or so. But of course in the middle at least once it is used.

The HP 802 large and small are the same, except for ink capacity. Hence, I dont think that would last longer. Anyone knows if we can try using the ink advantage cartridges with this one? Any mod that can be done to enable this?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

I bought the twice as expensive larger cartridge hoping it would be able to sustain a 2-3 month dry period, but nope - they are all the same :(

They are indeed all the same. I don't think that any inkjet printer will stand not being used. One should print a full-colour document at least once a week. I've even seen the suggestion to set up a scheduled job on the PC to do this.

It is entirely the reason that (having decide that colour print is not vital to us) I bought a laser printer. Although normally associated with heavier use, its advantage to me is that it will sit idle for months and still produce a perfect print. I'm not going to do any sums, but I suspect that the higher capital cost will be compensated, over two or three years, by not having to buy replacement print heads and cartridges.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by audioholic

What happened to the cartridges? Did they dry up or leak? As I mentioned even mine partially dried but it was solved using a wipe with IPA.
The HP 802 large and small are the same, except for ink capacity. Hence, I dont think that would last longer. Anyone knows if we can try using the ink advantage cartridges with this one? Any mod that can be done to enable this?

They had dried up. Took them to different refillers - one cheap FNG, one snazzy 200+taxes type shop. Same failure :(

What is IPA? Sorry!!
What are ink advantage cartridges?

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

They are indeed all the same. I don't think that any inkjet printer will stand not being used. One should print a full-colour document at least once a week. I've even seen the suggestion to set up a scheduled job on the PC to do this.

It is entirely the reason that (having decide that colour print is not vital to us) I bought a laser printer. Although normally associated with heavier use, its advantage to me is that it will sit idle for months and still produce a perfect print. I'm not going to do any sums, but I suspect that the higher capital cost will be compensated, over two or three years, by not having to buy replacement print heads and cartridges.

Thad (belated HBD man - sorry forgot to ping u on the weekend!),
I needed a MFP - that would've costed much higher in laser but I'm getting to the same costs.

However, if you used an ink-tank system, would the ink still dry up? I doubt that. If so, its a bigger waste of money then

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

What is IPA? Sorry!!
What are ink advantage cartridges?

However, if you used an ink-tank system, would the ink still dry up? I doubt that. If so, its a bigger waste of money then

IPA - Isopropyl alcohol.

HP 678 is the ink advantage cartridges that are being used on the 2515,3515 series of printers. They state printing costs of Re. 1 per black page as each cartridge seems to give a yield of more than 400 pages. Hence, if I can swap the 802 with this, I will stop refilling.

The ink dries up at the nozzle and not the cartridges. Hence, even in CISS system, your cartridge nozzles will dry up if it is not used. The cartridges have many small nozzles which spray ink onto the paper. Hence, if the nozzles get clogged, it wont print. My printer started printing alternate lines of black recently. Then I found out that half the nozzles were dry. Dipped a cotton swab in IPA and wiped the print head. Problem was solved.

[drmohitg]

I have been using a Ink jet printer from the last 5-6 years at my home. The problem I have always faced ( accentuated now by my shifting to Vadodara) is that the ink dries up ever so often and the replacement/refill costs me around 800 Rs. The reason is that the printer is not used often and then on that one day when you need it, it fails to work. So I am thinking if I should upgrade to a laser printer? That should solve the problem of drying inks right? Can someone please elaborate on this?

[Shankyz]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

I have been using a Ink jet printer from the last 5-6 years at my home. The problem I have always faced ( accentuated now by my shifting to Vadodara) is that the ink dries up ever so often and the replacement/refill costs me around 800 Rs. The reason is that the printer is not used often and then on that one day when you need it, it fails to work. So I am thinking if I should upgrade to a laser printer? That should solve the problem of drying inks right? Can someone please elaborate on this?

I am in the same boat as well and was about to buy the samsung wifi enabled laser when it went out of stock at flipkart, being lazy I have not been to NP yet but still checking out multiple options. I will go for a Laser MFP (B/W only) and will appreciate TBHP fellow user's feedback on some models they have been using as well, from longevity, support and per page cost perspectives.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by Shankyz

I am in the same boat as well and was about to buy the samsung wifi enabled laser when it went out of stock at flipkart, being lazy I have not been to NP yet but still checking out multiple options. I will go for a Laser MFP (B/W only) and will appreciate TBHP fellow user's feedback on some models they have been using as well, from longevity, support and per page cost perspectives.

And I am only looking at multifunction models. The price range according to Flipkart is around 10k rs. Am just confused regarding the long term reliability of the Laserjet printer. Would it also suffer with any dried ink kind of problem if not used for a month together?

[Shankyz]

AFAIK the dried ink, nozzles is for the deskjet printers and doesn't happen with the laserjets. I was referring to MFP Laserjets only and not the deskjets in my post. Which models are you considering, if you post those the fellow users should be able to share feedback on those and suggest better ones.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by audioholic

What happened to the cartridges? Did they dry up or leak? As I mentioned even mine partially dried but it was solved using a wipe with IPA. Moreover, yesterday I confirmed that the refilled ink has reached the nozzles and the stock ink has indeed dried as the black ink was no longer water proof.

What ink do you use? I am in search for a good quality pigmented ink. I print once in two days at least. The test page is best for keeping the black cartridge active. It takes up a few lines so wont consume much ink too. For colour I print a small spectrum like image once every five days or so. But of course in the middle at least once it is used.

The HP 802 large and small are the same, except for ink capacity. Hence, I dont think that would last longer. Anyone knows if we can try using the ink advantage cartridges with this one? Any mod that can be done to enable this?

Hi, I use a HP F4400 print scan copy deskjet printer. I don't know which cartridge it uses,i mean the model number. How easy is it to refill the cartridge? I currently got it refilled for 100 bucks but unfortunately it dried up! So wil the IPA method work ? BTW, is it possible to refill color cartridge?

[babhishek]

Please switch to laser, this ink drying up and refilling procedure costing anywhere between 250 to 1250, will drastically go down.

Yes, Laser printers especially for that occasional 5 urgent pages, once a month is a much better option. Most importantly, the printout you need will be in your hands, ready for use. Compare that to a dried nozzle/cartridge and printer lights flashing, you will feel redeemed.

[AbhiJ]

Just got a HP 3515 Ink Advantage Printer today - For Approx Rs 5400.

Printer has amazing features :

1) Copy, Scan
2) Wifi Connectivity (Bye Bye USB Wires!)
3) HP E Printing (I am taking printouts with my android phone and Ipad). I can also send printouts to my office no matter where I am in the world!
4) A 2 inch monochrome LCD which enables easy settings and operation of the printer.

There is also some Rs. 1000 voucher I can get if I register with HP.

The cartridge HP 678 - Rs 450 MRP for 480 Pages yield in Black.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by babhishek

Please switch to laser, this ink drying up and refilling procedure costing anywhere between 250 to 1250, will drastically go down.

Laser MFPs are expensive. Moreover colour laser MFPs are even expensive. So, for home use, which involves various forms of data, from images to text, a DeskJet would be a better idea. Its like a petrol v/s diesel debate.

Ink nozzle clogging must definitely be resolved by IPA. However if the printhead is damaged then obviously it is the end.

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Hi, I use a HP F4400 print scan copy deskjet printer. I don't know which cartridge it uses,i mean the model number. How easy is it to refill the cartridge? I currently got it refilled for 100 bucks but unfortunately it dried up! So wil the IPA method work ? BTW, is it possible to refill color cartridge?

You have to invest in a syringe, a bottle of ink, and a pair of gloves. For the Hp 802, it is as easy as filling ink in an ink pen. Colour cartridges can be refilled too.