4 Aug
2006
4 Aug
'06
2:24 p.m.
This is probably a bit off-topic, but as it specifically deals with using
out-of-date supplies, I'm hoping no one will object and that people here
might have some ideas.
I've recently inherited a couple of plotter rooms with HP 1055CM and 5500PS
plotters. These are the 36" to 42" variety, and the Ink cartridges and
Plotter Head/Cleaner packs tend to each cost as much as a home Inkjet
printer.
I spot checked the supplies earlier this week and discovered that with very
few exceptions most of it is out of date, with dates ranging from 2002
through 2006. Does anyone have any idea how safe it is to use old Ink or
printhead/cleaner kits? How about any guidelines for when the stuff is to
old. Obviously this is not the sort of question I can get a good answer
from HP on, as they're going to simply want to sell
me new supplies.
Unlike the home inkjets these do not seem to have any time-bombs built into
them where they stop working after the date is passed.
Thanks,
Zane
4 Aug
4 Aug
3:06 p.m.
On Fri, 4 Aug 2006, Zane H. Healy wrote:
I've recently inherited a couple of plotter rooms
with HP 1055CM and 5500PS
plotters. These are the 36" to 42" variety, and the Ink cartridges and
Plotter Head/Cleaner packs tend to each cost as much as a home Inkjet
printer.
...per color. A full set (for the 5500, at least), of C,M,Y,LC,LM,K ink
(0.6l/per), and printer/printhead cleaners runs around $1k.
I spot checked the supplies earlier this week and
discovered that with very
few exceptions most of it is out of date, with dates ranging from 2002
through 2006. Does anyone have any idea how safe it is to use old Ink or
printhead/cleaner kits? How about any guidelines for when the stuff is to
old.
We have used both ink and printhead packs up to two years past the marked
expiration date (we had lower usage and each set lasted longer than we
realized). It does in fact work, but you'll start to see slightly lower
color quality, and the heads will start to clog and require cleaning more
frequently. We finally wrote off the remaining expired supplies, and are
now operating on a "buy when needed" policy for the 5500 -- the sheer size
of the ink carts gives plenty of time to place an order before they run out.
Obviously this is not the sort of question I can get a
good answer from
HP on, as they're going to simply want to sell me new supplies.
Unlike the home inkjets these do not seem to have any time-bombs built into
them where they stop working after the date is passed.
The one major caution I'd have is if they are on an HP support contract
(and considering the failure rate we've seen, and the relative costs of
the contract versus out-of-warranty parts, it's more than worth it), then
if the out of date ink clogs the ink supply tubes (the pressure system
that runs from the left-hand ink tanks to the printheads), HP may not
consider the replacement (several $k) covered under contract.
--Ian
3:28 p.m.
...per color. A full set (for the 5500, at least), of
C,M,Y,LC,LM,K ink
(0.6l/per), and printer/printhead cleaners runs around $1k.
Where are you getting those kind of prices from? We're paying over $2k for
full set. Though if the 5500 is anything like the 1055CM's (I'm more
familiar with them), you replace the printhead/cleaners far less frequently
than the ink.
The one major caution I'd have is if they are on
an HP support contract
(and considering the failure rate we've seen, and the relative costs of
the contract versus out-of-warranty parts, it's more than worth it), then
if the out of date ink clogs the ink supply tubes (the pressure system
that runs from the left-hand ink tanks to the printheads), HP may not
consider the replacement (several $k) covered under contract.
Ouch, good point. I think that will help sway the decision.
Thanks,
Zane
4:49 p.m.
On Fri, 4 Aug 2006, Zane H. Healy wrote:
Where are you getting those kind of prices from?
Generally CDW-G (educational and volume discounts probably help here).
We're paying over $2k for full set.
Even without any discounts, you should be paying well under $2k -- the
ink/printhead combo pack (C4990A through C4995A) runs around $300/color
pre-discount, and the ink three-pack (C5066A through C5071A) is just over
$500/color. That gives you a ink/printhead set at $1800, and ink-only at
a bit over $1k per set, and that's at list price.
Though if the 5500 is anything like the 1055CM's
(I'm more familiar with
them), you replace the printhead/cleaners far less frequently than the
ink.
Yup. I haven't had a printhead need to be replaced due to usage yet.
(They've just clogged on old ink...) Admittedly, we don't have very high
volume, though.
To try to bring this on topic..... I've got several (soon to be replaced)
on-topic PowerMacs printing to a 5500PS that has eight times the RAM, ten
times the drive space, and has a significantly faster processor than the
macs. (Oh, and the plotter has 100Mb ethernet) The 5500 does a very good
imatation of twiddling its thumbs and tapping its foot while waiting for a
job to finally finish arriving, and frequently spends less time actually
printing than it took to send the job.
--Ian
5:29 p.m.
New subject: HP3000/922 attempts at booting...
I am trying to get my "new" hp3000/922 up and running. It is going
through startup diagnostics but is failing to boot.
If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate them. Here is some info:
The message:
"error in IODC_ENTRY_INIT call to initialize Logical Module (LM)
status returned from IODC=-7"
The system appears to have 2 internal HPIB disks and 2 external HPIB
disks (in a separate rack).
There are 2 HPIB boards in the chassis and 3 HPIB ports at the bottom
of the CPU (below the I/O chassis)...thus I have
a potential of 5 places to connect the external HPIB drives to...I'm
not sure where to plug 'em in.
The external drives have ID's of 2 and 4.
The system also has a SCSI card, but no scsi devices that I am aware of.
The system has a default primary boot path of 4.1.0.0.0.0 and a
secondary of 4.1.3.0.0.0
I have tried to force a boot to each of these addresses but neither one works.
I am experiences with hp9000 systems w/scsi drives, but hpib is new to me.
thanks for any ideas!
-Bob
--
bbrown at harpercollege.edu #### #### Bob Brown - KB9LFR
Harper Community College ## ## ## Systems Administrator
Palatine IL USA #### #### Saved by grace
6570
days inactive
6570
days old
4 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
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bbrown＠harpercollege.edu -
classiccmp＠ian.viemeister.com -
healyzh＠aracnet.com