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View Full Version : Epson 2200 Resurrected!



tgtaylor
26-Dec-2011, 22:38
Back in 2004 I purchased a new Epson 2200 Printer. I printed two (2) prints on in and then boxed it up with the ink cartridges installed and never used it again. Then, last week, I thought that adding the inkjet printing process as a photographic syntax - which it certainly is - I dug the printer out of storage to see if it would still print after being in storage for 7 years. Everything was in its proper place except for the power cable which I couldn't find for the past two days. I even stopped by Fry's this morning to buy one but they didn't have one that matched. Then this afternoon, shortly before the nightly news, I found it right where I thought it was but never saw it even though I had searched thru that drawer several times since yesterday.

I plugged it in and it powered up! I then installed the printer software and ran the nozzel check. Surely they were clogged after all these years and the ink remaining in the cartridges probably solidified. A red light indicated that the light cyan needed to be replaced and the printout indicated that the nozzles needed cleaning and two patterns (yellow and light cyan) were absent entirely. A "new" light cyan was in the box so I changed that cartridge and ran the cleaning cycle 20 or 30 times. Gradually the broken lines became continuous and finally the yellow pattern appeared - faint but its lines were continuous.

But will it print? The Epson manual says that not powering up the printer for more than a month is bad news and in this case it's been 7 years since it was last powered up and the ink all dates from 2004 (the production date on the ink is all 4/2004 except for the cyan that I changed which is 7/2004). So I arbitrarily picked an image from my scan files and the image below, which is a faithful representation of what appears on my moniotor, appears just as Drew Brees was surpassing Dan Marino's NFL record:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6579544277_fd22255c9c_z.jpg

After all these years the printer works!! And I didn't even have to buy that power cord!

Thomas

Brian Ellis
27-Dec-2011, 08:00
I had a similar experience with a 2200 after it had been boxed upside down by our movers and stored in a garage for about 4 months through an Oregon winter with cartridges loaded. I don't think I had to run any cleaning cycles, certainly not 20. I pretty much just plugged it in and it printed fine. I was amazed, I thought the printer would be ruined.

Peter Gomena
27-Dec-2011, 10:51
I was given a long-stored 2200 about a year ago. I put in fresh cartridges and fired it up, ran one cleaning cycle and it's been running perfectly ever since. I, too, found it hard to believe.

Peter Gomena

tgtaylor
27-Dec-2011, 11:04
In my case the printer was sitting right side up in the original box w/the original Styrofoam for about 3.5 years and then on its side for the balance of the 7 years. All the cables (excepting the power cord) were stored in the Epson 3200 box along with several packs of print media - Epson and Ilford ink-jet paper - so I won't have to buy paper for awhile! Ink levels are low on 3 colors but the printer's software told me last night that I still had enough remaining to print 24 more prints like the the one posted above.

I am absolutely amazed that the printer is printing like it was brand new (which it is considering the amount of prior usage) and using the same ink that was installed back in 2004! Before I got into this I went online to see what I was up against and was expecting to at least having to use solvents to clear nozzles that were surely clogged after 7 years. But all it took was changing the cartridge that the printer said was empty and running the head cleaning utility 20 or 30 times. That was it!

Here's a scan of a Van Dyke print that I made a few minutes ago with the Epson:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6582531523_2b7e94eb88_b.jpg

The actual Epson print is much better than the scan of it above and preserves the reddish brown hues characteristic of the original Van Dyke print. The digital darkroom will prove to be very efficient and provide valuable possibilities with alternative photographic processes as the latter is a one print at a time process that is time consuming: 15 minutes just to coat and dry one sheet.

Thomas

Frank Petronio
27-Dec-2011, 11:56
With the Harrington RIP and nice paper I've been very pleased with my long lasting 2200 too, it's been a great printer. But as soon as it's 2012 I will get a R3000 so I may have some left over carts.

I guess there is a waste ink tank that eventually fills and is difficult to empty, rendering the printer in need of factory service (or disposal is the most likely scenario). But you'd have to use it a lot to fill it. I haven't yet.

These printers get a bad rap because the ink carts are obscenely priced but for the low volume user they still are the most economical way to print photo quality inkjets.

Daniel Moore
27-Dec-2011, 16:24
My 2200 often sits for 9 months at a time between prints requiring a cleaning cycle or two at the most, and even then typically only for a single color clog. I'll put it out to pasture if/when the HDR inkset shows up in a 3880 replacement or the Hayward fault lets go. : O

Gary Beasley
27-Dec-2011, 16:45
My 2200 is still running strong after all these years.

Michael Cienfuegos
26-Jan-2012, 21:26
There is one listed on Craigslist for $300. He says it has been wrapped and in storage for 3 years. Just wondering if this is a good price and would it be worth buying? I do need a good inkjet printer, and really can't afford a whole lot right now.

tgtaylor
26-Jan-2012, 21:43
I can't comment on the current value Michael but I belive that I paid around $600 in 2004 for a new one. As far as the instorage issue, I had mine stored for 7 years with the original ink installed and it fired up and the nozzels were unclogged after using the nozzel clean function for about 20 times. Storage was indoors in a climate controlled environment (my closet) half the time laying flat and the other hald on its side.

Here's a scan of a print I just did after profiling the scanner, monitor and printer. I was just about to post it in the Lounge when I read your post:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7035/6769147059_c697369562_z.jpg

All the ink is current except for the Cyan which is 2004 as is the paper on which it is printed (Epson Premium Glossy).

Thomas

sanking
26-Jan-2012, 21:45
There is one listed on Craigslist for $300. He says it has been wrapped and in storage for 3 years. Just wondering if this is a good price and would it be worth buying? I do need a good inkjet printer, and really can't afford a whole lot right now.

With three years storage I would be very concerned that the printer head would be so clogged it would not clear. The Epson 2200 was/is a good printer if in working condition, but pigment inkjet printers are meant to be used, not stored.

Sandy King

tgtaylor
26-Jan-2012, 21:57
I agree with Sandy. I was expecting trouble big time with mine when I set it up earlier this month. In fact I thought that it would be clogged beyond repair but it got a little better with each cycle of the nozzle clean until all the lines were correct. The only way you'll know is to run the nozzel clean function and see if it clears.

Thomas

tgtaylor
9-Feb-2012, 09:31
Thanks for that link jtaylor!

Thomas

Kuzano
9-Feb-2012, 09:58
I purchased my 2200 used a few years ago for $150. Over that time, I have had a number of times when I might not use it for a couple of months. It's always been one nozzle check, one clean cycle, and back in business. best inkjet printer I've owned with regard to clearing ink and resuming high quality print results.

But the best news is that in a town of 100,000, I still have two sources locally of print cartridges. An independent computer store, and Staples, who carry the cartridges in stock every time I need them. Both are under $12 each cartridge. To me, that's the real bonus of this printer. Must have sold in droves.

Jim Galli
9-Feb-2012, 10:04
I have one sitting in the garage for some months since I got the 4800. Includes a big box of inks I bought from Calumet, their brand, not Epson. Make me an offer. Great printer.

Brian Ellis
9-Feb-2012, 11:03
There is one listed on Craigslist for $300. He says it has been wrapped and in storage for 3 years. Just wondering if this is a good price and would it be worth buying? I do need a good inkjet printer, and really can't afford a whole lot right now.

I haven't checked market prices but $300 strikes me as high for a 2200. They're great printers but they haven't been made for what, about 9-10 years, something like that, and the inks were improved when the 2400 replaced the 2200 IIRC. I sold mine about five years ago on ebay. I don't remember exactly what I got for it but I doubt that it was more than $300. And being stored for 3 years may or may not be a good thing. Certainly you'd want to thoroughly check it out first.

Daniel Moore
9-Feb-2012, 11:27
I recall seeing them go for a couple hundred a couple years ago. 300.00 is fishing for rubes.

Kuzano
9-Feb-2012, 13:02
Yep.. I've seen them on Bend Craigslist and Portland Oregon Craigslist for $100 to $200. Probably a half dozen of them in the last 6-8 months. Mine is low miles, but I have checked to see how available they are if mine breaks. Seem to be plenty out there if you monitor the internet.

Even on eBay, looking at the completed listings for the last 60 day, about a dozen have sold. The highest was $250, and then $175, $105 and then down from there. The lowest sales price on a working 2200 was $50.

I think the biggest problem with the 2200 will be local ink in smaller communities.

2200's are old... discontinued when the 2400 came out in 2005. Pretty long time. That's 49 years old in Dog and Cyber years. One brain fart (that's "Stroke" in cyberspeak), and you're SOL (that's sh__ out of luck in military speak).

Jim Galli
9-Feb-2012, 13:45
Yep.. I've seen them on Bend Craigslist and Portland Oregon Craigslist for $100 to $200. Probably a half dozen of them in the last 6-8 months. Mine is low miles, but I have checked to see how available they are if mine breaks. Seem to be plenty out there if you monitor the internet.

Even on eBay, looking at the completed listings for the last 60 day, about a dozen have sold. The highest was $250, and then $175, $105 and then down from there. The lowest sales price on a working 2200 was $50.

I think the biggest problem with the 2200 will be local ink in smaller communities.

2200's are old... discontinued when the 2400 came out in 2005. Pretty long time. That's 49 years old in Dog and Cyber years. One brain fart (that's "Stroke" in cyberspeak), and you're SOL (that's sh__ out of luck in military speak).

I was with you until the brain fart. What is a cyber brain fart? I understand SOL perfectly.

Kuzano
9-Feb-2012, 18:22
I was with you until the brain fart. What is a cyber brain fart? I understand SOL perfectly.

Well, any time a computer does anything untoward like locking up, displaying a BSOD (that's Blue Screen of Death in cyberspeak), or just generally goes nuts, that falls into the category of a brain fart. Human equivalents might be a stroke or a heart attack or a blackout attended by a loss of memory upon awakening. Humans avoid these types of attacks by eating a proper diet, living fit, and resting the body with sleep.

We tend not to provide such treats to our computers, often working them to death. When we push them to hard, or do not do proper maintenance, the CPU (central processing unit or "brain") suffers a malfunction ie. BRAIN FART.

The CPU or Brain usually survives, but often corrupts software in the Operating System or in Application Programs. Hence the Brain doesn't really die, but simply issues a Brain Fart which only stings for a moment if big enough, but can do serious damage to surrounding areas of the system. Try to imagine the analogy outlined here.

CPU's are very flexible and do not often fail. However, I have made a good living correcting the damage created by the "Brain Farts" or bump in the system.

It's all spoken to in my Community Education Class..... Clean Up and Speed Up your computer which outlines 9 chores you perform on your computer to keep the brain from farting. 4 of the chores are one time settings you change in your computer Operating System. The other 5 are monthly chores you perform to rid your computer of Krap that comes with being on the internet, ie. temp files, spyware, etc.

I wanted to call the class, "Maintaining Your Computer To Reduce Incidents of Brain Farts". The college was not so OK with that.

In any event, it's a good mix with my other classes:

Computer Essentials I
Computer Essentials II
File it and Find It
Managing Your Digital Photos
Intro to Windows 7
Making Money on Ebay
Clean Up and Speed Up your Computer

By the way Jim... I was in Tonopah in 1961. Two friends and myself drove down to Mesa AZ to retrieve one friends grandparents and their trailer (snowbirds). Coming back we hit a blinding show storm (more like dump!) at the top of a pass. A traffic stopper with cars off the road all over. We made a bunch of money towing three cars down off the pass before the snow stopped and all melted away. The cars that were still off the side of the road, simply drove out of their predicaments and away down the mountain. Time elapsed... about an hour and a half... NO SNOW LEFT.

Is the weather still that eery down there?

Jim Galli
9-Feb-2012, 18:32
I've had to take my computer out in the back yard and blow the dust bunnies out of the interior about 3 times now. It always seems happier afterwards. It's 7 years old, so I think I'm beating the average. I don't recall a brain fart per se, but it groans.

srbphoto
9-Feb-2012, 22:20
just saw one with some extra cartridges on the San Francisco Craigslist (computers)for $75.