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Post by marck on Mar 6, 2015 11:05:28 GMT -5
I have a printer that I use every once in a while.My question is should I turn it off when not in use,or leave it on all the time.
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Post by Jack Teems on Mar 6, 2015 12:20:52 GMT -5
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Post by drmark on Mar 7, 2015 1:36:16 GMT -5
I agree. If shut off the ink in the ink heads will dry and clog up.
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thai
Full Member
Posts: 164
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Post by thai on Mar 7, 2015 7:36:16 GMT -5
I have always left mine on.
No particular reason for doing so...now I know why....lol.
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drcard
Software Review Panel
Posts: 581 
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Post by drcard on Mar 7, 2015 8:13:45 GMT -5
Hi All,
There is very little benefit from turning a printer off since most printers have a hibernation mode when not in use. In hibernation mode a printer awaiting a print command uses less electricity than your TV waiting to be turned on by your remote control. Todays advances in instant technology has changed the meaning of what OFF is.
Tip for printers not used very often:
The biggest problem that occurs when a printer is not used very often is that the printer ink drys out and clogs the jets on the printer heads. If you are not going to use the printer for a long time, remove the printer cartridges and store in a sealed plastic bag (this will keep keep the ink from drying out for a much longer time). If the ink does dry out and the printer prints unevenly, the ink dried over the jet holes and prevents the jets from spraying the undried ink in the reservoir. Many times these clogged jets can be unclogged and make the cartridge useable again.
To unclog printer cartridge jets from dried ink:
1) Soak a paper towel with Windex (glass cleaner)
2) Place the printer cartridge on the soaked paper towel so that the jets are face down on the paper towel so the jets "soak" in the Windex solution in the paper towel. Place a small weighed object on the top of the cartridge to make sure the jets have a good contact with the soaked paper towel.
3) Let sit for 10 minutes to an hour. How long is based upon how much ink has dried on the jets. Dragging the jets over a clean dry paper towel and leaving a trail of ink indicates that the jets are unclogged.
4) Immediately replace the cartridges into the printer and print a test page that prints all colors. This will get any loosened clogs removed. If your printer software has an unclog (or clean jets) procedure, run that.
Note: Windex dissolves the printer ink, but must be used so the Windex doesn't enter in to the cartridge ink reservoirs. This is why the soaked paper towel is used and not sprayed onto the jets.
Added Note: If you don't print photos very often, make sure that your photo paper is sealed in a bag or box so that dust cannot accumulate on the photo paper. Pictures printed on dusty photo paper will not last as long after being printed.
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Post by blueboxer on Mar 10, 2015 22:19:40 GMT -5
I find I use my colour laser printer amazingly infrequently, perhaps less than once a month. So I habitually turn it on only when I am going to use it. So far this strategy has produced zero issues. One person's experience, for what it's worth.
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drcard
Software Review Panel
Posts: 581
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Post by drcard on Mar 11, 2015 21:20:30 GMT -5
Hi blueboxer,
What your doing is prefectly fine since it is a laser printer. Laser printers use dry ink and thus there is nothing to dry out. Ink jet printers use a liquid ink that can and will dry out, clogging the jets. Also dot matrix printers use a liquid ink that also drys out (not as quickly as ink jet).
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