Question:
Hello,
I have a 4 yo Lexmark Z55 which suddenly won't print envelope in portrait nor colour printing. The colour cartridge is low but since they're expensive, I'm thinking it might be better to buy a new printer instead. However, I'm on a tight budget and unsure if this would be the best decision . Can anyone advise, how long is generally the lifespan of a printer? I don't use mine that much, this is the 2nd time I had to change cartridge in 4 years.
Thank you!
Answers:
This is all down to the amount you use it, If i printed 5000 sheets of A4 a day it would last that long,
But as you have only changed the cartridge twice in 4 years we can assume you dont print that much,
Having just looked at the prices of replacement cartridges £15 -£20 for balck /colour even compatable ones these are quite high,
If you are going to use the printer a lot then i would buy a new one, but if not stick with what you've got,
going onto the problems you have do you have a maintanance programme for the printer
The colour cartridge may have dried on the end you should run the clean head cleaning and this may solve your problem with the colour,
Check in your printer options to print in portrait
Answers:
Further to what lee634 says I was advised to always print something in colour & black at least once a week to keep the cartridges from drying at the heads. Apparently you can waste a perfectly good cartridge if this happens.
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Further to what lee634 says I was advised to always print something in colour & black at least once a week to keep the cartridges from drying at the heads. Apparently you can waste a perfectly good cartridge if this happens.
well dammmmmnnn !!! i'm going on holiday for a month. lol .....but wont this summer weather help the ink at all ?
Answers:
going onto the problems you have do you have a maintanance programme for the printer
The colour cartridge may have dried on the end you should run the clean head cleaning and this may solve your problem with the colour,
Check in your printer options to print in portrait
There is a clean to fix horizontal streaks, which took me to clean and test nozzle programme. I have dipped the cartridge in water (purple colour oozed out), and did the clean to fix programme but there was no colour at all on the printout.
I have also changed the printer option to portrait but it still prints in landscape.
I have uninstalled & reinstalled and the problem remains.
Answers:
If your print head is blocked on your cartridge then remove it and submerge just the head ina bout 3mm or warm water, it will soften the blockage and it should work after a few runs of the cleaning process.
2 cartridgees in 4 years I wouldnt buy another printer I would find a friend to print stuff off for you ink drying in the heads is a major problem or inkjet based printers and there is nothing you can do. laser printers suffer too the toner settles and can go hard you cant let them settle.
I wouldnt know which way to go epson carts can be got really cheap for refilled/compats but the heads are permenent and are a ball ache to remove so if they block you buy a new printer as the replacement heads are expensive. the other is to buy a printer where the head is part of the cartridge like your lexmark and most HP's if they block you can try the water thing above if it fails you buy a new cartridge refilled or compats are more expensive if you can get them.
ok another option
I would proberbly buy a dell printer off ebay for very little your carts will dry up before they empty just skip it and buy another again for not alot. everyone sells them because the carts are expensive as you have to buy from dell.
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I have a HP DeskJet 690C that is about 10 years old. Recently it wouldn't print; the head would bang itself against the side and it would then not print. Some of the jets weren't working, primarily because it had been refilled several times and HP deliberatly engineer their cartridges not to last. Anyway, I replaced the cartridge and Bob's your uncle, it now works just fine!
On the subject of cartridges drying up, I have a genuine HP box for storing unsealed cartridges. Perhaps you could get one of these for your printer; of eBay maybe.
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for the price of the cartridges id buy an epson. you can buy compatible cartridges for a fraction of the price of originals and theres no difference in print quality. dont forget at the end of the day ink is ink.
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at the end of the day ink is ink.
For most people absolutely. I have ME and am alergic to solvent based inks, I can tolerate HP. If you or anyone using the printer has these sorts of problems just be aware.
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You can usually buy Lexmark printers for £20-30 and then pay more than that for replacement ink cartridges. You could buy another printer each time your ink runs out, especially as you are a light user.
Seriously, you will probably find that Canon, Epson and HP give better quality prints. You can get cheap ink for Canon and Epson printers, but Epson printers have fixed print heads which can block up if you don't use them at least once a week. Mine blocked up after three and a half years and I was a frequent user. HP printers have the print heads as part of the ink cartridges and therefore cost more. You pay your money and take your choice.
Answers:
Hello,
I have a 4 yo Lexmark Z55 which suddenly won't print envelope in portrait nor colour printing. The colour cartridge is low but since they're expensive, I'm thinking it might be better to buy a new printer instead. However, I'm on a tight budget and unsure if this would be the best decision . Can anyone advise, how long is generally the lifespan of a printer? I don't use mine that much, this is the 2nd time I had to change cartridge in 4 years.
Thank you!
With regard to the "lifespan of a printer", there is a difference I (which I've just edited as I see it has been pointed out ... should have read properly).
The printhead for a Lexmark or HP printer is actually part of the new cartridge, rather than the actual printer. Hece if there is a specific print quality problem it can be solved in a variety of ways. Firstly you can get access to the printhead by removing the cartridge to examine and clean it. And if that does not work, replacing the cartridge as the you are essentially fitting a brand new printhead.
Epson and Canon printers have do have printhead as part of the actual machine, which in most cases is not replaceable. An Epson or Canon cartridge is just an "ink tank". If the printhead goes on an Epson or Canon printer then often you do indeed realistically need to dump the printer for a new one as they are not possible to access or remove to clean.
Hence why Lexmark and HP printers can be bought cheaper, but cartridges are more expensive, and Epson and Canon printers might cost more, but have cheaper cartridges.
Some technology items can last forever. Obselesence is what IT manufacturers want.
Re the problems you have, could be a software bug. Tried re-installing the software ?
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If you are on a tight budget, a (colour laser) may not be for you !
You'll get a B&W laser for about £ 50 and a replacement toner is about £ 45.
But if you are thinking of a colour laser to replace your colour inkjet, the machine is about £200+, but to replace the toners is £50 to £70 for each of four, so a total refill could cost hundreds ! No printhead, but you need a drum, again expensive to replace.
Overall, it is more cost effective, but if you are on that tight budget and judging by your incredibly light usage, a colour laser might not be sensible as the total upfront outlay might be too much.
If you were buying an all in one, on a budget, look for the cheapest epson or canon. You can get an Epson AIN for around £70, with four separe ink tanks which will cost you £60/£70 to refill, although you can do it waaay cheaper with compatibles (Personally not a fan of compatibles as some horrible colour variations have amazed me) but if you are a budget user might be for you.
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The firmware in our HP LaserJet 4M Plus is dated 1993, and the printer is in daily use... We just keep feeding it toner cartridges!
John
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thanks for your info everyone, they're really helpful in my consideration. now, does the printhead for hp laser is also on the toner? the lasers are dearer but then again, i don't like wasting my money on dried up toners. i've unistalled & reinstalled the printer's programme but the problem remains, so i suppose i need to buy a new one and am thinking of getting an all in one.