Anyone using 440 cc Inks in their Roland?

[eahicks]

Does anyone using 440cc inks have issues with the printer and/or Versaworks indicating the wrong level in each cart? I have noticed that it never is right. I have even had the printer stop to tell me to change a color, only to find the damn thing is still half full! So I shake up and reinsert the cart, and continue printing. Only problem is when I do, it shows that cart as FULL again (since it was "replaced".)
Kind of aggravating, as I try to keep 1 or 2 full sets on hand, but often have too much of one color and not enough of the other, simply relying on what the printer tells me.
Just curious who else has this issue.

Printer is SC545EX, ProIIV

 

[Gino]

First of all, DON'T shake it and then start using it. That creates lotsa little bubbles which can creep into your lines and cause havoc. Gently turn it over once or twice and then put it back in.

The dinger will tell you when to change it. We keep an entire set as backup and then we never run into a jam.

 

[P Wagner]

Roland did not offer 440ml carts when the SC545 Pro II was current, only 220ml. The 440s became available after the Pro III was introduced.

 

[graphicwarning]

I use 440's and can't say that I have experienced this. I've taken mine out and put them back in and have never had it reset the fill levels either.

 

[eahicks]

That's weird. It ALWAYS resets to full if you take one out. If I completely shut down the printer overnight I think they do set themselves back to the actual level.
Guess I'll talk to my repair guy and see what he knows about it.

 

[eahicks]

First of all, DON'T shake it and then start using it. That creates lotsa little bubbles which can creep into your lines and cause havoc. Gently turn it over once or twice and then put it back in.

The dinger will tell you when to change it. We keep an entire set as backup and then we never run into a jam.

Yes, I know that, but that's part of the problem....the dinger will go off, but when I pull that cart, it's still got ink, sometimes 1/4, sometimes half. Then I pop it back in and printer shows full again. If I don't keep track of those, I run the risk of it REALLY running out dead middle of a big print.

 

[synergy_jim]

my rule of thumb when it comes to ink level meters….. Don't trust any of them!

 

[FrankW]

Newer Rolands use the chips on the cartridges to check if the cartridge is 220cc or 440cc and save an estimated ink level (Full minus usage). The old ones like the SC545EX don't do that, the printer sets the ink cartridges to full as soon as they are set into the machine and starts counting the usage. That can't be changed. Because of VersaWorks gets the ink level information from the printer, the ink level indication in Versaworks isn't reliable with this machines (as with the SP300V and SP540 and all Soljet Pro II V-Series too, the chips are read since Soljet Pro III and VersaCamm VP/around 2006).

But the printer will not stop just because of the printer calculated that the ink cartridge should be empty. There is a little plastic indicator who comes out of the cartridge when the cartridge runs empty and will press a micro switch. As soon as this don't happen, the printer will continue printing, even if the printer reports no remaining ink.

I do support for roland printers for years (years before roland starts selling 440cc-cartridges), and I never had an issue that a half full cartridge have stopped the printer. Reality is a problem the other way round: often, specially with third party ink cartridges, the plastic indicator don't work reliable ... so the cartridge will run empty during printing. Roland itself had that problem for a short period with their genuine cartridges, but thats a long time ago.

So, if you use genuine roland ink, you can print as long as the printer itself asks for new ink. Don't be irritated about the ink remaining reported by the printer or VersaWorks.

 

[Baz]

Are you sure your printer told you to change the cartridge and not just shake them?

I sometimes get messages to "shake" certain cartridges. Pull 'em out, shake then re-insert.

I screwed up one time ... Didn't read well and thought i had to replace two cartridges. Took them out and felt that they still had allot of ink in them. It was to late i had already replaced with new cartridges but now i am sure it told me to "shake" and not "replace" the cartridges.

 

[Baz]

This just hapened a week ago. I still have the carts that i pulled out. I was going to put them back in once these new ones are empty. I never check my remaining ink levels since i don't print when i am not in the shop and once i put in new carts i order more so i always have a full set on hand.

 

[phototec]

Just for the record....there isn't a problem with pulling out a cart that isn't 100% empty and re-using later. When I'm printing long runs overnight, I'll throw in a full cart if levels are at 10% or so - then just swap old one back in the morning. I've got some that are a couple months old and haven't had a problem - you just have to pick and choose the right moment so you're not running out in the middle of a big panel or at night when no one is there to catch it.

Thanks Pat, that is good to know.

I just learned about head soaking a few moths ago (when my head was clogged) from someone on here, they instructed me to remove all for of the cartridges while doing the soaking so ink would NOT be pulled from the cartridge and or the cartridges would get contaminated.

Now after doing that, VW keeps giving me an error saying you don'y have enough YELLOW to complete the job (small job 2'x4'), so I take out the Y cartridge to change and it's half full, so I put it back in. I continue to get the low ink error, and just ignore it and print. I really don't know why I would get the low ink error?

I have the SP-540V.

 

[autoexebat]

My printer is brand new and one week old .. I show 100% full , hmm .. wonder how much ink I really have

 

[JgS]

My sj-540 always says that all the ink levels are 100%. I just wait for it to beep and change the cartage.

 

[player]

Thanks Pat, that is good to know.

I just learned about head soaking a few moths ago (when my head was clogged) from someone on here, they instructed me to remove all for of the cartridges while doing the soaking so ink would NOT be pulled from the cartridge and or the cartridges would get contaminated.

Now after doing that, VW keeps giving me an error saying you don'y have enough YELLOW to complete the job (small job 2'x4'), so I take out the Y cartridge to change and it's half full, so I put it back in. I continue to get the low ink error, and just ignore it and print. I really don't know why I would get the low ink error?

I have the SP-540V.

Who told you that?

 

[phototec]

Who told you that?

Some crazy Canadian guy who lives up there with all the draft dodgers, and makes honey labels....

joking

 

[eahicks]

Are you sure your printer told you to change the cartridge and not just shake them?

I sometimes get messages to "shake" certain cartridges. Pull 'em out, shake then re-insert.

I screwed up one time ... Didn't read well and thought i had to replace two cartridges. Took them out and felt that they still had allot of ink in them. It was to late i had already replaced with new cartridges but now i am sure it told me to "shake" and not "replace" the cartridges.

I have never seen any message saying "shake the cartridge".

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

Been running Solaris 440 carts in my VP540 for years without those 2 issues.
I've even milked the last bit of ink from them in a bind by opening them and folding over the pouch and taping rolled up paper towel in it (like rolling up a tube of tooth paste.
It never reads as (full) when it's not etc.
I'd say it could be a sensor thing. I'm not an expert though. I don't know why anyone would run 220 carts either.

 

[player]

Been running Solaris 440 carts in my VP540 for years without those 2 issues.
I've even milked the last bit of ink from them in a bind by opening them and folding over the pouch and taping rolled up paper towel in it (like rolling up a tube of tooth paste.
It never reads as (full) when it's not etc.
I'd say it could be a sensor thing. I'm not an expert though. I don't know why anyone would run 220 carts either.

I run 220's because I don't print a lot. I think it is better to change them out for fresh carts instead of having them hang around for too long.

I always have a complete set in inventory so I never run out. The 440's would double my ink inventory costs.

I have a tight space at the ink ink of my printer. If I use 440's it will be hard to squeeze by them to get to my vinyl inventory.

 

[autoexebat]

My sj-540 always says that all the ink levels are 100%. I just wait for it to beep and change the cartage.

That sucks for a guy like me who doesnt have $1000.00 in ink on standby .

I guess there is no sloution to this ? My printer is only a 30" and I've printed about 25 feet ... any ideas of how long my ink will last ?

 

[phototec]

I've even milked the last bit of ink from them in a bind by opening them and folding over the pouch and taping rolled up paper towel in it (like rolling up a tube of tooth paste.
It never reads as (full) when it's not etc.
I'd say it could be a sensor thing. I'm not an expert though. I don't know why anyone would run 220 carts either.

WOW, that is a good idea to milk all the ink from the carts, I will have to remember that trick, best idea I have of heard in a while.

Also agree about using 220 carts, dumb idea with the costs of ink, everyone know buying in bulk saves money, 440 are the only way to go!

Typically two 220 carts cost $12 more than one 440, so buying ten 220 carts costs $60 more then buying five 440 carts, its' a no brainer to buy the 440's not to mention the shipping is exactly the same cost for a set of 220 or 440's where I purchase mine.

Winner-winner chicken dinner... No wait, for $60 I can get steak and lobster for me and the wife......

 

[FrankW]

I have never seen any message saying "shake the cartridge".

Shaking the inks will not appear on a SC545.

 

[player]

WOW, that is a good idea to milk all the ink from the carts, I will have to remember that trick, best idea I have of heard in a while.

Also agree about using 220 carts, dumb idea with the costs of ink, everyone know buying in bulk saves money, 440 are the only way to go!

Typically two 220 carts cost $12 more than one 440, so buying ten 220 carts costs $60 more then buying five 440 carts, its' a no brainer to buy the 440's not to mention the shipping is exactly the same cost for a set of 220 or 440's where I purchase mine.

Winner-winner chicken dinner... No wait, for $60 I can get steak and lobster for me and the wife......

I am torn about it, but I had to order 4 carts this week for inventory. So 4 220's x $75 x 13% tax = $339. 4 440's x $135 x 13% tax = $610.60.
So if I use 220's I will have 4 in the machine and 4 on the shelf = $678. The same 440's will cost me $1221.20. So I pay for an extra 220 every time I need 8 carts. I may try the 440's next time?