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Epson GS600 inks fading

WalterB

WalterB

New Member
We eperienced fading of some prints after less than a year outdoor. Printed on 3M 35-10C vinyl with matte laminate. Colors affected were yellow and red. Epson was of no help and stated that they have not done any longevity tests with GS600 inks!!!. No usefull reply from 3M either.
Has anybody experienced this too? Since I can not change the inks, would switching to a different type/brand vinyl and laminate help?
 
artbot

artbot

New Member
i'd pop a triangle or roland or mimaki or any yellow in that printer asap. you could be sitting on top of a ton of reprints.
 
chrisphilipps

chrisphilipps

Merchant Member
Epson only has the inks for the GS6000 rated for 1.5 years outdoors and I have seen testing data from a media manufacturer that shows the yellow fades in about a year. The only thing that you can do is try and use a laminate that has more UV inhibitors in it.
 
WalterB

WalterB

New Member
I am doing what crisphillips suggested and now only use premium laminates for outdoor. I am closely watching a set of yellow outdoor signs which I replaced 6 month ago with higher grade materials.
I am not aware if Triangle or any other ink manufacturer offers inks for the GS6000. If so, please let me know.
 
WalterB

WalterB

New Member
I would like to mention that I have had no fading issues with vehicle graphics using 180 Cv3 with 8519 lam. Also, color other than yellow and red seem to be holding up.
The GS6000 is still a great printer.
 
J

Jack Knight1979

New Member
Roland inks are different as far as I know.

The Roland yellow has nickel in them I believe.
Epson does not which makes it safer and apparently not uv resistant.

The epson is very nice, but I still love my Roland.
 
artbot

artbot

New Member
...don't need a company to "offer" an ink for your printer. get a cart or a sample from so other sign shop's inks. do a coagulation test against the current ink and if you find a winner just use that other manufacturer's ink with a resettable chip.


coagulation test: get a piece of aluminum foil. pour the epson ink in a small puddle. pour optional ink in a puddle next to it. lightly swirl the two puddles together in the middle. observe if they are miscable. or observe it they resist each other or coagulate. if they both melt together like they are the same ink you are good to go on coagulation.

i'd also do some dry time comparisons. dip your finger in both inks and make a two inch swipe of both colors on a substrate (glass, metal, whatever). observe their dry times. you will obviously want the two inks to evaporate similarily.

that said, not all inks from the same manufacturer's ink set share the same viscosity, opacity, or dry times. so there is a range of acceptability.

after going with a new ink, i'd keep an eye on the wiper and the bottom of the head. but if your tests show that the two inks are miscable and share equal dry times. they are backwards compatible.
 
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