Summary
Use the procedures below to install prefilled Piezotone or Piezography K6 (1280 and 1290 printers only) ink cartridges in these printers: Stylus Photo 1270, 1280, 1290 and 2000P. This document also lists the ink fill order of the ink in the cartridges, for Piezography BW ICC, iQuads and Piezography BW plug-in systems.
If you have a Piezoflow system you are installing, please find that information here.
Contents
Printer Testing
Verify that your printer functions perfectly with Epson inks. In addition to printing a perfect nozzle check, make certain that the printer does not have unfixable banding problems by making test prints. Take the time to scrutinize your printer’s performance before the next step. It is not possible to diagnose many printing problems on a printer that has not first been tested with Epson inks.
Items Needed
Set of flush cartridges, if needed (see below)
Set of Piezotone or Piezography K6 ink cartridges
Flush cartridges are required when installing PiezoTone inks, and strongly suggested when installing Piezography K6 inks. Flush cartridges are used for two reasons. First, they help to remove any old ink in the print head. Secondly, the flush fluid helps to “prime” the print head, to prepare it to accept the ink set.
Removing cartridges from your printer
These printer models use cartridges with chips for ink level monitoring. If you remove a non-empty cartridge from one of these printers while the printer is on, the printer will write an “empty cartridge” message to the chip, preventing you from using it in the future.
Removing cartridges for use in the future:
1. Push the “ink change” button on your printer.
2. After the print head moves to the ink change position, unplug the power cord from the printer.
3. Remove your cartridge(s), and install the new one(s).
4. Plug the printer back in, and make sure the print head returns to the right side.
5. Place tape over the ink outlet holes on the bottoms of the removed cartridges, place them into plastic bags and seal them for storage.
Removing cartridges for discarding (e.g., empty cartridges):
1. Push the “ink change” button on your printer.
2. Remove the cartridge(s) and install the new cartridge(s)
3. Push the ink change button to return the print head to the “parked position.”
4. Discard the old cartridges in the trash, placing them in plastic bags, if desired.
Use the procedure based on your needs.
· Ink change with flush cartridges
· Ink change without flush cartridges
Ink change procedure with flush cartridges
1. Test the printer with Epson inks
2. Remove the cartridges, as described above.
3. Install the flush cartridges. Return the print head to the right side, by plugging the printer back in, and/or pushing the ink change button, as required.
4. Print two copies of the “flush image” [found here] on copier paper. The flush cartridges for these printers contain clear fluid. As you print the flush image it will become very faint. If a slight color remains in the flush image, this is acceptable.
5. Remove the flush cartridges, as described above, and install the Piezotone or NK6 ink cartridges.
6. Print two copies of the “flush image” [found here]. The flush image will become darker, and turn gray as the new ink enters the print head.
7. Verify that you have a perfect nozzle check pattern before printing images.
Ink change procedure without flush cartridges
1. Test the printer with Epson inks
2. Remove the cartridges, as described above.
3. Install the Neutral K6 ink cartridges, and return the print head to the right side.
4. Print two copies of the “flush image” [found here]. The flush image will become darker, and turn gray as the new ink enters the print head.
5. Verify that you have a perfect nozzle check pattern before printing images.
Information on ink fill positions in the cartridges, for different printing systems. There are three ink configurations for the cartridges in this group. Refer to the tables below for information on the different ink fill options, based on printer model, ink set and printing system.
Table 1, below, lists the ink order for a printer using Piezotone inks and either the Piezography BW ICC profiles or iQuads ICC profiles. This applies to all models in this group.
|
“Color” position in printer cartridge |
PiezoTone ink shade in this channel |
|
Black |
Black |
|
Cyan |
Dark Gray |
|
Light Cyan |
Medium Gray |
|
Magenta |
Medium Gray |
|
Light Magenta |
Light Gray |
|
Yellow |
Light Gray |
Table 1: all printer models with PiezoTone inks, using Piezography BW ICC profiles, or iQuads.
Table 2, below, lists the ink order for a printer using Piezography K6 inks and running QuadToneRIP software. This applies only to 1280 and 1290 printers. Note that Shade #1 is the darkest, and Shade #6 is the lightest.
|
“Color” position in printer cartridge |
Piezography K6 ink shade in this channel |
|
Black |
Shade #1 |
|
Cyan |
Shade #2 |
|
Light Cyan |
Shade #3 |
|
Magenta |
Shade #4 |
|
Light Magenta |
Shade #5 |
|
Yellow |
Shade #6 |
Table 2: printer models 1280 and 1290, running Piezography K6 inks and QuadToneRIP.
Table 3, below, lists the ink order for a printer using the older Piezography BW plug-in software. This applies to all printers in this group.
|
“Color” position in printer cartridge |
PiezoTone ink shade in this channel |
|
Black |
Black |
|
Cyan |
Dark Gray |
|
Light Cyan |
Dark Gray |
|
Magenta |
Medium Gray |
|
Light Magenta |
Medium Gray |
|
Yellow |
Light Gray |
Table 3: all printers in group, running PiezoTone inks and the Piezography BW plug-in software.