JLWsales Epson R200 CIS Review

[dun4cheap]

So I moved the location of the hose mount on my CIS which is illustrated just above. It is now closer to the DVD tray drop down. While I was moving it, it clicked that this would be even better if I put velcro on it so I can pull the CIS off in a few seconds if needed. So now it is vecro'd and its sweet as ever.


Now how important is it to attach a drain bottle on the back. I have not seen any problems yet, but I figured I would ask.

[///m]

I think it's highly advisable to install a drain bottle with this bulk ink system. Besides it's VERY simple.


On another topic, does anyone notice more missing test lines if their tank is too low? I've lately been having problems with this until I decided to place the source tanks higher (above the top of the cartridges) and it's been working beautifully. No spilled or splotched ink so far, then again my tanks are only about 20% full. I wonder if my tanks were 100% full if the pressure would be so great to cause the runs...

[scott_tiger]

Hello friends,
Most of us on this forum are happy with JLWsales CIS. Now time has come for refill ink for CIS.
Can anyone post how to refill inks. Ink from JLW is expensive, so i found another Local seller very cheap

http://www.ourink.com/category.cfm?cat=1090

He sells ink only "no instructions" on how to refill..

Let me know if anybody had done ink refill to CIS and also use of ink other than JLWsales

Thanks in advance....

[dmagic1]

Hmm, I would say to go with MediaStreet. His price for 5 colors is what their price for all 6 colors is.
http://www.mediastreet.com/cgi-bin/tame/mediastreet/ink_bottles.tam?&case=epson#order

[bidefordboy]

To refill your tanks :-
Take off the filter from small tank, inject your ink using a syringe untill the tank is approx. three quarters full, tip the tanks over so that the ink is transferred to the large tank, repeat untill large tank is nearly full. If you overfill then use the syringe to suck the ink out again.
In the UK I buy my ink here :-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=69932&item=6751724195&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

The same syringe can be used for all colours so long as you dismantle it & wash in warm water between each colour.

[scott_tiger]

Thanks for the response,
I wanted to get the 128oz 6 set (cost $430+ Shipping) which is way cheap at ourink.com, but i have no idea about ink quality. I am waiting if somebody can give their feedback on ourink.com inks...

Hmm, I would say to go with MediaStreet. His price for 5 colors is what their price for all 6 colors is.
http://www.mediastreet.com/cgi-bin/tame/mediastreet/ink_bottles.tam?&case=epson#order

[bidefordboy]

Will not comment on the price of the ink, but have you seen what they are charging for their CIS

http://www.ourink.com/item.cfm?id=3595

$125.00 & no ink !!!

Also the advertising is misleading. A newcomer would think it was manufactured by Epson.

[jtoolman2000]

Is there an easy way to get to Ink Waste tubbing on the R300
I removed the little pastic cover in the back on the printer body but for the life of me I can not see the little tube. Do I have to do major dissassembly to get to it? I can sort of see some pretty pristine rectangular white piece of styrofoam but no tubing that I could easily see.

[Bodyslide]

Here's some info from earlier in this thread on Page 15:


This printer spits out a TON of ink in cleaning cycle.. With original NEW Epson cartridges, I noticed the cartridges are exausted after about 5 to six cleanings. What a RIP OFF!! All the more reason to get a CIS!

There is a small access panel at the rear held in by a tiny screw. Remove the panel. Look around inside and you'll see some white felt padding (used to soak up waste ink) Lift up the pad with a long screwdriver and you will clearly see a clear small diameter tube. Grab it with some needlenose pliers or tweezers and pull it out. You don't have a lot of tube to work with, it will hang about two inches outside of the access panel once you have gotten it out. DON'T BE TOO ROUGH WITH IT, if you pull hard enough, you will pull it from the pump at the other end of the tube, and don't ask what then....

To keep it neat I drilled a small hole just below the access door and fed the drain tube through, then reattached the access door.

I chose to caulk on some thicker diameter tubing feeding into a large plastic bottle. Be sure the end of you drainage tube IS LOWER that the bottom of you printer or your pump will be pushing against gravity to drain the cleaning cycles. I dunno for sure, but it could possibly backflow through the pump into the print head if your drainage bottle is too high.

[thespook]

The styrofoam is there to hold the small ink tube in place, if you pull the styrofoam out you should be able to see the tube, ease it out from the right hand side looking from the back of the printer.

[Bodyslide]

Also look here for info on the Waste Mod.

http://www.ozmods.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=69

[ekiny3k]

I really don't recommend to use CIS system. Lat time, i bought one from JWLSales. With the ink he provides when you purchase the new system, it works well. After you refill, the printer won't works well as before. And it will kill your printer after the third refill. From my experience, i recommend people never use CIS. Do you know how much ink do you waste when each cycle runs? It's suck.

[Bodyslide]

ekiny3k
Sorry you had a bad experience, but I have refilled mine 5 times since I have had it and have had no issues at all. And my Epson R200 is still running strong after alot of DVD-R's and Photos.

[dun4cheap]

I hardly ever have to clean my print heads. The CIS has already paid for itself just in the cost of ink. I am thinking of putting the ink waste bottle in. Should I also change the sponge on the top side? What is recommended to change it with.

[///m]

I can vouch for ekiny3k's experience. My guess is JLW had some formulation of refill ink that was not compatible with the original tank inks resulting in minor clots in the cartridge. It wasn't until syringing it all through, combined with multiple cleanings, overnight tank-over-cartridge sittings that the problem relieved itself - pain in the ass needless to say. A friend is still experiencing the problem and hasn't gotten it cleared up yet and has tried on a second new printer to no avail. He wants to junk the whole thing and I don't blame him with his experience.

So, the bottom line is use ink that you know works, NOT WHAT IS CHEAPEST! (even though in my case and a friend's it didn't make a difference, we both used JLW refill ink).

[bidefordboy]

Think I have to agree with you guy's about the ink supplied with the system. When I was using the original ink I did have the odd time when I could'nt get a good nozzle check. But after topping up with ink from a supplier here in the UK, the problem went away. Mind you I use my printer a lot and have topped the tanks up four times so far. Still think it is a great system though for the price, has saved me loads of money.

[///m]

bidefordboy - interesting. Who's the supplier you use in the UK? I'm glad it's not my imagination.

For anyone else who has had clogging issues after refilling with new inks chime in.

[pixiemom]

bidfordboy, what company are you getting your ink from, and do they sell to the States?

I am watching the prices on the CIS systems dropping little by little.... meanwhile I'm reading up on everything I can before I buy. I notice several new sellers getting in on the act on eBay - I see three or four different styles of CIS. Someone posted photos of one here the other day and I'd like to know if anyone has ever tried more than one system and how they compared to each other.

I am definitely going to be making the Waste Mod before I even hook up the ink system for the first time. Why get all that ink in the bottom of my shiny new printer? <grin>

[thespook]

I believe this is the company bidfordboy uses http://www.dpsoftware.com/ he recommended it to me, excellent service and product, and yes they do ship to the US

[bidefordboy]

Yes, that's the guy. Also sell's on ebay :-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=69932&item=6751724195&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

The CIS that he sell's is much cheaper on his ebay site.

[habs01]

I'm soon going to do my first refill. There are a few points I'm not sure about. When exactly should one refill the ink? At what ink level? Do yo mix the new and the old inks or do you flush out the system first.

On the same subject, from what I gather, finding replacement ink seems to be more of art form than an exact science. It's seems it's either the "hit and miss" or the "someone tried this and it works" appproach that most people tend to follow.

What I'm getting at is does anyone know of characteristics to look for in good replacement ink for CIS kit. Here's a few questions I can think of:
Can universal ink be used? (I've seen sites saying they won't work with CIS systems because of the color calibration)
Is there a minimum recommended filtered particle size (eg. 0,5 micron)?

Any advice or personal experience is welcome.

[dun4cheap]

How are the refill inks from costco? Anyone tried them?

[habs01]

How are the refill inks from costco? Anyone tried them?

Funny you should ask I'm also considering them. But haven't tried yet.

[bidefordboy]

@habs01

You can top the ink up at any time, you don't have to wait for it to reach the low level. You can use any ink but it would be advisable to use Epson matched ink, then your colour's will be ok & you won't have to mess around with the setting's. Look for a reputable ink supplier that sell's ink that is Epson matched & not just Epson compatible. The system does not have to be flushed so long as you use dye ink.

[habs01]

Thx for the info bidefordboy,

If it doesn't say that the ink is Epson color matched, is there any chance that colors may still be OK? Or is it unlikely?

[bidefordboy]

To be honest I have used compatible inks in previous printers that I have owned & never had any major problems with blocked head's etc.. But the colour used to vary a bit, so I now try to get colour matched ink. If you go back through the post's you will find other references to site's that sell ink that the guy's have been happy with. Here are a couple that should be ok, but do a google search to find loads more :-

http://www.atlanticinkjet.com/printer-ink-epson-Stylus-Photo-R200.asp

http://www.refillink.com/bulk/epson/index.html

[habs01]

Thx again bidefordboy.

[BCAESE]

I've just installed my CIS and cartridge cover won't close properly I seen a lot of people install with the cart cover, I was wondering what is the problem with mine?

I have a R200, the cover keeps hitting the side therefore stopping the cart from charging the ink. I'm keeping the cover on because I want a good connection from chip to printer.

If anyone knows anything let me know.

[nickelzy]

Do yo mix the new and the old inks or do you flush out the system first.

I was wondering the same thing as I'm getting to the point where I need to refill my black. I've read people's comments that you don't have to flush the system (which is very good news), but I just don't understand how you won't have color quality issues if simply combining ink. I have the JLW Sales CIS system and am thinking of buying refill ink from atlantic inkjet. It just doesn't seem like mixing ink from one supplier with that of another is a good idea. However, if it works, then fine (I always like the easier way of doing things!)

[RickTheRed]

@ BCAESE
You can remove the cover, you should not have any issues with connections. Users that have removed the cover did not experiment problems.

@ nickelzy
I use atlantic inkjet. I have refilled the black and yellow inks. I have not observed any color shift. So far so good.