JLWsales Epson R200 CIS Review

[buckeejit]

I ordered one of these wicked systems earlier on, can't wait for it to come.

[averagejoe007]

Hi Guys,

I bought this system about 3 weeks ago. Put it in no problems. It was delivered from Hong Kong to Toronto in 3 days.

I've just joined this forum to help contribute in promoting this CIS, along with uploading pics of my setup (I hope it works!). If you are thinking of buying this system, stop...JUST BUY IT!! Worth every penny and the quality is surperb!

With my setup the cover stays down:



I've got some little differences from other setups:



Hot glued clip at front right, plastic tie holding down tubes in front. I had to obviously drill a hole to get the plastic tie to where I want it to be, so be warned, YOU WILL VOID THE WARRANTY!!, but with this mod there is no way the tubes are coming loose and falling under the print head as I've read here. I put a couple of strips of electrical tape around the tubes whre the plastic tie is to provide a cushion.




Ink resevoir held on the side with additional velcro (was not supplied)



A look from the top panned down. (from behind printer looking toward front) I hot glued the provided clip in place to take up any slack, you can see the plastice tie from behind here.



Best mod is this one:



Take the carriage off the top of the current print head assembly (two screws and a clip). Insert the new CIS cartridges through the carriage cover and place the cartridges into the proper spot in the print head. Reinsert the carriage, carriage clip, and screws....close cover. I then took the CIS clip off the black cartridge and hot glued it to the cyan cartridge...VOILA!!


And now a waste ink mod....

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!

I took my printer apart to find out how it was assembled and managed to dig manual off the net, but I'll give you the short version..



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.

Solution? My drainage bottle sits velcroed behind my printer table on the ground

NO PROBLEMS so far, no rubbing, just tons of awesome prints at discounted prices!

Godd luck to all!

[dmagic1]

Wow you went all out didn't you.

[RickTheRed]

averagejoe,

For a first post, it's a hell of first post
Excellent job. nice pics.
Thanks

[bidefordboy]

Congratulations 'averagejoe'. Your pic's clearly show how easy this kit is to install. Nice to find a product that does all it promises.

[jtoolman2000]

Looks like you are not using this setup to print CD/DVDs? As I see that you used a Tie on the CD/DVD tray.
Otherwize it looks very cool. Can't wait to set mine up. Unfortunately I have about 5 carts or each color which I had ordered before I saw this system.

[averagejoe007]

Looks like you are not using this setup to print CD/DVDs? As I see that you used a Tie on the CD/DVD tray.
Otherwize it looks very cool. Can't wait to set mine up. Unfortunately I have about 5 carts or each color which I had ordered before I saw this system.

jtoolman2000,

You are right... I'm not interested in printing CD/DVD. But I assure you, the cd/dvd "tray" stores correctly and snaps into place correctly even with the plastic tie in place, you just have to find a plastic tie on small enough.

Putting the "knotted" end of the plastic tie on the rear side of the face risk interference with the movement of the print head, likewise, putting it on the top risks intereference with the closing of the semitransparent cover.

For me it was imperative the dust cover closed properly. I assure you, this mod does NOT interfere with CD/DVD writing.

In my mod you'll see I drilled and extra hole into the face of the printer cover with the plastic tie is so the "knotted" end of plastic tie would sit over it and look more recessed.

[Toaster]

Is the waste ink tube needed? I mean whats the deal there? does the printer eventually fill up with used ink or something?

I'm happy with my setup, but I have not done anything to or about my "ink waste" stuff... is that something I should be worried about?

[Denvers Dawgs]

I'm sold. Going online tomorrow to get a kit. May try averagejoes' mod looks, nice. Although I do use it for dvds, and it looks like the tie won't let tray down, but if he says its fine, I'll check it out. Once the kit runs out. How would I go about refilling the 6 plastic containers outside the printer?

Also avg.....what is the point of the ink waste you talk about....I followed everything esle but have no idea what you're talking about with your waste mod?

[LurkAzusa]

I just installed my system and it was a breeze! Ran initial charge about 4 times to clear the tubes and it is printing great. Color matches Epson cartridges.

Here's an explanation of waste ink. Everytime the printer cleans the heads, ink is drawn thru a clear tube under the print head to the back of the printer and dumps it into waste ink pads. After a while the printer will return a general error and you have to get it serviced to replace the pads.

By using the SSC Utility to reset the counter and attaching a bottle to the tubing, you can avoid this. You will just need to dump the ink from the bottle occasionally.

[averagejoe007]

For guys worring about CD/DVD printing...

Have a look at my pics... pics 1 & 2 have CD/DVD tray fully up, pics 3 & 4 have CD tray fully down. When you drill a hole for the plastic tie you ARE NOT drilling through the CD/DVD tray in the uppright position and therefor retaining the tray in the upright position. The the tray does not interfere with the plastic tie and vice-versa.

About the ink mod...

Sooner or later you will get a "general protection error" from the printer if you print enough. It's Epson's way of telling you the felt pad liningg the bottom of you printer should be changed... just a money grab in my opinion, just like their overpriced cartridges.

The ink mod is not really necessary in my opinion, just something I decided to "tinker" with. You have to do a hell of a lot of printing and cleaning cycles in order to fill up the drainage felt pad.

Even if you do eventually get the "general protection error", you can "zero" the printer's waste ink counter with the SSC service utility and still have a pad, from what I have read, in very good condition for further use.

Good look to all!

[dmagic1]

The waste pad is the white pad you see on the right under the carriage right?

[Bodyslide]

Correct

[dmagic1]

Is there more than one waste pad? It seemed to me like the pad was above the tube. That makes its seem more like the tube pulls ink from the pad to some place else.

[buckeejit]

I ordered mine last tuesday and have still not received it. I'm in the UK. I'm getting very worried...

[averagejoe007]

Is there more than one waste pad? It seemed to me like the pad was above the tube. That makes its seem more like the tube pulls ink from the pad to some place else.

Yes,

The pads are installed in several different pieces, but are touching eachother when you pull off the cover. Its engineered that way simply for simpler installation. They will "leech" from eachother as certain sections approach ink saturation.

There is only ONE drainage tube. If you pulled off the small cover at the rear and found a small clear/white tube underneath a small section of pad then that's the one.

BE WARNED... seal all your joints with caulking to whatever you plan to drain to, and to whatever you plan to drain into (a small bottle) provide a small pinhole vent so air can escape as your bottle fills.

Biggest mistake I made initially was using a bottle to drain into that held 60ml of fluid (old ink refill bottle). Filled up in no time with the CIS systems and a few print head cleanings. The ink PISSES from the drain tube with a print head cleaning.

Now I've got it dropping a couple of feet to the floor and into an old 750ml plastic bottle that is actually an old water bottle. No worries at all!

For any mishaps, clean up with Windex, MUST have Ammonia D, no problems at all. Avoid alcohol to clean up.

[Bodyslide]

I ordered mine last tuesday and have still not received it. I'm in the UK. I'm getting very worried...

I would email them to see if there is a problem.

[bdgriff]

Ok, this may be a bit of a silly question, but I signed up for ebay acct, and found this item from JWLSales, but can't purchase it b/c is says bidding has ended for this item!!! Do I really have to bid on this??? There was NO place to click on buy item or add to cart??? Plz help 1st time Ebayer...

[Bodyslide]

Look under the link for View Seller's other items.
Or Click here to see a list of what he has now.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZjlwsales

[bdgriff]

Thanks for the very speedy reply Slide....I searched for other stuff, but guess I was too damn excited to get my hands on this system...Thanks again

[dmagic1]

Is there more than one waste pad? It seemed to me like the pad was above the tube. That makes its seem more like the tube pulls ink from the pad to some place else.

Yes,

The pads are installed in several different pieces, but are touching eachother when you pull off the cover. Its engineered that way simply for simpler installation. They will "leech" from eachother as certain sections approach ink saturation.

There is only ONE drainage tube. If you pulled off the small cover at the rear and found a small clear/white tube underneath a small section of pad then that's the one.

BE WARNED... seal all your joints with caulking to whatever you plan to drain to, and to whatever you plan to drain into (a small bottle) provide a small pinhole vent so air can escape as your bottle fills.

Biggest mistake I made initially was using a bottle to drain into that held 60ml of fluid (old ink refill bottle). Filled up in no time with the CIS systems and a few print head cleanings. The ink PISSES from the drain tube with a print head cleaning.

Now I've got it dropping a couple of feet to the floor and into an old 750ml plastic bottle that is actually an old water bottle. No worries at all!

For any mishaps, clean up with Windex, MUST have Ammonia D, no problems at all. Avoid alcohol to clean up.

Yeah, thats what I remember seeing. I already had that need service error msg. I pulled up my pads and rinsed them with water then put them back. I use the SSC or what ever to reset. Its been fine every since. Ive refilled my tanks about 3-4 times since then. I avoid lots of the head cleaning by not turning my printer off.

[bidefordboy]

'buckeejit'.
I'm in the UK also. My kit arrived in four day's, but you know what the post is like here. Your's should be there tomorrow. If not then email the seller from ebay.

p.s Someone will need to be at home to sign for the parcel.

[Denvers Dawgs]

I have 1more question before I do but this great kit. I don't print up mass quantities of dvds or pictures. I was looking to buy just because of the money I would save in the long run. If I only print things out 3-4 times a week (dvds & Covers) would this kit still be worth it or will it dry out from lack of use?

[Bodyslide]

I use mine once every four or five days. When I print I do only DVD's and normally do around a 50 - 75 at a time. I have only needed to do a head cleaning once in over 300 + DVD's. And I have only used about a quarter of the inks provided.

[RickTheRed]

I have 1more question before I do but this great kit. I don't print up mass quantities of dvds or pictures. I was looking to buy just because of the money I would save in the long run. If I only print things out 3-4 times a week (dvds & Covers) would this kit still be worth it or will it dry out from lack of use?

Yup,
I agree with bodyslide.
I am not a "mass" printer. 3-4 times a week at the max. No problem with dried ink or whatever.

[Denvers Dawgs]

But when I do print it is still only 1-5 things. maybe 3dvds and 3 covers. Nowhere near 50-75.

[Denvers Dawgs]

But when I do print it is still only 6 things. Maybe 3dvds and 3 covers and thats about once a month. Nowhere near 50-75. So is it still worth me getting or will the ink just go to waste?

[Bodyslide]

The ink won't waste. You just will have a set of 7 cartridges ready to use. It might take you a year or so to use it all.

[Denvers Dawgs]

ok, then if I do ever run out of ink....the tanks are refillable?

[LurkAzusa]

>The waste pad is the white pad you see on the right under the carriage >right?

No, there are multiple waste ink pads covering the bottom of the printer. I don't think it is an easy job to remove all of them to clean.

I used to refill my cartridges and had to do many head cleanings. A LOT of ink can be wasted. I had a CIS kit that had bad reset chips and it would head clean after every job! That filled a 60ml bottle three times in 2 weeks.

Now I print about 100 DVDs a month and the bottle fills to about 30 ml. I think that is still a lot of ink to be poured into the bottom of the printer, so I am very happy with my setup of sending it to a bottle. I didn't drill any holes, just pulled the tube out of the little door and keep the door off.