I closed the thread with my testing results for the complaint of leaking/draining carts in 2880’s. To keep that thread “clean” of discussions back and forth pertaining to this topic, please use this thread.
First a question. I assume that general discussion about these R2880s should occur in this thread, But what about our progress reports on our individual printers? I will post a report on mine in a few days, and I think that having these specific discussions interleaved in this thread will be confusing and hard to read. I was proposing to post my update in my own thread. Please confirm the correct forum etiquette.
I found your results disappointing but not entirely surprising. To be honest, I was sceptical that my own capping station was faulty, and that replacing it would solve my leaks. But you are far more experienced in these matters than I. At least now we know, although perhaps in some printers the capping station may be still the issue.
So I though to myself, aha, as I suspected, I should replace the print head. So off I went to Compass-Micro, but the print head is only sold by Epson now. A check of ebay and alibaba indicates a price of $USD900-1000 or more. Eeek! At those prices by the time I did the currency conversion and paid import duty I wouldn’t be far off the price of a new 3880! Not economic.
Now in fact there is a cheaper way to do this. As I understand it, the R2880 has the same DX5 printhead as the R1900 & R2000. I could buy a new R2000, remove the printhead, sell off the carts and the other parts and it would work out a lot cheaper, although still not cheap. In fact there is a chinese youtube video around of someone doing precisely this to a new printer, and now I understand why. The head is worth more than the printer!
There is a still cheaper possibility. As I understand it, the print head is in two parts - the print head proper and the “Printhead Manifold Adapter”. The manifold adaptor is a lot cheaper, see for example this ebay listing, which also includes instructions.
I fully admit that I am no expert, but both my R2880 and my R2400 haven’t had that much printing and I find it hard to believe that the print head proper is worn out. My hunch all along has been that the issue is in the part called the manifold. As my R2400 is waiting to go to e-waste, and as the R2400 part is even cheaper ($USD42.90), I’m inclined to buy one and try my hand at printer brain surgery on the R2400. Won’t cost much and since this printer has no other use, it’s worth a try to see if I can save it. If that works then it may be an option for the R2880.
So what do you think Kelly?
Kelly, please keep us updated with your results using the InkThrift Pro inks. I prefer the pigment inks for prints, but the dye inks could be useful for school posters and other less critical needs.
Brian, Yes, please post your findings on your original thread.
My opinion on after market parts from an unknown source (Ebay being one of them) can be a waste of $, these parts typically come from China and are not always made up entirely of complete assemblies and can be out of specs. The print heads are sold as a unit, not separate items, such as a manifold. I would not recommend purchasing the manifold separately, the unit is sealed together and cannot be taken apart without ruining the seal, leaving you with no option to put it back together.
As for the idea of purchasing a 1900 or R2000 for it’s print head and installing it into your R2880, I have no way of knowing if these printers share the same head or not. I would recommend putting your money towards a Re-Furb R3000 or 3880. Either of these 2 printers are reliable, easy to use and perform well for years with proper care.
Dan, I will keep you posted on the InkThrift PRO ink in the R2880 
Hmmm , well, it was an idea. As it stands, the R2400 is heading for the e-waste, so it’s a bit like (if you’ll pardon the macabre analogy) a donated cadaver in a teaching hospital - of educational value before it’s given a decent burial. So I may use it as something to play with and learn a few things from, and depending what I find I may give this a try, since it won’t cost the earth to so. But the R2880 would need to be behaving in a very problematic manner before I tried it on that one. I am keen to avoid having to buy a printer with ink lines, esp for colour work. And there’s no evidence that Epson do refurbs in this country.
As for the print head, the heads for the R1900 & R2880 have ever so slightly different part numbers, but that may or may not mean anything. I really think that they’re likely to be the same. And it’s still possible to buy the R1900 version. But Compass don’t list the R2000 head at all, so there’s no way to know. It would be a very expensive gamble. Not for this little, black duck, at least not without a lot more info.
My testing conclusion for InkThrift Pro in our OLD R2880:
-Ran successfully for about 1 week with daily use, no leaking present during printing or sitting overnight
-Left sitting for 4 days without use, 1st print leaking was present
-Carts have not drained while sitting used in printer, just leaking during printing after sitting
Using InkThrift Pro in place of ConeColor Pro in your older 2880 printers is a solution if you are willing to keep the Capping Station, Wiper Blade and Bottom of the Print Head in perfectly clean condition, then install the dye inks and use the printer. When you are finished using the printer, store with Piezoflush cartridges to prevent leaking/draining and keep the capping station moistened while in storage. I would say if you are going to leave it sitting for more then 2 days, to store it with Flush carts. Otherwise, send it back to Epson for Re-Furbishing to keep these little gems in circulation for a while longer.
Hello all. After a few months of good behavior, my R2880 has started acting up. I recently moved, and it was after I fired it up from that that I’ve been having issues.
Silly me, I didn’t check the printer before moving it, but upon arrival at my new place, I found that K and C had drained. There was quite a bit of ink around, but I cleaned that up, replaced the carts, and let it do its thing.
Nozzle check showed C was now working, and K was not. Did another clean.
Now, K was mostly working, but VLM had gone stupid. Thinking it might be the carts, replaced with the 2nd set I have, which I know worked in the past. Wiped the capping station and blades, and all the rubber seemed fine. (Head) Cleaned again.
Now everything was working except for VM as of 12 hours ago. Today I did another clean, with no improvement. The blocked nozzles seem to dance around, but are almost always concentrated at the top and bottom of the pattern.
Does anyone have any ideas why I would be having issues with only one or two colors at a time, and why VM is now being so stubborn? During the initial cleaning cycles, VM was working fine. What should I do to fix it? Cleaning cycles cost about $1.50 to run (in CCP ink cost)… 
Was this a refurb? I forget.
If the gaps move then it’s not a clog. So I guess either there’s air in there somewhere, or there’s still gunk under the head that the wiper blade moves around, even though you’ve cleaned. Or the printer head has decided that it’s too old.
Yes, it was a refurb.
I’d say it would be gunk if colors flipped out after a wipe, but aside from initially, it’s stuck to VM.
Air sounds reasonable, although would it hang around for 3 cleanings???
I just ran another cleaning, and it seemed to do a deeper one than normal. The nozzle check was better, but is still missing some nozzles. Will try again tomorrow. Again. sigh…at least I don’t have a deadline right now.
Edit: And now after another clean, it’s working again. A fluke? Maybe…but I went through about 20mL of ink to get it fixed. I hope that doesn’t happen every time I move the printer. Otherwise it will be an expensive summer.
If you’re going to be moving it you should Clean the pigment out of the Capping Station, off the Wiper Blade and the bottom of the print head, install Piezoflush Cartridges and run 3 cleaning cycles. Then move the printer, once you are ready to start it up, install the color cartridges again, this will save you a LOT of cleaning, manually and Cleaning cycles, as well as pigment ink and possibly clogged channels in the head from pigment congealing while it’s not in use. This is basic protocol for leaving a printer unused for more then 1 week (the desktop family), as well as transporting the printer any amount of distance.
Huh. Thanks for the info. I’ve moved my 3880 plenty of times with no issues (and no special treatment), so assumed the 2880 would be fine with it too. Obviously not. Why might this be?
Reading elsewhere, I’ve seen that Piezoflush is a less dense liquid. Would this prevent/minimize the cart draining problem I experienced during the move? Sounds like I’ll be adding an extra set of carts and Piezoflush to my next order…
The difference is that the 3880 has internal ink lines that go into a damper, then into the head. The damper is in the closed position when the printer is not printing or in use, which prevents the ink from leaving the damper and going into the head. There is no chance of “wicking” with this type of system because the damper acts as a one way value. So, even thought the Capping station is located directly under the head with contact being made, the dampers will not allow for any ink to leave the ink lines and wick into the capping station.
The R2880 DOES NOT have internal ink lines, instead the cartridges sits directly on top of the head and the Capping Station rests directly underneath the head, which can cause the cartridges to drain IF there is a build of pigments on the capping station and the bottom of the print head, often times this is the case, even if the wiper blade is working correctly. When the printer is in it’s resting position, the Capping Station is actually pressing against the bottom of the print head, this is to prevent the head from drying up. IF the printer has been left for a number of days, sometimes the build up of pigment will induce the “wick” of the cartridge, this is usually only present when your printer is older or hasn’t been maintained properly.
If you are relocating a Desktop printer, it is always a good rule of thumb to install Piezoflush cartridges, run 3 cc’s and verify a good NC. Moving the printer with the Piezoflush installed there is a much lesser chance of the carts wicking/draining because the Piezoflush is has a much thinner viscosity then pigment ink and will not congeal onto the bottom of the print head or the Capping station.
Kelly,
I am also interested in your writeup on the capping station. In the coming weeks I’m likely going to replace mine.
Here is my write up on Cleaning the Capping Station OUT of the machine to verify complete, 100% operation. This is NOT a manual for replacement, you can find that in the Repair Manual at 2manuals.com
Removing and cleaning Pump Assembly
I would recommend a straight up replacement IF you are committing to taking this unit out of the printer, for $50 you can replace this unit, it will make life a whole lot easier, cleaner and ensure a fully functioning Pump Assembly, eliminating that as an option for issues down the road.
BUT, for those of you/us who like making things work without replacement (being this world has become such a disposable culture), I will humor you all with a solution for cleaning your Pump Assembly while REMOVED from the printer, there is NO way of doing this while in the printer, unless you want to make a BIG HUGE mess of your printers!
Now, for that wiper blade, you really need to make sure it’s in good working order, otherwise, this whole process would be in folly. There are no promise this is going to work, but like I said, if your anything like me, it might be worth a try to save throwing away an entire Pump Assembly!
With Capping station removed, place over a sink to minimize the mess, wear you gloves and an apron too! MESSSSSSYYYYY jobs call for preparations! Disconnect the waste ink lines leaving the capping station and going to the junction where the line goes into to the pump, leave these lines dangling into the sink. Now, squirt flush fluid through the capping station and watch to see the fluid go through the lines freely. Now, do the same through the pump, Reconnect the lines going from the capping station into the pump, not an easy task, pinch the hose together and push the smaller one into it. You will need to use a syringe with a blunt tip needle and make a seal with your fingers the best you can and squirt the flush through until it runs through easily.
OK, now the FUN part!. No seriously, if you are anything like me, you will LOVE this part! Insert the end of your syringe luer slip into the end of the waste ink line on the end where it connects into the waste pad lines, now poor some flush into the syringe with the plunger OUT, once you have a 1/4 of the syringe filled with flush, install the plunger. Now, push the flush gently until the flush comes out the capping station, this is a reverse motion then before. Once you see the flush bubble up into the capping station, pull the plunger back out and keep working the flush in and out making it bubble up out over the top, you will see quit a bit of inky pigment draining out into the sink. You can leave it sitting for a bit to help break it up. Then, once your done playing with that, suck all the fluid out through the syringe and put it all back together. VOILA! The capping station is free and clear of clogs and “should” work to full function.
NOTE- Just because your Capping station is back to full operating status, does NOT mean you print head (if out of specs) is going to be miraculously cured. Keep this in mind before you spend the $ and the time in this endeavor, I am not that hopeful the capping station is a fix all for these machines.
+1
The question with such a printer is, what do you do next, once you’ve gone to the considerable trouble and modest expense of replacing the capping station? You could ditch it, or you could take a deep breath and use OEM. Or, if you’re desperate to retain a printer without ink lines, you could dabble with the print head. A new head is simply not economic for a 2880, if you can get one. But in post #2 I did float the idea of replacing the print head manifold. Not an expensive option when the only alternative is the e-waste. You may be right about the seal, but when you have nothing left to lose … I have such a printer (not the 2880 discussed here), and may try it as a learning experience when time permits, if it ever does.
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