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Review(s): Ink Republic (Spongeless Dampers)

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#1: Review(s): Ink Republic (Spongeless Dampers) Author: Martin, Location: South Yorkshire, UK

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 1:23 pm
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Supplier: Ink Republic
URL: http://www.inkrepublic.com
Model(s): CIS for Epson C86 / R300/200
Ink(s): MIS Supplied (Did not use InkRepublic Inks)
Purchased: June 2005

These kits were purchased with the main goal of testing and reviewing their effectiveness given the use of a spongeless damper design that is touted as being "the best" way to do CIS.

NB: InkRepublic refer to their CIS as iInk systems.

First impressions
The kit does look very well packaged and comes with a box for the ink bottles to sit in.. I actually got 2 packs of chips with each kit set. However I soon discovered problems as I'd been sent the damper/tubing set for an 8 ink kit and subsequently all the colour dots were wrong. Not good if you're a new user and blindly following what you assume to be useful cues.

Installation:
The one thing that really stands out when you get an Ink Republic kit is the fact that you get a CD with Quicktime videos and pictures on how install your CIS kit and this is something that a lot of other manufacturers could learn from.

The actual dampers themselves are not a standard cartridge size so you could potentially use the same kit in a number of different printers (even if the cartridge type changed) so long as you purchased new chipsets to suit your new printer.

Ok, first issue with this kit was the fact that it was the wrong number of dampers so I immediately had to split off 2 dampers and tubing. I then had to discard the incorrect colour dots on the dampers and tube ends as they were completely wrong. A new user would rightly get upset about this because I could easily see someone filling it according to the dots and ending up with everything going to the wrong place. Not good!

Applying common sense and checking everything against the pictures made installation possible so after triple checking what went where, I used a CD marker pen to ID each damper to make sure I knew what ink colour it should have. I then set about inserting the tube ends in the bottles before charging the dampers with ink.

Now, at this point I have to say that personal preference is to throw away that little squeeze bottle that's supplied and get out my MIS bottom fill adaptor to complete the ink charging task, but of course most people don't have this to hand so you have to soldier on with the squeeze bottle. Not ideal but it does work if you are very careful and patient.

Installing the chips... For {deity}s sake, check the chips are the right way up before you install them. Ink Republic do mark the correct orientation on the back with a little arrow but it's very easy to install the wrong way up so always check (yes I wasn't paying attention )

Tube path and the clips
This is where Ink Republic really haven't done their homework and frankly until I got this kit I didn't realise just how important this little aspect of installation is. In a nutshell, if you get this wrong you can jam, chop the tube (cue: ink everywhere) or basically stop your printer from working properly... So Ink Republic really need to spend some time on this.

My solution was to get a glue gun and a hacksaw to modify and fix the supplied clips after referring to the MIS installation docs to see which paths worked with MIS kits. (Thankyou MIS!!)
You can see the result for the printers I have here:
C86, R200

This obviously invalidates your warranty with Epson so you need to be thinking about that. But in terms of actually getting the tube to work without jamming the printer, this was vital, in my opinion.

Once that problem was resolved (and it required 3 hours of experimentation + cursing to do it) I was able to complete the installation and start printing.

What went wrong:
Well, the tube issue as a big problem for me with the C86/R200 but some things were my own fault (because I wasn't paying attention) including the points below...

I quickly discovered what can go wrong if you forget to unclip the white clips* before you start the printer for the first time. Embarassed

(*the clips used to stop ink leaking while you installed the buffers on the head)

The printer will attempt to suck ink into the print head but if you leave the clips locked, the ink will refuse to budge and the result is lots of bubbles in the damper and the need to remove the buffers, pull the ink through until the bubbles are gone (requires lots of shaking of damper, etc..) and swear at your stupidity lots. My own fault but something you should watch out for.

Actual usage
Because these are spongeless kits you don't expect to have to deal with foam issues so the 6 monthly ink routine is supposedly defunct. I've yet to prove this, but in theory this is good.

I didn't use the InkRepublic inks and so can't comment on them, but the MIS Ultrachrome ink worked great in the C84/86 models and of course the MIS dyebase worked perfectly with the R200/300 models too... So all good there.

The tube is a little longer than required but you can always cut this if required. The really nice touch is the box for all the ink bottles to sit in. For me with 3 CIS printers sitting in a school, this is now a must as it stops the little darlings from grabbing bottles and branding themselves in a technocolour rainbow (cue: mothers screaming for blood)

The reset chips are, unlike many other models, able to reset to 95% and don't actually resent until they reach around 5% full so you avoid the issue "100% full" chips cause whenever they reset (ie: full ink charging which wastes a lot more ink than a standard cleaning cycle). If your printer is switched off every night then this can make quite a difference to your ink usage.

Purging/Replacing Ink
One thing I found out the hard way was that this type of kit actually has one major advantage over any other CIS kit if, like me, you put the wrong type of ink in it or need to replace your ink type.

Sadly the squeeze bottle makes this task very difficult so if you anticipate this problem, I would recommend getting a syringe and bottom fill adaptor from MIS (or something similar).

That aside the lack of sponge in this kit means you can purge the kit of the original ink quickly and easily before drawing your new ink through to replace it. Sponge cartridges would obviously retain a lot more ink so Ink Republic's design is leaps beyond the others in this area..

Summary: (Edited: Oct 28th 2005)
Having reviewed my original findings and re-read this review I've opted to edit it, as I've realised that it does tend to offer a very negative slant of a kit I actually found had many advantages.

There are a number of very real positives with this kit as I'll touch on below but the fact that there is no proper instruction on laying the tubes at the cartridge/damper head, is a very real negative. The fact that this can stress your printer and affect it's usage is a big problem and needs addressing. In truth, once this is resolved I would say it's other qualities would stand it in very good stead. So I hope solutions are found and shared in the very near future.

Many of the other niggles I've noted are more things to "watch out for" and each kit has their own traps for the unwary so hopefully this review provides things to watch out.

My original recommendation was that only "experienced" users should consider this kit but on reflection I've downgraded that, slightly, to recommend it to users who aren't afraid to experiment and don't need an "out of the box" solution.

I would still hesitate to recommend it to completely new users at this time.

So, moving away from the negatives, there are, as I've said, a number of positives.

The inclusion of the box is very useful for protecting and moving your reservoirs.
I really like the video instructions and pictures provided to help with installation
The way the reset chips work is very well thought out and helps make further savings by reducing ink charging wastage.
The buffer design should avoid the blocking issue caused by foam.

Of course, I'd also recommend the kit for those users who are likely to want to use the kit for different ink types (see purging info above).

So, having reviewed my own review I would have to say that overall, once the tube pathway issue has been resolved, it's likely to be a good quality piece of kit.

#2: Re: Review(s): Ink Republic (Spongeless Dampers) Author: Martin, Location: South Yorkshire, UK

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:12 pm
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Supplier: Ink Republic
URL: http://www.inkrepublic.com
Model(s): (new model) CIS for Epson R300 / C86
Ink(s): MIS Supplied (Did not use InkRepublic Inks)
Purchased: October 2005

Having received a new set of kits from InkRepublic I have had a chance to check out a few new parts and report back on a couple of minor issues I found with my first kit.

1. Both kits were the correct models (no extra or missing dampers)

2. The colour dots were not present on the tubing or dampers thus avoiding any conflicting information. As a result you do still need to check your tubing is going to the correct head and colour ink. (Always triple check)

3. InkRepublic have started using new bottles shown here. I haven't had an opportunity to test these with a kit as yet but will report back.

4. I belatedly realised that the kits also include a waste ink tube which can be used to complete the waste ink modification (if you're technically minded and have the relevant information on disassembling your printer)

The tube pathway issue is still outstanding but a recent special offer seems to indicate that InkRepublic are looking to their user base for inspiration on ways to solve this. Images of their setup sent back, by users intending to take advantage of the offer, will undoubtedly provide useful ideas on way to fix the problem.

#3: Author: Martin, Location: South Yorkshire, UK

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 10:55 am
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Follow up: Ink Republic kit
Date: May 2006

If you've read follow up posts on some of the other discussion forums you'll note that I've experienced various setbacks with the I.R. kits on my C8x series printers and ultimately decided to ditch the kits on my C84, 86 and D88 printers because their reliability is very poor.

Well, as of today I discovered yet another reason why they should be taken off my list of possibles.

As anyone who has used the kit will know you have to be very careful when you push the buffers down on to the ink receiver posts as they can break off if you bend them the wrong way. Now, I've been installing these kits on a variety of printers and never had any problems to date and being aware of the problem I always take my time installing or removing the buffers to avoid breakage.

To give some background I have only one C86 printer that has worked without problems for over 6 months, using the I.R. kits but unfortunately it was left unused, for 2 weeks in a very hot room so it suffered from clogging that required removal of the kit and a gentle application of cleaning fluid into the printhead to disolve the blockage.

As a result the buffers have settled well and there's been no need to remove the buffers at all. So, imagine my surprise when I went to remove the buffers from a C86 printer and ended up breaking not just one, or even two, but THREE posts from within the print carriage unit.

Just to reiterate, this was not because I was being impatient, far from it.. I was taking my time, especially after the first post broke off, but a further two just gave way despite additional care.

I have a couple of theories on how this could have happened and the more I think about it the more I am convinced this is, in part, my own fault, however I've completed this maneuver a number of times in the past with no negative result so other contributory factors would seem to be involved.

I had clipped off the tube lines to avoid air being sucked into the buffers and causing air locks (something I've done every time in the past) so this undoubtedly caused some suction that made it harder to extract the buffer.
The rubber rings at the base of the buffer may have become "glued" to the posts
Constant stress from the tubing pulling the buffers from left to right, and back, with the movement of the printerhead are likely to have weakened the posts as there is very little keeping the buffers upright.
User error when installing the buffers (yep, I could well have used excess force and weakened the posts myself)

Whilst I fully recognise that I may well have been responsible or done something that contributed to the destruction of my printer I have to place myself in the "experienced" group. Given that most CIS users are "new" this sort of problem could easily repeat itself for anyone else and I dread to think what would happen to someone who was an R2400 owner given that any ink post breakage completely kills the printer dead. An expensive mistake just waiting to happen.

All in all, it's been a very unhappy experience but it reinforces my impressions that there are a number of significant flaws in the I.R. kits that make it a poor candidate for CIS use.

#4: Author: Martin, Location: South Yorkshire, UK

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:36 am
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Well this is the final nail in the lid for this company as far as I'm concerned..

When I was completing the removal of a kit from my C86 and things were breaking I neglected to remove the tubing from the reservoirs as I'd intended to re-use the tubing with a set of cartridges as part of a re-furbished home brew kit.

A couple of weeks later I came to create this home kit, but promptly dropped any idea of re-using the tubing when I lifted the lids and the tube ends from each of the ink reservoirs. What I found was that the tubing that had sat in the ink had hardened to the point where it was not safe to bend the tubing.

Now, thinking this through logically, this affected all the tubing that had been immersed in the ink so it's highly likely that the inside of the whole tubing set was similarly affected, although only on the inner surface. It would figure that the changes were essentially speeded up by two for the immersed tubing so the inside of the remaining tubes were another 9 months away from being just as brittle. This brittleness issue would seem to be born out by a few posts I've seen on other forums, complaining about the tubing splitting..

Bottom line, it's obvious that the kit used a tubing that was incompatible with the chemicals within the ink... Of course I've been using ink from MIS, but Ink Republic do state that their kit can be used with pretty much any ink so that puts that excuse out to pasture.

Overall... I think it's time to rewrite my review but I have to admit I no longer rate the kits I've tested and whilst I accept that materials may have changed in the 9 months I've had this unit, I still can't think of any reason to recommend them based on the numerous issues noted.

#5: Response from InkRepublic Author: DannyAtInkRepublic, Location: California

Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 11:55 am
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Martin wrote:
Well this is the final nail in the lid for this company as far as I'm concerned..

Overall... I think it's time to rewrite my review but I have to admit I no longer rate the kits I've tested and whilst I accept that materials may have changed in the 9 months I've had this unit, I still can't think of any reason to recommend them based on the numerous issues noted.

Martin,

Thanks for your review and effort. We were just notified by some of our customers who saw your reviews and directed us to this forum.
We already improved the "O"-ring design a while ago, the one you had problem with was from earlier version of our ink system. InkRepublic has been selling many ink kits for the past 5 years, only you and another customer who was using 2200 ink system had damaged the print heads accidentally. We realized this problem - unfortunately, you never reported to us, so we did not know you had this issue. We were told by the other customer 2 years ago, the 2200 one, and tried to re-shape the O-ring. This modification did solve the problem.

We also announced i-INK2 system 4 months ago which has great improvement of the ink flow and filter components. You are welcome to visit our website.

If you are interested in our system, please kindly let us know.

You can always reach me or Amanda @ customercare@InkRepublic.com

Again, thanks for the great review!

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