Can EPSON L475 do pigment ink ?

[ogonzales]

Hi,

I'm doing a home stickers business with my Epson L475.

I've found another, very, similar question. But the use case was for printing over transfer vinyl for clothes application. So besides the objective, they use another series of Epson:

https://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/can-epson-l360-do-pigment-ink.13256/
I'm using the regular dye inks over a special vinyl that accepts this kind of ink. According to my provider it has a especial resin that lets the PVC absorbe the dye ink.

It works but as you know dye inks tend to wash out with water and don't last on direct sun light (the fade out quickly).

This is a sticker put over a car: left is original, right is after 2 weeks of outside exposure.

I'd like mine stickers to keep original colors longer (4 - 6 months) if possible.

I laminate them, but not sure if the transparent vinyl I use has some UV light proteccion.

So I was wondering if my printer would be Ok using Pigment Inks?

I'm printing directly over the printable vinyl, that I've cut in A4 size sheets:

This is my EPSON L475:

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

I'm not really clear what you are (planning to) print, are you printing directly onto the sticker foil ? With dye inks at this time ? Or are you using some transfer process for dye sublimation inks ?

I cannot find the technical spec's for the L475, it appears to be a discontinued model for South America ?
If it is a printer with the 180 black and 3x59 CMY nozzles you can switch to pigment inks, that printhead is used in lots of workforce WF.... models running with Durabrite pigment inks. Colors might be different, the driver still assumes dye ink when you switch over to pigment inks. You can directly print onto the sticker foils, you need to test whether the print, the surface is sufficiently resistant against wear and abrasion. And pigment inks are not suitable for the sublimation process.

 

[ogonzales]

Thank you for your answer. Please, see these pictures of my printer. I'll post some new pictures also in the original question.

I'm posting a picture of the nozzles, so you can have an idea. I don't know what size they are, so I'm hopping you can tell me something from the images.

I'm printing onto vinyl, it is called printable vinyl, using dye inks at this time. No transfer process is been used.

Yes, I'm in South America, Perú.

Thank you.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

There is a label at the ink cover '664' which indicates the type of ink you are using in this printer, that's typical for this type and generation of printers.
I understand you are printing directly onto printable PVC label material.
Please be aware that the dye ink 664 you are using is not best in regards to UV/fading stability, and that's what you see as well.
You can switch over to pigment inks - Durabrite compatible inks - but you should do some test on an Epson printer with pigment inks before you start exchanging/refilling the inks in your printer, you should test whether you get good colors and you check as well the adherence of the inks on the PVC foils - it could be that the pigment inks are less scratch resistant.
But you have another option - to use an ink which is significantly better in regards to fading than this 664 ink. You should look for an Epson Printer ET-7700 which uses an ink 106 (per nomenclature in Europe), this ink performs better and is as well a dye ink you can directly substitute with the 664 ink, it comes as well in bottles, and you can twist off the top with some force.

 

[The Hat]

I'm printing onto vinyl, it is called printable vinyl, using dye inks at this time

I use pigment ink to directly print onto Papilio Vinyl self-adhesive A4 sheets, fading is not a problem for the life of the sticker…

 

[ogonzales]

@Ink stained Fingers Yes.

I understand you are printing directly onto printable PVC label material.
Please be aware that the dye ink 664 you are using is not best in regards to UV/fading stability, and that's what you see as well.

I've done some search, and found this items on amazon:

1) Pigment Inks - Durabrite Compatible Inks:

a) Epson 702 Ink: https://www.amazon.com/Epson-T70252...rabrite+compatible+inks&qid=1578951457&sr=8-3

Full name: Epson T702520-S DURABrite Ultra Color Combo Pack Standard Capacity Cartridge Ink

b) Epson Ink Cartridge Fox Black T1281:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Epson-cartridge-DURABRITE-Compatible-Cartridges/dp/B004PFQQJK
Full name: Epson Ink Cartridge Fox – DURABRITE Ultra Ink – Compatible Ink Cartridges (Black, Epson Stylus S22/SX125/SX130/SX230/SX235 W/SX420 W/SX425 W/SX430 W/SX435 W/SX440 W/SX445 W, Stylus Office Inkjet,)

c) Epson 802: T802520 DURABrite Ultra Color Combo Pack Standard Capacity Cartridge Ink

https://www.amazon.com/Epson-DURABr...rabrite+compatible+inks&qid=1578951776&sr=8-4
Full name: Epson T802520 DURABrite Ultra Color Combo Pack Standard Capacity Cartridge Ink


2) DYE Ink:

a) Epson EcoTank 106 Cyan Ink Bottle

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Epson-EP64...ink+106&qid=1578952029&s=officeproduct&sr=1-4

I think it would be easier to look for the 106 Ink that according to your answer should give better results agains UV Fading.

But as it is still a DYE Ink, it is not waterproof right?

So, as a definitive answer, if I understood correclty, my Epson L475 can use Pigment Ink right? It is just a matter to test for correct color output.

But it won't stop working if I use the pigment inks?

Please, confirm this and if the products find on amazon, specially the pigmented inks are the correct ones, so I can show the picture when going to the stores (I'm afraid some sellers are not knowledgeable, and I'm also begginer on this).


Also, if you could provide an explanation on the nomeclature of the inks? The lower it's number the better? 106 is better than 664? 702 is better than 708 inks?

May you tell us, what these numbers mean? Thank you.

You can switch over to pigment inks - Durabrite compatible inks - but you should do some test on an Epson printer with pigment inks before you start exchanging/refilling the inks in your printer, you should test whether you get good colors and you check as well the adherence of the inks on the PVC foils - it could be that the pigment inks are less scratch resistant.
But you have another option - to use an ink which is significantly better in regards to fading than this 664 ink. You should look for an Epson Printer ET-7700 which uses an Yes. (per nomenclature in Europe), this ink performs better and is as well a dye ink you can directly substitute with the 664 ink, it comes as well in bottles, and you can twist off the top with some force.

@The Hat yes, I'm thinking to use also pigment inks on my vinyl sheets. As these are waterresistant.

My actuall stickers are great for PC, celphones (they are also laminated) but their borders get blurry on heavier conditions (rain).

When I've asked the meddium businesses that make stickers have huge machines to print, and the told me they use "Ecosolvent Ink". Is this different to pigment ink?

As far as I understand DYE INK is the best for printing quality, but the bad sides are the fading and that is not waterproof (as said before, even with lamination the stickers borders get blurry).


**Update 1:**

I keept reading other posts and I understand now that Ecosolvent ink is a different beast. I can damage the printhead of your printer so badly. But there is a possibility to change a dye printer to ecosolvent.

 

[Ubuki]

Have you tried "tinta pigmentada" on your local Mercadolibre? Ebay?

I have the bad experience of having ruined a printhead for using the wrong ink. I bought a CIS system for an old XP-211 at a retail place and asked the seller to give me pigment ink for it. She gave me Inktek ink labeled as E0013-01L. The CIS worked, but the head got clogged right away.

While the replacement head arrives from China (fortunately it was only 15 USD on Ebay) if it ever does, my only reference for inks that might work are the purchaser's comments on Mercadolibre who mention the printer models they're using a particular ink for. I should have paid attention to those who report what doesn't work.

Not a great situation really. I'm in the same boat with you. I would like to print stickers with that XP211 on paper or vynil and I also own an A3 size Epson for which I would like to find suitable pigment ink. It would be a costly experiment to ruin that one too.

If you ever succeed, I would be quite interested in knowing what worked for you. I mean, it's possible, there are lots of videos of people using ink tank printers with pigment.

 

[websnail]

Few nuggets to add to the existing input on this thread:

1. Adhesion of matt black on some papers/media isn't always great so consider using a photo black pigment as your black to be sure. Note: Photo black is often less "black" so keep that in mind.

2. Pigment inks in any CIS system are notorious for clogging:
Ref (old blog of mine): https://www.wasteink.co.uk/service-required/pigment-ink-cis-systems/

3. Inktec K3 inks are (in my experience at least) far and away the best option for pigment inks in Epson dye ink heads. Clogging is massively reduced and quality is excellent. Expensive but pays its way in reduced maintenance, vibrancy, etc...


Beyond that, whatever you decide to try it's always best to test things out using an old/cheap printer that can accept the inks before you commit to filling your CIS system printer. Something like a cheap XP 100 / 200 series with refillable carts will suffice.

 

[ogonzales]

There is a label at the ink cover '664' which indicates the type of ink you are using in this printer, that's typical for this type and generation of printers.
I understand you are printing directly onto printable PVC label material.
Please be aware that the dye ink 664 you are using is not best in regards to UV/fading stability, and that's what you see as well.
You can switch over to pigment inks - Durabrite compatible inks - but you should do some test on an Epson printer with pigment inks before you start exchanging/refilling the inks in your printer, you should test whether you get good colors and you check as well the adherence of the inks on the PVC foils - it could be that the pigment inks are less scratch resistant.
But you have another option - to use an ink which is significantly better in regards to fading than this 664 ink. You should look for an Epson Printer ET-7700 which uses an ink 106 (per nomenclature in Europe), this ink performs better and is as well a dye ink you can directly substitute with the 664 ink, it comes as well in bottles, and you can twist off the top with some force.

Sir, I've looked in Lima Perú for the 106 Epson Ink, but no one knows about it. A person told me the 106 Epson ink, in Perú is the 504 Ink. Do you know where to look for a reference to see is that is true?

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

I must admit it was not so easy to find some valid information, it appears to me that Epson Peru does not have the ET7700/7750 in the product range in your country.
It is not the 504 ink which is used on a home office type printer L4150, that's not the ink you need. But I was further searching and found at Amazon Mexico this link for the ET7700 printer

www.amazon.com.mx/Epson-Expression-Premium-7700-EcoTank/dp/B074V4N9JM

Please have a look to about the middle of the long page, there is the ink, in this case a combo pack for this printer

www.amazon.com.mx/Epson-T512-EcoTank-7700-7750/dp/B074RG6PNV/ref=pd_sim_229_1/143-1896004-3062009?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B074RG6PNV&pd_rd_r=34dda031-5a1a-49b3-b7d7-3ca873968302&pd_rd_w=r9twz&pd_rd_wg=EudTi&pf_rd_p=6dcccbce-a50b-4825-86df-f4589e09d074&pf_rd_r=PSSQD9GRGQ3RYR0Y69BT&psc=1&refRID=PSSQD9GRGQ3RYR0Y69BT

It is the T512 ink for this business region. You should be able to get this T512 ink from other suppliers in other countries as well.