Colour Laser - switch off or use power saving?

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Hi,

Just got myself an Epson C900 colour laser. Quick question....

I will probably only use it occasionally (e.g. once every few days). Is
there any point in leaving it powered on all the time? I believe the
sleep mode power consumption is <8Wh. Presumably that means around a
tenth of a standard light bulb?

Or is it better to leave it permanently on and let it sleep?

Possibly a silly question, but there you go, it's important to me!

TIA

Pete

P.S. Very impressed with the quality. There is a new model just being
launched here at the moment I think, so you can currently get the C900
at a good price!

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 19:31:27 +0000, Peter Boulton
<news@Data*n0-spam*Perceptions.co.uk> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Just got myself an Epson C900 colour laser. Quick question....
>
>I will probably only use it occasionally (e.g. once every few days). Is
> there any point in leaving it powered on all the time? I believe the
>sleep mode power consumption is <8Wh. Presumably that means around a
>tenth of a standard light bulb?
>
>Or is it better to leave it permanently on and let it sleep?
>
>Possibly a silly question, but there you go, it's important to me!
>
>TIA
>
>Pete
>
>P.S. Very impressed with the quality. There is a new model just being
>launched here at the moment I think, so you can currently get the C900
>at a good price!

Shhhhh, too many here will tell you color lasers can't produce photo
output that anyone but a drooling moron would consider
'acceptable'..lol.

I just got a Dell 3100cn, another of the new crop of inexpensive color
lasers. There is no reason to keep it on if you only print every few
days and can deal with the extra 1 or 2 mins to initialize when you do
switch it on. The only possible 'issue' would be over the long term
(months and years) does the toner become affected by humidity. Modern
toner is not hygroscopic and is a non issue: I have an Epson
ActionLaser 1500 that's easily 6 years old, rarely used, only turned
on when it's needed, the cart in it is easily 3 years old, still
prints perfectly whenever I do turn it on. Your Epson should be just
as good. In fact, if left unused for months the biggest issue on print
quality is likely to be ... the paper. All paper is hygroscopic (will
absorb moisture) and over time this will change it's properties
significantly: "Old" paper can have issues with toner fusing properly
and even more significantly, can often cause misfeed issues with laser
printers and copiers.

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Coup wrote on 12/02/2005 20:29:
> Shhhhh, too many here will tell you color lasers can't produce photo
> output that anyone but a drooling moron would consider
> 'acceptable'..lol.
>
<snipped..>

In fact, if left unused for months the biggest issue on print
> quality is likely to be ... the paper. All paper is hygroscopic (will
> absorb moisture) and over time this will change it's properties
> significantly: "Old" paper can have issues with toner fusing properly
> and even more significantly, can often cause misfeed issues with laser
> printers and copiers.
>
>

Thanks for that. I'm that drooling moron! No really, near photo
quality, if that's how one describes colour laser output, is fine for
me. I mainly need it for colour flyer / Powerpoint type stuff - the
digi-pics is just a bonus. And I'm happy to trade slightly worse
results for better reliability, less frustration and lower running costs
than an inkjet.

Interesting point about the paper aging. If the printer sleeps in the
same room as the paper supplies, does leaving the printer on all the
time have any benefit to paper moisture?

I have a feeling I may be being a bid pedantic here, but might as well
start off on the right foot!

Thanks again.

Pete

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

I vote for leaving it on - and also for doing a printed test page at
least once a week. I believe it was designed with that in mind.

PJ






On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 14:51:25 -0600, "Douglas" <.> wrote:

>I have owned dozens of lasers,and about 6 color lasers.I have found I have
>fewer troubles with the ones left on!My printers may go for a week without
>printing,then print a job of 500 to 1000 prints.
>"Peter Boulton" <news@Data*n0-spam*Perceptions.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:cullic$c7q$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk...
>> Hi,
>>
>> Just got myself an Epson C900 colour laser. Quick question....
>>
>> I will probably only use it occasionally (e.g. once every few days). Is
>> there any point in leaving it powered on all the time? I believe the
>> sleep mode power consumption is <8Wh. Presumably that means around a
>> tenth of a standard light bulb?
>>
>> Or is it better to leave it permanently on and let it sleep?
>>
>> Possibly a silly question, but there you go, it's important to me!
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Pete
>>
>> P.S. Very impressed with the quality. There is a new model just being
>> launched here at the moment I think, so you can currently get the C900 at
>> a good price!
>

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 16:13:23 +0000, Peter Boulton
<peter@data*no-spam*perceptions.co.uk> wrote:


>Interesting point about the paper aging. If the printer sleeps in the
>same room as the paper supplies, does leaving the printer on all the
>time have any benefit to paper moisture?
>
>I have a feeling I may be being a bid pedantic here, but might as well
>start off on the right foot!
>
>Thanks again.
>
>Pete

As a practical matter the paper issue rarely comes into play with
most printers, unless the paper has been sitting there say.. 6
months...otoh as anyone with a big commercial copier which runs much
faster and, like mine here, does auto-duplexing. Paper handling
becomes much more complex and faster, even 2 month old paper is FAR
more prone to jamming when running at 50 ppm and duplexing....

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

"Fred" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:ink111582j9mn3i8o2fo776r827lm6p4mi@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 21:28:22 GMT, Coup <coup@sumwhere.net> wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 14:13:45 -0600, PJx <me@privacy.net> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I vote for leaving it on - and also for doing a printed test page at
>>>least once a week. I believe it was designed with that in mind.
>>>
>>>PJ
>>
>>Don't forget to genuflect 3 times while facing Mecca when you do this.
>>Considering what remains "powered on" during sleep mode, it would be
>>fun to ask either of these guys EXACTLY what they think keeping the
>>unit powered is actually "doing" to make the printer perform better...
>>the answers will be instructive: as to their misinformation as to what
>>is being powered, and how these printers actually operate....
>
> I'm sure you know so much more than the engineers that have been
> designing inkjets since long before they came out..
>
> Why would anyone ever want to ask the manufacturers anything?
>
> Just ask coup. He has all the answers.
>
He also knows this thread is about Colour Laser printers, and not inkjets.

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 17:30:51 GMT, "Harvey" <harvey@not.ntlworld.com>
wrote:

>
>"Fred" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
>news:ink111582j9mn3i8o2fo776r827lm6p4mi@4ax.com...
>> On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 21:28:22 GMT, Coup <coup@sumwhere.net> wrote:
>>
>>>On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 14:13:45 -0600, PJx <me@privacy.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I vote for leaving it on - and also for doing a printed test page at
>>>>least once a week. I believe it was designed with that in mind.
>>>>
>>>>PJ
>>>
>>>Don't forget to genuflect 3 times while facing Mecca when you do this.
>>>Considering what remains "powered on" during sleep mode, it would be
>>>fun to ask either of these guys EXACTLY what they think keeping the
>>>unit powered is actually "doing" to make the printer perform better...
>>>the answers will be instructive: as to their misinformation as to what
>>>is being powered, and how these printers actually operate....
>>
>> I'm sure you know so much more than the engineers that have been
>> designing inkjets since long before they came out..
>>
>> Why would anyone ever want to ask the manufacturers anything?
>>
>> Just ask coup. He has all the answers.
>>
>He also knows this thread is about Colour Laser printers, and not inkjets.
>
>

LMAO

This one can't even conceive of a color printer that isn't one of his
beloved inkjet torture devices....

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Thanks Art, that's a good, well balanced answer. Appreciated.

Pete (OP)

(P.S. I also appreciated the other replies on this thread, apart from
the net-police sniping bits, which are just so unnecessary!)