Deskjet always turns on at powerup

Bob Headrick wrote:
"Adam" wrote:
whenever AC power goes up, [the Deskjet] starts up in "on".

What I think I'll do (unless someone has a better idea) is get
something like http://cleantechnica.com/files/2008/11/8651zooma.jpg
which is a switch for one (ungrounded) outlet, to go between my UPS
and this printer.

If you turn off the power externally to the printer it may not properly
cap the cartridges, allowing them to dry out. Additionally, when the
power is reapplied the printer will assume the worst case for time since
the last print job and will do more aggressive cleaning. This will
result in more ink used for servicing, which will reduce the life of the
ink cartridges as well as the printer.

Thanks for your advice, Bob! That's what I've heard... inkjet
printers should always be turned off with their own switch (or
through software), for those reasons. I've always made sure to do
that, and made sure my various inkjet printers were switched off
before turning off the power strip or UPS. Of course, the one
unavoidable violation of that is when AC power goes out (or goes out
long enough for the UPS to shut down).

The printer automatically goes into a low power state when not printing.
It would be best to leave the printer connected to a live outlet and
power the printer off with its own power switch when necessary.

I hadn't intended to use the "outlet switch" (or whatever it's
called) to shut down the inkjet, just as a means of keeping it from
automatically powering on when I switch on the UPS. Then when I
want to print something on it, turning the outlet switch on would
start up the printer. From then on I'd use the printer's own
switch, until I'm ready to power down the whole system. Then it's
(a) make sure inkjet is powered off, (b) flip outlet switch to off,
(c) switch off UPS. There may be entire "sessions" when I don't use
the inkjet at all.

Does that sound technically okay, since the inkjet (once on) would
always be turned off by its own switch? And also would the whole
thing I've described be more trouble than it's worth? (That one I
have to answer myself!) Thanks again for your expertise!

Adam

TJ wrote:
On 06/16/2010 11:36 PM, Adam wrote:
This is a cheap printer (Deskjet D1430) and there's no software override
for the power switch. That would be okay with me except that whenever AC
power goes up, it starts up in "on".

What I think I'll do (unless someone has a better idea) is get something
like http://cleantechnica.com/files/2008/11/8651zooma.jpg which is a
switch for one (ungrounded) outlet, to go between my UPS and this
printer.

However, I can tell you that for a while I ran the PSC without turning
the printer's switch off, but by switching everything off with a power
strip. Bad idea. Every time I powered up, the printer and scanner would
initialize. It is my belief that the practice led to the early failure
of the scanner bulb, due to the many start-up cycles, and that meant the
printer was gone, too.

I've heard of things like that. For that reason, I've always made
sure that whatever inkjet I have has its power off (by switch or by
software) before killing the "master" power (power strip or UPS).
My scanner is separate, and it does have a low power mode that it
goes into after a while, but I only switch it on when I'll be
scanning, and off when I'm done with it.

In my case, the 5650 was the "cheap" printer. I picked it up at a
rummage sale for $1.

Ha! I beat you! :-) I got this dinosaur HP Color LaserJet 5M for
free. Of course the thing dates from 1997, is the size of a large
window air conditioner, weighs 102 lbs. (46 kg) empty, takes several
minutes to warm up, is incredibly slow in color, and is a power hog,
so I can see why the guy wanted to give it away before he moved.
OTOH the cost of consumables and parts thru eBay is almost nothing.
Electricity is another matter -- even its "power saver" mode draws
30W.

Well, at least both of us now have working printers.

Adam

wrote:
On Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:36:38 -0400, in comp.periphs.printers Adam
wrote:

considerably more expensive printer. This HP is a cheapo, came free
when I bought the computer, and would probably have retailed for US
$30-40.

Then why even bother putting this on the UPS?

Y'know, that's a really good point. I just never thought about it,
and plugged all the computer pieces into the power strip (and now
the UPS). At least I plugged the printers into the non-backed-up
side of the UPS. :-) Thanks VERY much for the suggestion!

Adam

On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:26:56 -0400, Adam wrote:

I hadn't intended to use the "outlet switch" (or whatever it's
called) to shut down the inkjet, just as a means of keeping it from
automatically powering on when I switch on the UPS. Then when I
want to print something on it, turning the outlet switch on would
start up the printer. From then on I'd use the printer's own
switch, until I'm ready to power down the whole system. Then it's
(a) make sure inkjet is powered off, (b) flip outlet switch to off,
(c) switch off UPS. There may be entire "sessions" when I don't use
the inkjet at all.

Does that sound technically okay, since the inkjet (once on) would
always be turned off by its own switch?

That IS what a large number of "only print occasionally" users do.

And also would the whole
thing I've described be more trouble than it's worth? (That one I
have to answer myself!)

Depends on how often you need to print.

who where wrote:
On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:26:56 -0400, wrote:
I hadn't intended to use the "outlet switch" (or whatever it's
called) to shut down the inkjet, just as a means of keeping it from
automatically powering on when I switch on the UPS.
[snip]
Does that sound technically okay, since the inkjet (once on) would
always be turned off by its own switch?

That IS what a large number of "only print occasionally" users do.

And also would the whole
thing I've described be more trouble than it's worth? (That one I
have to answer myself!)

Depends on how often you need to print.

Thanks very much! That puts things in perspective nicely. Now that
my dinosaur laser printer is working again (way cheaper per page), I
probably won't be using the inkjet very much. Hmm...

Adam

"Adam" wrote in message
...

I hadn't intended to use the "outlet switch" (or whatever it's called) to
shut down the inkjet, just as a means of keeping it from automatically
powering on when I switch on the UPS. Then when I want to print something
on it, turning the outlet switch on would start up the printer. From then
on I'd use the printer's own switch, until I'm ready to power down the
whole system. Then it's (a) make sure inkjet is powered off, (b) flip
outlet switch to off, (c) switch off UPS. There may be entire "sessions"
when I don't use the inkjet at all.

Does that sound technically okay, since the inkjet (once on) would always
be turned off by its own switch? And also would the whole thing I've
described be more trouble than it's worth? (That one I have to answer
myself!) Thanks again for your expertise!

Generally Deskjet printers have an internal clock that tracks the time since
the last print job and does more or less servicing of the nozzles depending
on how long it has been. If you remove the power to the printer the clock
loses track of time and when the printer is turned on again it assumes the
worst case. This will use more ink for servicing than is necessary.
Besides higher printing costs this can also shorten the life of the printer.

I would recommend keeping the printer plugged into an active outlet.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging

Bob Headrick wrote:
I hadn't intended to use the "outlet switch" (or whatever it's called)
to shut down the inkjet, just as a means of keeping it from
automatically powering on when I switch on the UPS. Then when I want
to print something on it, turning the outlet switch on would start up
the printer. From then on I'd use the printer's own switch, until I'm
ready to power down the whole system.

Generally Deskjet printers have an internal clock that tracks the time
since the last print job and does more or less servicing of the nozzles
depending on how long it has been. If you remove the power to the
printer the clock loses track of time and when the printer is turned on
again it assumes the worst case. This will use more ink for servicing
than is necessary. Besides higher printing costs this can also shorten
the life of the printer.

I would recommend keeping the printer plugged into an active outlet.

Thanks again, Bob! I wasn't aware that cheap Deskjets (this one's a
D1430) did this. It sounds like I'd be better off leaving the thing
on continuously until I shut down the system (which could be several
days later). Up to now I've been shutting it down (with its own
switch) every time I figured I was done using it for a while.

Adam