
Most inkjet printers need a maintenance tank to manage waste ink, which is produced during the printing and cleaning processes. Without this, leftover ink would gather inside the printer, leading to print quality issues or even damaging the printer’s internals.
One of our most asked questions is, “Do I need to buy a maintenance tank?” In this blog post, we’ll answer that question, explain what a maintenance tank is, and explain how it improves the life of your printer.
What Is A Maintenance Tank?
A maintenance tank (Also known as a maintenance kit, or maintenance cartridge) is a small box designed to store wasted ink from printing. This fills up to prevent issues in your printer that may occur due to ink buildup, such as lower print quality, smudges on the page and “shadowing”
What Does A Maintenance Tank Do?
A maintenance tank plays an important role in maintaining your printer’s performance by collecting waste ink during printing, or cleaning cycles. Here are the ways it contributes to the functionality, and improve the lifespan of your printer.
Manages Ink Overspray
Small amounts of ink may miss the paper, especially at high speeds or borderless prints, or spray past the page edges. The maintenance cartridge captures this excess ink to keep the interior of the printer clean and in full working order.
Ensures Print Quality
Over printing, or extensive inactivity can lead to clogged nozzles in the printhead, ink buildup, dirty components, or dried ink. This can lead to poor print quality, streaks or smudges, and, in some cases, can stop the printer from printing. The maintenance tank captures this leftover ink safely, allowing for self-maintenance, which will keep your printer in its best condition.
Collects Waste During Cleaning Cycles
When your printer performs a cleaning cycle, ink is flushed from the printhead to clear blockages and maintain top print quality. The remaining ink is directed to the maintenance tank to prevent spills inside the printer and reduce the risk of dry ink buildup, especially after the printer has been inactive for a long time.
How Long Does A Maintenance Tank Last?
Maintenance tanks are designed for long-term use. Their lifespan is determined in a similar way to ink & toner – based on 5% coverage of an A4 page. However, if you print larger, borderless or ink-heavy documents such as photos, banners and graphics, the maintenance tank will fill up faster.
To maximise the lifespan of your maintenance tank and printer, ensure the correct settings are applied for each print job, and perform regular maintenance cycles.
How Can I Dispose Of A Maintenance Tank?
There are two eco-friendly ways to dispose of your old maintenance tank.
The first is to recycle it using the manufacturer’s recycling program, all of which can be found at their respective websites.
The other option is to dispose of it yourself, get in touch with your local OSHA office for information on the best ways to dispose of your maintenance tank.
Issues With Not Having A Maintenance Tank
Not having a maintenance tank would lead to:
- Potential Leaks
- Frequent Printing Issues
- Shorter Printer Lifespan
- Increased Maintenance Costs
Where Can I Find A Maintenance Kit?
Here at Printerbase, we supply Maintenance Kits, Tanks and Cartridges for most inkjet printers.
Head to our website and browse “All Printers” to find your printer, go to the printers page, and the maintenance tank will be listed here under “consumables”. Alternatively, search the model of your printer in our search bar and find it there.
Alternatively, you can contact our Sales team by email, phone, or LiveChat, and they can easily narrow your search down.
Need Help or More Information ?
If you need any further help or more information, reach out to us by leaving a comment below or through one of the many ways on our Contact Us page.
Alternatively you can contact us by Phone on 0800 170 7234 and 0161 308 5800 or by Live Chat on our main Website Monday to Friday and our team will be happy to help or answer with any questions you might have.
You can also find all the various ways to connect with Us at the bottom of this page. Please share this post if you found it helpful.