John&Joey
Some Location
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Maybe this should really be moved to the "Tech" forum, but I thought I would try real world experience first before going into the technical hypothetical arena.
Just picked up a computer printer and the thought occurred to me that when we leave this winter (and turn the heat off) will the ink cartridges in the printer survive? or will they burst. I know we leave pens out all winter but then the ink in them is in a more soft plastic housing which would expand. The printer cartridges are hard plastic.
Anybody out there just turn off the heat, leave the computer printer alone, and come back in the spring with no issues? Suppose I can pull the cartridges to be safe, but that is just one more thing to remember when there are so many other things.
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D&E Johnson
Ontario, Canada/Quartzsite, Arizona
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we leave our heat on at 50f. for the winter. All appliances including the printer are unplugged, we have not had any problems so far, and have been doing this the last 6 years. Dona
Dona and Elvin
2010 Dodge Laramie 3500 4x4 Mega cab-in Pearl black/tan
2007 Open Road 359RL3S
2004 Yamaha Kodiak 400 ATV
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miatared
Toronto
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Might I suggest - if you can -that you just remove the cartridge(s) - it's also the print head assembly on most inkjets. Store it (them) in a ziploc b(ag over the winter.
Ink has water content and it will affect its quality.
I have many years of experience in servicing printers.
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John&Joey
Some Location
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miatared wrote:Might I suggest - if you can -that you just remove the cartridge(s) - it's also the print head assembly on most inkjets. Store it (them) in a ziploc b(ag over the winter.
Ink has water content and it will affect its quality.
I have many years of experience in servicing printers.
Thanks!
So it sounds like if I leave the print head alone, but take the cartridges out (all 5 of them) I'll be better off prior to turning the heat off and plunging the place into freezing temps. I suppose I best take the cartridges with us when we head south also (guess I have to add one more thing to my winterizing list.)
FWIW, we built our place to be left unheated in the winter. So there is no turning down the thermostate to the lowest setting for us. Everything in here could reach -40f at times during the winter.
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texasbaskets
Frisco, TX
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Extreme temperatures (especially swings) will ruin them. Add to that not using the printer for a while and you will shorten the printer life and have nothing but a mess on your hands.
Do the safe thing and take the printer with you.  
It probably doesn't apply to your specific printer, but read this and you will get the idea.
Michael, Kay, and Prissy (The vicious 6 pound Malti-Poo)
'05 Coachmen SportsCoach SE 372DS a.k.a. "Mana's Cabana"
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Alfred622
Rochester, MN
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I wondered the same thing...and did a Google search about freezing ink cartridges. I found one set of specifications that indicated:
-4 F (-20 C) to 104 F (40 C) Storage
-22 F (-30 C) to 140 F (60 C) Transit
3.2 F (-16 C) Freezing
There were also articles indicating brand new (never used) ink cartridges tolerate freezing better than used cartridges.
At the very least, I'd remove the ink cartridges from the printer, put them in a plastic zip-lock bag, and store them separate from the printer.
If you have a good quality (expensive) printer, then the safe thing to do is store it someplace where the temp won't drop below freezing.
I'll be very interested in the real-world experiences of others.....
Alfred
2005 Sightseer with Workhorse, ReadyBrute Elite towing 2003 Honda CRV
Map below shows states where we actually camped.....
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rockhillmanor
On the Road
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Don't know about the ink, for me it wouldn't be worth taking the chance.
I'm still stuck on your statement that you:
'turn the heat off in your house' when you go south????
I'd be more worried about water pipes bursting than ink! 
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powderman426
ohio
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I turn off the heat when leaving for the winter. I blow out the pipes with air & put rv antifreeze in drains. printer stays where it always is, and I have had no problems. YMMV
Ron & Charlotte
28' Prowler & 05 Ram QC LB
I started with nothing and I still have most of it left
I never fail, I just succeed in finding out what doesn't work
.JPG)
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John&Joey
Some Location
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rockhillmanor wrote:...I'm still stuck on your statement that you:
'turn the heat off in your house' when you go south????
I'd be more worried about water pipes bursting than ink!
Built the place where all the pipes are either vertical or on a downward slop to a main drain spigot. There is a spigot at the high end of the run also that gets open to allow air into the lines. I can winterize all the pipes in under two minutes. Half a gallon of RV antifreeze in the traps/toilet and we're out of there.
Thinking I'll just take out the printer cartridges and put them in a zip lock bag and take my chances with the quality of the ink when I get back (assuming they don't burst.)
Thanks for all of the helpful input/advice.
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we3
Birnamwood Wi.
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I have a printer in my work trailer that sits out in -20 weather and gets used everyday. The trailer is heated during the day or the ink would be to cold to print, however there has been no ill effects for 14 years doing this.
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