Onboard Printer

[egaito]

Does anyone have any experience to share regarding a printer on their boat?

It may sound simple, but here are the concerns:

Ink jets nozzles tend to clog when not used often. The cleaning cycles necessary to get a clean print after sitting blows the ink budget out of the window, not to mention the time and paper waste.

We had a laser for a while that eventually started smoking when we fired it up after sitting. I don't know if that was salt air or whether it got leaked on.

Size matters...bigger is not better.

Network printing via WiFi is also a big plus. Having to cart a laptop down and find a place to set it while you plug in to print one page is a pain.

Anyway, I'm looking for any personal experience folks may have had with something in a salty environment, that gets used occasionally, with decent reliability.

[Boatsb]

Used ocasionally is your problem. I have 2 brother printers at the house that I just keep feeding ink and they keep running. If I turned one off it would gum up and cause me issues so I use both. This is true with any ink jet. Use it or loose it.

[tellico]

If you need straight printing, not bells and whistles, I've have great luck with the HP Laser printers now called the P1102W. I've had 4 in various locations for years, including the boat. No issues and I do a lot of printing, but rarely change the cartridge because I float between them so much.

I have junker laserjet too that I use just for scan/fax and stuff but never print because of the infernal cartridge issues. Hate em.

http://www.staples.com/HP-reg-LaserJ...product_855649

[Pascal]

I don't think the salty air is the issue especially if kept in an air con'd boat. The problem is lack of use.

I don't keep one on board anymore as I don't use it enough. If I do again I ll be looking at one with the smallest and cheapest ink cartridges. Nowadays with multi functions available for $100 the cartridges are the most important thing

Wireless printing from IOS is big plus

[Finalee]

I had a Brother MFC-495CW on mine. Wireless, used it quite a bit. Compact, never had a problem.
It's now here in the house. Still plugging along.

[Timeout]

I use an HP LaserJet P1102W. Absolutely no issues. Wireless connection so easily hidden in end table. Toner cartridge lasts forever. Around $100 for the printer. Not color but I don't need color on board.

[krush]

The price of the cheap brothers laser printers go up and down, u can use amazon price tracker to check. I usually buy these around $80. I buy one for every job site I attend and then just leave it there if I flew, take it home in car if I drove. Wireless is easy to set up, toner lasts forever (and a new toner is cheap). Way better than inkjets.

Spend $20-50 more up front and you will save hundreds in ink later. Also, when you print on laser printer, you can get paper wet and txt won't smear.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LZS5EEI


For a while it was 89.99...track prices here by pasting amazon link: https://thetracktor.com/

[bobk]

I have two Brother all-in-one ink jets. The boat unit is wireless. The key to keep them operating is to use them. In my case, when we are at the condo, we run a test page monthly on the boat. When cruising, the house keeper/watcher runs a test page monthly. This has been going for 6 years. Ink for them from Merritt Line (generic) is cheap and has been fool proof. At least as good as Brothers.

Bobk

[Boatsb]

I have two Brother all-in-one ink jets. The boat unit is wireless. The key to keep them operating is to use them. In my case, when we are at the condo, we run a test page monthly on the boat. When cruising, the house keeper/watcher runs a test page monthly. This has been going for 6 years. Ink for them from Merritt Line (generic) is cheap and has been fool proof. At least as good as Brothers.

Bobk

I have a drawer full of their ink for my standard printer but the 11 x 17 takes cartridges they don't yet have. So I bite the bullet and buy the brothers. When meritline gets the ones I need ill buy them too.

I wish I could get away with a page or two a month. together they burn through a ream of paper a month.

[ronparise]

I bought a really cheap ink jet printer ($39) last summer. and left it on the boat. I used it , but not enough that I had to buy any ink

If it works this year that would be great, but if not Ill just buy a new one