Today I received two new ink cartridges, Y and LLC. The first thing I do when new ink arrives is check the expiration date. Long ago I got some new ink with an expiration date barely a week away; given that one sometimes needs a new ink cartridge only for cleanings, after which the older ink (below 5% of its original capacity) can be returned to the printer and used for many more prints, I often need to buy ink that will sit in inventory for weeks, even months.
The ink expiration date ("Best before") is marked on the outer carton, and also on the cartridge itself. It's always been straight forward, obvious, and easy to understand. Until today. The inks I got today have
two dates on the carton. The bottom date is from last year, the top date two years later. What's one to make of that? How can both dates be "Best before"? There's no new marking on the carton, nor is there any internal paper with an explanation.
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| Older ink with a single date at top, newer ink with two dates at bottom. |
I assume the older date is a manufacturing date, and the second, later date is the expiration date. Perhaps this should be obvious, but the older date is additional information that's not really of any use. It's an unexplained change I wish Epson had made clear. I don't like guessing Epson's intentions. I haven't had time to look around on Epson's support site, but I'd be shocked to find there any mention of this change.
The ink carts themselves are marked with only one date, as always. This is the later date that appears on the box. No confusion there.
--Jay
