# VERY IMPORTANT - Watch your humidity level



## equipmentzone (Mar 26, 2008)

I had posted this in December. But our support division continues to get calls from owners of all different brands of digital garment printers who are still unaware of the importance of proper humidity.

It's that time of year in many parts of the country - the cold season - where we crank up the heating system to stay warm. The unintended consequence of that heated air is a low to no humidity level in your building. All brands of digital garment printers work best at a humidity level of 40% to 80%. You WILL have printing problems, including clogging issues, if you let the humidity level drop too low. This is the time to invest some money (very little) in a hygrometer to measure the humidity in your printer room (digital ones can be found for $10 to $20). You should also have a humidifier (room size units run from $50 to $100 at Home Depot, Lowes, Sears, etc.). Use both to maintain proper humidity in your work space and you should have a trouble free winter.

This also holds true throughout the year in dry climates such as Arizona with "zero" humidity. Avoid problems - humidify to proper levels.

Harry


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## Uncle John (Mar 11, 2007)

Harry, your absolutely right, when I have trouble with the white ink is when the humidity has gotten below 40. Your post on maintenance for DTG was excellent.
John


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## rwshirts (Dec 5, 2007)

I agree.....we have the same problem with our Epson printers after sitting in a cold office all night.....clogged heads. Might be time for a small humidifier for the office.


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## abmcdan (Sep 14, 2007)

After paying close attention for awhile here is what I have found about humidity.

On the low end be the 40% everyone on here says to be.
On the high end don't go over 55% (tested at 75 degrees in the room) or you might start to see colors bleeding. 

If we stay in that 40% - 55% range we have no more banding issues and everything works great.

Hope this helps,
Andy


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

We bought a $150 humidifier-good for a 1700 square foot room, but cannot get the humidity up to even 25%. I have a new Anajet which has not been turned on yet and need a solution!


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## equipmentzone (Mar 26, 2008)

How big a space are you trying to humdify? Do you have a separate humidity gauge (hygrometer) to check the humidity level. Don't rely on the humidifier display to give you an accurate reading.

Harry - Equipment Zone


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

equipmentzone said:


> How big a space are you trying to humdify? Do you have a separate humidity gauge (hygrometer) to check the humidity level. Don't rely on the humidifier display to give you an accurate reading.
> 
> Harry - Equipment Zone



An extended area without doors is over 2000 sq ft, but it is in a small corner... maybe 1000 sq feet. I have a hydrometer (not a cheap one) that is independent. It does work, as when I put the humidifier in a tiny space, we did get up to 55%. Unfortunately, this cannot be the location for the Anajet.


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## YoDan (May 4, 2007)

Sometimes a "Swamp Cooler/Desert Cooler" will work much better in areas like you are locaten in.
Dan
*"HAPPY PRINTING"*


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

YoDan said:


> Sometimes a "Swamp Cooler/Desert Cooler" will work much better in areas like you are locaten in.
> Dan
> *"HAPPY PRINTING"*


Tried that without success, that's why I got the humidifier... just cannot raise the humidity adequately.


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## YoDan (May 4, 2007)

Because of the size of your room that you are trying to control you may have to build a seperate room for your printer which will let alow to control the humidity/temp a little better.
Ever think of using a tent or a small portable green house?
Dan
*"HAPPY PRINTING"*


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

Here is a link to some examples of what Kornit owners did - Inkjet Garment Printing - Screen Printing University • View topic - Temporary humidity control.... Maybe that might give you some ideas.

Best wishes,

Mark


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

Don't have the room in my office building.... much less the money!
It would cost more than the printer did.


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## ReneeMarlea (Sep 6, 2007)

> We bought a $150 humidifier-good for a 1700 square foot room, but cannot get the humidity up to even 25%. I have a new Anajet which has not been turned on yet and need a solution!


Give it a try, because Anajet uses a closed system like the mod1 you should be ok, especially if not using white ink. 
The open type ink delivery ink systems on the machines Equipment zone is talking of can be more fickle and can be affected by changes in the room.

Not saying its' not necessary, but there are many machines that run in factories in the winter where the humidity levels drop below 20% and work fine. 

One trick you can do would be to spray the tee with distilled water just before printing and then press for about 5 second so that there is still a bit of moisture left in the fabric, not too damp.
This will flatten all the fibers down and provide a bit a dampness directly above the nozzle plate where you need it during jetting.

All the best!


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## equipmentzone (Mar 26, 2008)

focusink said:


> An extended area without doors is over 2000 sq ft, but it is in a small corner... maybe 1000 sq feet. I have a hydrometer (not a cheap one) that is independent. It does work, as when I put the humidifier in a tiny space, we did get up to 55%. Unfortunately, this cannot be the location for the Anajet.



Your solution then is to buy an additional humidifier and run both humidifiers at the same time to get to the proper level. You do need to be at the proper humidity level to operate trouble free. It does not matter if you are using sealed ink cartridges or refillable bulk ink systems - the humidity level will have an effect on the proper performance of the printer. 

One side advantage is that 40% to 60% humidity is not only good for your printer but it's also good for you and your employees.

Harry - Equipment Zone


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## sunnydayz (Jun 22, 2007)

I have to agree with Harry here, you need the humidity. I cannot tell you how many people I have seen here that have problems because of humidity. This includes people who use open ink systems, and closed ink systems. The ink system is not going to make much difference on the face of your printhead, where the humidity is needed, since that is on the outside of your printhead anyways. I have seen many anajets, as well as other machines have issues due to humidity. It really does not matter the machine, so much as the environement.

What about getting a popup that can be enclosed, and running your machine and the humidifier in there? Would you have high enough ceilings for that? That way you would be able to somewhat enclose it and keep the moisture in one place. Just a thought


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

Just to follow up on what BobbieLee said, you don't have to create a huge tent room. Just make it large enough to have the printer and you in it. In the link, Justin did his for under $50.00 - which is much less than the shipping cost to send the printer back.


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## abmcdan (Sep 14, 2007)

Temperature is another related thing to keep an eye on. We recently started having issues here in Phoenix because the outside temp was over 100 and it was 85 in the building. We cooled the room down to 75 degrees and 55% humidity and all the problems went away.

Andy


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## jayball (Nov 14, 2006)

abmcdan said:


> Temperature is another related thing to keep an eye on. We recently started having issues here in Phoenix because the outside temp was over 100 and it was 85 in the building. We cooled the room down to 75 degrees and 55% humidity and all the problems went away.
> 
> Andy


Hi Andy, 
Did the high temps affect your coloured inks and the white?


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## abmcdan (Sep 14, 2007)

Once the temperature got in the 81-86 range the white ink was drying on the bottom of the printhead as the printer was printing. The colors seemed to stay fine though.

Andy


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