What kind of printer do you use offshore?

[Onemoreproject]

What kind of printer do you use when away from shore power? I went to Staples today and they had some printers that run on batteries, but you charge them with AC.

I am looking for a printer that can be charged from DC, like a cell phone.

I would use it to print weather faxes and occaisionally notes or letters from a laptop.

I look forward to reading your printer solutions!

[vtomanov]

Brother PocketJet 6

[aluijten]

Why would you run a printer on 12 volt? Even the smallest inverter will supply a inkjet printer. I use a HP H470. Very compact but I do not use the battery option. If you only use it occasionally, the battery is a pain as it will always require recharging. Using an inverter will supply the printer with the power required to print and nothing more. So you power consumption from the main batteries will be modest.
Do avoid a laser printer. They have some advantages but power consumption is not one of them. They take a lot of power when printing.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by vtomanov

Brother PocketJet 6

Hmmmm.... needs special paper... OK if someone else is buying it ( at 13 cents a sheet )

Brother PocketJet 6 Plus Review & Rating | PCMag.com

[boatman61]

Canon IP90 plugged into the invertor conveniently placed by the chart table..

[StuM]

HP Envy All-In-One inkjet. Quite compact, reasonable speed, printer and copier.
It only uses about 15 Watts when printing and 4W on standby so running it off even the smallest invert when needed is not a concern.

[davido]

I bought the HP 470 years ago and have no complaints. With great hesitation I also bought the protective case from HP and was shocked at the great quality of the case and the protection it provides the printer.

The HP 470 is a very compact unit (easy to store). I have found that the toner cartridges seem to last a very long time compared to many printers.

I power the HP 470 with the 12 volt to 19.? volt converter that I use with the laptop. Although there is a wireless option (extra device / extra bucks), I use an A-B USB cable for the data.

I have a separate Cannon flatbed scanned I picked up at a garage sale for 3 bucks. It is only about an inch tall making it easy to store. I find I use the scanner at least 10 to 15 times more often than the printer.

That is my experience. Your experience will vary.

Good luck.

[akprb]

Think you have your answer as far as what kind. Pretty much anything with an inverter. We grabbed the cheapest HP off the shelf of Walmart in Marathon before crossing the Pacific. That thing lasted over 10 years and I think I sold it at a garage sale :-) Enjoy!

[Onemoreproject]

So it sounds like a battery driven mobile printer is not any advantage because using an invterter is the best way to power a printer.

I have found laser printers to be economical on shore because the toner is cheap and does not dry up if you dont use the printer frequently. But laser printers need heat and as some one pointed out are power hungry.

So I am interested in a recommendation for a compact energy efficient printer with long lasting cheap ink.
I suppose a comment could be, "aren't we all"; but if you know of one please recommend it!

[MCOS]

Hp470 - I also have a small Hp lap top, both use same power cord. I have battery in both but since only a few things are printed I usually just plug the printer in when it stops printing.

[wrwakefield]

I suspect you will find it is cheaper to buy a mainstream printer and small inverter [which you can also use for other things...] than look for a 12 VDC unit and/or battery powered one that may require special paper, etc.

And the choices keep on changing as new models come available.

We wanted a compact printer [B&W and Color], scanner, and copier all-in-one as those are the functions we need traveling internationally.

We ended up with an HP Envy 5530 and couldn't be more pleased. It is compact, wireless, and works first time every time... And the expendables are reasonably priced. At under US$100 it is hard to beat.

One thing we have learned over the years [regardless of which printer you have] is to use heavier weight paper [e.g, 24 pound stock instead of the usual 20 lb stock] for printed documents you will be providing others [e.g., foreign government representatives, etc.] It holds up better while you are transporting it in your shoulder bag, and feels good [not flimsy...] in the hand of the recipient.

Best wishes finding what is best for you.

Cheers!

Bill

[Onemoreproject]

Yes I agree that a copier and scanner function are an added bonus when travelling to other countries.
I'll check out the dimensions of the HPH envy.

[Cadence]

Off the point some. Whatever you use get a Tupperware container to keep your paper in.

[Mithril Bham]

I used different printers for years with either an inverter or battery backup. I gave it up. With the technology today why bother with paper. Use your phone as a scanner and read off the screen. Everybody has email. Can save in pdf. Invest in a bigger screen instead.

[CarinaPDX]

I avoid inkjet for the kinds of tasks the OP has stated - they have expensive cartridges, and the ink is water soluble (it literally floats off the page). A simple monochrome laser printer with an inverter works quite well, and the prints are not dissolved by water. And they are much cheaper to operate than inkjets.

I have used an Oki 410e PostScript printer aboard since 1996 (yes, it is still working - just not very fast by today's standards). I wouldn't buy that high a quality again as cheap printers abound. I recently bought a Pantum from Newegg for $30 (but needs a cartridge for $35-40). It works great, and can be connected to with WiFi. It is also lightweight and compact for a laser printer.

Electricity consumption should not be an issue as long as it is turned off when not needed. The main power consumption in a laser printer is a heating element, required for setting the toner. Modern laser printers go to standby (without heat) after a few minutes idle and thus require a short delay to restart. Still it should be shut down when not needed.

Greg