The Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge for the LQ-2190 is now in stock at Mascom International for KSh 2,750, brand new and sealed in original Epson packaging. Our shop sits at Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD. This black fabric ribbon carries a rated life of around 15 million characters in draft output, the figure Epson publishes for the LQ-2190 itself. The Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge drops straight into the LQ-2190 and LQ-2190N wide-carriage machines, and the same cassette also serves the LQ-2080, LQ-2180, LQ-2070, LQ-2170 and FX-2180.
Accounts clerks in Industrial Area warehouses, SACCO tellers in Nyeri and Kisii, hospital billing desks, county revenue offices and clearing agents at the Mombasa port all still run 24-pin impact printers, because carbon-copy forms cannot be produced any other way. Their common complaint is a faded third or fourth copy halfway through a long print run. That fading almost always traces back to a tired ribbon rather than a failing printer. Fitting a fresh Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge restores full darkness across every layer of a six-part set in under two minutes.
Unlike traditional electronics retailers in Kenya who stock unbranded refills wound onto recycled spools, Mascom International sells the Epson-manufactured cassette with the C13S015086 code printed on the box. Users consistently report that refilled tape sheds fibres into the printhead and shortens its life, while the sealed Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge runs its full course and lifts out clean. At Mascom International, we're seeing finance offices buy two or three cassettes at a time so a month-end billing run never stalls mid-invoice. Walk into our Kimathi Street shop, or order the Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge for delivery anywhere in Kenya.
Common Questions About the Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge
Which Epson printers does the S015086 ribbon cartridge fit?
It fits the Epson LQ-2190 and LQ-2190N wide-carriage dot matrix printers, and Epson lists the same cassette for the LQ-2080, LQ-2180, LQ-2070, LQ-2170 and FX-2180. Check the code moulded into your spent cassette before ordering. If it reads S015086 or C13S015086, this is the correct replacement. The LQ-2090 and FX-2190 use a different cassette, so those two are not interchangeable with this one despite the similar model numbering.
How many pages will one ribbon cartridge print?
Epson rates ribbon life on the LQ-2190 at roughly 15 million characters in draft output. A typical A4 invoice carrying 2,000 characters therefore works out near 7,500 pages before print starts to grey. Heavy multi-part work with six-part forms and bold text uses up the fabric faster, so a busy SACCO front office may see 4,000 to 5,000 sets. Draft mode stretches the tape furthest, since letter-quality passes lay down more ink per character.
Is this a genuine Epson ribbon or a refilled copy?
Every unit Mascom International stocks is Epson-manufactured, carrying the C13S015086 part code and Epson labelling on the retail box. We do not sell refilled cassettes or generic tape wound onto used spools. You can inspect the sealed packaging at our Kimathi Street counter before paying, and countrywide orders are paid only when the parcel reaches you. That inspection step matters in a market where recycled ribbons are routinely resold as new stock.
Why does the ribbon you choose affect printhead life?
The LQ-2190 printhead is rated at 400 million strokes per wire, but that figure assumes correctly lubricated tape. Epson soaks its fabric in ink carrying lubricating agents that cushion the 24 pins as they strike the paper. Dry or refilled ribbons run abrasive, and pins begin to bend or seize. A replacement printhead costs many times what one cassette costs, which is why finance offices treat genuine ribbons as maintenance rather than stationery.
How do you change the ribbon on an Epson LQ-2190?
Switch the printer off and let the head cool for a few minutes. Open the cover, slide the printhead to the middle of the carriage, then lift the spent cassette straight out by its handle. Drop the new one onto the mounting posts, feed the tape between the printhead and the plastic guide, and turn the tension knob clockwise to take up slack. Close the cover and run a test page.
Can this ribbon handle six-part carbon forms?
Yes. The LQ-2190 prints one original plus five copies, and the S015086 fabric transfers a legible impression down to the sixth layer while the ribbon is fresh. Clearing agents, petrol stations and distributors printing six-part delivery notes depend on that. Set the paper-thickness lever to match your form stack, otherwise the head presses too lightly and the bottom copies come out faint regardless of ribbon condition.
Does Mascom International deliver printer consumables outside Nairobi?
Yes, to all 47 counties with pay-on-arrival delivery. Nairobi and its environs receive same-day delivery, and major towns including Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, Thika and Mombasa receive next-business-day delivery. Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Lamu, Tana River, and Turkana receive delivery within 2-3 business days. Offices running several dot matrix machines often order four or six cassettes together, since sealed ribbons keep well and one delivery then covers a full quarter.
How should offices store spare ribbon cartridges in Kenya's climate?
Leave spares in the sealed wrap until the day of fitting. Store them flat and out of direct sunlight, in a drawer or cupboard rather than on top of the printer where operating heat collects. Mombasa and Kisumu offices dealing with high humidity should avoid unsealed storage, since damp air lifts fibres in the fabric. Kept sealed at normal room temperature, a cassette stays usable for about two years.
Technical Specifications
Ribbon Fabric and Ink Formulation
- Black nylon fabric tape woven to a mesh thickness matched to the 24-pin head, resisting fraying
- Ink carries lubricating agents that cushion each pin strike, extending printhead life across long print runs
- Even ink distribution along the full tape length keeps the last pages as dark as the first
- Fast-drying ink reduces smudging when forms are stacked or handled straight off the printer output tray
- Single black colour only, as Epson does not produce a colour variant of this cassette for the LQ-2190
- Ink loading is tuned for impact transfer through carbon layers rather than surface marking alone
Print Yield and Running Cost
- Rated at approximately 15 million characters in draft output on the LQ-2190, per Epson's published figure
- Works out near 7,500 A4 invoices at 2,000 characters each before fading becomes noticeable to customers
- At KSh 2,750, running cost lands around KSh 0.37 per invoice page printed in draft mode
- Letter-quality mode lays more ink down per character, cutting practical yield by roughly one third
- Six-part form work uses the tape faster than single-sheet printing because of heavier strike pressure
- Two or three cassettes held in stock removes the risk of a stalled month-end billing run
Printer Compatibility and Model Coverage
- Fits Epson LQ-2190 and LQ-2190N wide-carriage 136-column dot matrix printers as the factory replacement part
- Also listed by Epson for the LQ-2080, LQ-2180, LQ-2070, LQ-2170 and FX-2180 machines
- Part code S015086, global code C13S015086, printed on both the retail box and the cassette
- Not interchangeable with the cassettes fitted to LQ-2090 and FX-2190 printers despite close model naming
- Check the code on your spent cassette before ordering, since Epson dot matrix model names run close together
- No chip, firmware or driver involvement, so the cassette needs no printer configuration after fitting
Cassette Design and Installation
- Rigid moulded housing seats onto the carriage posts and holds position during 576 cps high-speed runs
- Manual tension knob on the cassette face takes up tape slack before you close the printer cover
- Integrated handle lets you lift the spent unit out without touching inked fabric or staining fingers
- Replacement takes under two minutes with no tools, so any office staff member can fit one
- Tape guide holds the ribbon clear of the paper path, avoiding ink transfer onto form margins
- Spent cassettes lift out clean, leaving no loose fibres inside the carriage to clog the print head
Output Quality and Document Types
- Supports the 360 x 180 dpi output of the LQ-2190 for legible small print on statements
- Handles one original plus five carbon copies, covering six-part delivery notes and dispatch sets
- Suits continuous fanfold stationery, cut sheets, labels, envelopes and card stock used across Kenyan offices
- Keeps character edges sharp for barcodes and reference numbers scanned later by warehouse and stores staff
- Dark, even output helps documents survive photocopying and long filing for KRA or audit records
- Consistent density matters where printed receipts are issued to customers as proof of payment
Storage, Handling and Operating Conditions
- Store sealed, flat and out of sunlight, where unopened cassettes stay usable for about two years
- Suits printer operating conditions of 5 to 35 degrees Celsius and 10 to 80 percent humidity
- Coastal humidity in Mombasa and Malindi calls for sealed storage right up to the fitting day
- Dust in Nairobi and upcountry offices settles on exposed tape, so avoid opening spares early
- Keep spares off the printer housing, where operating heat can dry the fabric before first use
Package Contents
Each Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge from Mascom International arrives in sealed Epson retail packaging holding one black fabric ribbon cassette in a moulded protective tray, with the fitting leaflet and Epson part-code labelling intact. Nothing further is required for installation, and no tools are supplied because none are needed. The LQ-2190 printer, paper stock and print head are separate items. Mascom International also stocks continuous fanfold paper and multi-part form stationery at the same counter.
Warranty
The Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge carries a 6-month Mascom International warranty on manufacturing defects, covering faults such as a seized tension mechanism, a torn tape join, or a cassette that arrives dry. Normal ink depletion through printing is not a defect. Our Nairobi CBD service desk handles claims directly, with your original receipt as proof of purchase.
Where to Buy the Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge in Kenya
The Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge is available now at Mascom International, located at Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD. Visit our shop Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, to check the part code against your own spent cassette before purchase. Stocked in black, the only colour Epson produces for this cassette.
Order through any of the following:
- Phone/WhatsApp: +254 708 852 521
- Email: info@mascomintl.com
- Website: www.mascomintl.com
Mascom International ships the Epson S015086 Ribbon Cartridge across all 47 Kenyan counties with pay-on-arrival delivery, so you pay only when the parcel reaches you. Nairobi and its environs receive same-day delivery. All other major cities and towns, including Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Eldoret, receive next-business-day delivery. Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Lamu, Tana River, and Turkana receive delivery within 2-3 business days.
Every cassette is covered by the 6-month Mascom warranty stated above, with claims handled at our Nairobi CBD service desk.
Buyers across Kenya rely on Mascom International for correctly matched printer consumables, honest pricing, and stock sitting on the shelf when a billing run cannot wait.
