MG7550 clogged pigment black

[iml]

I’ ve been refilling cartridges with ARC chips bought from octoinkjet for a year with no problems. Nothing that couldn’t be solved with a cleaning circle from time to time at least.

Two months back I had problems with the pigment black at the nozzle checks that persisted and needed 2-3 cleaning circles each time to solve.

I took measures and primed the cartridge once again (no visible residues at the bottom of the sponge), did an extra cleaning cycle (perfect nozzle check) and continued monitoring with nozzle checks before printing something. Any clogs where dealt with normal cleaning cycles (PGBK only) thinking that at this rate the waste-ink pads will be filled.

15 days back -after the last 1/3 black missing nozzle check- I decided I had to start using canon cartridges sooner, now that a resetter for 550-551 cartridges is available. I ordered a set of used cartridges to be flushed and a resetter, left the printer aside for 15 days expecting to start new.

Now, 3 normal and 1 deep cleaning cycle later, the nozzle check is worse than ever. The pigment black is very faint and almost missing from the nozzle check. Of course I haven’t tried to print anything other than nozzle checks.

Dont mind the colors, its a bad scan (default canon settings), however it is exactly how the pigment black (1st row) looks.
Both the “original” ARC cartridge and the canon octonk-refilled cartridge give the same nozzle check.

I opened the -until now unused- setup PGBk cartridge that came with the printer only to take exactly the same nozzle check.


Any suggestions on how to safely solve the (should be) black pigment clog?






P.S.
I am reluctant to remove the printer-head for windex-kind of cleaning since the one and only time I did, it was a complete disaster. Maybe the solution used wasn’t friendly enough (windex alternative for EU and Greece specifique?) or the printhead wasn’t completely dry inside and sorted, a sad story…

 

[palombian]

I had this problem with the head of my MG8250 (exactly the same printout, but not caused by the same ink).

I bathed the head for several days in "pharmacist solution" with a few drops of ammonia, but no avail.
There was no flow out of the ink inlets when pushing the head on a wet paper towel.
Repeated the same with deminarised water and a drop of dishwashing liquid (Fairy/Dreft) and there was a drop coming up at the end.

Since all other colors worked and I use this printer for film scanning and occasional photo printing, I abandoned the BK and placed a cheap 3th party cart in this position - still a blank BK grid in the nozzle check - and forgot about it.

Strange enough, after a week or so some BK lines appeared in the nozzle check again, and after a deep cleaning every day for 2 or 3 days the grid was perfect.

No idea how it happened, good luck !

 

[stratman]

Until the printer is back to good function, do not print anything other than nozzle checks or what is recommended on the forum.

If the printer is still under warranty then call Canon tech support. They will not help you if you tell them you have used 3rd party cartridges or chip or refill ink. Let Canon take care of the issue. You paid for their service already!

Your issue with Pigment Black can be caused by a few reason. Let's get some information first and then talk about what to do -- including soaking the print head.

1) What ink have you been using?

2) How often do you print something, especially something that uses all the ink colors including Pigment Black?

3) To be clear... all three Pigment Black Cartridges you tried - ARC refillables, Used OEM Canon recently purchased, and your old but never opened OEM Canon - ALL gave the SAME nozzle check result?.

4) Besides print head cleanings, which I presume were only of the Pigment Black nozzles?, have you tried anything else?

Things you can do now to help diagnose.

1) At this point, only use the newly flushed and refilled cartridge or the old but newly opened OEM cartridge. Leave the old ARC cartridges alone for now. You want to be as sure as possible that ink flow from the cartridge is not the problem. Unfortunately we cannot be sure that all three cartridges are bad, but we'll assume for now that the old ARC ones are most suspect.

2) Your Pigment Black refill ink may be contributing to your issue. May be best to use the old but newly opened OEM Canon cartridge for now until you tell us what ink you are using.

3) If this is not a cartridge issue, ie the sponge in the cartridge is either not absorbing ink from the spongeless side and/or letting ink out of the cartridge, then it could be either

3a) a clog in the print head from poor ink or not printing often enough such that ink dried up. Flushing and soaking the print head is the potential remedy.

OR,

3b) the purge system is malfunctioning leading to a clog. See this link for instruction on diagnosing purge pad problems and this link for images of the purge pads.

4) Worst case scenario: There is a malfunction in the print head or the logic assay board in the printer. This is not reparable except with a new print head or logic assay board or both. Since you said the Pigment Black nozzle check has been bad before and then returned to normal after cleaning cycles then hopefully it is not a fatal malfunction.

Fixing the problem.

1) Let's collect more information first and then get on with potential fixes, including flushing and soaking the print head, changing to a better quality ink, flushing out old cartridges whose sponge may be gummed up with desiccated ink, improving printer and ink hygiene, fixing a purge system issue, etc.

Prevention one the printer is functioning again.

1) Print something that uses all the ink cartridges once a week or so. A nozzle check typically suffice.

2) Use only high quality inks. Inexpensive may be the print head's worst enemy.

3) Do not use ink that has been opened for over two years, or has any residue or particulate matter in it or seems thicker that you remember. Fungal growth and other organic matter in ink kills print heads.

4) The more you print the happier the printer, and you, will be.

That's enough for now.


Where in Greece are you. I visited the country many years ago and loved.

 

[iml]

Thanks @palombian I too hope I’ll get lucky.
I read that pharmacist solution maybe better for conditioning cartridges than unblocking printing heads. I am hoping I can avoid ejecting the head for bath, but first I have to find an appropriate replacement for windex-original at the local stores.

Is Fairy (for dishes) considered printer-friendly by other forum members?

@stratman
Unfortunately the printer is 18 months old by now so I don’t expect any support from canon which gives 1 year warranty for the product.

1) I use ink from octoink from day 1 and they are using KMP for their pigment black. From what I have read it is considered a quality ink.

2) I don’t usually print as often as I should, but pigment black is the ink used more often (text in plain paper setting). I try to print at least one page every week or so. I am printing nozzle checks quite often before I try to print something just to be on the safe side.

3) Yes, all three pigment cartridges give the same faint nozzle check result.

4) Besides 3 normal head cleanings and a reluctant deep cleaning - pigment black only
- followed by nozzle checks I haven’t done something else other than inspecting the sponge on the ARC cartridge. It’s half full, the sponge seems uniformly colored and there seems to be no sponge debris (the cartridges have 7 fills each so perhaps it soon for that) where the ink meets the printer head. However, there is ink accumulated on the inner side of the printer head rubber gasket.
The suspected half-full ARC cartridge
Notice the "mesh" is covered with ink now

I agree, I will be using the setup pigment cartridge for now and the OEM filled with ink from KMP second. The problems started with the ARC cartridges (also filled with KMP ink) and I noticed I had to do a cleaning cycle every 3-4 days in the last month to take a good nozzle check for pigment black before I printed something.

I am suspecting an intense clog with black ink but I have yet to try the purge system. I will try to find a windex alternative at the local supermarket and post pictures for advice. Some threads mention lidl’s W5 as an alternative, is this the one? Its the blue colored.



Something I just noticed. When I first removed the black ARC cartridge I could see the silver mesh where the ink flows to the printer head and it was clear, bur now when I removed the setup cartridge to take the foto above it has ink on it...
After a cleaning cycle due to cartridge removal I had another nozzle check, still the same :-(

I live north at Thessaloniki. Where have you been when you visited?

 

[stratman]

I use ink from octoink from day 1 and they are using KMP for their pigment black. From what I have read it is considered a quality ink.

It is quality ink. Good!

I don’t usually print as often as I should

It might be that your environmental conditions will require more frequent printing, such as nozzle checks, to maintain a well functioning print head. However, once a clog has formed, printing may be hurtful rather than helpful. Additionally, cleaning cycles may be of no help. Clearing the print head clog is the only solution.

Canon print heads heat up ink when they print. The ink is used to cool the nozzles as well as well as print the image or text. Printing when there is a clog will eventually cause a nozzle(s) to burn out and permanently malfunction because there was no ink to cool the nozzles. The only solution to this is a new print head.

Yes, all three pigment cartridges give the same faint nozzle check result.

The issue is most likely a clog in the print head. Hopefully there is no permanent malfunction in the print head or the printer's logic assay board.

You may also have a purge system malfunction. This needs to be checked. See below.

ARC cartridge

Over time. the sponge in a cartridge can become resistant to releasing/filling with ink. A water flush can often correct this issue. Since you will be using the OEM Canon cartridges for now, let's save that conversation for another day and concentrate first on getting your printer back to work.

I am suspecting an intense clog with black ink but I have yet to try the purge system.

Agree. The purge system can be tested with water, alcohol or glass cleaner. Let us know the results.

What do do.

Time to SOAK the print head!

First flush the print head with water. Flush it until no or little ink is seen on either end.

Now we soak. It is your choice of what solution to soak with, Pharmacist's, Glass Cleaner like Windex, liqid dish washing soap, or your own concoction. There is no proven "best".

I like liquid dish washing soap and water currently. Fairy or Dawn have been used on the forum. I have used Dawn to good effect. I don't know if Fairy is available in the USA, so Dawn it was. Plus I have generally used Dawn for years and had some. Maybe other brands will work. My conjecture is both the soap effect and the proteases in the soap help bust clogs.

No scientific formula. A squirt of Dawn and water in a non-metallic bowl. If you have hard water then consider demineralized water for the solution and the final flush of the print head before drying. Minerals, and maybe other things in your water, may potentially be damaging to the print head. Ensure there is enough solution to cover the ink inlet ports on the print head, the openings that the ink cartridge ink exit ports contact.

I place a wadded up kitchen paper towel under the print head and plunge the print head up and down on the paper towel every now and then to help force solution in and out of the print head. This is not an exact science. It is science and art.

You can warm the solution in the microwave to lukewarm, NOT hot. Too hot and bye bye print head. Never warm with the print head still in the bowl!

Change the solution if discolored or when ever you feel like it. I changed mine after ~12 hours.

PATIENCE is the most important factor - giving the solution time to work, at least 24 hours.

Once you have patiently let the solution do its work, flush the print head with water to get rid of soap and any loosened ink clogs. Use demineralized water as a last pass flush if your water is hard. You can give a gentle shake or two or use a lint free cloth to rid excess water. Now, let the print dry. A wet print head, specifically water in the electronics, may cause a short when back in the printer and ruin the print head or printer.

Reinsert the OEM Canon cartridges and try a nozzle check. Some do a regular cleaning cycle and then a nozzle check. Post the nozzle check. Hopefully it will be perfect. It could be more cleaning or soaking is needed.

I know you are not wanting to fiddle with the print head. At this point, what do you have to lose? It really is easy. While the entire process seems daunting, just keep to one step at a time and you will see it is simple. Just have patience and hopefully you will be rewarded.

Did I mention about needing patience?

Remember to do the purge test and post results. If the purge system does not work then all the soaking in the world will not matter until it is fixed.

You can do this.

 

[mikling]

If the above fails to resolve then post back. I think I know the solution but do as stratman has outlined first. BTW, how much pigment black has been put through the printhead so far?

 

[stratman]

I think I know the solution but do as stratman has outlined first.

Even if OP is successful I still would like to know your solution.

 

[PeterBJ]

Even if OP is successful I still would like to know your solution.

So would I.

 

[mikling]

Clogging can also occur at the inlet filter. The pooling effect is a hint of this possibility. Why?

 

[palombian]

Clogging can also occur at the inlet filter. The pooling effect is a hint of this possibility. Why?

This is what I suspect was/is my problem.
After bathing the head the nozzle checks are fine, but as soon as you start to print the ink doesn't come through.
Cleaning cycles do not help.
It is not a cartridge feed problem.

I already had this with the BK, but also other colours.

When bathing again I observed that after the first rinsings, the suspected blocked colour is dominant in the water, meaning it dissolves more slowly.
Also the behaviour of the water mounting out of the inlets when pushing the head on wet paper towels seems an indication to me for the degree of free flow in the channels.

As said, I tried all different unclogging techniques but have no clear understanding of the mechanisms behind.