Canon IP4500 using only colour tanks for mono printing...

[kimashgreen]

Hi,
Thank you for this forum, i have been trawling the net for help for this issue, and I'm not sure if there is a solution.

Here is the scenario.
I use OEM CLI-8 carts for my printer. I replaced all 5 at around the same time, and have noticed (and it seems only since the newly inserted carts) that the PGBK and the BK are not being used at all, they are still showing as full oon my printer status as well as when i do a visual check on the things.
The colours, C and M particularly have both been consumed in a horribly short period of time.

My settings used are:
- Plain paper (vary rarely print on photo paper)
- Fast mode
- Grayscale printing

I do print onto DVD's and realise that these use the colour tanks.

My question is, why is the printer not using ANY black? Anyone else have this problem / had this problem?

I am soaking the print heads at the moment to see if that clears any blockage.
The nozzle check print comes out perfectly.

I'm pretty peeved and confused.

Thanks in advance.
Kim

 

[The Hat]

Hi Kim,
As you are printing at such high speed and in greyscale the printer
should only use the PGBK black and none of the colours at all.

Could it be that the images you are trying to print are only black but you not setting your printer to use greyscale only,
otherwise the printer would normally use colours to print everything other than text?

Can you post a nozzle check so we can have a look at what your printer is outputting at present?

 

[trcrefill]

printing cd's will use the colours and number 8 black to make a black as the pigment number 5 will not work on cd printing too

 

[kimashgreen]

I understand that, I am talking about printing B&W docs on Plain paper, and the thing keeps using the colours to make black.

 

[The Hat]

I understand that, I am talking about printing B&W docs on Plain paper, and the thing keeps using the colours to make black.

As I posted earlier Canon printers nearly always use colour inks to print black except when printing text,
please can you post a nozzle check..

 

[stratman]

Ink usage patterns:

PGI-5 Pigment Black Ink is used ONLY For:
- Plain Paper Text (monochrome and grey scale)
- Envelopes
- Transparencies
- Duplex Printing On Plain Paper
- Camera Direct Printing on Plain Paper

CLI-8 Dye-Based Color Inks are used anytime color is printed and is used exclusively for:
- All Photo Paper types (including when Duplex printing)
- High Resolution Paper
- T-shirt Transfers
- CD-R's
- All Borderless Printing, on both PhotoPaper and Plain Paper


Graphics will use Dye-based inks in Plain Paper setting.

As long as the nozzle check is OK and you don't notice wrong or off colors, then the issue boils down to what you print determines the inks used and the rate of their use.

Post your nozzle check and any other image you think displays a problem so we can understand what may or may not be happening.

 

[kimashgreen]

As I posted earlier Canon printers nearly always use colour inks to print black except when printing text,
please can you post a nozzle check..

Thanks Guys, I think I understand it now, unless it is text ONLY pretty much, it'll use the colour. I really appreciate the help