Canon MB2100 series photo paper ink won't dry

[amhamp]

Hi,

I've been printing on Canon Luster photo paper since I got my Canon MB2100 series printer 7 months ago. Once I got my setting right I've had no problem. Yesterday the yellow wasn't printing and I ran a cleaning cycle that fixed it, but after that any time I print on the luster paper the ink won't dry. I use this for my business and it has to work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[stratman]

Welcome to the forum, amhamp.

ink won't dry

What ink are you using, OEM or aftermarket?

Do you refill and if so do you use OEM or aftermarket cartridges?

Have you changed Print Quality setting, such as using High instead of Standard.? If printing using High then try Standard to lay down less ink.

Are you using the correct Media Type setting (Luster paper)?

Is the problem occurring with the same pack of Canon Luster paper or a different one?

Are you printing on the proper side of the paper (textured side)?

What application are you using to print?

Any other issue besides the wet ink?

 

[amhamp]

I'm using an aftermarket cartridge but it's the same as I've used since I've had the printer. Yes I'm using the correct side and setting. Yes I've tried high and standard and the result is the same. The paper is the same pack I've been using for the last couple of months with no problems as is the current set of inks. I'm printing from Adobe Photoshop and no, it's my only issue.

 

[stratman]

So everything is the same but something's different.

To be clear, you are using the exact same prefilled aftermarket cartridge, not a new aftermarket cartridge and you are not refilling? The question investigates whether a different ink formulation is causing the wet prints. I don't know how precise Canon's ink are batch to batch but I'd think an aftermarket ink supplier is more likely to be looser on consistency. (Same for photo papers)

Do you select Photoshop manage the colors or the printer manage it?

 

[amhamp]

Yes, I'm using the exact same cartridges and I use the printers settings because I have Photoshop calibrated for my printer. The only thing that's different is that I ran a cleaning on the printer and from that point on it smears right off even a day later it's still not dry. I've had this less than a year, but if I can't fix this I'm going to have to get another printer because I use this for my business and I can't do without printing on this specific style of paper.

 

[stratman]

It has happened more times than you think that people believe nothing has been changed. But something has changed and it is often something you do not expect or suspect. If they had then it the issue would be taken care of already.

exact same cartridges

You know what this means but I do not. Be specific.

Same aftermarket ink and cartridges you were using well before the issue began? Not a different set of the same brand and model cartridges and ink? Not the same aftermarket cartridge but a a different batch of the ink you refilled?

printers settings

I don't know what you have things set as so cannot know if one or more settings are creating the issue.

I have Photoshop calibrated for my printer.

Again, you know what this means but I do not. What does this mean specifically?

I ran a cleaning on the printer and from that point on it smears right off even a day later it's still not dry.

It is questionable that a Regular Cleaning cartridge cycle would result in any of this unless it somehow damaged the aftermarket cartridge(s).

There are three ways to approach your issue.

1. Install a complete set of OEM Canon cartridges. Don;t even mess around with aftermarket because you want to rule out ink (or cartridge) as cause.
2. Try one or more other Photo Papers. Each has its own characteristic drying time.
3. Reset both Canon driver settings AND photoshop settings to DEFAULT. Let the printer manage color (Not Photoshop).
4. Try a different application to print from. Use default or most neautral settings to begin with to prevent settings changes complicating results.
5. Reset Photoshop settings to default, set the printer driver to default setting, uninstall the printer and all Canon drivers and files, including WiFi settings stored on the computer or printer that were installed, power down the printer and computer. Disconnect the USB printer cable. Now you are if you just opened the printer box and installing like the first time. Follow installation instructions explicitly. Use a USB printer cable to install the printer. When you have completed installation then reboot and try printing on the Luster with ALL default settings. If you didn't buy OEM inks and it works as expected then great. If not, then replace with OEM inks, ALL OEM inks. Then move to different papers at default settings initially to get baselines without any tinkering.

The idea is to use the defaults for Canon inks and papers your printer is designed to use as this should give you the best chance of success. If you do not get success with OEM inks, papers and native Canon ICC printer profiles then use your warranty and call Canon Technical Support and tell them their printer using their inks and paper has poor results. That's it.

You decide which of the 5 steps is your first step. You may end up doing all the steps.

Last, if you do install a new set of OEM cartridge, I do not know how long it will take to use up the old ink in the print head and using the new OEM ink. Maybe the purge that occurs when you install a new cartridge is sufficient. Maybe a couple of Regular Cleaning cycles or just one Deep Cleaning cycle. Others may be able to advise you better.

 

[amhamp]

Thanks, I tried everything except to get OEM cartridges because they are so expensive and I'll be really pissed if I paid all that money and that ends up not being the problem. I changed them to a different brand that I had and was waiting until these ran out to use and no difference. I just don't understand how it can work fine and then 2 hours later not work when nothing but a cleaning happened. I don't like this printer, I haven't liked it from the beginning because it's so finnicky. I loved my old one which was an older version of this one, but it died and I had no choice. It was such a dependable work horse. Thanks for all your help; I'll order the OEM cartridges and see what happens.

 

[amhamp]

So everything is the same but something's different.

To be clear, you are using the exact same prefilled aftermarket cartridge, not a new aftermarket cartridge and you are not refilling? The question investigates whether a different ink formulation is causing the wet prints. I don't know how precise Canon's ink are batch to batch but I'd think an aftermarket ink supplier is more likely to be looser on consistency. (Same for photo papers)

Do you select Photoshop manage the colors or the printer manage it?

I'm using the same cartridges. I did a print in the morning, 2 hours later I ran a cleaning because the yellow stopped printing fully and then the problem started. Absolutely nothing changed but the cleaning. And no I let the printer manage it.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

Are you printing on the proper side of the paper (textured side)?

Did you specifically test for this question ? If not please print a small image on the paper in question, and if the ink is not dry to the touch just wipe if off with a piece of paper towel and print on the other side again - do you have the same problem on both sides ?

 

[amhamp]

Thanks but I think something has gone haywire. I printed just a normal sheet and the yellow wasn't printing again so I ran a deep clean and it got worse so I tried an alignment and that made things worse because not the cyan and the yellow aren't printing right. So I tried just a basic clean and it got better but the cyan balance is still off. I don't think it's my ink or paper. I'm going to contact Canon tech support because a cleaning shouldn't do all this.