Canon PIXMA IP4200 Alternate Flash 11 times

[kevindd992002]

When I turned on my printer today, it started alternately flashing green and orange 11 times and then pause and then 11 times again. I consulted the service manual and the 11 time error code is something about Carriage lift mechanism error [5110].

Is there any way I can fix this myself? And why did it happen in the first place?

Thanks for your help.

 

[The Hat]

When I turned on my printer today, it started alternately flashing green and orange 11 times and then pause and then 11 times again. I consulted the service manual and the 11 time error code is something about Carriage lift mechanism error [5110].

Is there any way I can fix this myself? And why did it happen in the first place?

Thanks for your help.

This 5110 error can be any number of things from a cartridge loose to the print head itself being loose.
Remove your cartridges and the print head and try just refitting them again and see it that was the cause of you error.

You could also try the above but leave the print head and cartridges out of the printer
and turn it off for two minutes to reset and then refit everything back in..

 

[kevindd992002]

Hmmm, I just turned on my laptop without doing anything and I was amazed that the problem vanished! I don't know what happened.

Another question. How do I make sure that the the tank levels indicated in Windows are accurate?

 

[kevindd992002]

Now the original problem happened again. How do I remove the print head?

 

[kevindd992002]

I already managed to remove the print head and cleaned it with cotton swabs and alcohol. Now I get a flashing orange 5 times which means it doesn't detect the print head when I installed it properly anyway?

 

[The Hat]

That is not good news I am afraid, five orange lights means that your print head is defective i.e. dead,
its the one message you didnt want to get.

There is no coming back from that signal message and only a new print head will solve your problem sorry..

 

[kevindd992002]

Oh my God Why was it defective anyway? I'm using cheap ink cartridges. Is that the reason?

 

[The Hat]

Oh my God Why was it defective anyway? I'm using cheap ink cartridges. Is that the reason?

There could be a thousand and one reasons for the print head failure its not that uncommon
and poor cartridges are just one of the many, or if a wet print head is put back into the printer,
not to mention old age, high usage, over heating as I said many many reasons..

 

[kevindd992002]

Oh my God Why was it defective anyway? I'm using cheap ink cartridges. Is that the reason?

There could be a thousand and one reasons for the print head failure its not that uncommon
and poor cartridges are just one of the many, or if a wet print head is put back into the printer,
not to mention old age, high usage, over heating as I said many many reasons..

Darn it I swear I even dried it with an electric fan before putting it back. Now the alternate 11 times orange/green flash is happening again. Why is that?

 

[Ron350]

To actually dry the circuit board in a Canon print head air needs to be directed into the vents just above the inlet screens.

After washing or soaking a print head the only part that you really want dry is the circuit board hiding behind those vents.
The ideal drying method would be caned no static compressed air but I use a clean shop vacuum cleaner with a small concentrator nozzle. I set the vacuum cleaner up to blow air not vacuum.

The surface of the print head, the inlet screens and the internal ink passages really never have to be completely dry.