Canon PIXMA iP7240 gives error 5B00

[Bennie]

My Canon PIXMA iP7240 gives me error code 5B00
How can I fix it ?

 

[stratman]

Welcome to the forum, Bennie.

Typically the 5B00 error code means the ink absorber pads are full. The absorber pads collect ink that is, for instance, drained during maintenance purges of the cartridges. The printer keeps track of ink waste and when the counter reaches its limit then the 5B00 error code occurs.

Uou need to reset the ink absorber pad counter to clear the error code. To do this you will need to set the printer into Service Mode where you can then see the internal counters that the printer keeps track of. With older printer models you could enter Service Mode with button pushes on the printer counsel. Most likely you will need a Service Tool to access Service Mode.

You will need to use the proper Service Tool or you might "brick" the printer and will not be able to access Service Mode even if you get the proper Service Tool.

Older Service tools may be found for free on the internet and maybe on this forum. Newer ones can be purchased off eBay for a few dollars. There should be a list of printer models that the Service Tool works on so you can choose the proper tool.

The forum's Moderator @The Hat has generic instructions on using a Service Tool:

https://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/canon-service-tool-instructions.10631/

I found a video that shows the procedure for your printer model using Service Tool ST-5103. Searching Google for this service tool brought up several eBay pages selling it and listing your printer model as compatible.

The next thing is what to do with the "full" ink absorbers? You can do either:

1. Take apart the printer to get to the absorber pads and then wash out the pads (very messy!) and reinstall when nearly dry. Dry pads will not be stretchable to fit properly. Make sure to photo or video every step of the dissemble and number the parts as you go as there are many steps and alignment of parts to accomplish on the rebuild.
2. The pads may have room for more waste ink, maybe up to another "full" ink counter's worth. Place the printer on a tray that can catch overflow ink.

 

[Artur5]

Depending a lot on the conditions of the place where the printer had been kept, the volatile parts of the residual ink will evaporate at a different rate. A hot and dry environment will favour evaporation and you'll have more room for additional waste ink before the pads overflow for real. Just in case, follow @stratman's advice about the 'safety tray'

 

[PeterBJ]

For resetting the iP7250 you need a service tool v4720 or newer. The use of an older service tool like v3400 will cause loss of access to service mode This post has a link to a working download.

The Canon service tools only work with Windows, you cannot use MacOS or Linux. The service tools only work with a USB connection even if the printer might have wireless capability. For the service tool to work without the risk of blocking access to service mode it is important that the printer is installed with USB.

This post is about the service tool v3400 but the procedure for entering service mode and resetting the absorber counter is the same for the v4720.

Here is an example of using the service tool on an iP7250.

Druckerchannel.de has an article about dismantling the iP7250 for changing the absorbers and resetting the printer. And here is a Google translation to English. Notice that you should not use service tool v3400 even if they got away with it. Others have reported lost access to service mode by using that service tool.

 

[Hugorm]

Does anyone know if it is normal for a IP7250 after less than 10 month and 8800 copies to report 5B00?
I'm considering to buy a G5050, is that as easy to run absorber full?

I have tried to replace absorber completely in a mg7550 with very litle luck.

 

[Hugorm]

Have anyone tried to drain the absorber by drilling a hole in right hand front bottom corner and place the printer on a 'safety tray'?
Can such a solution be bought?

(You have to reset etc...)

 

[PeterBJ]

I remember an attempt to do just that. IIRC it was not a success. Sadly the post about this has been lost in transit when some time back changing to a new forum software. See this thread and note post #2.

A better method might be actively pumping the waste ink to an external container using the printer's purge pump. Here is a thread discussing some DIY solutions. It might be less risky to use a commercial product instead of a DIY solution. Octoink UK has some waste ink collectors for Epson printers. Maybe one of these could be adapted to your printer (Canon G5050?). But if you cannot reset the ink counter from service mode, then there is no reason to buy or build a waste ink tank system.

Some say you can get away with resetting the absorber counter just once and continue printing without cleaning or changing the absorbers. But don't overdo it. See this thread.