Canon S-800 time for printhead?

[Jane]

Also, just noticed that the banding in the "Purging Test Pattern - 6 color Printers" in my post (#10) does not show in the post itself like the original does on my monitor. There the banding is even from top to bottom.
Jane

 

[Grandad35]

Jane,

Here are your two images, separated into their Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black color channels.

In both images, it is clear that the problem is in either the magenta or photo magenta (the cyan channel on the cyan color is solid, the yellow channel on the yellow color is solid, the black channel on the black is solid). Two things point to the magenta instead of PM as the problem:
1. Your nozzle check has a problem with magenta while the PM nozzle check is OK.
2. In the first test image, the isolated the magenta channel from the magenta colors is:

There is no banding at the far left (where the printer only uses PM) and the banding gets worse toward the right (where magenta is blended in).

The thing that is really strange is that there is a light line where color is missing and a dark line where there is too much color. It looks like a section of the nozzles isn't firing the ink straight onto the paper, but is somehow being deflected sideways (if there was just a section of the nozzles that wasn't firing, then there would be a light line, but no dark line).

I can only think of two things to try:
1. If you haven't already done so, run the head alignment procedure using photo paper.
2. It is possible that the wipers that clean the bottom on the nozzles are dirty or aren't touching the print head - they can be seen at the top of the first photo in (http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=161). Try cleaning the wipers by opening the cover and pulling the power cord when the carriage is in its cart unload position (this allows the carriage to be manually moved to the left and prevents it from moving on its own). Use a Q-Tip with the tip soaked in alcohol or Windex to clean the residue from the tops of the wipers. While you are in there, you might want to use a dry paper towel to sop up any excess ink from the sponges next to the wipers.

 

[Jane]

Finally got back to printer troubleshooting. I always thought the main problem, maybe even only problem, at this stage was the magenta which I am glad to find puts me in agreement with Grandad.

Regretfully, I have to report that I have no changes. Instead of Q-tips I used several alcohol swabs that I had on hand from the days when I used to give my own allergy shots. That, blowing the magenta out with canned air once again to the point where no ink was coming out on a paper towel held behind it, printing the Purge 6 file from MIS, doing a deep cleaning, doing an alignment, printing some nozzle checks, made no difference in the nozzle checks that I get.

This brings me back to the question I went into in much more detail about in my first post in this thread. But, it comes down to what is the difference in a printhead labeled BC-50 for BJC-8200 and the QY6-0035-000 which is what is in the S-800? At least a couple of places show the QY6-0035-000 for BOTH the BJC-8200 and the S-800. But, does the older BC-50 for BJC-8200 work without any problems in the S-800??? If I knew for sure it would work, I would put it in the S-800 and quit fiddling with the current problematic one.

(snip)
The thing that is really strange is that there is a light line where color is missing and a dark line where there is too much color. It looks like a section of the nozzles isn't firing the ink straight onto the paper, but is somehow being deflected sideways (if there was just a section of the nozzles that wasn't firing, then there would be a light line, but no dark line).
(snip)

I am not really surprised that I have a strange problem. The office mananger that I worked with for over 30 years used to say that if there was a strange problem around the office he would expect it to be Jane's. I seem to attract off-beat problems!

Jane

 

[CanonPhreak]

Just stick the thing in the printer, if it won't accept it it will simply generate error lights...It won't hurt the printer at all.

The BJC-8200/S800 was the last 6 color printer to sell the replacement print heads in retail stores. Once those printers went obsolete the print heads were only sold through reseller channels or through Canon. The QY6 number always existed for the BC-50, but "BC-50" was was the easier number to retail.

This brings me back to the question I went into in much more detail about in my first post in this thread. But, it comes down to what is the difference in a printhead labeled BC-50 for BJC-8200 and the QY6-0035-000 which is what is in the S-800? At least a couple of places show the QY6-0035-000 for BOTH the BJC-8200 and the S-800. But, does the older BC-50 for BJC-8200 work without any problems in the S-800??? If I knew for sure it would work, I would put it in the S-800 and quit fiddling with the current problematic one.
Jane

 

[Jane]

Wellllllll I did get brave and put the BC-50 for BJC-8200 printhead that I had installed in the BJC-8200 in the S-800. Appearance is deceiving as they appear the same but the BC-50 generates a 7 blink error code in the S-800 (the S-800 Reference guide says that is a worn or damaged printhead). There must be some additional contacts in the S-800 that are not in the BJC-8200.

Next stop seems to be to go back to the noticeably slower BJC-8200 for the best printing of photos or bite the bullet and spend the money to order a new printhead for the S-800.

Just stick the thing in the printer, if it won't accept it it will simply generate error lights...It won't hurt the printer at all.

Snip

What I was most concerned about was keeping the printhead usable for the printer that it is really made for if it didn't work in the S-800.