Check Canon Cli-8 ink level without removing cartridge

[OpaPiloot]

By removing the tapered piece of plastic between the clip and the reservoir, the inklevel becomes visible when looking behind the clip. This should be possible when the catridge is mounted in the printer.
Removing is done by bending the clip completely downward and then sawing just above the bend through the mentioned plastic piece with a fine saw. I noticed that it is to tough for a box cutter.
Since my printer is still in it's warranty period, I have not yet used refilled cartridges in my printer. but I guess that it will work, because the plastic piece has probably no function in a refilled cartridge.

See also http://members.lycos.nl/dmjbijzboek/Electronics/inklevel-cli-8.jpg

 

[Tin Ho]

You are a genius. This really solves the problem for a lot of people. Just be careful not to break the clip. If the clip is broken the cartridge becomes unusable.

 

[nomad8u]

Very nice... I've got a new mp830 with the CLI-8 cartridges that I'm planning to refill. That's how I found this site. Nice picture of the results too. It looks like this will make checking levels quick and easy.

 

[OpaPiloot]

I used such a modified cartridge for the first time and it was not recognised as refilled, but a warning was given that it was found completely empty. that printing could be continueded by pressing the resume button and that the cartridge should be replaced a.s.a.p.
3 HQ A4 fotos were printed in this way with good result and only with this warning.
I wonder if this will stay so, in that case the resume button must be pressed before each print; I think this pressing could be automated. For low volume printing with preview this is no real disadvantage.

Conclusion: the printer works good with this limitation and the ink level can be checked while the cartridge is mounted.

 

[billkunert]

This behavior is normal for printers using CLI 8 and PGI 5 cartridges. It allows you to disable ink level monitoring(has to be done for each cartridge as printer determines it's empty) so you can use refilled cartridges. The chips cannot be reset unless you own a $700+ resetter.

 

[OpaPiloot]

You missed the point. The normal behavior is that the printer nags about a refilled cartridge, resumes printing after 5 sec pressing the resume button and turning off the cartridge LED, etc.
In this case it does not detect a refilled cartridge, althoug it really was.
The tapered plastic part apparently acts as a light guide, when it is removed, detection of a full cartridge seems not to be possible anymore.
I noticed also that today the printer reverts to the "low inklevel" warning and I printed 3 more HQ A4 fotos without having to press the resume button.
That is nice, but I still wonder what will happen next.

 

[Tin Ho]

In this case it does not detect a refilled cartridge, althoug it really was.
The tapered plastic part apparently acts as a light guide, when it is removed, detection of a full cartridge seems not to be possible anymore.

The printer never detects ink level low, high or full. There isn't any mechanism there to do such detection. The printer only reads and writes the chip. The data in the chip are interpreted by the printer to determine the ink level. There is an optical sensor in the printer which can detect emptiness of the ink cartridges. When a cartridge is completely empty it will be detected by the sensor. This sensor does not detect (or measure) actual ink level in the cartridges. It only detects the state of being empty of the cartridges.

Removing the light pipe, the plastic part, has nothing to do with ink level. It only lets you see the LED light at the top of the cartridges. Once it is removed you will have to look into the cartridges from the top in order to see the LED light. That should be the only difference you will see.

 

[pharmacist]

Hi Opapiloot, I presume you are from Holland. For you it might be intereseting to have your cartridges resetted by me. I only charges a small amount to cover the cost of my very expensive resetter. I'm from Belgium. You send me the carts to be resetted and I charge 1,50 for the reset per cartridge. After that you can refill them and use as new original cartridges.

Pro's: No more lose of ink levels status, so the printer will give you a warning by the computer as with original new cartridges, no 5 sec trick to disable the ink status, no more sawing, no lose of your guarantee. You will save hundreds of euro per annum.

Please put the orange cap back on the cartridges to avoid evaporation and close the breathing hole with tape as well.

If interested send me a personal message.

 

[pebe]

Pharmatist, does the cartridge have to be reset every time it needs to be filled?

 

[pharmacist]

Pebe, the cartridge needs a reset every time the cart is empty. It's like with original new Canon cart.