Cleaning Canon's FIVE CART ink jet assembly i.e. MP780, i860, etc.

[paragon]

What's the best way to clean this family of ink jet assemblies?

Deep cleaning takes TOO much ink. And sometimes can't do the job if the unit's been sitting in low humidity. I've often run into a single color that's the culprit. I know there's some software out there for Canons that can 'deep clean' a single cart. But I don't have it.

I've used a solution of 50% distilled water and 50% ammonia for cleaning on my Epsons in the past. Is there anything in home type products that are equally as good for Canon inks? Has anyone had experience with this mixture on Canons?

Also how do you know when the ink jet assembly is ready for the trash? Any 'early' tell tale signs to look for?

 

[fotofreek]

Please read the first thread in the FAQ's about why the printer doesn't print properly. Lots of info about cleaning the print head.

Your solution might be a bit heavy on the ammonia. Most use just hot water, windex, or a combination of the two. The best info I've seen on cleaning Epson printheads is from Arthur Entlich in the printer newsgroup. He is happy to email his manual to anyone who asks.

The only single cart cleaning routine I know of is for the bci-3ebk.

 

[Trigger 37]

Paragon,...You need to tell us what you are trying to do. Is the printhead clogged? Are the inktanks clogged? have you refilled them too many times? When you say deep cleaning, are you doing this in your printer? Which printer is it?

Cleaning the printhead is one thing. Cleaning the ink carts is another. What problem with the printer are you trying to fix.???

 

[paragon]

I don't know if it's the print head or cart. I'm NOT getting any streaking, etc. with the other colors. Just Magenta at the moment. The printer is an MP780. The deep cleaning I've done with the printer program. I haven't attempted to clean the print head directly.

I've used the refill carts about three times. So I don't know precisely what the characteristics of a plugged cart are. It appears to only be happening on the BCI-6M. The Magenta ink flow has been inconsistent to non-existent. I had a similar problem with the BCI-6C that seems to have gone away.

The print head was NEW about 6-7 refills ago. So it's relatively NEW.

 

[ghwellsjr]

It's easy enough to tell if your problem is in the cartridge or elsewhere--just swap your cyan cartridge with your magenta cartridge. Do a head cleaning, then a nozzle check. If the 6C patterns don't print correctly (in magenta, of course) and the 6M patterns do (in cyan, of course), then you know the problem is in the cartridge. If the 6M patterns don't print correctly (in cyan, of course) and the 6C patterns do (in magenta, of course), then you know the problem is elsewhere. If, neither the 6M nor the 6C patterns print correctly, then the problem is probably the magenta ink clogging up the print head.

It's also possible if you do this test, that the nozzle check might show no clogging. This would indicate that your magenta cartridge is marginal and your magenta nozzles manifest the problem but not the cyan nozzles. I had a third party cartridge that had a problem when used with one print head but not with another one. That was when I realized that third party cartridges with only one sponge material are inferior and I now use only Canon originals that I refill myself.

If you decide to do this test, make sure you do a head cleaning as soon as possible after swapping the cartridges because you do not want residual ink on the top of the print head of the wrong color seeping up into the cartridges and contaminating them. Same thing when you're done and you put the cartridges back where they belong--do another head cleaning.