Clogged Canon print head

[Fish Chris]

just a few more (maybe strange) things to add;
Every time I do a flush, I get different colors to work, and then others seem to fail ??? This time, the yellow quit on me. Now, on the i960, the black port is the same size as the rest of them.... but the black only failed once, and then has worked just fine after each flushing since.

In any case, I'm through with this printer. Its been great, and I printed a ton of nice photos with it, but I'm tired of wasting my time and ink now.

Back to my research now, in figuring out a replacement.

Peace,
Fish

 

[hpnetserver]

Try to find an ip6000D. It is probably easier to find one instead of an i960. From what I have seen it is only slightly slower than i960 but it prints really beautiful photos like i960. Or if you still can find an ip8500. It is absolutely the best photo printer Canon offers. I believe ip8500 is soon to be discontinued. The price may come down when it's final days are near. I have had mine over a year using mostly Hobbicolors ink. It is simply the best photo printer I have ever used.

 

[Fish Chris]

Hello Hpnetserver. Yes, I ordered a Canon IP6000D about 6 hours ago. Only $99 plus S/H, from Outpost.com

Just out of curiosity, what do you like about the 8500, which is even better than the 6000 ? I probably shouldn't even ask..... because if I think I would like it better too, I'd probably be mad that I got the 6000..... but anyway.

Peace,
Fish

 

[Osage]

To Fish Chris,

Now that you have paid your money to get a ip6000d--be happy---don't second guess yourself. But that does not mean you should give up on your i960 either---you might try taking the printhead completely apart or try other printhead remidies---there are threads on this forum on how to do it. Having a working printer buys you time to try this that and the other thing on the side.

And keep looking on ebay and other places----check refurb places also---just put a little money in the sock and vow not to spend it until a really really great deal comes along. ---worked for me because I got a Canon MP730 for $26.00----and I needed a printer with fax capacity to complement an exuisting Canon that did not have fax capacity---but I had to bide my time---now your ip6000d buys you time--your next job is a working spare printer.--and if you can't get something with interchangable parts, get something that extends your printing capabilities.

 

[hpnetserver]

Fish Cris, congrats for the new printer. The price is great. I do have some knowledge about ip6000D because I told my neighbor when Fry's Electronics had it on sale refurb'ed model back around Christmas time. My neighbor took two home. He left one at home and took the other to work place. I had a chance to compare the prints between his ip6000D and my ip8500. Well, ip8500 is really fast. It has 5k or 6k nozzle counts. That's 3 times of an ip6000D's nozzle count. This is advantage number one, not print quality related. I did find it produces more accurate colors in deep red and green. Well, this is obvious because ip8500 has green and red ink tanks specifically for printing green and red. But I can tell you without close comparison you can't tell if a photo is printed by one or another. They are both excellent photo printers. I should have bought one to reduce usage on my expensive 8500. I don't think Fry's has them in store any more.

Other than that both printers have duplex printing. But ip6000D has a small LCD display and memory sockets for accepting memory cards from digital cameras. That's one feature ip8500 does not have. Anyway I don't think you will regret a bit about buying an ip6000D. Enjoy it.

 

[Steph]

Hello all,

Long story here, so be patient please, but it could help you.

Thank you for all your detailed and incredibly helpful advice for cleaning/unclogging my printhead. I could only clear 5 out of 6 of my nozzles but if my story helps others my time is not wasted. Your clogged printhead may be the result of only one clogged nozzle!

My story may help some people experiencing the same sad story. My printer is a Canon i965,
Diagnosis: clogged printhead.

Materials involved:
silicon tubing, pliers, scissors, clean sponges, sterile syringe, a peg, a clean zip lock bag, a large bottle of the real windex, distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and a very clean lunchbox-size container.

Step 1:
I took the printhead out, obviously took all cartridges out also. Got some pliers and and extra pair of hands to remove all of the little rubber rings that surround the nozzles. This is needed to be done to gain easier access to all nozzles. Keep these clean and safe for reattaching later on.

Step 2:
Cut enough pieces (depending on number of nozzles) of silicon tubing (narrow and snug enough to fit onto nozzles). About 5-8cm in length is plenty. Each piece must be cleaned before applying to nozzles. Use distilled water/windex to flush out dust and stuff. Push tubing down onto each nozzle snuggly, so you've got vertical tubing on each nozzle instead of cartridges, hope you're still with me. Keep these parts clean!

Step 3:
Find an old lunch box or the like, ice cream container maybe, thoroughly clean this with detergent/distilled water and dry thoroughly.

Step 4:
Get some brand new/sterile sponges, those thin ones (3mm or so thick) you use to wipe down tables and stuff, trim small pieces as needed. A single piece need not be any bigger than your average credit card. Keep any unused sponge in a clean zip log bag, or something to keep them clean, you will need them later!

Step 5:
Your clean container is ready. You've got a small section of sponge and a large bottle of the real windex. Place your sponge on the floor and against a wall of the container. Using your syringe, get some windex and soak the sponge with it.

Step 6:
Ok, now your container is ready for the printhead. Sit your printhead upright against one of the container's walls, keeping it in place with a peg or something, while sitting on the sponge. Make sure you NEVER touch or spill anything onto the circuit board on the back of the print head! This shouldn't be a problem if you've cleaned and dried the container before hand.

Step 7:
Now you that you've got your printhead with silicon tubing on each nozzle, sitting on a windex-soaked sponge, and pegged against the container to stop it slipping; fill your syringe with more real windex. Gently, without causing a lot of pressure (could be damaging) fill each silicon tubing with the windex.

Step 8:
Personal choice, but sensible to place a sandwhich bag or the like over the printhead to prevent further dust and stuff getting into the nozzles while you leave it to do its thing.

Step 9:
Depending on how badly clogged your printhead is, you should eventually notice small spots of ink appearing on your sponge. This is a result of the windex in the tubing forcing its way through the nozzles and disolving dried up ink. The sponge should be replaced readily when a build up of ink is evident.

Step 10:
PATIENCE. It could be days before any one of the nozzles begins clearing. You should keep an eye on the level of windex remaining in each tube. This gives you an indication of which nozzles are more clogged than others. Keep refilling the tubes BEFORE they are empty to avoid drying up the nozzles even further. Keep everything as clean as possible at all times. You should empty the container of old windex mixed with the disolved ink often to avoid it being soaked back up into the sponge (which should be replaced often).

Step 11:
Keep topping up each tube with windex as needed (only with the same syringe, never use it for other things). Remember to replace ink soaked sponge. Replace protective bag or something over printhead when not doing this.

Step 12:
How exciting, you notice that at least some of the nozzles are going through windex like there's been a drought. This is what you want to happen. Keep up with the windex and replacing the sponge. Other nozzles may need more time. PATIENCE.

Step 13:
Congratulations, all nozzles are going through windex quicker than you can refill your syringe and gently refill each one after replacing the sponge, and making yourself a well deserved coffee. Slight exaggeration there. If your tubing goes through windex in about 30 minutes, fantastic.

Step 14:
While you are being very cautious after refilling the tubing with windex, make sure all nozzles are emptying at around the same speed (30 minutes approx. like above), or more importantly, until a very clean sponge is remaining very clean after several cycles of windex.

Step 15:
Ok, super clean sponge, and all tubes are emptying at similar speed (30 minutes approx.). Now refill the tubes again, just as before, but this time using nothing but distilled water. This is the last cleansing stage. Do so for roughly 5 cycles or whenever you think all windex has flushed out.

Step 16:
During step 15, go out and buy the genuine inks for your printer. The last thing you want is to go through it all again, as the cheaper inks are the prime suspect for clogging your printhead to begin with.

Step 17:
Unpack your new inks while the tubing empties itself of the remaining distilled water. Turn on your printer, ready for replacing your printhead. Get those little rubber rings ready to put back on the printhead that you took off at the start.

Step 18:
Tubes are empty. Remove the tubes with your clean hands. Replace the rubber rings on the nozzles. Printhead is now ready for putting back into printer.

Step 19:
Insert brand new genuine ink cartridges as you would normally before running a "clean printhead" cycle for your printer. Then print a nozzle check pattern and see if things are as they should be for your printer.
Note: It may take a few cleaning cycles to get rid of the distilled water remaining in the nozzles.

Step 20:
You should now be able to print beautiful things again!

Hope I have helped at least one person, saving them from printehead insanity.

If not, just go buy a brand new printhead and never use the dodgy inks ever again!!!

 

[bf_of_pf]

A few suggestions that have gotten me on the right track (finally!):

- don't go for the flat-out cheapest ink. I followed Grandad's suggestion on the Formulabs ink from alotofthings.com for my i9900. the ink and the people have been great. they really know what they're talking about, and are actually willing and able to help you out with problems and questions. in larger quantities, the ink is still very inexpensive. they also sell cartridges, both filled and virgin.

- print at least a sample page every week.

- don't let the cartridges run dry - when the driver warns you the tank is low, or when you start seeing streaks, fill the cartridge.

Doing this I've had no problems and print very inexpensively...

one last thing - alotofthings.com also has a cleaning solvent that you can fill a cartridge with and print. this has also been a big help cleaning out clogs.

The only problem with the alotofthings.com site is that they don't carry the Canon BCI-24 carts. Since getting the new MP130 I'm intending on using only high quality compatibles or Canon OEM's for the black, along with Inkquick color carts ($1.50 when you buy 10 or more). The Inkquick Canon BCI-24 OEM's cost $5.95 when you buy 5 or more. Just wondering if there are any other recommended alternatives for the black ink carts. Thanks.

 

[digitalartist71]

Steph,
which color was not able to unclog? the BLACK pigment one?

 

[bf_of_pf]

Odd/interesting update on the new Canon MP130. I installed all the drivers, hooked it up, got W2K recognition, and figured everything was a-ok. Then I ran the alignment utility, and all I got was black, nothing else. Then I ran the nozzle check; same thing -- only black, not a drop of color. Then I ran the clean utility -- no difference. (Note: This was a brand new printer out of the box; brand new Canon OEM carts, printhead, etc.). Then I tried a brand new BCI-24 OEM cart -- no difference. Then I tried one of the brand new OEM Canon printheads that I'd gotten from Inkcessories; nothing in color. Then I called Canon. We went through all the usual things, but got nothing really to speak of in terms of improvement. Then, since I'd mentioned we also have a Pixma2000 and Pixma 1500, the tech suggested that I try the printhead/carts combo that we'd just been working on in the Pixma2000. I figured it was worth a shot, so I popped the whole assembly in, ran a nozzle check, and it was perfect. Then I put it back in the MP130, and it was perfect there too. What this leads me to believe is that there is something going on with the design of these things that causes blocks that, at least in some instances, it has nothing to do with the ink being used. Remember -- this was a brand new out of the box printer, with brand new totally sealed OEM Canon carts. And yet, it was behaving like a lot of the printers you've been talking about here. And amazingly, somehow, by running the printhead/cart assembly in a different printer, it freed up whatever was blocked. So whatever it was in this instance, it definitely could not have been the ink. What, exactly it WAS, remains a mystery. But I figured I had to post it here so that it would provide a different to this problem, even though it really doesn't provide much by way of pinpointing what really was going on.

 

[panos]

Perhaps the printhead priming mechanism for the MP130 does not work well. If you run on the same problem with your next cartridge, you have a good reason for asking for a replacement.

BTW, have you ever refilled a BCI-24 ?