flashing lights on canon ip4850

[lffoar]

Hi all,
Haven't got a clue why or what but went to print something and all I'm getting is alternate green and amber flashes. Amber flashes 10 times and then restarts again for another 10 and so on.....
I've uninstalled the printer and driver, re-installed it and checked the port settings are OK. Tried different USB ports, rebooted the comp and all the sundry things but zilch luck so far. I read the 10 flash is something to do with duplex printing, all I do is normal A4 from the cassette so I just don't know. Any help appreciated and thanks,
Harry

 

[PeterBJ]

Alternating green and amber flashes are service call errors. The 10 flashes is a code meaning that the print head is defective. A new print head might bring the printer back to life, but there is a risk that the defective print head has damaged the main board, and a damaged mainboard might damage a new print head.

The service manual which is found here recommends that both print head and main board is replaced at the same time. See page 10/53.

So sadly I think it is time for a new printer. If you want to gamble on a new print head the type is QY6-0080. I don't know your location but a British supplier is CRC Tasktron. Beware of print heads from the Far East. These are often used print heads cleaned to look like new and repackaged in counterfeit foil bags and cardboard boxes.

 

[lffoar]

Hi Peter and thanks for your help. I agreed with you and thought oh well, time to tip the ol' girl and get a new one.....but first...
I thought I'd pull out the print head and give it a soak in windex and flush it out so I put the rubber gloves on, fired up the comp, switched on the printer and opened the top ready to stop it mid stream and take out the cartridges and print head. Well I'll be buggered, it worked.....no error message, ran through its cleaning cycle and stopped quietly with no flashing lights!! Did a nozzle check and the print pattern is AOK.
I don't really know what the hiccup was but it seems to be clear now. BTW, I'm in Oz so printers are pretty cheap here, it's the ink they hit you to leg for. Once again thanks mate and happy new year
Harry

 

[PeterBJ]

Hopefully the printer will continue working.

There have been a few cases where the problems with the print head were caused by a bad contact between the print head and the contact springs in the print head carriage. Your removal and reinstalling of the print head could have wiped the contact surfaces clean, so the printer now works again.

Sadly there have also been cases where the error reappeared after a couple of days, meaning print head kaput.

I think the cheap printer and (very) expensive ink model is used worldwide. It is the same price policy in Europe.

 

[lffoar]

So far so good....have done a lot of printing last night and today with no hiccups...........so far!!

 

[lffoar]

Whoops, spoke toooooo sooon!! You were spot on Pete, went for a while and then the same flashing lights occurred. Went the full hog and cleaned the print head thoroughly, changed the cartridges but it's cactus. Tossed it in the bin and just went and bought a Canon MX726.
I can get cheap refillable cartridges for that model. Thanks again mate for your assistance, much appreciated.

 

[PeterBJ]

Sad thing your printer failed again, but thank you for the report/feed-back.