Help with a Canon IP4300

[Manuchau]

I don't have one of the new canons set up, but from what I have read, you can't have all cartridge levels turned off...One cartridge must be be using an active chip. Can anyone confirm or deny this??

 

[pharmacist]

Hi Manuchau, from my experiene with a IX4000 this is not true. All the chips had been deactivated and the cartridges had been refilled several times before I installed a CISS on it. Now it's working flawlessly at my friend's home and she allready refilled the large external CISS tanks twice.

 

[canonfodder]

Hi Manachau,
I also find that with all cartridges of my iP4200s declared empty and refilled several times, there is no stopping of the printers. If the printer says that a cartridge is bad or wrong, there must be a contact problem or perhaps a damaged chip. I wouldn't advise using anything but the OEM cartridge for refilling. Moving chips is rather unnecessary, the OEM carts are better, and you can't mix up the chips if you leave them on the original carts.

 

[headphonesman]

I don't have one of the new canons set up, but from what I have read, you can't have all cartridge levels turned off...One cartridge must be be using an active chip. Can anyone confirm or deny this??

I think you are partly right Manuchau, several months ago there were odd reports of machines that had been running refilled carts (no lights) refusing to work until a genuine (light working ) cart was installed, whereupon near normal service was resumed.

However these were odd reports....(reason for it never resolved)......I have run my 5200 with all cart lights extinguished with no problem, but I will admit that it currently has one cart lit up...(this cart is a Canon Reset Chip Cart from Cartridge World )........it is a trial of the "reset chip " type of cart.

I like others do not favor the transfer of chips whether working or not, from cart to cart , the possibility of damage to the chip is too high.

If " at least 1 genuine fully operational chip must be present" was a requirement then those companies selling "chip cradles" for their compatible carts to go in, would have a real problem........you would have to keep replacing a genuine chip all the time.
Canonfodder and Pharmacists comments seem to support this, I particularly agree with Canonfodder` remarks regarding the non movement of Canon chips

 

[Tin Ho]

All 5 cartridges in my ip4300 have been refilled over a dozen times each and all lights are off. The printer has not refused to print a single time yet.

 

[websnail]

Just to give something of a definitive report on this and to try an remove some of the confusion (some of it caused by me when trying to find out answers myself).

1. The older chipped Pixma series can have all their cartridges reset and warranty accepted (ie: declared empty, accept warranty warnings and ink level disabled as a result).*

2. In rare situations these printers have faulted and refused to accept the refilled cartridges... There was a theory (one of mine) that you shouldn't replace all your cartridges with refilled ones in one go but I've done it so many times now I've lost count. The theory no longer holds true... The cause of the rare problems reported was never sufficiently explained.


3. There are now reports of printers with a new firmware (the iP4300 is the only one at present that has been confirmed by a reputable source [ref]).
This new firmware is purported to remove the option to accept the warranty void and use of non-OEM cartridges or refilled ones. If this is true then the knock on effects will be far reaching for anyone using refilled carts or CIS systems. It is however still very much unconfirmed and needs further research.



*systems I know to work with resetting/warranty voiding:
- iP4200, iP4300**
- iP5200
- MP500, MP830, MP800
- iX4000 (A3).

** see point 3.

 

[woollysox]

I can confirm Websnail's report above, that the ip4300 does not work after moving the chip. I bought a printer last October (thats over 12 months ago), and the ink has only just run out (don't use it much!). I bought a set of compatables, and tried changing the magenta ink only. The cartridge is lit & flashing, but doesnt give the option to accept a warranty void. The chappy I bought them from spent some time helping - but we couldnt get round the problem.

 

[websnail]

I can confirm Websnail's report above, that the ip4300 does not work after moving the chip. I bought a printer last October (thats over 12 months ago), and the ink has only just run out (don't use it much!). I bought a set of compatables, and tried changing the magenta ink only. The cartridge is lit & flashing, but doesnt give the option to accept a warranty void. The chappy I bought them from spent some time helping - but we couldnt get round the problem.

Hmm... if you moved the chip it's entirely possible the chip itself hasn't been seated properly on the new cartridge or was damaged in the process.

Unfortunately the only way you check that is to refit the chip back on the original cartridge, refill the cartridge somewhat and then see if it'll accept the chip again.

As regards the problem I described the jury is still out, transferring chips is something that adds a slew of variables that may or may not be the true culprit.

 

[stratman]

Hmm... if you moved the chip it's entirely possible the chip itself hasn't been seated properly on the new cartridge or was damaged in the process.

Unfortunately the only way you check that is to refit the chip back on the original cartridge, refill the cartridge somewhat and then see if it'll accept the chip again.

Your test may or may not work. The transferred chip may be damaged or one may still not seat the chip properly again. If it works then you can be assured your test it accurate. If the transferred chip/cartridge still fails then you must try an unmolested OEM cartridge - if it does not work then you can be assured (barring a Canon manufacturing screw-up) that the chip/cartridge is not the cause of the problem.

Like you said, there are a few variables and troubleshooting has been made more complicated by the fact that Canon's own manufacturing process, or quality control, of the OEM chips/cartridges is less than perfect.

 

[websnail]

Aye... and as Stratman says, even my suggested test isn't foolproof.. If it was I wouldn't have been able to come up with it