IP4300 missing PGBK grid from nozzle check

[hachuelo]

Hello to all niffty sttufers out there. A couple of days ago I ran into a problem with my old reliable IP4300. I was printing something for my son and I noticed that the pages that I print were only showing pictures and no text on them ,then I print a test page from the printer's property page and the only thing that come out was the windows logo,right away I went to the maintenance page ran a nozzle check page and the whole PGBK grid was missing,sorry if this issue is been handled in this site sometime in the past but I looked for it and couldn't find anything like it. I would be very grateful if somebody have seen this problem before and want to give me some tips. Thanks.

By hachuelo1 at 2012-01-11

 

[jtoolman]

Well it looks like you whole Pigment Channel is clogged OR you have no Black ink.
So you will have to either install a new cart or perform a head cleaning. If you have done that and your nozzle chack is still bad and you do have ink in the cart then you'll have to saok the head in some sort of cleaner.

There is a ton of information here on this forum - just run a search or wait a while from the many Canon experts here.

 

[hachuelo]

Thanks for your response jtool,I already tried another cartridge with same results also I haven't tried any unclogging procedure so far. On a side note the cartridges are refilled with Hobbycolors Ink using the german method.

 

[turbguy]

OH-OH! I also used Hobbicolors Black Pigment Ink for about 7 months, UNTIL IT CLOGGED MY PURGE UNIT SOLID! That stopped all Pigment Black ink from printing, as the head wouldn't prime. It was a real chore to clean out. I actually had to use a metal wire to clear "ink glob" obstructions in the smaller holes in the purge system!

You may have the same issue....

 

[turbguy]

You can check the operation of the purge system by flooding the "parking pad" (it's a thin white ceramic plate) for the black pigment with Original Formula windex (using a clean syringe) until a puddle forms. Then run a deep cleaning cycle. A working purge system will pull the windex "puddle" away into the waste pads. If a puddle remains after cleaning, the purge system is not working.

A better procedure description (from stratman)..

"Check your purge pump function. When the printer is turned off or on standby the print head parks itself over two pads located on the far right of the printer. When you open the lid of the printer, as when changing cartridges, the print head moves to the center and stays there temporarily. You can now see the rectangular foam purge pads which should be blackened from ink. Using a flashlight if necessary, take a syringe or other suitable instrument and flood the top of the purge pads with water. The water should pool on top of the pads. Now close the lid, which should prompt a purge/clean cycle, the result being the pooled water is sucked away to the ink waste pad inside your printer. Open the lid, allow the print head to move to the center and check the purge pads. The pooled water should be gone and the pads may be slightly whiter. If you are unable to pool water initially or the pooled water does not disappear, then you have a purge system issue. Report your observations of the entire process thoroughly here."


If the puddle i still there, you are facing significant dis-assembly to access the problem....

Wayne

 

[jru]

hachuelo,

I had the exact same problem with my ip4300, and it completely revived.
Hope yours does.

Here's 2 suggestions to try one of:

1) Using an eyedropper, or a simple straw, put some distilled water on the park pads (described on the previous post above).
Also put some distilled water on the inlet screen of the printhead (this is the spot where the cart's outlet hole sits when it is in place).
Let it sit a few minutes. Then put the cart back in place, close the lid, and do a nozzle check. If no improvement, repeat.
Do this repeatedly. If the pattern starts to come back, that is a good sign. If not then...

2) Do the above step of putting some distilled water on the park pads and the inlet screen, then close the lid and immediately turn off the printer before it gets to do a clean cycle. This will let the water sit soaking on the park pads and the inlet screen. Leave it to soak overnight.
In the morning, try a nozzle check.

These 2 steps got my ip4300 from absolutely NO PGI-5 black pattern in the nozzle check to completely cleared full image.
It is still fully functioning many months later. And I have been using Hobbicolors inks for many years now on this printer.

If the above doesn't work, if there is any way you can get an empty PGI-5 cart and fill it with Windex window cleaner (original formula which has windex), you can insert this "cleaning cart" into the printer and try doing repeated nozzle checks till the windex begins dissolving any clog.
Since the windex in the cart dissolves residue black ink, the solution will still have black color which is good because it will still print to show any opening of a clog.

Good luck.

 

[hachuelo]

Thanks for your tips jru & turbguy.I'll try your sugestions and I'll keep posted on how it goes.

 

[ruffin]

Hachuelo: Please report back actions and or success. I too have IP-4300 with blocked PGI channel.
Anticipate print head hot water soak and some of the actions regarding inlet screen and parking pads this thread.
Think I may have refilled cartridge and forgot to do test pattern immediately after to prime the ink channel.
Regards

 

[Harvey]

I am having the same problem with Hobbicolors Pigment, no hints of black at all, I swapped the head to another printer and the same problem, time to think it is the printhead, I suspect no blockage but electrical problem.

 

[The Hat]

OH-OH! I also used Hobbicolors Black Pigment Ink for about 7 months, UNTIL IT CLOGGED MY PURGE UNIT SOLID! That stopped all Pigment Black ink from printing, as the head wouldn't prime. It was a real chore to clean out. I actually had to use a metal wire to clear "ink glob" obstructions in the smaller holes in the purge system!

You may have the same issue....

I have also noticed that nine times out of ten when a print head is clogged completely that Hobbicolors ink is mentioned.

I cant say one way or the other whether there is a pattern here or not with the hobbicolors pigment black
because I have never used it but it seems to come up awful lot of times thats all.

Can Hobbicolors users say if this has happened to them or are they completely happy with their pigment ink..