iP4300 Two-tone nozzle test

[Gloryb]

Greetings! I have had a Pixma IP4300 since 2007, used perhaps weekly, Canon ink only. Recently noticed horizontal bars running across color pictures/images, switching between darker and lighter tones.

Ran standard cleaning, deep cleaning, nozzle tests. Only problem I noticed in the nozzle test is the first cyan bar is two-toned: darker cyan on top, lighter cyan on bottom.

I removed and cleaned the print head with no improvement. Changed ink cartridge, no change. Contacted Canon, they said it was the paper I was using so I tried regular paper, matte photo with different print settings--no improvement.

So am thinking a damaged head. If so, is a head worth replacing or just buy a new printer? Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

 

[martin0reg]

The two-tone color bar indicates some kind of electrical damage of this nozzle row.
But I have seen worse examples... and i think (!) chances are big that the defect haven't damaged the printer yet... probably not like this:
http://www.printerknowledge.com/thr...k-carts-wont-power-on.10109/page-2#post-84051

PS: ..so it's not only bad refill ink, what makes a canon bubble jet wear out..

 

[The Hat]

Hi @Gloryb and welcome, now for the bad news !

I can only concur with @martin0reg and say the print head has failed on half of the cyan nozzles and no amount of cleaning is going to fix it.

Now if you can somehow find another print head for your iP4300 then get one and ignore the cost because you won’t find another printer like it again, it is worth saving and will reward you with many more years of service.

It will still work for all your black only text documents..

 

[Gloryb]

Thank you both for the informative and rapid responses! Canon also 'relooked' their response and now say it sounds like an 'internal hardware malfunction'.

Replacement heads start at $40--I paid $90 for the printer so guess it's time to start searching for another plain, simple, reliable printer if they exist. You both have a point in that I can, and will, continue to use the printer for text documents until the ink runs out or the printer blows, whichever comes first. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

 

[fotofreek]

If $40 brings the printer back to proper function it is a risk I would take. Be sure, however, that the replacement head you buy is new in the factory packaging and not used or "refurbished". As an aside I've purchased two used ip4300's on Craig's list (San Francisco Bay Area) in the last two years. Both were minimally used, with OEM inks only, and tested perfectly. I gave one to my granddaughter, along with OEM carts prepared for refilling as well as refill ink, squeeze bottles, and a resetter. I cleaned the print head for storage and put the second printer away as a spare for the inevitable lack of use/failure of the first ip4300 that a young teenager will experience.

 

[palombian]

If you plan to use the printer (in fact the head) for B&W only you must mask the cyan color contact on the printhead connector, if not you will have a printhead error soon and even burn the printer logic board.

Lukasz explained this in detail.

 

[Gloryb]

If $40 brings the printer back to proper function it is a risk I would take. Be sure, however, that the replacement head you buy is new in the factory packaging and not used or "refurbished".

Good point if indeed the problem is the print head. I will shop around and see what is out there. Sure would be nice to get a few more years out of this workhorse. Thanks for the tip.

 

[martin0reg]

I have bought refurbished printheads for ip4000, because it seems these are not available anymore as new. They are running without issues so far ..
To buy a used printhead or a printer from private has the same risk.
So if the description is correct, not offered as "new" though it is used, you might give it a try - if there is no new QY6-0061 to buy. But beware there is no garanty, hopefully the seller offers a refund if it's not working..

PS sometimes there are even cheap "black" printheads, but these are probably worse than yours..

 

[fotofreek]

To buy a used printhead or a printer from private has the same risk..

Absolutely right, Martin. I only bought used printers if they 1)had only used OEM ink, 2)had OEM carts in place with enough ink to run a test, and 3) if I was able to bring photo paper and a test picture to the seller's place to run both a nozzle test and do a test print.
It did cut the risk down substantially, and if the price was right and the printer didn't work out I still ended up with a set of OEM carts to set up for refilling. One must have great patience to scan through Craig's list for the one gem out of a lot of clunkers! I'd only buy one from someone in my direct area so I wouldn't waste a lot of time going to check out a printer that didn't measure up to my criteria.

 

[msmart]

Yes, craigslist is great. I've bought several of my iP4500s that way for less than the price of a new printhead. Once I validate that the printer works (no chance to test it out when the transfer is done in a parking lot), I use the printhead in my very first (and only one used) iP4500.

They don't show up much there any more and prices are outrageous on eBay. I've looked, a few times, for them in Goodwill stores but haven't seen any.