ip5000 Printhead

[l_d_allan]

I do want to stay with a Canon printer so I have the option of printing on disks which I'm assuming most do like my ip5000.

I don't think many of the Canon printers sold in the US have built-in provisions for printing on CD/DVD's. Something to consider. Also, you might update your profile with the printer (or printers) you own, and where you are located.

As far as getting a new printer I'm looking for advise do I give up on this printer?

Depends. Have you been pretty happy with it? Are you the type that likes to really wrestle with problems like this print-head clogging and get satisfaction from fixing it? My speculation is that your issue(s) can be fixed with patience and determination and know-how, but what is your time worth?

You've already put a fair amount of time and effort into working on the iP5000, and that experience will be valuable if you get another printer. De-clogging ability is part of the skill portfolio of a refiller who prints quite a bit, it would seem.

Ok you seem to be saying I'm still needing to run cleaning cartridges and at the same time I need to use Canon OEM empties to do this and not generic empty carts some sell like here http://store.inkjetcarts.us/canon-compatible-bci-6-refillable-cartridges-p2150.aspx

"Need" isn't the word I'd use, but that's what I'd do. Getting compatible carts with unknown ink is the worst option, imo. $4.00 USD per cart is 10x to 15x what it costs me to refill my carts (with OCP ink in my case). That is using high quality Canon oem carts that I've purged/flushed to like-new condition, and high quality ink that I have confidence in.

But obviously, there are up-front costs for the bulk ink, plugs, caps, syringe(s) or squeeze bottles, needle(s), maybe resetter?, etc. You need to print enough to ammortize those initial costs to make it worthwhile. And a learning curve and getting past the frustration/hassle of the big mess that pretty much always happens when you start refilling. R-Jet Tek sells a starter-kit and OCP ink.

I need to find Canon BCI-3eBK, BCI-6BK, BCI-6C, BCI-6M, BCI-6Y virgin empties on Ebay but I must not be putting in the right searches because all I can find is new OEM carts.

I'd write inkjetsforeducation@yahoo.com and see if they can put together the specific "Buy-It-Now" bundle of carts that is exactly what you want. Actually, I think CLI-8 carts might very well work just fine in your BCI-6 based iP5000, so you have future-proofing in case you get a subsequent generation CLI-8 based printer down the line.

For my situation, a fairly high number of carts refilled in batches gives me somewhat the equivalent of a "poor man's CISS" without the expense and hassle of a CISS. Typically, I've read that CISS doesn't work well in Canon entry-level and mid-grade printers below the wide-format monsters.

When I've got a lot of prints to make, I can stage plenty of letter size prints to do in the print-queue, and start with a full set of carts so it will run out of paper before it runs out of ink (typically PC and/or PM on the Pro 9000-2 ... my iP4500 uses ink carts more evenly). Then refresh any ink carts that are reporting Low, are Empy, or even close to Low, and put in another full load of paper to print. A CISS isn't going to keep my input paper tray full anyway.

 

[stratman]

I do want to stay with a Canon printer so I have the option of printing on disks which I'm assuming most do like my ip5000.

Canon still sells printers that can be converted for disk printing according to damnprinter.com.

Newer printers confirmed as CD/DVD print capable at http://damnprinter.com/468/cd-print-enabler-for-ip4820-mg5120-mg5220-mg6120-mg8120.html.

An historical list of other CD print capable Canon printers at http://damnprinter.com/105/the-five-easy-steps.html

 

[mccoady]

As far as new Canon printers go that can be converted to print on disks the choice looks to be between a
ip4700 - Ink Tanks:
PGI-220 Pigment Black
CLI-221 (Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Black)
or
4820 - Ink Tanks:
PGI-225 Pigment Black
CLI-226 (Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Black)

No I don't enjoy wrestling with printers trying to get them to work in fact I'm getting tired of messing with it I just want it to print right. That being said yes I do like the printer so I will try one last time to unclog it.

Will these empty Canon virgin cartridges work for a cleaning cartridge I would try to buy a fewer amount?

 

[l_d_allan]

* I'm pretty sure that CLI-8 carts won't work in either of the printers you mention. For sure, unchipped BCI-6 carts won't.

* My understanding is that there isn't a resetter yet for the 225/226 carts. The ink capacity is also rather small.

* I believe there are resetters for the 220/221 carts. It is possible that 220/221 carts might fit in your iP5000 printer that uses unchipped BCI-6 carts, but you'd want to confirm that with someone more knowledgeable than I am about BCI-6 and 220/221 carts. I believe I've read that 220/221 carts are semi-opaque and somewhat harder to refill than CLI-8 carts.

* Any Canon printer that uses chipped carts expects to "hand-shake" with a matching cart to detect that the color is correct, and to accomplish ink level monitoring. Some forum members advocate ARC (auto reset chips) and/or disabling ink monitoring. I'm mostly ignorant about those, except they seem like a so-so idea at best, imo. I think those had some appeal when chipped carts first came out, before resetters were widely available. Now? not so much.

* If I were you, I'd be inclined to purchase 2 or 3 sets of CLI-8 + PGI-5Bk virgin empty carts. Use one set for cleaning carts and see if you can get the iP5000 working well. Be on the lookout for a used, local CLI-8+PGI-5bk based printer through CraigsList or equivalent.

 

[mccoady]

Are you for sure the CLI-8 + PGI-5Bk carts will work in my iP5000 and if so you would prefer them over the BCI-3eBK + BCI-6?

How about these http://cgi.ebay.com/VIRGIN-used-CAN.../330518668610?pt=BI_Toner&hash=item4cf472a542 ?

What is the difference between using the above and these http://cgi.ebay.com/Hobbicolors-New.../260760452588?pt=BI_Toner&hash=item3cb688bdec

I have no idea what I'm doing after I get some virgin empty carts like how to flush out the ink before I can use as a cleaning cartridge so I will need some instructions.

I suppose if I can't get the iP5000 working I'm left with buying a new iP4700 I'm a little hesitate in buying a used printer.

I want to go ahead and order a refill kit. You linked to http://www.rjettek.com/catalog/prod...d/485?osCsid=6e46d7b1bde1369fffcc66f6599a695c (Canon BCI, PGI, CLI Refill Kit) but if I have to replace my iP5000 (can't get it working) with a iP4700 which uses CLI-221 + PGI-220 carts would I have to buy another/different kit?

What ink do I buy for refilling?

 

[Ron350]

If you are going to buy a refill kit for your iP5000 at least buy one that comes with ink.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/6oz-Refill-Kit-C.../200402228761?pt=BI_Toner&hash=item2ea8e75619

 

[nche11]

That is an expensive 6 oz of ink. Your print head is badly clogged. You will need a lot of patience to unclog it, if it is still not too late to do so. The amount of time and waste of ink to save the print head can end up in the toilet. You should buy the ip4700 and move on. The ip4700 is a work horse. I have got one and it is refilled with Hobbicolors ink. I print easily 40 - 50 pages of documents a day and have done that for almost one year now. It costs about $22 for 12 oz total of ink including shipping.

 

[mccoady]

That is an expensive 6 oz of ink. Your print head is badly clogged. You will need a lot of patience to unclog it, if it is still not too late to do so. The amount of time and waste of ink to save the print head can end up in the toilet. You should buy the ip4700 and move on. The ip4700 is a work horse. I have got one and it is refilled with Hobbicolors ink. I print easily 40 - 50 pages of documents a day and have done that for almost one year now. It costs about $22 for 12 oz total of ink including shipping.

Wow my head is spinning I was about to take your advice and never realized you still couldn't buy a ip4700 (still listed on their website) without spending several hundred dollars so I'm left with trying to fix my old printer or upgrading to their ip4820 which has smaller carts and you may not be able to refill.

Can you even refill the ip4820's carts PGI-225 + CLI-226?

 

[nche11]

Check out sales at Staples. They had a MX870 on sale for about $150. They will give you another $50 off if you bring in a printer, a broken one is fine. That's about $100 for a MX870. The MX870 is a decent multifunction that comes with PGI-220 and CLI-221.

 

[l_d_allan]

Are you for sure the CLI-8 + PGI-5Bk carts will work in my iP5000 and if so you would prefer them over the BCI-3eBK + BCI-6?

95% sure. ghwellsjr is one of (if not THE) most helpful and knowledgeable Masters on this forum. I was going through something similar to you on deciding on a printer. In my case, it was to be a backup to my CLI-8 based Pro 9000-2. At one point, I was close to acquiring an iP6000D BCI-6 based printer, specifically because of his recommendation that my current CLI-8 carts could be used in the iP6000D.

Because ... having CLI-8 based carts gives you more options for the future because they can be used ... 95% sure ... in your BCI-6 based iP5000, and more modern printers if and when you upgrade.

How about these http://cgi.ebay.com/VIRGIN-used-CAN.../330518668610?pt=BI_Toner&hash=item4cf472a542 ?

First impression ... they call these "toner cartridges" which would indicate they are possibly completely ignorant about inkjet carts. Shipping & handling is high for only 18 carts. There are better vendors, including the one I think I suggested earlier (and with whom I have no business connection, other than 2 very satisfactory transactions).

What is the difference between using the above and these http://cgi.ebay.com/Hobbicolors-New.../260760452588?pt=BI_Toner&hash=item3cb688bdec

Hobbicolors is used by many on this forum, and the owner may be one of the more active members ... but I may have him confused with Mikling. I definitely encourage people to strongly consider dealing with a vendor who is active on this forum, especially if you need coaching / hand-holding.

To address your question .... they appear to be flushed/purged carts, all ready to be used as cleaning carts. Price seems at least decent for five prepped carts since someone who knows what they are doing has done the prep. With virgin empties, you have to do the prep, which like most things is easy once you get the hang of it, but has a learning curve.

I would check with HobbiColors if they sell the equivalent CLI-8 carts, and if those would work in your iP5000 ... but they might be more expensive since the CLI-8 carts are chipped.

I have no idea what I'm doing after I get some virgin empty carts like how to flush out the ink before I can use as a cleaning cartridge so I will need some instructions.

Very few if any of us did at first ... really! Inkjet Masters like ghwellsjr, Grandad35, pharmacist, and others have done huge amounts of trial and error to get us where we are today ... and been graciously willing to share their experience and expertise.

I suppose if I can't get the iP5000 working I'm left with buying a new iP4700 I'm a little hesitate in buying a used printer.

Depends on your budget and what your time is worth. From a quick glance, the ip4700 appears to be a terrific printer. I'm more or less ignorant about 220/221 based printers. I believe the ink capacity may be smaller than CLI-8, so you have more delays if you have a bunch to print. But I could be wrong about that. With refilling, the cost of ink per print stays the same.

I want to go ahead and order a refill kit. You linked to http://www.rjettek.com/catalog/prod...d/485?osCsid=6e46d7b1bde1369fffcc66f6599a695c (Canon BCI, PGI, CLI Refill Kit) but if I have to replace my iP5000 (can't get it working) with a iP4700 which uses CLI-221 + PGI-220 carts would I have to buy another/different kit?

Probably not ... 95% confidence on that. Once you have the starter kit, it's a matter of outlet caps and inlet plugs, which are probably interchangeable. If you've kept your oem orange twist-off outlet caps, all you really need for German refilling is the syringe and 2" needle ... you can possibly get them at a drug store like Walmart, Walgreen, etc. On the webpage, the "additional items" would be the resetter.

What ink do I buy for refilling?

Opinions vary on that. I've been very happy with OCP ink from R-Jet Tek, but I have never used any other non-oem ink. Per oz, it seems about half as much as alternatives, but the minimum quantify is 16oz ... which is A LOT! Perhaps my standards are lax, but I've been more than satisfied with using OCP ink with Costco Kirkland glossy paper with the built-in Canon oem profiles for PlusGlossy-2, so I haven't had to worry all that much about profiles.