Large PGI-525 black ink keeps fading out after a few pages...

[inka]

Hello to all ink masters out there! Your advice would be most welcome...

I have a Canon ip 4850 and have been refilling their original cartridges with quality compatible ink from OctoInkjet. I've not had any problems until now when, suddenly the large cartridge PGI 525 black starts to fade out to almost nothing after printing 2 -3 pages of text. This is not due to an empty cartridge as I refill regularly and use the chip redsetter. The first time it occurred was in the middle of a 30 page print, so I re-checked the cartridge, which was still in ink and topped up. Tried cleaning cycles and deep cleans, but this does not solve the problem. So I soaked the cartridge print head in cleaning alcohol for a couple of hours and put a couple of drops of the same cleaner onto the PGI 525 print head nozzle. Then replaced the cartridge and printed off 3-4 pages of plain text to get ink flowing again ( which it did) and ran another cleaning cycle. Thought the problem was solved and the print quality was perfect again, but the same thing happened after continuing my print of text - after 3 pages the black ink starts to fade out to nothing again. The fading starts with a vertical banding then spreads to the whole (text) print.

Any ideas on where the problem might lie?

Thanks!

 

[The Hat]

inka

You say youre using the OEM 525 cartridges are they the originals opaque ones that came with your printer.
Which way are you refilling your cartridges i.e. top fill or German fill, also is it pigment ink youre using?

There are several things that could be wrong but I think its your cartridge
that has the problem and not your print head.

In what you describe it sounds like an ink flow problem and when you answer some of the above questions
then it will be easier to determine you problem.

You could also post a nozzle check that would be a big help..

 

[stratman]

As The Hat said, the cartridge sounds like it is the problem. But it still could be other things. I would want to see this vertical banding and a nozzle check too.

If you want to quickly try a test of cure, you could try a new OEM Canon PGI-525 cartridge (recommended), or a known working cartridge, or you could flush and then refill the questionable cartridge. If the problem is related to ink flow in/from the cartridge causing ink starvation then one of the above suggestions should work.

 

[Tin Ho]

Hello to all ink masters out there! Your advice would be most welcome...

I have a Canon ip 4850 and have been refilling their original cartridges with quality compatible ink from OctoInkjet. I've not had any problems until now when, suddenly the large cartridge PGI 525 black starts to fade out to almost nothing after printing 2 -3 pages of text.

This is an academic problem of Canon PGI-5, PGI-220 and PGI-520 when they are repeatedly refilled. Yes, the problems should be in the cartridge that is accumulating dried up pigments. There have been many discussions about this before. The first thing to do is to purge the PGI cartridge. The Hat said 9 out of 10 incidents like this were caused by Hobbicolors ink. Now Image Specialists ink from Octoinkjet is catching up in the count. The truth is it has nothing to do with which brand of ink used. Even the best ink will do that. Nothing to worry. You may need to soak your print head with Windex or any glass cleaner that contains Ammonia. Don't use tap water. Use distilled water if you want to use water. Been there. Done that a couple of times.

 

[The Hat]

Tin Ho The Hat said 9 out of 10 incidents like this were caused by Hobbicolors ink.

What I did say was that:- hobbicolors black can up again and again as a cause of print head clogs;
I was not referring to blocked sponges in cartridges.

Tin Ho The truth is it has nothing to do with which brand of ink used. Even the best ink will do that.

I currently use KMP black ink and it has never caused any problems with my print heads x 4 or any cartridges problems whatsoever.

The Hat Which way are you refilling your cartridges i.e. top fill or German fill, also is it pigment ink youre using?

I also asked which way inka was refilling his cartridges because if he was using the German method then
that maybe the cause of the problem as he is filling these cartridges blind.

It is easy to get a separation of the internal sponge from the outlet sponge and or
an air lock between the reservoir and sponge compartment, nether are caused by the ink that was used.

Purging will cure the airlock if that is his problem, but wont solve the sponge separation issue if that is the cause also,
so I wouldnt recommend purging the cartridge at this stage if at all.

I would rather wait for more information from inka and see his nozzle check
before I would make any suggestions as to how to cure his ongoing problem..

 

[Tin Ho]

What I did say was that:- hobbicolors black can up again and again as a cause of print head clogs;
I was not referring to blocked sponges in cartridges.

Don't believe a single word you said. Sorry. Read Jimbo123's thread.

 

[The Hat]

Tin Ho Don't believe a single word you said. Sorry. Read Jimbo123's thread.

I appreciate your position on it and respect that, but I have no axe to grind whatsoever with hobbicolor
besides a lot of guys use it and are very happy with it.

I only reported my observations as an observer and not as a user,
so please dont shoot the messenger as you may need him again.

Happy Refilling..

 

[Tin Ho]

Most Canon printers end their life with clogged print heads or symptoms of clogging. Some may be refilled and some may be not. Let's all blame the ink because they are so expensive. Have a great day.

 

[inka]

Thanks for all your comments. I also thought it was probably the cartridge causing the problem. I refill from the top and the cartridges are the original Canon which came with the printer. I have had the printer less than a year and have refilled the inks since the beginning, probably much less than 20 times for the large black PGI525. I use compatible ink from Octoinkjet, not any hobby colours.

Since first posting the problem, I repeated the same 'de-clogging' procedure on the cartridge head sponge (sorry for lack of technical terminology , and printed off some pages of plain text. Nozzle check is clear. To my amazement the PGI-525 appears to be printing again! I have also printed off a quantity of pages, as this was where the original problem was appearing, and the 'fade-out' has not re-occurred.

Keeping fingers crossed as I still don't know what caused the problem to keep happening, but am very happy that it has now resolved.

PS - just in case, for future reference - what is the best way to properly purge a cartridge?

 

[websnail]

Here's a few resources on that score:

Purging
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=38244#p38244

Drying/Draining (Note: Avoid draining/dryying completely... just reduce water content)
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5382