Missing Yellow on MP830

[mp830]

I have a printer condition for which I'd like the advice of the experts - especially those who know the ins and outs of Canon.

It's an MP830 all in one. I have used it moderately for seven years, mostly using "the German "durstich" Method" for refilling with precision colors inks. Sometimes I have problems that can usually be fixed by a cleaning or a "deep cleaning" cycle and then it's good for long enough to feel things are OK.
The print head is original, and I use a mixture of the OEM cartridges and others that have all worked OK.

I once before did a printhead removal and cleaning and went a long time with no problems.

Then I got the problem shown in the attached image happening in yellow. (It has also happened before in magenta, but for the moment magenta is behaving itself).
Because of the current problem, I did another prinhead cleaning, after which, for a while at least I had perfect printing results. Now the problem has returned, badly, still in yellow.

I guess I have trouble understanding where the problem is, and I don't understand how I can have two nozzle-checks in succession that look like the attached image***, because in each there is one portion where it seems all nozzles must be firing. Intuition would lead me to think that the second test wouldn't look like the first, that once the center nozzles gave up during the first test, the second test would show just two yellow stripes separated by a continuous blank space running the full width. Instead there's a portion (sometimes wider sometimes not) where there is yellow from top to bottom.

Is it about the printhead? Or is it about the cartridges not supplying the ink to the printhead properly?
Please help me understand what may be going on, how you'd fix it, and feel free to let me know how dire it is for this printer's future as my mainstay.

The scanner just quit working, but I'll post that some other time

*** the forum won't let me post image I uploaded successfully (as a new user) - any suggestions? Perhaps I don't understand how to post.

 

[The Hat]

It sounds like your troubles are many and the end result is if your description of your problem is correct,
is an electrical problem, Burned out nozzles.

When youre having poor output from any one of your colours it is best practice
not to print anything other than nozzle prints till you can resolve the issue,
otherwise you will damage your print head if you continue to print.

Can you post your image up on one of the free sites that allow you to do so,
or send it to me and Ill post it up here for you..

 

[The Hat]

For those of you that were following this thread with some interest here is mp830s nozzle print

I gave him enough to go on with in a PM earlier so wont say any more for now.

 

[PeterBJ]

I see two problems in this nozzle check.

The first is severe ink starvation in the yellow channel. This could be caused by the yellow cartridge or a partial clog in the channel in the upper part of the print head leading from the yellow ink inlet to the yellow nozzles. Try a new OEM yellow cartridge before attempting to clean the channel. Here is an example of a cartridge causing inkflow problems: http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=7744

The second problem is light cyan test strip almost totally missing. It is unlikely that all nozzles for the light cyan are clogged, it is more likely that the channel in the upper part of the print head from the cyan ink inlet to the light cyan nozzles. I think the cyan cartridge has no inkflow problems as the cyan cartridge is common to the normal and light cyan nozzle sets.

So mp830 please some more details about which cartridges are what brand and if refilled what brand of ink is used. One of the worst things to cause inkflow problems is refilled third party cartridges. And for nozzle checks for upload, please use a fresh sheet of paper, it gives a clearer image of the errors.

Before attempting to clean the ink channels in the upper black plastic part of the print head, it is important that all cartridges are 100% OK with no inkflow issues. Preferable, but expensive is a set of new OEM cartridges.

 

[websnail]

I think my first question would be to check the age of the ink... if it's 18 months or older I'd consider a fresh stock...

Next up would be to consider replacing the yellow cartridge with a fresh one then top-filling rather than using the Durstich method.

Also, is the change in dark/light an artifact from scanning rather than the true output?

 

[stratman]

Either try a new cartridge or flush and refill your current cartridge. There is no need to switch to the top fill method as you have been successful with the Durchstich method for years.

 

[rihac support]

I work daily with printers via our inklink products at rihac. To me it appears to be air, especially as it it happening intermittently I would try and replace the yellow cartridge as air is leaking in from somewhere. Performing the head clean is going to draw ink into the printhead and allow for a little bit of printing but air will seep back in.

 

[websnail]

I work daily with printers via our inklink products at rihac. To me it appears to be air, especially as it it happening intermittently I would try and replace the yellow cartridge as air is leaking in from somewhere. Performing the head clean is going to draw ink into the printhead and allow for a little bit of printing but air will seep back in.

I suspect you're assuming this is a CIS system so I'm going to respectfully disagree with your assessment here..

If this were a CIS then air leakage would be one possible cause but as it's a refilled cartridge it's more likely one of ink flow, lack of air (via vent)...

 

[mp830]

The last print test that I did I got a much better looking output. By using the best printing setting I am also getting acceptable printouts for what I need to do right now. There's a good chance that some of my ink is older than it should be, also my main (original) cartridges are pretty old and have never been flushed. So taking all that into account I think I like the idea of a set of commercially prepared refillable empties, la precision colors, where I've been getting my ink. That plus fresh ink. If I get back to reliability, then perhaps I'll try rehabilitating my OEMs, or perhaps I'll just stick with what's working.
Magenta and photo M, Cyan and photo C are perfect. PGBK is perfect, there was a slight ink starvation stripe in the yellow, nothing as bad as before, and for the moment it's printing OK by using best setting. There is a little something going on in photo BK, perhaps a deep clean cycle is in order there.
I can't send an image of the test, because the scanner stopped working. I suspect something like a ribbon contact because it went from 100% to zero, right after I'd scanned from a book so that it required "elevating" the cover at the hinge side. That was the only thing unusual or different.

Thanks to all for your help.