My MAXIFY 5350 is on refill ink

[Artur5]

Yes I wondered too about the nozzle size when I saw in the specs, that resolution is 600x1200 dpi. I suppose 1200 is vertical and 600 horizontal.
Most Pixmas, even the entry models, are rated at 2400x1200 or even 9600x2400 for the IP4500 but if you read accurately the specs. of these printers, the pigment black cart is only 600x600 with a droplet size of 25pl. while the droplet of dye nozzles is 2 to 4pl.
Maxifys aren’t of course photo printers but, given that they seem to be mechanically sturdy and well built, it’s weird that the precision of the carriage is limited to 1/600” while a basic machine like the IP3000 can, in theory, eject ink droplets spaced horizontally only 1/4800”

 

[palombian]

As I did with the Y, I continued to print with the BK after the ARC reported a red cross to see what happens.
The printer driver warns about empty ink but does not stop printing.
You do not have to push the red button (with a big warning Canon will remember this and the warranty void) as with other Canon printers.
It runs until dry without warning (at least in the first time).

When I saw the first empty page I stopped, opened the door and changed the empty cart presented by the printer with another refilled OEM. The chip resets. No tricks.
Despite long noise making the BK was blank on the nozzle check and I had to do 4 cleanings before it was OK.
So I wonder if the printer does cleanings after a cartridge change.

Next time I'll change when announced empty.
This way you can run the printer on refills just as with OEM cartridges.

Other things:

After refilling I seal not only the ink outlet with alu tape, but also the second hole above (a bit tricky since it is receded).
This against leaking when inserting the cartridge (in a slightly downward move).
It does not avoid it completily but it is much less.

When the printer runs fine again I shut it off and open the door to clean eventual leaks on the corrugated bottom plate.

The 2500BK weighs 62g when empty, I refilled 80g to 143g.
Since official volume is 70g there is a margin. ARC should turn empty before the ink if not the cycle is broken.

 

[Artur5]

As I did with the Y, I continued to print with the BK after the ARC reported a red cross to see what happens.
...
Other things:
After refilling I seal not only the ink outlet with alu tape, but also the second hole above (a bit tricky since it is receded).
This against leaking when inserting the cartridge (in a slightly downward move).
It does not avoid it completily but it is much less..

Maybe I'm making a fool of myself (again,.,.) but, as a total newbie on these kind of cartridges, I don’t quite follow you. You seal the ink outlet after refilling...
That’s for storage purposes only and you remove the seal before installing the cart in the printer ? How that will stop leaking if the tape is removed ?. If you don’t remove the tape, how the ink goes into the printhead ? Unless there’s a sort of needle or puncturing device in the printhead inlets.
Probably I need to read carefully again the whole thread.

I’m slowly fetching all the supplies needed for my future Maxify.
Today I received the ARC chips from Aliexpress. Only 2 weeks to arrive. Quite good for China shipping.
They seem to be the correct model ( “A” punctured in the contacts and two gold dots at one side). I ordered two sets and each color came with two chips united in a single piece that must be split in two. A bit weird..

 

[palombian]

@Artur5 , the seals are indeed perforated when inserting the cartridge - as the plastic ones in a new OEM.

The refillables have a spring loaded valve and do not leak - outside the printer, inside they can do.

It will be much easier for you to find a good deal on a Maxify than for me on a Pro-10.

 

[Artur5]

Thanks for the clarification.

Concerning the Maxify, possibly I’ll buy directly from Canon. Price isn’t the best but they offer a warranty in-situ for these printers, meaning less hassle and no shipping costs in the event of malfunction during the warranty period.
Amazon is selling now the MB5150 for 156 euros while at Canon shop is at 179. Not a big difference after all.

 

[palombian]

And how will you explain you refilled the carts ?
If you need to buy a set of OEM's just to claim the warranty, that's half of the price you paid for the printer.
Buy cheap and take the risk.

 

[Artur5]

Half the price isn't quite exact. I found a full OEM set at Amazon Warehouse for 53 euros. It hasn't arrived yet and probably the packaging is damaged but that doesn't matter at all, provided the carts are unopened. If not, they will go back.
Yes I know that if the printer works without issues during the warranty, I'll have spent around 75 euros in vain, but if the Maxify failed for any reason, I'll save much more than that.
Anyway, nothing is decided yet. Maybe I'll follow your advice and buy at the cheapest place. The second set will always come handy as spares. I'm not keen on refilling on the spot in a hurry.

 

[stratman]

Unless something has changed, or you have violated the warranty somehow (eg refilled the cartridges or used 3rd party cartridges), then Canon pays for shipping the printer back to them during the warranty period.

 

[The Hat]

but if the Maxify failed for any reason,

It won’t, the Maxify is so well built, it’s truly an office workhorse.

I started my Maxify on compatible cartridges and still have the original OEM carts in their plastic wrappers, if I ever need them, but I’ll never send a printer back to Canon again, it’s just not worth it..

Unless something has changed, or you have violated the warranty somehow (eg refilled the cartridges or used 3rd party cartridges), then Canon pays for shipping the printer back to them during the warranty period.

Returning you printer under warrantee is still free, BUT it ends there.

If Canon repairs a printer still under warrantee and 3rd party cartridges are found to be used, then the repairs will still be carried out but not for free.

On the other hand, if the printer is using OEM cartridges that are filled with 3rd party inks then that infringement is overlooked this one time.

But no further work will be done, and the printers BIOS will be locked to prevent the use of non-OEM cartridges, and all courier charges then become the owner’s responsibility, that’s what happen to me..
Caveat: I never learned from the very first time I sent a printer to Canon for servicing, it was delivered upside down causing the waste ink to splash out everywhere, they refused to touch it and the €1200 printer got disposed of in the trash..

 

[Artur5]

If I’m not wrong, in situ warranty means no shipping expenses at all for the customer. They pick the machine at your home and they send it back when repaired, or a new unit if repair is deemed too expensive. My idea was to keep that extra set of all OEM carts as a sort of insurance against Murphy’s laws, but I reckon that my argument has weak spots. If all Canon repair centers behave as @The Hat has witnessed then it isn’t worth the extra initial expense.

BTW, the set of Maxify carts that I ordered from Amazon warehouse arrived this morning. It was practically mint, no complaints here, but it was a set of PGI-1500XL carts. Damn those Amazon incompetent fools !
Parcel already on it’s way back. Maybe it’s a signal to forget my initial idea and follow your advices.