Q re, replace ink absorber waste pads or reset and keep printing

[jimbo123]

Q re whether to replace ink absorber waste pads or reset and keep printing....

i just pulled an eeprom report from my MP830:
- 88% waste pad usage (D=088.5)
- 37,800 pages printed (TPAGE=37800)

i have a new set of waste absorber pads, but looks like they are a pain to replace.

have heard that others have just reset the printer w/o replacing the pads and been fine until next "waste pad full" message.

any thoughts re replacing the pads or fly blind ?

J

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Printers: Canon MP830, IP4500, MX700, MX860, MX870, MP980
Method: German Durchstich Method
Ink: Hobbicolors ink, PMT-BK, UW8
Misc: Squeeze bottles - so much easier than syringes

 

[The Hat]

When a tube came off the back of the purge unit on my i865 I was forced to pull that printer apart to repair it.
While I was at it I decided to replace the waste pads but I washed mine instead and put them back clean and dry.

The printer had only done 12500 sheets and the pads were heavily soiled but not overly (50% approx)
if that is any help to you to decide about your own.

I will have to agree with you, that pulling the printer apart is a pain in the ass but in most cases
especially mine it was essential and maybe in your case also.

I once lost a very good printer, due to heavily soiled waste pads when it was transported in a box upside down
which destroyed all of the electrical components inside it..

 

[PeterBJ]

@ jimbo123

Some claim that you can reset the absorber counter just once without changing the absorbers and get away with it, but I wouldn't dare do that, I would change or clean the absorbers.

I think that the service manual and parts catalog would be useful when taking the printer apart. In case you don't already have them, links are here: http://www.wraithtdk.com/filedump/MP830/Canon PIXMA MP830 Service Manual.pdf and here: http://www.wraithtdk.com/filedump/MP830/Canon PIXMA MP830 Parts Catalog.pdf

@ The Hat

Could you please give some details about how you cleaned the absorbers, like hot or cold water, detergents used , washing by hand or washing machine or just purging them using a hose etc. It would be nice to know as new absorbers might be difficult to find.

 

[jimbo123]

much thx for the advice and the links to the PDFs. i had the service manual but not the parts manual, so thx.

my last MP830 had a logic board error and died at 85%, so never had to deal with hitting the 100% wall. since it was shot, for fun i did try to take it apart, of course without using a manual.... mangled it up pretty good, never got to the pads.....

as a waste pad leak precaution i took a large plastic storage container lid, flipped it upside down and have my MP830 sitting on/in it.

J

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Printers: Canon MP830, IP4500, MX700, MX860, MX870, MP980
Method: German Durchstich Method
Ink: Hobbicolors ink, PMT-BK, UW8
Misc: Squeeze bottles - so much easier than syringes

 

[PeterBJ]

Druckerchannel.de has some very good instructions on changing absorbers on various Canon printers. Even if this is about the MP750 and 780 I think it is also useful for the MP830 as the printers look similar. Link to the article: http://www.druckerchannel.de/artike...ank_bei_canon_multifunktionsgeraeten_tauschen and a google translation: http://translate.google.dk/translat...ank_bei_canon_multifunktionsgeraeten_tauschen

I hope this helps and I wish you good luck with the project
Peter.

 

[The Hat]

@ The Hat

Could you please give some details about how you cleaned the absorbers, like hot or cold water, detergents used , washing by hand or washing machine or just purging them using a hose etc. It would be nice to know as new absorbers might be difficult to find.

To wash the waste pads on my Canon printer I placed them into a plastic bowl containing very warm water
with a couple of squirts of fairy washing up liquid and left them to stand for 10 minutes,
I should say I used rubber gloves to keep my hands clean. (Messy job)

I just squeezed the water out of them a couple of times and then ran them under a tap of cold water
till the water started to become reasonably clean.

Then I laid them flat inside a newspaper and sat on them, I had to use three newspapers to get them fairly dry but not fully.
I found it easier to get them back into the printer if they were not quite dry as they starched easier into place.

When I got them back in the bottom of the printer I placed another folded newspaper on top of them
and used a brick to hold it down long enough to fully dry the rest of the pads.

Had to sit on a radiator for a couple of minutes to dry my butt..

 

[PeterBJ]

Thank you very much for the info

On druckerchannel.de forum I have seen the idea of using a washing machine at 60 C or 140 F, but I suspect that this could cause the absorbers to shrink, so I think your more gentle way is preferable. Also I live in an apartment block with a laundry for the tenants in the cellar. I'm not sure the next user of the washing machine would welcome ink residues in the machine.

 

[The Hat]

Yes I could imagine all your tenants with their white shirts coming out black..

 

[turbguy]

You can also speed-dry the absorber pads by repeatedly heating them in a microwave oven (with a cup of water inside as well to prevent damaging the magnetron tube), then taking them out to cool and dry.

Wayne