Questions on using InkMon 4

[alexandereci]

Hello!

I'm using InkMon 4 to help me keep track of ink usage, however, I am still a little confused about how it works. From what I understand, it takes the # of ML of ink used (# of ml of ink injected after a certain print job), and the number of bytes of data printed, and uses that to calculate ink use per bytes of data printed. Is this correct?

I am using the inkmon rates excel file but it is quite confusing how to use it. I load up my LOG file when I open up the excel file, but aside from that, I don't know how to manipulate it or how to make sense of the information presented. Any help here appreciated.

I currently have my InkMon set at 80mg/ml for all colors at 12ml, and 160mg/ml for black at 22ml. My printer is a iP3300 with PGI-5BK and CLI-8 CYM. Can anyone recommend a better setting?

TIA!

 

[billkunert]

I was using InkMon but decided to give it up. I have an all in one MP600 and there is no way to monitor usage when using the printer as a copier. A couple of useful site are the InkMon home page, www.inkmon.org and there is a yahoo site, http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/inkmon/ with some info. It's a good program once you get it figured out and calibrated.

 

[stratman]

As bilkunert posted, go to http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/inkmon/ and join. Then go to Files and download/read the file called Stratman's Spin for a primer on InkMon.

The settings you are using (80 and 160) are as good as any values to begin with. The idea is to eventually calculate more precise mg/ml values over time thereby giving you a better idea of when to check the cartridges manually for refilling. Consider setting the Warning Level values to 20-30% initially so you can be alerted sooner to potentially low ink cartridges. As you get more comfortable with the application then you can adjust the mg/ml and Warning Level values to more trusting level and stop looking at the cartridges so often.

*** Note - "mg/ml" is "Megabytes/Milliliter". Somehow "Mg" was used instead of "MB" for "megabytes".***

Some use the spreadsheet a great deal while others do not. I never quite got the hang of it and only used a blank Excel to import the log file data, then summate the column of bytes for a specific cartridge usage. Then I would convert the bytes into megabytes (http://joshmadison.com/article/convert-for-windows/) and divide that by the number of ml's used. Since I was only using OEM Canon cartridges, the number of ml's used was consistent. My data can be found in the Database section of the InkMon forum and under MP830 multifunctional printer.

Once I started to see consistent usage patterns I stoppped further calculations of mg/ml and now just guestimate a 5-10% change if need be. I also continue to keep the Warning Level set high at 30% to be on the safe side.

A BIG caveat: if your printing subject changes - like more or less documents vs photos OR more of one/some colors than before OR more copying than before - then ink usage will change and you will use one or more cartridges faster or slower, possibly significantly. Set your Warning Level higher (preferable) or do more frequent manual checks (less preferrable since the printer may do more frequent primings/cleanings and therefore waste ink) if your printing habits change significantly or if your not comfortable with InkMon yet.

I would recommend perusing the 500+ Messages on the InkMon forum. Most everything should be answered (eventually!) in the Messages and/or Files sections.

You'll figure out your usage patterns and Mg/Ml values in short order - 2 or 3 cartridges uses. Then on, InkMon works well, caveat excepted, and will help you prevent burning up your printhead from ink starvation.

 

[Smile]

I use RKS chip resetter and http://avpsoft.com/products/apfill/ to monitor and optimize my documents

 

[alexandereci]

Sorry, should have been more clear. Yes, I've joined the group and I have read the .txt file. That's where I got my default values from. My warnings are set at 50, 25, and 15%.

I actually need more help with the excel file. The 5th line, "Carried forward from previous record," has values on it under the pgblk, c, y, and m. Should I delete this? What do I do with "Ink added in ML," "Total use in ML to date," and "Set rates required for inkmon"? What are they for?

Can I send somebody my excel/log files so that we're on the same page?

So far, I have values of 17.420 on Pgblk, 13.433 on bk, 13.866 on M, 10.966 on Cy, 7.366 on Y (total Ml use to date), 67.0308 on Pgblk, 86.924 on bk, 84.207 on M, 106.475 on Cy, 158.508 on Y (set rates required for inkmon). These values were on the excel file to start with

After importing my log file (twice!), I now have 17.420 on Pgblk, 20.433 on bk, 17.066 on M, 13.966 on Cy, 10.366 on Y (total ML use to date), 22.4615 on Pgblk, 19.149 on bk, 22.927 on M, 28.017 on Cy, 37.7464 on Y (set rates required for inkmon).

I have just refilled my inks with 7ml for bk, 3.2 for M, 3 for Cy, and 3 for Y.

Help me figure what all these values mean!

 

[stratman]

alexandereci:

Try asking your questions concerning the spreadsheet in the InkMon forum. The writer of that spreadsheet is a moderator of that forum IIRC.

As I posted earlier, you don't need to use that particular spreadsheet. I had issues with the spreadsheet as well. Alternatively, you can read and manually add up the number of bytes used for each cartridge from the Log.txt file, convert that into megabytes, then divide that by the number of milliliters used up for that cartridge (ie the number of ml's just refilled) to get the "Mg/Ml" value. OR, you can import the Log file directly into a blank Excel spreadsheet, highlight the column of bytes for that specific cartridge then summate the column for total number of bytes, which is what I did.

After a couple or three refills you should have a handle on your ink usage and be able to dial in the Mg/Ml value decently. After that, InkMon should work well unless you significantly change what you print. Continued refininement of the Mg/Ml value brings diminishing returns when printer output is fairly stable... unless you're in it purely for the academic pursuit of data mining!

 

[alexandereci]

Stratman, mind if I take a look at your excel sheet?

 

[stratman]

Stratman, mind if I take a look at your excel sheet?

I have no Excel spreadsheet to show you.

When I wanted to calculate Mg/Ml I would import the Log.txt file into a blank Excel spreadsheet by:

1) Selecting Data / Import External Data / Import Data and then browse to the location of the Log.txt file (mine is in Program Files / Inkmon5.

2) After selecting the Log.txt file, the Text Import Wizard window pops up. Select Fixed Width, click Next, then click Next again, then click Finish (with Column Data Format set to General which is the default), and lastly click OK on Import Data.

3) Your Log.txt file data should be displayed in two columns, with the first being the number of bytes per entry and the second column being the dates of each print job and the date and color of each cartridge replacement.

4) You may want to delete or clear the content of cells that are not concerned with the single cartridge color's bytes you want to sum.

5) Highlight the column containing the bytes for the cartridge color of interest and then click on the AutoSum button (looks like an italicized "E" on the toolbar). You now know the total number of Bytes used in printing for that cartridge.

6) Convert the Bytes from #5 to MegaBytes and divide that value by the number of Milliliters of ink used for that cartridge.

If using OEM new cartridges, which contain 13 ml for the CLI-8 and 26 ml for the PGI-5 cartridges, then you've used about 12 ml for the CLI-8 and 24-25 ml for the PGI-5 cartridges as there is always residual ink left in the sponge even after the printer marks the cartridge as empty. If using a refilled cartridge, then the amount of ink in ml's used to refill the cartridge is the amount to be used. It is important, therefore, to be fairly consistent in filling the cartridges to the same level each time so as to not skew the numbers and run out of ink earlier than expected as well as skewing the InkMon MG/Ml values. Don't worry, this is not difficult once you've refilled a couple of cartridges. A few tenths of an ml off is not going to ruin you, especially with a generous Warning Level setting (eg 20-30%).

7) Use the result from #6 to set InkMon's Mg/Ml value.

8) Repeat the process for each cartridge after they have been refilled (since you need to know how many ml's of ink used to refill the cartridge in order to calculate the Mg/Ml value).

FYI - I use MS Excel 2002, so your Excel program may behave/look differently if you use a different version. Regardless, I would think all these functions are retained in other Excel versions since they are very basic.

 

[alexandereci]

5) Highlight the column containing the bytes for the cartridge color of interest and then click on the AutoSum button (looks like an italicized "E" on the toolbar). You now know the total number of Bytes used in printing for that cartridge.

Should I expect 3 or 4 columns (one for c, y, m, bk)? I only have 2 columns, one is a bunch of numbers (2162688), another is the dates (11/20/2008). How do I select the cartridge "color of interest"?

 

[stratman]

See number 4 of my previous post.

The total number of bytes printed for one specific catridge will probably include the start dates of other colors as well, but you will want to delete everything before the start of and after the end of the one specific color cartridge's bytes you are trying to add up. The idea is to just use the data from the start of Magenta, for instance, through and to the next start date for Magenta (the date of it's refill).

To simplify the process you can remove the data from the Log.txt file for cartridges that are no longer part of any other cartridge's data in current use, though you'll still need to clean up the spreadsheet data in order to isolate just one cartridge at a time for calculations.