Replacing my Canon printer

[FryingSaucer]

I've been trying unsuccessfully to repair my Canon ip4600 (http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5051). I have to decide what to do next and would welcome any suggestions.

When I joined this forum, I had zero interest in repairing printers or refilling cartridges. I just wanted a printer that worked. But I've had two Canon printers malfunction, probably due to my use of compatible cartridges. So I'm considering refilling OEM cartridges in the future, but not if this involves a lot of my time. I am hoping that using the German method I should not create any mess and should find it fairly simple to do. Is this a reasonable expectation?

Also, I have to decide how to replace my existing printer. I don't print photographs so I don't need top quality. I could get a replacement print head for my ip4600, but I'd prefer a printer with larger ink cartridges and preferably less frequent use of ink for cleaning. However, all the Canon printers I've seen have the small 9ml cartridges. Are there any other Canon inkjet printers currently retailing that would involve less frequent refilling than the Canon ip4600?

Alternatively, should I be considering a different manufacturer? When I used HP before I was less than happy with the paper feed mechanism which frequently jammed. I've never had this problem with Canon, but maybe there are non-Canon printers that are equally reliable?

What I am looking for is a fairly simple reliable home inkjet that doesn't have high ongoing running costs. Maybe I would be best keeping my existing ip4600 with a new print head and refilling the (small) cartridges, if refilling is as painless as I hope it will be.

If anyone has any comments/suggestions, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[ghwellsjr]

The iP4600 is a descendent from the iP4000 which is a better printer because the cartridges do not have chips in them. If you can find a used one, that would be the way to go. All of the successive printers used cartridges that got smaller and smaller and also the printer mechanisms got cheaper and more flimsy. Right now, Canon only makes junk and I don't believe there are chip resetters available for the Canon printers on the market right now.

I believe there is a chip resetter available for the cartridges in the iP4600 so that would be a strong incentive to get a new print head for it. And there is a lot of good quality ink available for refilling with the German method. If I were in your situation, I would buy a new print head and a set of new Canon original cartridges (unless you already have a used set) and refill them.

 

[d1hamby]

If you wanted to print quality pictures I'd recommend the MX860. If you just want to print a lot of documents I'd recommend an Epson because they can be easier to switch over to CIS and there is more support for them. I'd get an old used printer that is still working to save money. I don't have a particular model in mind it kind of depends on what you can find for sale. Some of the Epsons you can even use a waste tank so you'll never have to worry about the ink pads over filling. Check your local second hand shops for what's available. Salvation Army, Amvets, and there are others you can google.

 

[FryingSaucer]

I believe there is a chip resetter available for the cartridges in the iP4600 so that would be a strong incentive to get a new print head for it. And there is a lot of good quality ink available for refilling with the German method. If I were in your situation, I would buy a new print head and a set of new Canon original cartridges (unless you already have a used set) and refill them.

If I buy a new print head and a set of Canon cartridges and plan to refill them, I don't understand why I need a chip resetter.

 

[ghwellsjr]

When the new cartridges go empty and you want to refill them, it's good to reset them, just so that you will know when your cartridges go empty the next time. Running your printer on empty is a good way to damage your print head.

 

[FryingSaucer]

I assumed the printer just checked the ink level and continued to monitor ink levels as before once it's been refilled. Does the printer write to the chip on the cartridge to say "this one has been emptied"?

 

[embguy]

I assumed the printer just checked the ink level and continued to monitor ink levels as before once it's been refilled. Does the printer write to the chip on the cartridge to say "this one has been emptied"?

Printer makers use chip to monitor the ink level to prevent us, the ink refillers, from refilling empty cartridges. You can disable the ink monitor in Canon printer... Then, you are on your own. Your printer driver will not warn you when ink is low or empty. You are running the risk of killing the printhead without ink. You need a resetter to tell the chip that there is ink in the cartridge after refill.

 

[ghwellsjr]

I assumed the printer just checked the ink level and continued to monitor ink levels as before once it's been refilled. Does the printer write to the chip on the cartridge to say "this one has been emptied"?

It does more than that. It actually continually writes to the chip the current level of ink. If you take a half empty cartridge out and replace it with a full one and then later put back the half empty one, the printer will report correctly that it is half empty. Eventually, when it is empty, it warns you and won't let you use the printer unless you agree to void the warranty and then it will no longer report the level of ink unless you put original cartridges or reset cartridges in it. You really should get a chip resetter if you plan to refill yourself.

 

[FryingSaucer]

When you replace the half empty cartridge with the full one, does the printer report a full cartridge? If it does continually monitor the actual level (and not the history of the level), why can't you refill the cartridge whenever it gets to 3/4 empty, and avoid the need for a chip resetter? I must be misunderstanding something.

 

[iP4XXX]

1. Yes, it will show full if it is a new full cart or a reset refilled cart.
2.The chip doesn't know you refilled the cartridge. It still reports a 3/4 empty cart unless you reset it to full.

If you reset a half empty cart and put it back in with out refilling, the printer would show it as being full and not warn you when it ran out of ink.

The printer and the cart chip do not monitor the actual physical level of the ink in the cart, they monitor and report ink levels based on the number and size of ink droplets fired by the printhead and the number and type of head cleanings performed.