The Canon Pro-1 Ink Empty sensor

[mikling]

OK, my carts all 12 of them originally had 82 grams. Seems like there is some variance of full in an OEM Canon cart. If the PGI-29 always report empty with ink left inside, then this hack would not work. However, I guess we lost the chance to see what the average weight of when the cart reported empty. Joe would have been ideal, if he were able to see the chip level versus the ink level when scavenged the carts he got then we would know for sure. Nothing lost yet. We need to maybe start a thread to see what actually happens on average. Does the ink bladder ever empty out or does the chip always run out first. Remember though that even when the sensor senses out of ink, there will still be some ink inside the bladder... a little though. If we want we can use this thread to see what happens. Weight the cartridge first. Then when the X appears weigh it again and then we will see how long on average how much ink is left. Thereafter we can start doing some top ups and see if the total consumed increased on average and this will tell us.

How early is early? when the cock crows?

 

[jtoolman]

I think the chip reaches empty first. As all of my 600 plus carts had some degree of ink left in them.
BUT..... I have not idea at what level of "LOW or EMPTY these carts were replaced by the students that used these PRO-1s
I have 10 carts with the low warning. They all measure about 50-53 grams. If my Bone dry carts weigh at 43 grams, then we can do the match figure out how much ink may be left on my.
So before I switch all my 12 carts to PC inks I will continue to print until one of those carts reaches a Declared Empty condition and weigh them.
Anything about 43 is ink left in the bag.

Joe

 

[mikling]

Well I had topped up my CO as soon as the low came up and did not have the idea to keep track. As time goes along and we see what happens, we'll see if there is any chance. I have three or four warnings and did not bother to check what the weight was. I think I will try it on two and see what happens.

 

[William Seaward]

I had my first "Declared Empty" cart this morning and it weighed in at 48 grams. I'll keep an eye on when the others hit their "Low" and "Declared Empty".

 

[mikling]

Looks like the chip reached empty first here.

 

[jtoolman]

My initial Low Warnings came in at about 52 grams.
I also topped off CO cart about when it was about 60 grams and again when low and now it is about tone declared as empty.
It uld seem that regardless of topping up before or when the low warning comes on, it will still reach empty when the chip decides it is.
All the hundreds of "Empties" I've checked and modified to accept single use chips have all had some degree of ink in them.
According to my scale full from the factory, at least the new co carts I've obtained weigh 84 grams.
Empty NO INK is between 43-44 grams.

Joe

 

[The Hat]

Looks like the chip reached empty first here.

If you can’t beat them, then seek a good compromise...

 

[William Seaward]

Mine did hit "Low" first... I just didn't think to weigh it.

 

[mikling]

Let's be clear here. The normal operation should be that the chip when it is getting to a certain low point, will now enquire into the sensor. If the sensor detects an out of ink condition before the chip normally would reach empty, the printer would advance the chip to empty immediately by jumping ahead. Now if we get carts that act this way, then indeed we could extend the empty a little by preventing the jump ahead..by topping off prior to empty detection. If however, the cart always has ink at the empty level, then there is no jump ahead going on. From the samples so far, it appears that the ink usage is being conservatively estimated by the printer thus leaving lots of ink when the chip is declared empty.

Don't even think that there was an attempt to fool the chip because nobody will rise early enough which it loks like some were thinking.

 

[jtoolman]

I just received 11 full sets of so called empty PGI-29 carts so far the few I've weighed have about 5 ml each left in them. Weighing about 48-50 grams.
This user waits till the carts are declared empty before changing them.
Joe