Using the black

[palombian]

Adding something to PeterBJ, in x20/x21 ink type printers and newer, using one on more of following options forces CLI-BK instead of PGBK:
- auto duplex printing
- borderless printing
- photo printing (see media type mentioned by PeterBJ)
- cd printing

Also some quirks in Windows can force CLI-BK instead of PGBK, no matter of other options enabled.

Ł.

P.S.
Dried/clogged nozzles in CLI-BK printhead (narrow black ink tank) are by far most common reason for dreaded errors: U052 (1403), B200 and 5200.

Continuing on this, the absolute low cost way for Giancarlo could be:

- only print from the rear tray (no duplex)
- select grayscale printing
- disable cartridge empty warnings (at own risk)
- buy a bottle of black pigment ink (and a syringe) to refill the PGBK cartridge (and avoid it to run empty)
- fill the 4 CMYK CLI cartridges with a neutral liquid (pharmacist solution or even distilled water, same as above)

Another solution could be to tape off the contacts of the nozzles fed by the 4 CLI cartridges on the printhead, avoiding the refilling.

A complete refill starter set (resetter, drill, syringes + 600ml ink) costs only €50-60 for about 10 refills, after that only ink has to be purchased.

 

[Łukasz]

In addition to @palombian:
- dye printing can be disabled with no risk of overheating by sealing some pins with electrical tape:

(http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/pgbk-doesnt-print.9121/#post-71495)

But, as mentioned above, printer have to be set to print in pure black-and-white to print without dye inks.
In copier mode, it can be easy done by pressing "Black copy" button.
In driver window it can be set by an option for grayscale printing for default plain paper print, and then can be saved to custom settings and such settings can be set to be default

I suggest using resetter rather than disabling ink level monitor.
Resetters for 520/521 ink type (European version of 220/221 ink type) chips are starting from 15EUR/20USD (or even less) not too expensive.
They can reset compatibles (or at least some of them can do that).

Ł.