Strange problem! I purchased a new computer a little more than a year
ago. Along with it I got a Canon Pixma MP520 printer. As all new
printers, it had four new ink cartridges in it. I set up the software
so it only printed black and grey. There were no colors involved.

The other day it complained (slightly over a year's use) that it was
running out of Cyan. I replaced the Cyan cartridge and it began
working again. Bit I noticed the cartridge I removed was 40-50% full
of ink.

Two things occur to me:

(1) Why would it be reported as empty?
(2) Why would it be empty after a year of non-use?

Should I call the manufacturer?

On Aug 30, 9:19 pm, Gary <gary...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Strange problem! I purchased a new computer a little more than a year
> ago. Along with it I got a Canon Pixma MP520 printer. As all new
> printers, it had four new ink cartridges in it. I set up the software
> so it only printed black and grey. There were no colors involved.
>
> The other day it complained (slightly over a year's use) that it was
> running out of Cyan. I replaced the Cyan cartridge and it began
> working again. Bit I noticed the cartridge I removed was 40-50% full
> of ink.
>
> Two things occur to me:
>
> (1) Why would it be reported as empty?
> (2) Why would it be empty after a year of non-use?
>
> Should I call the manufacturer?

Maybe call them and thank them.
You've gone all year long with the printer running cleaning cycles on
all the colors every so often, whether you use color or not. Why it
registers empty on the cyan erroneously, others will have answers.
Maybe there is a way to fool the printer or reset it. I'd be working
in that direction, but your usage is so minimal, it does not matter
much.
You might be better off to use all the colors and set the performance
to draft mode. I find the output on Web page prints is acceptable and
the ink usage is low too. All the print heads get some regular usage.
Leaving old ink in a printer for such long periods of time may cause
some problems, although I've been very lucky with Canons that way.

"Gary" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:0016f993$0$11353$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Strange problem! I purchased a new computer a little more than a year
> ago. Along with it I got a Canon Pixma MP520 printer. As all new
> printers, it had four new ink cartridges in it. I set up the software so
> it only printed black and grey. There were no colors involved.
>
> The other day it complained (slightly over a year's use) that it was
> running out of Cyan. I replaced the Cyan cartridge and it began working
> again. Bit I noticed the cartridge I removed was 40-50% full of ink.
>
> Two things occur to me:
>
> (1) Why would it be reported as empty?
> (2) Why would it be empty after a year of non-use?
>
> Should I call the manufacturer?

Was the "running out of Cyan" just a notification or was it preventing you
from completing the print task? I have an older Canon and I never use color
either, just print greyscale but the printer will over time start warning me
of a low color cart and eventually will not print until the cartridge is
replaced, I think my warning comes at 20% left. I suspect that some color
is used even when just printing black.

Almost all inkjet printers use up ink from all colors when they are
turned on, as a cleaning cycle sis activated to keep the nozzles from
blocking, and to expel air that forms at the nozzle entrance. Also,
each time you replace a cartridge, many do a purging cycle on all heads
to clear the heads of the one you replaced from any air introduced
during the cartridge exchange cycle.

Some inkjet models had/have a separate purge station for black versus
the colors. This is less common these days, and instead all colors are
activated with a cleaning cycle each time any one is.

It would have cost more to make the printer have separate cleaning
systems for each head/ink color.

Instead, this way they can keep the cost of the printer lower and waste
more ink which they charge you your soul for. In general for those who
are not using color, it is more economical to buy and use a black and
white laser printer. However, be warned they do now use the cheap
printer and ridiculously priced toner cartridge. They also use starter
cartridges which have 1/2 to 1/3rd of a full toner cartridge.

Anyway, I suggest always keep printing until the printer will no longer
allow printing. The warnings are often quite early to allow you to have
enough time to sell your first born child or remortgage your home so you
can afford more ink cartridges. If you wait until the printer no longer
will print, that will likely "only" leave the cartridge with 10-20% of
the ink left in it.

Sadly, his is now the way of the printer marketplace.

Some printer brands now have 3rd party ink monitor chip resetters which
sell for between $5 and 25. They allow you to use the old cartridge
over once refilled. You can place something other than ink in them if
you are not going to print with them anyway. I suggest water, but make
sure they are filled back to near factory specification in the volume of
fluid put in them. Thermal printers like Canon can have their heads
burn out of they run on a dry cartridge at which point that head color
will not work again, even with ink in it.

Art

If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/

Gary wrote:
> Strange problem! I purchased a new computer a little more than a year
> ago. Along with it I got a Canon Pixma MP520 printer. As all new
> printers, it had four new ink cartridges in it. I set up the software
> so it only printed black and grey. There were no colors involved.
>
> The other day it complained (slightly over a year's use) that it was
> running out of Cyan. I replaced the Cyan cartridge and it began working
> again. Bit I noticed the cartridge I removed was 40-50% full of ink.
>
> Two things occur to me:
>
> (1) Why would it be reported as empty?
> (2) Why would it be empty after a year of non-use?
>
> Should I call the manufacturer?

Arthur Entlich wrote:
> Almost all inkjet printers use up ink from all colors when they are
> turned on, as a cleaning cycle sis activated to keep the nozzles from
> blocking, and to expel air that forms at the nozzle entrance. Also,
> each time you replace a cartridge, many do a purging cycle on all heads
> to clear the heads of the one you replaced from any air introduced
> during the cartridge exchange cycle.
>
> Some inkjet models had/have a separate purge station for black versus
> the colors. This is less common these days, and instead all colors are
> activated with a cleaning cycle each time any one is.
>
> It would have cost more to make the printer have separate cleaning
> systems for each head/ink color.
>
> Instead, this way they can keep the cost of the printer lower and waste
> more ink which they charge you your soul for. In general for those who
> are not using color, it is more economical to buy and use a black and
> white laser printer. However, be warned they do now use the cheap
> printer and ridiculously priced toner cartridge. They also use starter
> cartridges which have 1/2 to 1/3rd of a full toner cartridge.
>
> Anyway, I suggest always keep printing until the printer will no longer
> allow printing. The warnings are often quite early to allow you to have
> enough time to sell your first born child or remortgage your home so you
> can afford more ink cartridges. If you wait until the printer no longer
> will print, that will likely "only" leave the cartridge with 10-20% of
> the ink left in it.
>
> Sadly, his is now the way of the printer marketplace.
>
> Some printer brands now have 3rd party ink monitor chip resetters which
> sell for between $5 and 25. They allow you to use the old cartridge
> over once refilled. You can place something other than ink in them if
> you are not going to print with them anyway. I suggest water, but make
> sure they are filled back to near factory specification in the volume of
> fluid put in them. Thermal printers like Canon can have their heads
> burn out of they run on a dry cartridge at which point that head color
> will not work again, even with ink in it.
>
> Art
>
> If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
> I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:
>
> http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/
>
> Gary wrote:
> > Strange problem! I purchased a new computer a little more than a year
> > ago. Along with it I got a Canon Pixma MP520 printer. As all new
> > printers, it had four new ink cartridges in it. I set up the software
> > so it only printed black and grey. There were no colors involved.
> >
> > The other day it complained (slightly over a year's use) that it was
> > running out of Cyan. I replaced the Cyan cartridge and it began working
> > again. Bit I noticed the cartridge I removed was 40-50% full of ink.
> >
> > Two things occur to me:
> >
> > (1) Why would it be reported as empty?
> > (2) Why would it be empty after a year of non-use?
> >
> > Should I call the manufacturer?

The Canons, with a built in print head, will clean automatically
whether you print all black or not. They have to keep those heads free
and operable. The old HP at least, with the 45,15,78 and so on carts
with the head in the carts, don't clean unless you tell them to clean.
That's the way mine work. I can them sit for two month, turn them on,
and there is no automatic cleaning. Also, they never use ANY colored
ink when set to gray/black. I know this because I can use a have a bad
color cart that is totally flushed and it still works the black just
fine. However, some of the basic drivers in XP and Vista will not
allow the all black printing. If you plan to keep old printers, better
stock up on available drivers when they are available.