Canon MP390 won't recognize cartridges

[jschall]

My MP-390 had been printing badly, so I took out the print head to try
to clean it. Several times. I soaked it in scalding water, and soaked
it in rubbing alcohol. It didn't get any better. After the last such
soaking, my printer refuses to recognize there are two cartridges in
the print head. It flashes the amber Alarm light, and says "PUT IN
CARTRIDGE".

Have I damaged the print head somehow with all that soaking, so that it
can't "see" the cartridges?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

- Jeff

 

[Michael Grey]

I have an extra printhead if needed.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Scalding water may have been a bit beyond the acceptable heat level for
the head. Although thermal inkjet printers do heat of the ink to
boiling pint, the head itself doesn't get that hot, as it is designed to
dissipate heat rapidly. Also, the rest of the cartridge isn't designed
for concentrated heat as a scalding hot water may do.

Make sure the cartridge is dry of external fluids, and the contact
points are clean on both cartridge and printer where ether meet.

But, yes, you could have damaged the cartridge.

Art

 

[jschall]

Michael, I need that extra print head of yours! Please send details of
cost, shipping, etc. to me at
(e-mail address removed)

Thanks!
- Jeff Schallenberg