Good inkjet for refilling?

[Al Deveron]

I've been using a Canon i560 for a while because it was fairly fast
and dead easy to refill, using bulk-purchased ink.

Now the printer seems to have an electrical fault, so I'm looking for
replacement which must also be cheap, quick and suitable for refilling
with generic bottled ink. I would buy another i560 but they are now
discontinued.

Amy recommendations?

Thank you,

Al D

 

[Al Deveron]

I've been using a Canon i560 for a while because it was fairly fast
and dead easy to refill, using bulk-purchased ink.

Now the printer seems to have an electrical fault, so I'm looking for
replacement which must also be cheap, quick and suitable for refilling
with generic bottled ink. I would buy another i560 but they are now
discontinued.

Any recommendations?

PS.. I need fairly large-capacity ink tanks because I do fairly large
print runs (4000 sheets etc).

 

[measekite]

There is none around.

 

[zakezuke]

I've been using a Canon i560 for a while because it was fairly fast
and dead easy to refill, using bulk-purchased ink.

Now the printer seems to have an electrical fault, so I'm looking for
replacement which must also be cheap, quick and suitable for refilling
with generic bottled ink. I would buy another i560 but they are now
discontinued.

Amy recommendations?

The i560 was a good printer, I ad the slightly newer ip3000 which was
basicly the same thing... same head but new case.

You could e-bay an ip3000/ip4000, they also are discontinued. As dead
easy to refill, and same tanks. Same with the ip5000. The ip4000 is
better than your i560 as it adds another black tank for photos, though
the difference is marginal. The ip5000 prints with smaller dots but
near as i'm aware the big black drop size has not changed.

You could buy a new ip4200/ip5200. They are as dead easy to refill,
but with an added hitch. Right now you must refill OEM tanks with the
chips, there are no aftermarket chips presently. Also, because of the
chips, you lose your meter when you refill. Even though there still is
a prism like the old system, the chips remember empty. It will still
print, so long as you click past the warnings and hold down your resume
button for a few seconds. As with the ip5000, this is a big
improvement.

I wouldn't want to refill an Epson's OEM tanks, but there are plenty of
aftermarket tanks for current generation epsons, aftermarket chips and
OEM chip resetters.

 

[Al Deveron]

The i560 was a good printer, I ad the slightly newer ip3000 which was
basicly the same thing... same head but new case.

You could e-bay an ip3000/ip4000, they also are discontinued. As dead
easy to refill, and same tanks. Same with the ip5000. The ip4000 is
better than your i560 as it adds another black tank for photos, though
the difference is marginal. The ip5000 prints with smaller dots but
near as i'm aware the big black drop size has not changed.

You could buy a new ip4200/ip5200. They are as dead easy to refill,
but with an added hitch. Right now you must refill OEM tanks with the
chips, there are no aftermarket chips presently. Also, because of the
chips, you lose your meter when you refill. Even though there still is
a prism like the old system, the chips remember empty. It will still
print, so long as you click past the warnings and hold down your resume
button for a few seconds. As with the ip5000, this is a big
improvement.

Thank you for the helpful input. I like the printers that only have
only four basic colours instead of the more recent six. Four seems
adequate for my needs and saves a lot of time. For that reason, I'm
still attracted by the i560 and, from what you say, the ip3000.

However, my need is quite urgent (I need to be fixed up by Wednesday)
so I may have to go for whatever Epson Stylus I can find locally in a
store that is (a) cheap and (b) has large, transparent ink tanks... If
so, it will be my first experience of Epsons.

Thanks again,

Al D

 

[Al Deveron]

You could buy a new ip4200/ip5200. They are as dead easy to refill,
but with an added hitch. Right now you must refill OEM tanks with the
chips, there are no aftermarket chips presently. Also, because of the
chips, you lose your meter when you refill. Even though there still is
a prism like the old system, the chips remember empty. It will still
print, so long as you click past the warnings and hold down your resume
button for a few seconds.

So I guess the printer won't automatically stop printing when an ink
tank gets low on ink then? That's unfortunate when doing a long print
run, and you discover you have just printed off a hundred sheets with
no red ink coming through etc.

I probably should have thought of that before I ordered a ip4200 a few
minutes ago. I probably should have got an ip3000 from eBay...

Al D

 

[Al Deveron]

I probably should have thought of that before I ordered a ip4200 a few
minutes ago. I probably should have got an ip3000 from eBay...

PS.. but then, I had no choice. I need the printer by Wednesday, and
the only way I could guarantee this was to order the ip4200. Hopefully
someone will bring out an aftermarket chip-resetter for this printer
or something.

Al D

 

[measekite]

So I guess the printer won't automatically stop printing when an ink
tank gets low on ink then? That's unfortunate when doing a long print
run, and you discover you have just printed off a hundred sheets with
no red ink coming through etc.

I probably should have thought of that before I ordered a ip4200 a few
minutes ago. I probably should have got an ip3000 from eBay...

The IP4200 is very superior to the old IP3000 and ebay is not the place
to buy printers. OEM ink is superior and safer.

 

[Al Deveron]

The IP4200 is very superior to the old IP3000 and ebay is not the place
to buy printers. OEM ink is superior and safer.

I'm glad you consider the IP4200 as superior to the IP3000. Makes me
feel like I may have done the right thing. The price I paid for the
IP4200 was only a few bucks more than the price of a used IP3000 on
eBay.

I do hope I can use up my stocks of generic inkjet ink on the IP4200
though... Just before my i560 bit the dust, I bought a large quantity
of generic refill ink. It worked fine in the i560. I'm just hoping I
can use it up in the IP4200....

Al D

 

[measekite]

I'm glad you consider the IP4200 as superior to the IP3000. Makes me
feel like I may have done the right thing. The price I paid for the
IP4200 was only a few bucks more than the price of a used IP3000 on
eBay.

I do hope I can use up my stocks of generic inkjet ink on the IP4200
though... Just before my i560 bit the dust, I bought a large quantity
of generic refill ink. It worked fine in the i560. I'm just hoping I
can use it up in the IP4200....

Beware of potential clogs. The relabelers will not tell you what they
are selling (mfg/formulator). Also if you have a long print run and the
ink runs out you may burn the head. If you were going to print a lot
of photos I would have recommended the IP5200 since it does photos much
faster. Canon ink is also the best quality.

 

[Al Deveron]

Beware of potential clogs. The relabelers will not tell you what they
are selling (mfg/formulator). Also if you have a long print run and the
ink runs out you may burn the head.

That's what I am worried about - or clogging the head with roasted
ink. Shame the IP3000 isn't still easily available. I guess I'll just
have to monitor the ink levels visually until a chip resetter becomes
available.... or I can find an affordable continuous ink feeder for
it.

If you were going to print a lot
of photos I would have recommended the IP5200 since it does photos much
faster. Canon ink is also the best quality.

Most of the big print jobs I do (e.g. 3000 sheets) are just text. A
couple of pages (e.g. 500 sheets) have a few color illustrations.

Al D

 

[zakezuke]

Beware of potential clogs. The relabelers will not tell you what they
are selling (mfg/formulator). Also if you have a long print run and the
ink runs out you may burn the head.

That's what I am worried about - or clogging the head with roasted
ink. Shame the IP3000 isn't still easily available. I guess I'll just
have to monitor the ink levels visually until a chip resetter becomes
available.... or I can find an affordable continuous ink feeder for
it.

If you were going to print a lot
of photos I would have recommended the IP5200 since it does photos much
faster. Canon ink is also the best quality.

Most of the big print jobs I do (e.g. 3000 sheets) are just text. A
couple of pages (e.g. 500 sheets) have a few color illustrations.[/QUOTE]

You "can" get an ip3000 on e-bay. It'll cost more than a new ip4200.
Same with the ip4000, the still in box editions are selling for more
than new printers.

You'll have to manualy monitor the ink levels, or have a second set of
cartridge you swap out after you print a certain amount. 500p should
be a good starting point, that's what the big black is rated for at 5%
yield. It's a hassle, a designed hassle.

I wouldn't hold your breath for a chip resetter. We've been waiting
over a year on this and no sign that anyone is going to release one.

 

[Burt]

That's what I am worried about - or clogging the head with roasted
ink. Shame the IP3000 isn't still easily available. I guess I'll just
have to monitor the ink levels visually until a chip resetter becomes
available.... or I can find an affordable continuous ink feeder for
it.


Most of the big print jobs I do (e.g. 3000 sheets) are just text. A
couple of pages (e.g. 500 sheets) have a few color illustrations.

Al D

Al - you just met the village troll who has never used aftermarket inks but
tells everyone it will ruin your printer. He also just recommended the
ip5200 over the ip4200 although the only inkjet he owns is an ip4000.
Listen to people who have actually used a product and can advise you from
personal experience. I've used aftermarket inks for about two years. If
they actually hastened the demise of my printhead I have saved so much money
using aftermarket inks that I can buy several printers with the money I
saved. You've been refilling and probably have had the same experience.
The troll is right on one account - The aftermarket inks tend to fade
somewhat faster than Canon OEM inks when exposed to UV light. Possibly
also from ozone exposure. About clogs - if OEM ink wouldn't clog your
printer why do all the inkjet printers run automatic cleanings and have a
utility for operator initiated cleanings? It is the nature of the beast
that ink can dry in the nozzles (and body of the printhead as well), and
most often the utility will clear a minor clog.

 

[George E. Cawthon]

PS.. but then, I had no choice. I need the printer by Wednesday, and
the only way I could guarantee this was to order the ip4200. Hopefully
someone will bring out an aftermarket chip-resetter for this printer
or something.

Al D

You don't need to wait for a chip resetter
according to all the information on this group.
The 4200 is very good. What you need to do is
refill the original cartridges before they get
down to the "low ink" warning. So you watch the
ink level and add ink when it gets down to about
1/2 or 1/3 full. Be sure that the refill ink you
buy is the same as comes in the 4200.

 

[George E. Cawthon]

I'm glad you consider the IP4200 as superior to the IP3000. Makes me
feel like I may have done the right thing. The price I paid for the
IP4200 was only a few bucks more than the price of a used IP3000 on
eBay.

I do hope I can use up my stocks of generic inkjet ink on the IP4200
though... Just before my i560 bit the dust, I bought a large quantity
of generic refill ink. It worked fine in the i560. I'm just hoping I
can use it up in the IP4200....

Al D

Assuming you mean true generic and not third party
ink, just don't. Never use generic ink. Get ink
that is made specifically for the printer you
have. Ink made for the i560 has got to be
different from ink made for the iP4200. The ink
is different from my iP4000.

 

[zakezuke]

Assuming you mean true generic and not third party
ink, just don't. Never use generic ink. Get ink
that is made specifically for the printer you
have. Ink made for the i560 has got to be
different from ink made for the iP4200. The ink
is different from my iP4000.

I'm pretty sure the i560 uses bci-6 color, bci-3e big black. I "could"
be wrong but it shares the same head with the ip3000. I'm pretty sure
the i550 is the cut off point between bci-6 and bci-3e color.

As for using your old i560 ink in your new printer, as Burt as pointed
out, the major difference is in the magenta. The last time I checked
Image-Specalists used the same ink between the bci-6 and cli-8
cartridges except magenta. I'm not saying the other colors are are not
different.... only that one company which makes ink uses the same ink
except magenta. I.e. you *might* be able to get away with just buying
new dye black and new magenta and continue using your bci-3e black and
your bci-6 yellow and cyan.

 

[Al Deveron]

Just before my i560 bit the dust, I bought a large quantity
Assuming you mean true generic and not third party
ink, just don't. Never use generic ink. Get ink
that is made specifically for the printer you
have. Ink made for the i560 has got to be
different from ink made for the iP4200. The ink
is different from my iP4000.

It was third party, so-called "universal" ink. I used it to refill my
i560 for about a year, printing about 130,000 sheets, and had
absolutely no problems. It wasn't formulated specifically for the
Canon i560.

Al D

 

[Al Deveron]

I've used aftermarket inks for about two years. If
they actually hastened the demise of my printhead I have saved so much money
using aftermarket inks that I can buy several printers with the money I
saved. You've been refilling and probably have had the same experience.

I've certainly had that experience with my i560. I'm hoping it'll be
the same with the ip4200.

It is the nature of the beast
that ink can dry in the nozzles (and body of the printhead as well), and
most often the utility will clear a minor clog.

Yes, that's my experience. My i560 was very easy to unclog using the
utility, every time, but it didn't happen very often even with third
party "universal ink".

I was just wondering if the IP4200 is more particular about ink
formulation that was the i560.

In particular, can I use the same generic black ink in both of the
black ink tanks? (I know that's defeating the purpose of having two
black ink tanks, but it saves a lot of faffing around with different
inks!

Al D

 

[Al Deveron]

You'll have to manualy monitor the ink levels, or have a second set of
cartridge you swap out after you print a certain amount. 500p should
be a good starting point, that's what the big black is rated for at 5%
yield. It's a hassle, a designed hassle.

It certainly is. I think a CIS is probably the best way to go for the
size of print runs I'm doing. Is anyone selling a CIS for the ip4200
that can be recommended?

Al D

 

[George E. Cawthon]

It was third party, so-called "universal" ink. I used it to refill my
i560 for about a year, printing about 130,000 sheets, and had
absolutely no problems. It wasn't formulated specifically for the
Canon i560.

Al D

You are just lucky.