HP Deskjet 712C - Ink guzzler?

[dido]

I've never done a lot of printing of pictures, but recently had to print
some ad samples. I used an HP 712C and printed on picture at highest
quality. Tried to print another and it was out of ink.

So I went to get a new cartridge. Printed another. Tried to print a
second, and once again it was out of ink. A $37 print job? Or do these
cartridges just need time to recharge after a print. Well, I'll answer
that question tomorrow when I try to print again, but if the answer
is no, then my real question is, would my money be better spent on a
newer printer, or is there just no getting around the cost of printing?

 

[Quaoar]

I've never done a lot of printing of pictures, but recently had to
print some ad samples. I used an HP 712C and printed on picture at
highest quality. Tried to print another and it was out of ink.

So I went to get a new cartridge. Printed another. Tried to print a
second, and once again it was out of ink. A $37 print job? Or do
these cartridges just need time to recharge after a print. Well,
I'll answer that question tomorrow when I try to print again, but if
the answer
is no, then my real question is, would my money be better spent on a
newer printer, or is there just no getting around the cost of
printing?

For the price of ink you can justify a modern printer which will
likewise want to find your deep pockets for ink, but not nearly so
badly. Get some good photo paper also. The older printers were not
really designed for high density color photo printing and really do not
do a very good job of it anyway. Canon, Epson, .....HP *IMO* in that
order.

Q

 

[LAH]

I've never done a lot of printing of pictures, but recently had to print
some ad samples. I used an HP 712C and printed on picture at highest
quality. Tried to print another and it was out of ink.

So I went to get a new cartridge. Printed another. Tried to print a
second, and once again it was out of ink. A $37 print job? Or do these
cartridges just need time to recharge after a print. Well, I'll answer
that question tomorrow when I try to print again, but if the answer
is no, then my real question is, would my money be better spent on a
newer printer, or is there just no getting around the cost of printing?

I also have an HP 712C and while I don't print lots of photos, I have
printed out 60 or more xmas cards with a photo (highest quality) on the
cover. If I recall correctly I was able to do them all with one color
cartridge. (If my memory is in error, then I know I couln't possibly used
more than two.) I don't remember how quickly that cartridge had to be
replaced. In any case I've never had to replace a color cartridge after
only one print job. I've never found that they needed time to recharge.
Perhaps the cartridge that you purchased was faulty or was past the
expiration date.

 

[dido]

I also have an HP 712C and while I don't print lots of photos, I have
printed out 60 or more xmas cards with a photo (highest quality) on
the cover. If I recall correctly I was able to do them all with one
color cartridge. (If my memory is in error, then I know I couln't
possibly used more than two.) I don't remember how quickly that
cartridge had to be replaced. In any case I've never had to replace a
color cartridge after only one print job. I've never found that they
needed time to recharge. Perhaps the cartridge that you purchased was
faulty or was past the expiration date.

I called Office Depot and they said to bring it back in for exchange.

Thanks for the response. For a while there I was worried every picture was
going to be a $37 print job.

 

[dido]

I called Office Depot and they said to bring it back in for exchange.

Thanks for the response. For a while there I was worried every
picture was going to be a $37 print job.

Hmmm. Before I took it back, I decided to pop it back in and try the clean
cartridge procedure in the HP book that came with the printer. I don't
know if that's what helped, but when I tried to print today, it worked.
Glad I didn't toss the other cartridge before this one out yet, either.
Maybe that one isn't empty.

 

[LAH]

Hmmm. Before I took it back, I decided to pop it back in and try the clean
cartridge procedure in the HP book that came with the printer. I don't
know if that's what helped, but when I tried to print today, it worked.
Glad I didn't toss the other cartridge before this one out yet, either.
Maybe that one isn't empty.

If that solved the problem....GREAT! I just didn't want you to think that
$37 print jobs were normal to this printer. You might also want to check
that the black ink cartridge is not low. Of course if you can print out
text documents with no problem then it's probably OK. Good luck!

 

[M. MacDonald]

I think HP also has two different carts: the lesser cost one has less ink
and is around $35. The one with more ink is around $55 (color carts).

HP is costly in the ink area. My local CompUSA has the carts on the racks
from least expensive to most. All the HP are at the most expensive end of
the rack. Canon is on the least expensive end. Epson was in the middle.
Made my choice for a new printer much easier too (Canon i960). Can't afford
the HP anymore as they seem to be three times the amount of Canon ($12 vs.
$36).

Mack

 

[dido]

If that solved the problem....GREAT! I just didn't want you to think
that $37 print jobs were normal to this printer.

yeah, that was my main question. Hopefully, it will continue to work. But
as for now, I don't have anymore jobs left to print, so I haven't it on any
further prints.

You might also want
to check that the black ink cartridge is not low. Of course if you
can print out text documents with no problem then it's probably OK.

That occured to me, but as you suggest, printed text was still working and
the blackest portions on the bad print still seemed to be okay, so it seems
it was just the color cartridge. When I get the chance, I'm going to try
that clean function on the cartridge I replaced prior to this. Maybe it
wasn't really out of ink either. I kept the cartridge thinking that maybe
it would still be okay to use for printing text with certain colors, though
after browsing google, apparently that's not a good idea.

 

[Bob Headrick]

I think HP also has two different carts: the lesser cost one has less ink
and is around $35. The one with more ink is around $55 (color carts).

You are not correct with respect to the #23 cartridges used in the DeskJet 712.
The cartridge the original poster is using is the full capacity cartridge.

Most likely his problem was due to a cartridge that is either defective of
beyond its shelf life. He can check the expiration date at:
http://h20015.www2.hp.com/hub_search/document.jhtml?lc=en&docName=bua02014 If
the cartridges are still within the two year warranty he should return them to
the dealer or contact HP for a replacement.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP