Seek advice. Canon ip5000

[BobD]

I've had this ip5000 for about 2 years and have been pleased with it's
performance. It's out of warrantee now.

Recently it started printing photos too green and was obviously having
problems with the magenta feed. After much swapping of cartridges and
washing of the print head I was unable to make an improvement, so I
bought a new Canon printhead.

This worked fine for about 10 sheets of A4 over a couple of weeks but
has now developed exactly the same problem. It's only the fine magenta
bar that doesn't print on nozzle check. Both heads print well on plain
paper setting. I use only Canon and Hobbicolors inks.

My question is this: Is the printhead most likely to fail on the fine
magenta and therefore is a coincidence that they've both gone quickly,
or is there a possibility that something electronic is not sending the
right signal? Can you suggest another component I could replace at
reasonable cost to test this? I'd prefer to keep the printer if I can.

Advice from anyone familiar with this particular printer would be much
appreciated.

 

[Dan G]

If you are refilling the ink tanks, replace them and change ink suppliers.

Clean all the contacts on the head carriage and head assembly.

 

[JohnF]

I've had this ip5000 for about 2 years .....
Recently it started printing photos too green and was obviously having
problems with the magenta feed. After much swapping of cartridges and
washing of the print head I was unable to make an improvement, so I
bought a new Canon printhead.......
.........I use only Canon and Hobbicolors inks.

Given the very small ink drop size (1 picoliter?), I think I would stick to
the Canon brand ink. For the printhead to function properly, the ink drop
must form quickly, exit the hole in the printhead, and leave no deposit. The
ink formulation must be precise because of the high speed and small drop
size.

 

[measekite]

Are you now using and have you always use Canon factory ink? My IP4000
is over 2 years old and I never even performed a head cleaning. There
is absolutely no problem with it. But of course I always use and have
used Canon ink.

 

[measekite]

If you are refilling the ink tanks, replace them and change ink suppliers.

Clean all the contacts on the head carriage and head assembly.

That advice may or may not be stupid. It may make some sense on the
surface but in fact changing relabelers may no truly change the actual
supply of what you are using. There are many relabelers who purchase
the same bulk supply from the same source using the same formulation and
relabeling them to whatever name they choose. They will not disclose
who's ink they are reselling. So you may get exactly the same ink form
different relabelers under different names.

So the only thing to do is find a used IP5000 printer (one that has some
ink left in the factory carts and where the printhead is ok. Now put
the used factory carts in your printer and see if the problem goes
away. If it does you know that the problem was the ink. If not then
change the printhead and see what happens.


Frys is selling a brand new Canon IP4300 for $59.95 sale price after
rebate. That is about the same price as a set of carts. In essence the
printer is free, brand new and has a full warranty.

 

[measekite]

Given the very small ink drop size (1 picoliter?), I think I would stick to
the Canon brand ink.

That is what I say. It is consistent and formulated with the design of
the printer.

 

[Taliesyn]

I've had this ip5000 for about 2 years and have been pleased with it's
performance. It's out of warrantee now.

Recently it started printing photos too green and was obviously having
problems with the magenta feed. After much swapping of cartridges and
washing of the print head I was unable to make an improvement, so I
bought a new Canon printhead.

This worked fine for about 10 sheets of A4 over a couple of weeks but
has now developed exactly the same problem. It's only the fine magenta
bar that doesn't print on nozzle check. Both heads print well on plain
paper setting. I use only Canon and Hobbicolors inks.

I've been using a variety of inks in my iP5000 since December 2004. I've
settled on atlanticinkjet for the large pigment black and Hobbicolors
for the color. I had no problems whatsoever with my iP5000, it's still
with the original printhead and requires no head cleaning until I
install a new set of cartridges. Then it is necessary to prime the
nozzles with a head clean.

My question is this: Is the printhead most likely to fail on the fine
magenta and therefore is a coincidence that they've both gone quickly,
or is there a possibility that something electronic is not sending the
right signal?

I can't see the new printhead going that fast, although nothing is
impossible. I did have a printhead fail after a month on my i860.
Actually the paper feed died at the same time too. Talk about a lemon.
Either way, everything was replaced and all works perfectly two years
later with the same generic inks.

Can you suggest another component I could replace at
reasonable cost to test this? I'd prefer to keep the printer if I can.

You may have insufficient ink feeding from one of your cartridges. I've
had this problem. See if a genuine Canon cartridge (not a refill!) will
work with Magenta. If I can't get a perfect nozzle check for a
particular color I throw out the cartridge and use one of my many
backups. I think I've only had to do this twice in over 2 years, and it
will only happen at cartridge change time when I install a new set of 4
refilled color cartridges.

-Taliesyn

 

[BobD]

If you are refilling the ink tanks, replace them and change ink suppliers.

Clean all the contacts on the head carriage and head assembly.

Yes, a good point about the contact cleaning. It did happen suddenly
like a bad contact, but unfortunately that hasn't fixed it.
I'll keep experimenting.

 

[BobD]

Given the very small ink drop size (1 picoliter?), I think I would stick to
the Canon brand ink. For the printhead to function properly, the ink drop
must form quickly, exit the hole in the printhead, and leave no deposit. The
ink formulation must be precise because of the high speed and small drop
size.

Well, yes, that is a consideration, but this last event occurred
suddenly between one photo and the next one minute later, and took out a
whole set of nozzles. Not the sort of effect I would expect from a
gradual clogging.
I'm trying cleaning and Canon ink but so far no good.

 

[ray]

I have an IP5000 that I refill with MIS ink. The cartridges only last
5 to 10 fillings before they clog. Your problem sounds like a clogged
cartridge. Try a new magenta cartridge to see if the problem goes
away. Some people flush the cartridges when clogged. I had limited
success and it is not really worth the effort to me.

To check for a clogged cartridge press a q tip to the output port. It
should be saturated in about 5 seconds.

 

[BobD]

I've been using a variety of inks in my iP5000 since December 2004. I've
settled on atlanticinkjet for the large pigment black and Hobbicolors
for the color. I had no problems whatsoever with my iP5000, it's still
with the original printhead and requires no head cleaning until I
install a new set of cartridges. Then it is necessary to prime the
nozzles with a head clean.


I can't see the new printhead going that fast, although nothing is
impossible. I did have a printhead fail after a month on my i860.
Actually the paper feed died at the same time too. Talk about a lemon.
Either way, everything was replaced and all works perfectly two years
later with the same generic inks.


You may have insufficient ink feeding from one of your cartridges. I've
had this problem. See if a genuine Canon cartridge (not a refill!) will
work with Magenta. If I can't get a perfect nozzle check for a
particular color I throw out the cartridge and use one of my many
backups. I think I've only had to do this twice in over 2 years, and it
will only happen at cartridge change time when I install a new set of 4
refilled color cartridges.

-Taliesyn

Thanks for that. I am rather puzzled that the second head has failed so
quickly and I know that the only ink I have used other than Canon has
been pretty much tried and tested as you say.

I have tried different magenta cartridges including Canon ones with no
joy, but I think it's probably unlikely that it's a cartridge feed
problem because not only does the ink flow freely on the plain paper
setting whatever cartridge I install, but the nozzle test pattern shows
the problem very distinctly. The first heavier magenta band is perfect
and the second (which should be a lighter one) is just not there at all.
There are no white lines or anything that I would expect from a few
blocked nozzles. Just suddenly totally absent. All other colours fine.

As I expect you understand I'm not too keen to buy yet another head in
case it's an electrical problem. I've had the printer apart but can't
find any connections obviously wrong.

I'll give the first head a more thorough clean, an overnight soak in
some concoction just to be sure. It's disposable so it's worth a try.

Otherwise I think I'll bite the bullet and put it down to bad luck,
relegate this one to plain paper duties until all the ink has gone and
splash out on something else for photos. Any suggestions? I heard
there is likely something new from Kodak in the pipeline, with a new
approach to cheaper ink. Not sure when though.

 

[Burt]

(snip)

I have an IP5000 that I refill with MIS ink. The cartridges only last
5 to 10 fillings before they clog. Your problem sounds like a clogged
cartridge. Try a new magenta cartridge to see if the problem goes
away. Some people flush the cartridges when clogged. I had limited
success and it is not really worth the effort to me.

To check for a clogged cartridge press a q tip to the output port. It
should be saturated in about 5 seconds.

(snip)
I refill with MIS inks and have an ip5000 that is going strong after about
15 months. I've had great success flushing canon bci-6 and bci-2ebk carts.
The best, by far, are the OEM Canon carts that refill well and also flush
well. After flushing and complete drying they have worked like new. Info
on Nifty-Stuff Forum on how to make a simple tool to use for flushing these
carts.

To check for adequate flow you can open the fill hole and see if you get a
fairly rapid drip out of the ink outlet port. With the fill hole sealed you
can also blow lightly into the air vent hole and you should get dripping.
If you have to blow into it more forcefully the cart is partially plugged up
and won't deliver ink quickly enough.
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/

 

[measekite]

I've been using a variety of inks in my iP5000 since December 2004. I've
settled on atlanticinkjet for the large pigment black and Hobbicolors
for the color. I had no problems whatsoever with my iP5000, it's still
with the original printhead and requires no head cleaning until I
install a new set of cartridges. Then it is necessary to prime the
nozzles with a head clean.

I use Canon ink and do not have to prime anything. The kid really does
not know what ink he uses; only the place where he gets it from.

 

[measekite]

Your problem is that you are not using and have always used the ink the
printer was designed to use. Now it may be too late. It would be
cheaper to get a Canon IP4300 and always use the Canon ink it was
designed for. The ink is better than the Canon ink that the IP5000 was
designed to use. The latest sale price at Frys after rebate for the
Ip4300 is $59.95. That is a great deal.

 

[measekite]

Thanks for that. I am rather puzzled that the second head has failed so
quickly and I know that the only ink I have used other than Canon has
been pretty much tried and tested as you say.

You cannot say that since the relabeler that you buy from will not tell
you what kind of ink they are selling. You did use non Canon ink and
that is why you have the problems you have.