Aftermarket ink-level monitor for inkjet printers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Al Deveron
  • Start date Start date
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Al Deveron

After refilling an ip4200 Canon inkjet with the newer chipped carts,
one loses the ability to monitor the ink levels using the printer's
cirquitry and software. This is unfortunate.

It occurred to me that it would be quite easy to design and produce a
low-cost add-on ink level warning device - comprising a sensor that
detects when the rear portion of the cartridge (the chamber with no
sponge inside) runs dry. This could be achieved with a two-terminal
sensor that detects increased electrical resistance when there is no
longer any ink between the terminals. The terminals could project from
the end of a rod that extends down into the cartridge from the top. It
could be inserted after drilling a hole - one for each cart. The
sensors could cause an LED to light up (one for each cart). It could
also set off a beeper.

If anyone ends up building one, please send me one!

Al D
 
Al said:
After refilling an ip4200 Canon inkjet with the newer chipped carts,
one loses the ability to monitor the ink levels using the printer's
cirquitry and software. This is unfortunate.
Click to expand...

This is Canon protecting you against relabelers
It occurred to me that it would be quite easy to design and produce a
low-cost add-on ink level warning device - comprising a sensor that
detects when the rear portion of the cartridge (the chamber with no
sponge inside) runs dry. This could be achieved with a two-terminal
sensor that detects increased electrical resistance when there is no
longer any ink between the terminals. The terminals could project from
the end of a rod that extends down into the cartridge from the top. It
could be inserted after drilling a hole - one for each cart. The
sensors could cause an LED to light up (one for each cart). It could
also set off a beeper.

If anyone ends up building one,
Click to expand...

Canon will probably void your warranty
 
This is Canon protecting you against relabelers
Naturally.

Canon will probably void your warranty
Click to expand...

Big deal - I can buy a new printer for less than the cost of a set of
their chipped cartridges!

Al D
 
measekite said:
This is Canon protecting you against relabelers
Click to expand...

No, I'd say it's Canon trying to FORCE you to use their expensive inks
which can cost up to 20 times more than refilling at home. I can refill
a set of cartridges for about $5.00. Buying a set is probably over $100
($ Canadian). I see no "protection" when someone removes $95 from my
pocket when I needed no protection in the first place!!!
Canon will probably void your warranty
Click to expand...

Another blackmail threat from "big brother" in order to get that $95 out
of my pocket?

-Taliesyn
 
Al said:
After refilling an ip4200 Canon inkjet with the newer chipped carts,
one loses the ability to monitor the ink levels using the printer's
cirquitry and software. This is unfortunate.

It occurred to me that it would be quite easy to design and produce a
low-cost add-on ink level warning device - comprising a sensor that
detects when the rear portion of the cartridge (the chamber with no
sponge inside) runs dry. This could be achieved with a two-terminal
sensor that detects increased electrical resistance when there is no
longer any ink between the terminals. The terminals could project from
the end of a rod that extends down into the cartridge from the top. It
could be inserted after drilling a hole - one for each cart. The
sensors could cause an LED to light up (one for each cart). It could
also set off a beeper.

If anyone ends up building one, please send me one!

Al D
Click to expand...

My pop always said, "Ideas are a dime a dozen." It's the execution and
marketing that count. It wold be wonderful if your dream came true. Why
not dream for one that installs itself too?
Go ahead make a prototype. Manufacture it. Market it. You will find
some buyers here, but not enough to pay your cab fair to the poor
house. I prefer to live in the real world.
Since we are dreaming, it would be soooo much easier to use software to
measure the print output and estimate from that. You want to refill
betore empty anyway so an estimate should work well enough.
 
Al Bundy said:
My pop always said, "Ideas are a dime a dozen." It's the execution and
marketing that count. It wold be wonderful if your dream came true. Why
not dream for one that installs itself too?
Go ahead make a prototype. Manufacture it. Market it. You will find
some buyers here, but not enough to pay your cab fair to the poor
house. I prefer to live in the real world.
Since we are dreaming, it would be soooo much easier to use software to
measure the print output and estimate from that. You want to refill
betore empty anyway so an estimate should work well enough.
Click to expand...
The old "eye-ball" technique will have to suffice until something better
comes along. Works for me. Before starting a long print project be sure
all carts are full. Take a break once in a while and check them. Takes no
more than a minute to look under the hood, pop the carts to check the level,
and resume printing. For someone who does thousand page projects the
consumer grade inkjets just aren't geared to that kind of output unless the
project is broken up into smaller sections to check on ink levels. 13 ml.
of ink per canon bci-6 cart (of which 10 or 11 may be useable and refills
should occur when approximately 8 ml or less is used) doesn't go far.
 
Al said:
It occurred to me that it would be quite easy to design and produce a
low-cost add-on ink level warning device - comprising a sensor that
detects when the rear portion of the cartridge (the chamber with no
sponge inside) runs dry. This could be achieved with a two-terminal
sensor that detects increased electrical resistance when there is no
longer any ink between the terminals. The terminals could project from
the end of a rod that extends down into the cartridge from the top. It
could be inserted after drilling a hole - one for each cart. The
sensors could cause an LED to light up (one for each cart). It could
also set off a beeper.
Click to expand...

Or you could hack the printer. Find the optical ink sensor and connect
your own circuit to it? Maybe not, as there is only one and it moves
the cartridges over it so timing would be complicated.

Even easier and better, install a bulk ink system, then you can print
all you want. ;')

I could build what you are talking about without exposing the ink to
corroded copper, but as another poster said, there's no money in it.

Steve Greenfield
 
Al said:
After refilling an ip4200 Canon inkjet with the newer chipped carts,
one loses the ability to monitor the ink levels using the printer's
cirquitry and software. This is unfortunate.

It occurred to me that it would be quite easy to design and produce a
low-cost add-on ink level warning device - comprising a sensor that
detects when the rear portion of the cartridge (the chamber with no
sponge inside) runs dry. This could be achieved with a two-terminal
sensor that detects increased electrical resistance when there is no
longer any ink between the terminals. The terminals could project from
the end of a rod that extends down into the cartridge from the top. It
could be inserted after drilling a hole - one for each cart. The
sensors could cause an LED to light up (one for each cart). It could
also set off a beeper.

If anyone ends up building one, please send me one!
Click to expand...

The current generation of printers still employs the use of a prism in
the cartridges, and a light sensor in the print head. There already is
a system in place to detect empty, one would need to tap into that.

It's a simple technique, if there is liquid in the chamber, the light
becomes bent and shown inside the cartridge. If the liquid is gone,
the prism reflects and the light is shown back down.
 
Aftermarket ink-level monitor for inkjet printers?
Click to expand...

Depends how the prism works in the CLI series printers.
If the sensor is built in to the head, nut much can be done without
modifying the cartridge. If it is in the body of the printer, one likely
could read that with a microcontroller.
 
Gary said:
Depends how the prism works in the CLI series printers.
If the sensor is built in to the head, nut much can be done without
modifying the cartridge. If it is in the body of the printer, one likely
could read that with a microcontroller.
Click to expand...

My experience is with older Epsons, but up to the S9000 there is one
sensor on the left side of the printer and it moves the cartridges over
it. So timing is an issue.

Steve Greenfield
 
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