Auto on/off_Pixma iP4000

  • Thread starter Thread starter Monica
  • Start date Start date
M

Monica

Under the Maintenance tab in the printer's properties box, I set the printer
to Auto On and Auto Off (after 5 minutes). After selecting the settings, my
options are Send or Cancel. Send? Well I know I don't want to cancel so I
chose send. The next box asks, "Write settings to printer?" Choosing yes
brings up the document queue with "Maintenance" as the document's name.
What? I don't want to print this (and it doesn't try to print, it just sits
there). I canceled out. Auto On and Auto Off show enabled but does not
work. I don't find any mention of this in the on line manual. It simply
states what it is (already knew that) Could someone enlighten me as to how
to get this to work?
Thanks,
Monica
 
The command gets written to the printer via the print queue, so you need to
stop interfering with it. If you have print jobs in the queue, the command
will be written after they are finished. This is true with any of the
maintenance commands.
 
There is really no reason to use this feature. Leave the printer on
24/7. The only printer that should be turned off are maybe the Epsons.
 
measekite said:
There is really no reason to use this feature. Leave the printer on 24/7.
The only printer that should be turned off are maybe the Epsons.
Click to expand...

There's no need to turn Epson's off either - other than the waste of
electric.
 
Ivor said:
There's no need to turn Epson's off either - other than the waste of
electric.
Click to expand...

The following was explained to me by an ink vendor. Constant printing
causes paper dust from various coated and non coated paper. This dust
is attracted to the ink heads and collects on the head and ink. This
hastens the printer to clog. By turning the printer off the heads are
parked and the tendency for this is reduced. However, each time you
turn it back on the printer will use more ink
 
measekite said:
The following was explained to me by an ink vendor. Constant printing
causes paper dust from various coated and non coated paper. This dust is
attracted to the ink heads and collects on the head and ink. This hastens
the printer to clog. By turning the printer off the heads are parked and
the tendency for this is reduced. However, each time you turn it back on
the printer will use more ink
Click to expand...

That maybe true for Canon's, but Epson printers park the head automatically
after about 20-30 seconds of non-use, and all the Epson's I've seen don't
use any ink when you switch them on (or off) - they go through a self-test
process at power-on which may *sound* like a head clean, but the heads are
actually away from the service station at that time the pump is cycled so no
ink is actually wasted.

Perhaps if you actually ever had an Epson you'd know these things?
 
Ivor said:
That maybe true for Canon's,
Click to expand...

No! I leave my Canon (on a network) turned on 24/7. No clog and no
cleaning cycle in 9 months. Use is light.
but Epson printers park the head automatically
after about 20-30 seconds of non-use, and all the Epson's I've seen don't
use any ink when you switch them on (or off) -
Click to expand...

Incorrect! This was told to me by Epson. If they do not know then who
does?
they go through a self-test
process at power-on which may *sound* like a head clean, but the heads are
actually away from the service station at that time the pump is cycled so no
ink is actually wasted.

Perhaps if you actually ever had an Epson you'd know these things?
Click to expand...

Perhaps if you could talk to an Epson Rep you would be better informed.
 
There is really no reason to use this feature. Leave the printer on
24/7. The only printer that should be turned off are maybe the
Epsons.
Click to expand...


Always better to turn off printer when not in use, either manually or
via the automatic feature. Keeping it on 24 hours a day whether you need
it or not is a sure way to ruin your printer. Listening to Measekite is
the next best way to ruin it. LBW
 
Are you saying that, provided I wanted to use the auto feature, I have to
send the command to the printer with each print job? Surely not! I'm used
to HPs and liked their feature of automatically turning the printer on when
I hit print. As far as turning it off automatically, I keep hearing
conflicting reports that the printer wicks ink when left on and not in use
vs it doesn't.
Monica
 
measekite said:
No! I leave my Canon (on a network) turned on 24/7. No clog and no
cleaning cycle in 9 months. Use is light.


Incorrect! This was told to me by Epson. If they do not know then who
does?
Click to expand...

How about somebody who actually *uses* such a printer?
Perhaps if you could talk to an Epson Rep you would be better informed.
Click to expand...

And perhaps your Epson rep should learn about the products he's trying to
sell. I've know rep's - and most of them know very little about the products
they are selling other than what they have been told to say. Personally, I'd
take any of their claims with a large pinch of salt.
 
LBW said:
Always better to turn off printer when not in use, either manually or
via the automatic feature. Keeping it on 24 hours a day whether you need
it or not is a sure way to ruin your printer. Listening to Measekite is
the next best way to ruin it. LBW
Click to expand...

It shouldn't actually make any difference - the printer should put itself
into a state of 'standby' after a while; which, whilst using a small amount
of electricity, isn't going to cause the heads to clog or the printhead to
burn out or anything else that would ruin the printer, as its effectively
'off' as far as the mechanics are concerned.

All the printers I've ever seen do just that.
 
This is a one time setup via the maintenance tab on the print driver. There
is no reason to leave the printer on other than for a very slight delay on
the first print job after auto power on. It makes no difference whether the
printer is on or off as to parking the printhead. Anytime the printer is
idle, the head is parked. Wicking would be a result of excessive ink buildup
or other problems not associated with it's power state.
Ron
 
LBW said:
Always better to turn off printer when not in use, either manually or
via the automatic feature. Keeping it on 24 hours a day whether you need
it or not is a sure way to ruin your printer. Listening to Measekite is
the next best way to ruin it. LBW
Click to expand...

That is total bullshit. I have had 1,000 printers left on 24/7 for 10
years. You really do not know what you are talking about. And I say
this with certainty.
 
Ivor said:
How about somebody who actually *uses* such a printer?




And perhaps your Epson rep should learn about the products he's trying to
sell. I've know rep's - and most of them know very little about the products
they are selling other than what they have been told to say. Personally, I'd
take any of their claims with a large pinch of salt.
Click to expand...

Get a big pinch.
 
Thank Ron! It worked :) I just feel better that it's off when not in use
since my printing needs are far less than what they used to be.
Monica.
 
That is total bullshit. I have had 1,000 printers left on 24/7 for 10
years. You really do not know what you are talking about. And I say
this with certainty.
Click to expand...


I'll see you and I'll raise you 2,000 printers that I've left off when
not in use for the last 37 years. And I say this with even more invented
"certainty" than you. It's fortunate people don't listen to you. LBW
 
You are an idiot. There were no PC Printers, PC's, Apples (except the
kind growing on trees) 37 years ago. You must have had 2,000 birds
writing with their feathers back then.

You are unbelievable. How can you be so dumb?
 
Monica said:
Thank Ron! It worked :) I just feel better that it's off when not in use
since my printing needs are far less than what they used to be.
Monica.
Click to expand...

I'll echo Ron's comments that it doesn't really matter either way. The
heads will park automatically after about 20-30 seconds of inactivity to
help prevent the ink from clogging the nozzles.

The only thing to watch is to minimize quick power cycles. Electronics
are damaged by heat cycles, so powering on, then off, then on, then off,
is detrimental to all types of electronics. If you know you won't be
printing again for half an hour or more, then a 5 minute setting is
fine. You just don't want the printer to spit out a page, sit for 5 mins
and then shut off, then send another page to the printer 5 mins later.
Once in a while won't hurt...you just don't want to do it every day.

For that reason, I have my auto shutoff set at the 30 minute mark which
gives me plenty of time to print another page if needed.
 
measekite said:
The following was explained to me by an ink vendor. Constant printing
causes paper dust from various coated and non coated paper. This dust
is attracted to the ink heads and collects on the head and ink. This
hastens the printer to clog. By turning the printer off the heads are
parked and the tendency for this is reduced.
Click to expand...

First you say to leave the printer on, then cite another's reasoning
that powering off is better.

Your comments conflict.
However, each time you
turn it back on the printer will use more ink
Click to expand...

That's not at all accurate.

All inkjet printers (and I mean _ALL_) function the same - they park the
print head mechanism automatically after about 20-30 seconds of
inactivity.

Turning the printer off does nothing extra as the heads are already
parked, nor does it involve extra ink consumption when turning it back
on.

If you don't know what you're talking about, please refrain from posting
erroneous information. Such misinformation does not help anyone.
 
Bill said:
measekite wrote:




First you say to leave the printer on, then cite another's reasoning
that powering off is better.

Your comments conflict.




That's not at all accurate.

All inkjet printers (and I mean _ALL_) function the same - they park the
print head mechanism automatically after about 20-30 seconds of
inactivity.

Turning the printer off does nothing extra as the heads are already
parked, nor does it involve extra ink consumption when turning it back
on.
Click to expand...

Epson says that a cleaning cycle is performed each time the printer is
turned on.
 
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