Canon BJC-7004 Home Position Error

[Robert Green]

I just set up a Canon BJC-7004 that's been lying around unused for years.
The power blipped during ink cartridge installation and now the unit starts
up, rocks the heads back and forth along the rails and then sounds like it
hits something, shudders and shuts down with the 8 beeps and the three
flashes. The online help called it a home position error and says the unit
has to be returned to the shop for repair. Surely a simple power blip can't
render a printer unusable, can it?

Can anyone point me to a site or directions how to correct this error? I
just installed two new printer carts and if I am going to lose those and pay
for shipping and repair costs then into the oubliette it will go. Surely
this demon must have bitten someone else as well.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[PC Medic]

I just set up a Canon BJC-7004 that's been lying around unused for years.
The power blipped during ink cartridge installation and now the unit
starts
up, rocks the heads back and forth along the rails and then sounds like it
hits something, shudders and shuts down with the 8 beeps and the three
flashes. The online help called it a home position error and says the
unit
has to be returned to the shop for repair. Surely a simple power blip
can't
render a printer unusable, can it?

Can anyone point me to a site or directions how to correct this error? I
just installed two new printer carts and if I am going to lose those and
pay
for shipping and repair costs then into the oubliette it will go. Surely
this demon must have bitten someone else as well.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

--

First take both carts out and recycle the power to see if the same thing
happens (sounds like it

hits something, shudders). If it does not it could be you have a defective
cart or one was mis-seated. If it does this without the carts installed
then look closely for any obstructions in the carriage area that may be
keeping it from moving freely. You may even want to unplug the power why
the carriage is at center and then GENTLY and SLOWLY move the carriage
side to side to see if you feel a point of resistance.

Other than that, it would probabaly require service. If it comes to that,
Canon does offer discount towards new printer for previous owners with free
next day shipping to your door.

 

[Robert Green]

First take both carts out and recycle the power to see if the same thing
happens (sounds like it

Good call! The sled would not leave the home area and the printer made a
slight ratchet noise (like a slip clutch) with the carts installed when it
tried to start up. When I took the carts out, the sled travelled from end
to end twice nice and easy without triggering the error messages.

Now I'll inspect the carts more thoroughly to see if I've left something on
them that shouldn't be there (I removed the orange plastic head protector
and the plastic film that protects the head but perhaps I didn't seat them
fully.

I'm going to also inspect the carts for "bang marks" to see if there's
something hitting somewhere. I bought this printer refurbed in 1999 to
replace my HP Deskjet that was acting oddly. Despite the noise, the HP
lived about 6 years longer than expected so the BJC-7004 just sat in the
box! My next problem is probably evaporated ink.
If that's true, I may look into the replacement program that you mentioned
or get myself a little HP Deskjet 3740 that someone mentioned in another
thread.

I need to find out whether the included cartridge in the 3740 at Newegg

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16828104310

is a standard one or just a demo cart with very little ink. I've been
burned that way before, although I think it was by Lexmark, not HP.

I'm a little reluctant to buy from HP for moral reasons after their spying
debacle, but the last HP color printer *did* last nearly 10 years. I
suspect their quality might have suffered as a result of the merger with
Compaq, not because CPQ is bad, but that mergers result in divided loyalties
that find their way into the product's performance. I have a NX-9010
HP/Compaq laptop that must have been designed by people very much in fear of
being down-and-out sized by the merger. It's a dog!

Thanks muchly, Mr. Medic!

 

[Tony]

Good call! The sled would not leave the home area and the printer made a
slight ratchet noise (like a slip clutch) with the carts installed when it
tried to start up. When I took the carts out, the sled travelled from end
to end twice nice and easy without triggering the error messages.

Now I'll inspect the carts more thoroughly to see if I've left something on
them that shouldn't be there (I removed the orange plastic head protector
and the plastic film that protects the head but perhaps I didn't seat them
fully.


I'm going to also inspect the carts for "bang marks" to see if there's
something hitting somewhere. I bought this printer refurbed in 1999 to
replace my HP Deskjet that was acting oddly. Despite the noise, the HP
lived about 6 years longer than expected so the BJC-7004 just sat in the
box! My next problem is probably evaporated ink.
If that's true, I may look into the replacement program that you mentioned
or get myself a little HP Deskjet 3740 that someone mentioned in another
thread.

I need to find out whether the included cartridge in the 3740 at Newegg

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16828104310

is a standard one or just a demo cart with very little ink. I've been
burned that way before, although I think it was by Lexmark, not HP.

I'm a little reluctant to buy from HP for moral reasons after their spying
debacle, but the last HP color printer *did* last nearly 10 years. I
suspect their quality might have suffered as a result of the merger with
Compaq, not because CPQ is bad, but that mergers result in divided loyalties
that find their way into the product's performance. I have a NX-9010
HP/Compaq laptop that must have been designed by people very much in fear of
being down-and-out sized by the merger. It's a dog!

Thanks muchly, Mr. Medic!

If the problem only occurs with the cartridges in you may find that the capping
station has a problem. this is a set of seals that rise up and seal the
printhead when at its home position. The capping seals may not be retracting,
in which case they would stop the carriage moving freely.



Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging

 

[Robert Green]

If the problem only occurs with the cartridges in you may find that the capping
station has a problem. this is a set of seals that rise up and seal the >

printhead when at its home position. The capping seals may not be
retracting,

in which case they would stop the carriage moving freely.

I de- and then re-installed the carts as PCMedic suggested. The printer
danced for at least five minutes (which I assume was printhead cleaning)
with lots of chugging and whirring noises and finally reported a ready
light!!!!!!! (Thanks again PCMedic!)

However, seconds after sending the printjob I got a message that said "Black
cartridge empty" which is what you'd expect for 7 year old ink carts, even
though they were new in box and sealed. :-( Now the question is whether I
can revive them with a hot alcohol dip or some other resurrectional
treatment. The Egyptians knew how to seal stuff and make it last 3000
years. Why can't we at least make an ink cart last a decade?

Anyone know how to bring an ink cart that's been lying fallow for 7 years
back to life?

 

[phineaspaine]

Wow, a BJC-7004... this is a relic from the old days... ;-)

By reading previous posts, I deduce that these were the original
cartridges still in their original packaging, perhaps as supplied with
the printer? I don't think you should call them 'new'. I doubt that
the carts can be resurrected. The ink in the tanks is probably a solid
after 7 years (if not longer!), as the solvent carrier in the ink has
likely evaporated over such a long period of time. Even if it hasn't
totally evaporated, it's probably thickened to the point where it's
sludge. If you still have the packaging that the carts came in, take a
look and see if there's an expiry date. Even sealed, most OEM and
compatible inks have a optimal shelf life of 2 years, perhaps 3, but
most definitely not 7.

If the BCI-61 (colour) or -62 (photo) carts were never used, you can
probably salvage the printhead (as long as no ink ever flowed into the
printhead), and just buy a new colour ink tank. Otherwise, get both;
the ink tank and printhead are usually available as a package as well.

The BCI-60 black cart, however, has an integrated printhead, and the
whole thing would require replacement.

Bullitt

 

[Robert Green]

Wow, a BJC-7004... this is a relic from the old days... ;-)

By reading previous posts, I deduce that these were the original
cartridges still in their original packaging, perhaps as supplied with
the printer? I don't think you should call them 'new'.

New to me! They were, indeed, the original carts included in the box.

I doubt that the carts can be resurrected. The ink in the tanks is
probably a solid after 7 years (if not longer!), as the solvent carrier
in the ink has likely evaporated over such a long period of time.

Good call. I hear no liquid sloshing in either tank.

Even if it hasn't totally evaporated, it's probably thickened to the
point where it's sludge. If you still have the packaging that the
carts came in, take a look and see if there's an expiry date. Even
sealed, most OEM and compatible inks have a optimal shelf life
of 2 years, perhaps 3, but most definitely not 7.

Most definitely.

If the BCI-61 (colour) or -62 (photo) carts were never used, you can
probably salvage the printhead (as long as no ink ever flowed into the
printhead), and just buy a new colour ink tank. Otherwise, get both;
the ink tank and printhead are usually available as a package as well.

The BCI-60 black cart, however, has an integrated printhead, and the
whole thing would require replacement.

Bullitt

The question is, at this point, with the infrequent color printing I do
whether I should get a new printer. Is the BJC-7004 worth reviving? It's a
LPT1 printer so it's not as compatible as the newer USB offerings and it's
nearly 10 year old technology. I'd be afraid that any carts I could find
for the 7004 would be old stock and problematic, anyway. Are they at least
easily refillable?

I've never been fond of inkjets as a low volume user. I've been plagued by
dried out heads and far too frequent deep-cleaning exercises. I've been
interested in some of the new color lasers, but haven't done too much
research. I guess it's about time I started reading up. A color laser
seems to be the ideal choice for an occasional user because there's no
printhead to clog or dry out. I am pretty sure my laser printer is on the
same 8 year old cartridge.

Thanks for all the input. I wish I had opened the damn thing sooner and at
least printed *something* with those ink carts.