Canon IP4000 cartridge query

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M

MB_

I have a new Canon printer as mentioned above and we like the prints.

Two questions:

1) About how many 4X6 photos can one get before needing a new cartridge(s)?
So far, I have printed about 90 such pictures and from what I can tell, the
cartridges APPEAR to be about 60% full. Is that about right? This leads to
my second question:

2) I checked the cartridges by taking them out and kind of trying to eyeball
them. It is still hard to tell how much ink is left. But, am I messinf up
any sensors by checking the cartridges that way?? I assume from what I've
read that when the ink gets very well the printer will know it via some
optical method (bottom of cartridge will get clearer) so my checking it
shouldn't mess that up. Is that correct? If not, how else can I check it?

Mel
 
The software does not act like a gas gague in a car. But is does
provide you with 2 warnings for each cartridge in the printer. The
first warning is when the ink gets low. The second or final warning is
an out of ink warning. At this point the cartridge is not really out of
ink totally but should be replaced. If you continue to use it you take
the chance of burning your print head. This information is in the manual.
 
MB_ said:
I have a new Canon printer as mentioned above and we like the prints.

Two questions:

1) About how many 4X6 photos can one get before needing a new cartridge(s)?
So far, I have printed about 90 such pictures and from what I can tell, the
cartridges APPEAR to be about 60% full. Is that about right? This leads to
my second question:
Click to expand...

The Canon's are famous for being half empty and then fully empty as they
rely on an optical prism at the base of the cartridge being exposed when the
reservoir runs down: the sponge then contains ink still to print further.
There is no further magic to report ink usage.
The i865 produced 240 6x4 images recently in PC-pro tests where they printed
until the cartridges were empty.
Tony
 
MB_ said:
I have a new Canon printer as mentioned above and we like the prints.

Two questions:

1) About how many 4X6 photos can one get before needing a new
cartridge(s)? So far, I have printed about 90 such pictures and from what
I can tell, the cartridges APPEAR to be about 60% full. Is that about
right?
Click to expand...

This would be about on track. There is no real magic number as image color
depth and paper selection in driver (which alters amount of ink disersed)
can both affect this number. I have gotten 200 or more images out of inks
before they have run out.
This leads to my second question:

2) I checked the cartridges by taking them out and kind of trying to
eyeball them. It is still hard to tell how much ink is left. But, am I
messinf up any sensors by checking the cartridges that way??
Click to expand...

As long as there is still ink in the liquid chamber of the cart, then you
will 'usually' not throw the sensor off.
Once you get a 'Ink Low' message it is best not to open and remove the cart
until you receive the ink out error.
Keep in mind that each time you open the printer bringing the printhead to
the center and then close it, you cause the printer to perform a quick
clean. While this usines only a very small amount of in, it does use some
and if done frequently may cause a premature 'Waste Ink Full' requiring the
printer to be serviced. Again, this would have to be done quite frequently
to cause this, but recommendation is to not open the top until a cartridge
replacement is indicated.
I assume from what I've read that when the ink gets very well the printer
will know it via some optical method (bottom of cartridge will get
clearer) so my checking it shouldn't mess that up. Is that correct? If
not, how else can I check it?
Click to expand...

Again, no need to physically check.
The bottom of the liquid chamber on the BCI tank contains a small prism.
Each time the printer is powered on or a print job is sent to the printer a
small infrared light is passed to these prisms. As long as they are still
submerged in ink this light will imply pass through being dispersed by the
liquid, no signal is triggered and a full tank is assumed by the status
monitor. Once the ink in the liquid chamber is consumed thereby exposing the
prism, this IR beam will be reflected back to a sensor triggering an 'Ink
Low' for the specific tank. This also triggers a dot count for that specific
color in the ROM. Once a specified number (many thousands) of dots have been
fired for that color, an 'Ink Out' error will be triggered. It is at that
point that you should replace the tank indicated.

Hope this helps.
 
*snip*
Again, no need to physically check.
The bottom of the liquid chamber on the BCI tank contains a small prism.
Each time the printer is powered on or a print job is sent to the printer
a small infrared light is passed to these prisms. As long as they are
still submerged in ink this light will imply pass through being dispersed
by the liquid, no signal is triggered and a full tank is assumed by the
status monitor. Once the ink in the liquid chamber is consumed thereby
exposing the prism, this IR beam will be reflected back to a sensor
triggering an 'Ink Low' for the specific tank. This also triggers a dot
count for that specific color in the ROM. Once a specified number (many
thousands) of dots have been fired for that color, an 'Ink Out' error will
be triggered. It is at that point that you should replace the tank
indicated.
Click to expand...

A question about that last point - my inks have been showing 'low' for some
time - yellow since Christmas, and the other two for several weeks. Finally
two showed as empty a week or so ago, but next time I went to print they
were back to 'low' and haven't changed since. I assumed that the ink had
'settled' or something, but not if you are right about it counting down
usage?
 
Caitlin said:
*snip*

A question about that last point - my inks have been showing 'low' for
some time - yellow since Christmas, and the other two for several weeks.
Finally two showed as empty a week or so ago, but next time I went to
print they were back to 'low' and haven't changed since. I assumed that
the ink had 'settled' or something, but not if you are right about it
counting down usage?
Click to expand...

By chance have you been in the printer at all? Noted the actual level in the
tanks?

One possible scenario....
When a tank is very low this is actually possible to see. A very small
amount is all that is needed to be on the prism to indicate 'Low'. You then
start printing and this small amount on the prism is tossed about as the
printhead moves back and forth and clings to the sides of the tanks. Next
print job starts and no ink is currently on the prism (it is clinging to the
sides and has not yet settled) so a Ink Out is indicated during the ink
level check. Now you finish this job and do not print again for a while
(hours, days, etc). By this time this small amount of ink has settled to the
base of the cartridge giving sufficient cover on the prism. Because the
cover has not been opened, the counter has not been reset and an Ink Low
will return.

There are other anomalies that can temporarily throw the level detection
off, but the optic/dot count method I described is the procedure that is
used.
 
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