i950 will not print

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alpha One
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Alpha One

I have a Canon i950 printer that was working very well except for a slight
streaking. After I cleaned the head several times using maintenance it got a
little better. I decided to take the heads off and use a damp paper towel I
placed against it to see if it cleaned it better. I tried this 3 or 4 times,
and it was getting better. However, the forth time I put it back on the
printer it didn't print anything at all, nothing. I assumed it was me that
ruined the head so I ordered a new one directly from Canon (cheaper that
anywhere else on the Net that I could find).
The problem is that with the brand new one it prints absolutely nothing as
it was with the old one.
Any idea what it could be? The printer should be working fine, I see no
reason for it not to be. I also removed and reinstalled the drivers just to
make sure it wasn't it.

Tony
 
Canon brand all the time. I removed the tanks, and the head, nothing to it,
as I have done before. Tanks full, new head from Canon. Not even signs of
ink on the other side of the head. The printer goes trough the process as if
it were printing.
 
measekite said:
Are you currently using and have you always used Canon OEM ink.
Click to expand...

Well if he has then what is your answer?
If he hasn't then what is your answer?
Oh, you don't have one, huh?
I thought so!
Frank
 
It wouldn't matter if you did use quality non-OEM inks. Ink apparently
isn't the cause of your problem as is the case with 99.9% of all printer
errors. You might want to check the contacts for the print head but it
sounds like something more serious. It might be time for a new printer.
The good thing is that printers are relatively inexpensive nowadays
since their prices are subsidized by the outrageous cost of OEM ink. ;)
 
Frank said:
Well if he has then what is your answer?
If he hasn't then what is your answer?
Oh, you don't have one, huh?
I thought so!
Click to expand...

He is a one trick pony.
 
Michael Johnson said:
It wouldn't matter if you did use quality non-OEM inks. Ink apparently
isn't the cause of your problem as is the case with 99.9% of all printer
errors. You might want to check the contacts for the print head but it
sounds like something more serious. It might be time for a new printer.
The good thing is that printers are relatively inexpensive nowadays
since their prices are subsidized by the outrageous cost of OEM ink. ;)
Click to expand...

This printer model has a user replaceable print head so no need to rush out
to replace the whole printer. But a little bit of investigation and
deductive reasoning might explain why the printer stopped working
completely.

First, wiping the print head with a paper towel pushes fibers into the jet
openings which will certainly clog it. The method I have used is soaking the
print head in warm water for several minutes and then lightly blotting it
dry. I never wipe across the jet openings as this ruins the print head.
Another problem might be the print head has an air bubble trapped in it. I
always avoid turning a print head upside-down while handling it. If it gets
an air bubble trapped in it, then it will need primed by pressurizing the
ink tanks with a syringe. It's a very messy process but it works for me.
 
Alpha One said:
Canon brand all the time. I removed the tanks, and the head, nothing to it,
as I have done before. Tanks full, new head from Canon. Not even signs of
ink on the other side of the head. The printer goes trough the process as if
it were printing.
Click to expand...

Tony
Regrettably I suspect the purge unit has failed.
This unit is the part that flushes the printheads during a printhead cleaning
operation, it does so by applying suction to the printhead. Without that
suction your new printhead cannot be primed and will produce no, or at best
very little, output.
Purge units can be difficult to replace but not always. Having said that I
don't know exactly how easy or hard it is to replace the purge unit in this
model. The service manual for the i950 is fairly pathetic, the parts manual
gives more information than the service manual. The part number for the prurge
unit is QG4-0303-000.
If you decide to take the plunge and buy a purge unit please e-mail me, I will
provide any help I can.
Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging
 
You can replace it with a new (and improved) Canon IP4300 for about $60 when on sale and with rebate.  This happen about once every 6 to 8 weeks.  Normally it is on sale frequently for about $80. It has twin paper feeds, duplex capability and uses the new and improved CL8 ink. It might be time to get one.

Alpha One wrote:

Canon brand all the time. I removed the tanks, and the head, nothing to it, as I have done before. Tanks full, new head from Canon. Not even signs of ink on the other side of the head. The printer goes trough the process as if it were printing. "measekite" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...



Are you currently using and have you always used Canon OEM ink. Alpha One wrote:



I have a Canon i950 printer that was working very well except for a slight streaking. After I cleaned the head several times using maintenance it got a little better. I decided to take the heads off and use a damp paper towel I placed against it to see if it cleaned it better. I tried this 3 or 4 times, and it was getting better. However, the forth time I put it back on the printer it didn't print anything at all, nothing. I assumed it was me that ruined the head so I ordered a new one directly from Canon (cheaper that anywhere else on the Net that I could find). The problem is that with the brand new one it prints absolutely nothing as it was with the old one. Any idea what it could be? The printer should be working fine, I see no reason for it not to be. I also removed and reinstalled the drivers just to make sure it wasn't it. Tony
 
Michael said:
It wouldn't matter if you did use quality non-OEM inks.
Click to expand...
There is none and it is very difficult to tell if one is better than the
other because there are no brands to follow in the market place.
 
Tony wrote:

"Alpha One" <[email protected]> wrote:



Canon brand all the time. I removed the tanks, and the head, nothing to it, as I have done before. Tanks full, new head from Canon. Not even signs of ink on the other side of the head. The printer goes trough the process as if it were printing. "measekite" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...



Are you currently using and have you always used Canon OEM ink. Alpha One wrote:



I have a Canon i950 printer that was working very well except for a slight streaking. After I cleaned the head several times using maintenance it got a little better. I decided to take the heads off and use a damp paper towel I placed against it to see if it cleaned it better. I tried this 3 or 4 times, and it was getting better. However, the forth time I put it back on the printer it didn't print anything at all, nothing. I assumed it was me that ruined the head so I ordered a new one directly from Canon (cheaper that anywhere else on the Net that I could find). The problem is that with the brand new one it prints absolutely nothing as it was with the old one. Any idea what it could be? The printer should be working fine, I see no reason for it not to be. I also removed and reinstalled the drivers just to make sure it wasn't it. Tony



Tony Regrettably I suspect the purge unit has failed. This unit is the part that flushes the printheads during a printhead cleaning operation, it does so by applying suction to the printhead. Without that suction your new printhead cannot be primed and will produce no, or at best very little, output. Purge units can be difficult to replace but not always. Having said that I don't know exactly how easy or hard it is to replace the purge unit in this model. The service manual for the i950 is fairly pathetic, the parts manual gives more information than the service manual. The part number for the prurge unit is QG4-0303-000. If you decide to take the plunge and buy a purge unit please e-mail me, I will provide any help I can. Tony MS MVP Printing/Imaging


Why would he waste his time and do that when he can get a new IP4300 relatively inexpensive and have a better unit than he now has.
 
another guess is the ink cartridge is the problem. Even OEM inks are
defective every once in a while. Check the expiration on the box of
the catridge. Also, I would return open ink cartridge to the store
and get a new one. At least that won't cost you anything and it will
answer another question.

If all else fails, make sure you sell you parts on ebay.

stan
 
Alpha One originally wrote he had streaking problems with his i950.

The Measekite troll asked "Are you currently using and have you always
used Canon OEM ink?"

Alpha One replied "Canon brand all the time."

Had Alpha One stated he used aftermarket ink the Measekite troll would
have been all over him with statements like "You get what you pay for",
"aftermarket ink clogs your printhead", "the ink is to blame it ruined
the printer, etc, etc, ad nauseum.

But because Alpha One had only used Canon's own ink, the Measekite troll
immediately shut up (didn't dare blame OEM ink) and suggested Alpha One
instead "replace it with a new (and improved) Canon IP4300". Obviously
the old printer (was unimproved and) probably died a natural death. But
it's more fun to blame aftermarket ink when you're a troll instead of
looking for the real cause of failure. So much for troll logic!

I was laughing so uncontrollably I had to have someone slap me into
coherence.
 
Branwynn said:
Alpha One originally wrote he had streaking problems with his i950.

The Measekite troll asked "Are you currently using and have you always
used Canon OEM ink?"

Alpha One replied "Canon brand all the time."

Had Alpha One stated he used aftermarket ink the Measekite troll would
have been all over him with statements like "You get what you pay for",
"aftermarket ink clogs your printhead", "the ink is to blame it ruined
the printer, etc, etc, ad nauseum.

But because Alpha One had only used Canon's own ink, the Measekite troll
immediately shut up (didn't dare blame OEM ink) and suggested Alpha One
instead "replace it with a new (and improved) Canon IP4300". Obviously
the old printer (was unimproved and) probably died a natural death. But
it's more fun to blame aftermarket ink when you're a troll instead of
looking for the real cause of failure. So much for troll logic!

I was laughing so uncontrollably I had to have someone slap me into
coherence.
Click to expand...
hehehe...good one! You've got his number.
Frank
 
Branwynn said:
Alpha One originally wrote he had streaking problems with his i950.

The Measekite troll asked "Are you currently using and have you always
used Canon OEM ink?"

Alpha One replied "Canon brand all the time."

Had Alpha One stated he used aftermarket ink the Measekite troll would
have been all over him with statements like "You get what you pay for",
"aftermarket ink clogs your printhead", "the ink is to blame it ruined
the printer, etc, etc, ad nauseum.

But because Alpha One had only used Canon's own ink, the Measekite troll
immediately shut up (didn't dare blame OEM ink) and suggested Alpha One
instead "replace it with a new (and improved) Canon IP4300". Obviously
the old printer (was unimproved and) probably died a natural death. But
it's more fun to blame aftermarket ink when you're a troll instead of
looking for the real cause of failure. So much for troll logic!

I was laughing so uncontrollably I had to have someone slap me into
coherence.
Click to expand...

In addition, newer is not always "improved." Canon claims better fade
resistance with their new inks, but if the output of the i950 pleases Alpha
One, why buy the newest model? Since I haven't seen any posts from MK (why
would I, as I have him killfiled) that he has decided to upgrade from his
ip4000, I will assume that "older technology" suits him just fine! I will
keep my i960 printers running as long as they can, even replacing printheads
if that becomes necessary, as the output is beautiful and I can easily
refill the carts with any one of the three quality aftermarket inks that
have most often received good reports on this NG.
 
Branwynn wrote:

Alpha One originally wrote he had streaking problems with his i950. The Measekite troll asked "Are you currently using and have you always used Canon OEM ink?" Alpha One replied "Canon brand all the time." Had Alpha One stated he used aftermarket ink the Measekite troll would have been all over him with statements like "You get what you pay for", "aftermarket ink clogs your printhead", "the ink is to blame it ruined the printer, etc, etc, ad nauseum. But because Alpha One had only used Canon's own ink, the Measekite troll immediately shut up (didn't dare blame OEM ink) and suggested Alpha One instead "replace it with a new (and improved) Canon IP4300". Obviously the old printer (was unimproved and) probably died a natural death. But it's more fun to blame aftermarket ink when you're a troll instead of looking for the real cause of failure. So much for troll logic! I was laughing so uncontrollably I had to have someone slap me into coherence.
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote in @m37g2000prh.googlegroups.com:
another guess is the ink cartridge is the problem.
Click to expand...



Not likely. Genuine Canon cartridges are very stable, hence
refillers like to use them.

Check the expiration on the box of the catridge.
Click to expand...



Ink cartridges do not expire like food. Cartridges can easily be used a
year after expiration. If they're Canon the odds are pretty slim of ever
finding an expired date cartridge. The stock simply moves too fast for
that to ever happen.

Also, I would return open ink cartridge to the store and get a new one.
At least that won't cost you anything
Click to expand...



Only an idiot would try to suck a store into giving them a new set of
cartridges for no valid reason.
 
Burt said:
In addition, newer is not always "improved." Canon claims better fade
resistance with their new inks, but if the output of the i950 pleases Alpha
One, why buy the newest model? Since I haven't seen any posts from MK (why
would I, as I have him killfiled) that he has decided to upgrade from his
ip4000, I will assume that "older technology" suits him just fine! I will
keep my i960 printers running as long as they can, even replacing printheads
if that becomes necessary, as the output is beautiful and I can easily
refill the carts with any one of the three quality aftermarket inks that
have most often received good reports on this NG.
Click to expand...

They will have to pry my Canon BCI-6 based printers from my cold dead
fingers. If they ever die I plan to call Canon and try to get them
repaired. If this is possible they will send you a refurbished one in a
flash. I don't even care if they charge me MSRP for the printer because
I'll make that back in the first two sets of OEM cartridges that I
DIDN'T buy. Heck, I can buy a new print head for less than the cost of
a set of OEM cartridges. The economics of using after market ink isn't
hard to understand.

As for print quality, the i960, iP4000, MP780 and N2000 more than meets
our needs for all the color printing we do. We haven't had one fading
issue for for any of our home made prints but I don't keep them on the
dash of my truck either. If I did I would just print a new one since we
have digital copies of our photos on the computer and on backup disks.
IMO, fading is an issue only for those that sell prints.
 
Not likely to be a driver problem. Try cleaning the printhead contacts
(on both the printhead and the printer) with an alcohol wipe.
 
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