Ink level detection in Canon iP3000?

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DaveC

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May 8, 2004
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Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Does the printer calculate how much ink for each color it has sprayed on all
printouts since last ink tank change, and compare that to the capacity of a
new tank? Or does it actually sense the level in each tank?

I've been printing several full-page 8x10 photo prints with the original ink
tanks (which, I understand, are less-than-full to begin with), and I don't
see the Canon Printer Utility showing ink levels dropping at all.

1. How does the printer detect ink levels?

2. Will these original tanks (with a small amount of ink provided by Canon)
quit when the ink monitor still shows 3/4 full tanks?

Thanks,
--
Please, no "Go Google this" replies. I wouldn't
ask a question here if I hadn't done that already.

DaveC
me@privacy.net
This is an invalid return address
Please reply in the news group
 
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

In article <0001HW.BE4E2463001F9A92F02845B0@news.individual.net>,
me@privacy.net says...
> Does the printer calculate how much ink for each color it has sprayed on all
> printouts since last ink tank change, and compare that to the capacity of a
> new tank? Or does it actually sense the level in each tank?
>
> I've been printing several full-page 8x10 photo prints with the original ink
> tanks (which, I understand, are less-than-full to begin with), and I don't
> see the Canon Printer Utility showing ink levels dropping at all.
>
> 1. How does the printer detect ink levels?
>
> 2. Will these original tanks (with a small amount of ink provided by Canon)
> quit when the ink monitor still shows 3/4 full tanks?
>
> Thanks,
> --
> Please, no "Go Google this" replies. I wouldn't
> ask a question here if I hadn't done that already.
>
> DaveC
> me@privacy.net
> This is an invalid return address
> Please reply in the news group
>
>

If you have the printer, then you must have installed the ink tanks, and if
you LOOKED you would have seen that They were as full as they could possibly
be.

The first set of tanks has to fill up a print head that never had ink in it
so they will last slightly less than all subsequent tanks (but not much
less).

The Cannon printers (most maybe all of them) since the i950 or so, have an
optical sensor to let you know when the ink level is low in the tanks.

The driver/ink monitor software only shows 4 levels, Full, Half, Low, Empty.

When the Empty warning comes up you only have waht ink is left in the sponge
part of the cartridge to finish your printing.

Thats when a cartridge change is recommended, but not required.

You can continue on and run it completely out of ink if you so desire, and
then continue on 'till you fry the print-head if you like.

Canon doesn't build in many restrictions. No chips on the cartridge, no
"Starter cartridgees, nothing but a level indicator, which you may feel free
to ignore.
--
Larry Lynch
Mystic, Ct.
 
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

> If you have the printer, then you must have installed the ink tanks, and if
> you LOOKED you would have seen that They were as full as they could possibly
> be.

Right you are. I've looked at lots of new ink tanks, and they all *looked*
full. That, along with the common knowledge that some manufacturers put
less-than-full carts in new printers, I presumed that this was true for the
iP3000.

> The first set of tanks has to fill up a print head that never had ink in it
> so they will last slightly less than all subsequent tanks (but not much
> less).

Glad to know it.

> The Cannon printers (most maybe all of them) since the i950 or so, have an
> optical sensor to let you know when the ink level is low in the tanks.

The link provided by colinco (elsewhere in thread) shows this technology at
work.

> The driver/ink monitor software only shows 4 levels, Full, Half, Low, Empty.
>
> When the Empty warning comes up you only have waht ink is left in the sponge
> part of the cartridge to finish your printing.

I'm new to Canon printers, so it's refreshing to know "what you see is what
you get" : -)

Thanks,
--
Please, no "Go Google this" replies. I wouldn't
ask a question here if I hadn't done that already.

DaveC
me@privacy.net
This is an invalid return address
Please reply in the news group
 
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

"DaveC" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:0001HW.BE4E2463001F9A92F02845B0@news.individual.net...
> Does the printer calculate how much ink for each color it has sprayed on
> all
> printouts since last ink tank change, and compare that to the capacity of
> a
> new tank? Or does it actually sense the level in each tank?
>
> I've been printing several full-page 8x10 photo prints with the original
> ink
> tanks (which, I understand, are less-than-full to begin with), and I don't
> see the Canon Printer Utility showing ink levels dropping at all.
>
> 1. How does the printer detect ink levels?
>

A combination of Optical Sensor (used till prism in chamber is exposed) and
dot count (initiated when prism is exposed and low ink warning triggered).

> 2. Will these original tanks (with a small amount of ink provided by
> Canon)
> quit when the ink monitor still shows 3/4 full tanks?
>

They should not. If there is still ink in the (liquid) chamber then it
should still print. Canon does not use a starter cartridge for their
Bubble-Jet line and all tanks are full capacity. Should it quit before empty
reseat and try cleaning procedure in driver "Maintenance' tab.
 
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

"Larry" <larrylynch3rd@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.1c92b2b1a016941798972c@news.individual.NET...
> In article <0001HW.BE4E2463001F9A92F02845B0@news.individual.net>,
> me@privacy.net says...
>> Does the printer calculate how much ink for each color it has sprayed on
>> all
>> printouts since last ink tank change, and compare that to the capacity of
>> a
>> new tank? Or does it actually sense the level in each tank?
>>
>> I've been printing several full-page 8x10 photo prints with the original
>> ink
>> tanks (which, I understand, are less-than-full to begin with), and I
>> don't
>> see the Canon Printer Utility showing ink levels dropping at all.
>>
>> 1. How does the printer detect ink levels?
>>
>> 2. Will these original tanks (with a small amount of ink provided by
>> Canon)
>> quit when the ink monitor still shows 3/4 full tanks?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> --
>> Please, no "Go Google this" replies. I wouldn't
>> ask a question here if I hadn't done that already.
>>
>> DaveC
>> me@privacy.net
>> This is an invalid return address
>> Please reply in the news group
>>
>>
>
> If you have the printer, then you must have installed the ink tanks, and
> if
> you LOOKED you would have seen that They were as full as they could
> possibly
> be.
>
> The first set of tanks has to fill up a print head that never had ink in
> it
> so they will last slightly less than all subsequent tanks (but not much
> less).
>

This amount would not even be visible if you visually inspect the tank after
initial prime.

> The Cannon printers (most maybe all of them) since the i950 or so, have an
> optical sensor to let you know when the ink level is low in the tanks.
>

This actualy started prior to this model.

> The driver/ink monitor software only shows 4 levels, Full, Half, Low,
> Empty.
>
> When the Empty warning comes up you only have waht ink is left in the
> sponge
> part of the cartridge to finish your printing.
>
> Thats when a cartridge change is recommended, but not required.
>

This would actually be the 'Low' not 'Empty' stage. Once prism in (liquid)
chamber is exposed light will reflect back to the optical sensor and trigger
the 'Low Ink' on that particular color. At this time a dot count is
initiated for that same color and when a specific number (many, many) dots
has been fired, an 'Ink Out' error will be displayed. It is at this point
the tank should be replaced. Doing so before the actual 'Ink Out' is
displayed may make the level indicated by the Status Monitor become
inaccurate.


> You can continue on and run it completely out of ink if you so desire, and
> then continue on 'till you fry the print-head if you like.
>

Certainly not recommended! :0)

> Canon doesn't build in many restrictions. No chips on the cartridge, no
> "Starter cartridgees, nothing but a level indicator, which you may feel
> free
> to ignore.
> --

Great aren't they!
 
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

In article <KB6Wd.21431$Sn6.15347@lakeread03>, NOT@home.net says...
>
> This would actually be the 'Low' not 'Empty' stage. Once prism in (liquid)
> chamber is exposed light will reflect back to the optical sensor and trigger
> the 'Low Ink' on that particular color. At this time a dot count is
> initiated for that same color and when a specific number (many, many) dots
> has been fired, an 'Ink Out' error will be displayed. It is at this point
> the tank should be replaced. Doing so before the actual 'Ink Out' is
> displayed may make the level indicated by the Status Monitor become
> inaccurate.
>
>
> > You can continue on and run it completely out of ink if you so desire, and
> > then continue on 'till you fry the print-head if you like.
> >
>
> Certainly not recommended! :0)
>
> > Canon doesn't build in many restrictions. No chips on the cartridge, no
> > "Starter cartridgees, nothing but a level indicator, which you may feel
> > free
> > to ignore.
> > --
>
> Great aren't they!
>

I've thought so since the BJC-600, actually several models BEFORE that one,
but its the earliest model number I remember.

I had the luck to own the very first Canon bubble jet (Black only) continuous
feed, that looked and operated just like a dot matrix printer except it made
almost NO NOISE!

I have owned MANY Epson printers, and they are OK, but my favorites have been
the Canons.

I didnt mention the printers before the i950 because it was quite a while and
many models went by before I had to replace what I had before the 950.

I mention changing the cartridge when ink levels register low because I have
been re-filling Canon cartridges since the first Canon I got with individual
ink tanks. Thats the time to re-fill, BEFORE the cart is empty.


--
Larry Lynch
Mystic, Ct.
 
Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

In article DaveC says...
> Does the printer calculate how much ink for each color it has sprayed on all
> printouts since last ink tank change, and compare that to the capacity of a
> new tank? Or does it actually sense the level in each tank?
>
> I've been printing several full-page 8x10 photo prints with the original ink
> tanks (which, I understand, are less-than-full to begin with), and I don't
> see the Canon Printer Utility showing ink levels dropping at all.
>
> 1. How does the printer detect ink levels?
>
> 2. Will these original tanks (with a small amount of ink provided by Canon)
> quit when the ink monitor still shows 3/4 full tanks?
>
> Thanks,
>
http://www.usa.canon.com/html/microsites/ink/3.html

You can see through the Canon Carts, did they look half full when you
got them? Probably not.
 
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