Question Issue with black ink on Canon printer ?

[liberty610]

Hi all,

I am having an odd issue with a Canon TR8600 Series printer. This issue just started about 2 weeks ago. Anytime I try and print any sort of document from a PDF file or if I try and print my Venmo QR code from my phone, the black ink is super light or not really there at all. I have replaced both black ink tanks twice now, and it is reading that they are both full.

However, if I screen grab the document I am trying to print, and if I right-click on the JPG file the screen grab makes and click Print from the right-click menu, it prints normal.

Any ideas what could be causing this? I have updated to the latest driver, and went into the printer menu and did the full cleaning maintenance options but it is still doing this.

 

[Ralston18]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

What app is being used to print the .pdf files?

 

[liberty610]

Update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

What app is being used to print the .pdf files?

I am windows 11 pro, 32 gigs of ram, RTX 2080ti GPU, and all Gen4 SSD hard drives.

I am printing from right inside whatever app I am viewing the file from. I've tried different ways to print, including sending a print request directly from my Samsung S24U phone. All of them have no black ink coming out. The only time I can get the black ink to print is if I print from a JPG screen shot and it opens the built in Windows print option.


The only way it

 

[Paperdoc]

I don't have this printer, so I'm working from features I use with others. Your description suggests the printer somehow is set NOT to use the darkest Black ink. In an older Canon printer I had with FIVE ink tanks (I think your has, too), the five included three colours (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow), one dye-based Black for colour printing, and a different and LARGER Pigment-based Black for really dark and text blacks.

What MAY have happened at some point is that the printer detected a problem with the Pigment Black larger tank and went into a backup setting that still prints, but uses only the smaller dye-based Black ink that is NOT so dark. So you need to get into the details of how various print jobs are done and adjust back to some "normal" profile.

In my current printers each one has an option in its job settings profile to print either in full colour or in black only, and I use this all the time depending on each print job. Your printer's drive system has a different way of doing this. It has many pre-configured printing profiles for different types or jobs that can be selected, and exactly which inks are used is set within the several types of job. See your manual, p. 174. The first thing to check is on the Page Setup tab, the Print Options menu. Note that the second-last line there lets you set the types of ink used. Make sure it is set to use All Colours for many print jobs. Note also p. 177 where it describes how you can adjust the use of individual ink tanks for each profile. You can verify that the PGBK tank IS set to be used where your document type has black text included on the page.

Next go to the Quick Setup tab. Check WHICH type of job is selected in the Commonly Used Settings drop-down. Also see the highlighted note on p. 177 about the fact that some settings will NOT let you use ONLY the PGBK (Pigment Black) ink tank. Ensure this is set to the type of document you are printing - VERY often that will be "Standard".

 

[liberty610]

I don't have this printer, so I'm working from features I use with others. Your description suggests the printer somehow is set NOT to use the darkest Black ink. In an older Canon printer I had with FIVE ink tanks (I think your has, too), the five included three colours (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow), one dye-based Black for colour printing, and a different and LARGER Pigment-based Black for really dark and text blacks.

What MAY have happened at some point is that the printer detected a problem with the Pigment Black larger tank and went into a backup setting that still prints, but uses only the smaller dye-based Black ink that is NOT so dark. So you need to get into the details of how various print jobs are done and adjust back to some "normal" profile.

In my current printers each one has an option in its job settings profile to print either in full colour or in black only, and I use this all the time depending on each print job. Your printer's drive system has a different way of doing this. It has many pre-configured printing profiles for different types or jobs that can be selected, and exactly which inks are used is set within the several types of job. See your manual, p. 174. The first thing to check is on the Page Setup tab, the Print Options menu. Note that the second-last line there lets you set the types of ink used. Make sure it is set to use All Colours for many print jobs. Note also p. 177 where it describes how you can adjust the use of individual ink tanks for each profile. You can verify that the PGBK tank IS set to be used where your document type has black text included on the page.

Next go to the Quick Setup tab. Check WHICH type of job is selected in the Commonly Used Settings drop-down. Also see the highlighted note on p. 177 about the fact that some settings will NOT let you use ONLY the PGBK (Pigment Black) ink tank. Ensure this is set to the type of document you are printing - VERY often that will be "Standard".

None of this worked. I even took it all a step further and factory reset the printer and updated to the latest firmware.

The issue isn't even options on Windows. When I try and print a text pattern directly from the printer so it will show if the heads are aligned, it doesn't print the pattern. None of the page black ink ever gets used on anything. Sending print commands from my desktop, laptop, cell phone, or laptop. Page Black isn't working at all. It's not even faded anymore, it's simply not there.

I've tried 3 different new ink tanks now, will not working. I'm ready to bunk this thing and get a different one. And it's not even a year old yet.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Very likely a clogged print head from either disuse, very intermittant use or using non OEM supplies. This is exactly why we don't recommend ink jet printers here. As with all ink jet printers a new print head costs nearly as much as a new printer.

 

[Paperdoc]

Try this. Working only from the printer menu system (NOT using any utility on the computer), print out the Nozzle Check and full-page test pages. You should be able to see two different black groups printed - from the simple Black and from the PGBK cartridges. If you do see BOTH, then the printer head itself is OK and the ink tanks. The problem would be in the printer driver software in the computer.

IF the PGBK still does NOT print from those tests then the print HEAD is clogged for that ink. The print head is separate from the ink tanks and can be removed and replaced. But you MAY be able to clean yours, rather than replace it. See this web page for removal and replacement.

https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART180517

Try this first. Remove as shown. Take the head to a sink and gently flow cool water over the bottom where all the jets are, gently brushing the surface clean with your finger. Now get a wet paper towel on a flat surface. Place the head jets down on the wet paper, and let it sit for hours to a day. Re-rinse the head jets, then dry the entire head thoroughly. NO heat, just blotting and air to dry. When completely dry, re-install in your printer, re-install all ink tanks and close up. Run the Head Clean tool from the printer's menu, maybe even the Deep Clean tool, and check results with nozzle tests. This process MAY soften any ink dried in nozzle tips and allow them to be flushed free with the Head Clean process.

If all this fails, you need a replacement print head. I had mixed results with this on my old Canon printer. It appears you cannot get a brand new head from Canon. You CAN get refurbished ones on eBay or other places - maybe ink tank sellers. SOMETIMES you can find one claimed to be new and unused. When I did this the first one or two worked but failed later. Eventually no new head would work, and I decided it was time to replace the printer. Too bad! It as a good printer! But it got me into colour laser printers which work well and never clog!