PIXMA iP3600 stopped printing text

[Norman]

Have had my iP3600 14 months and it has been trouble free - so far. Yesterday it produced a low ink warning on the PGBK cartridge. I ignored this and tried to print a Word document. It made all the usual noises and produced a totally blank piece of paper. I changed the cartridge for a new one (Save the World remanufactured ?!) but the same result. A nozzle check gives a good pattern for the colours but absolutely nothing for PGBK.
The printer recognises the cartridge but nothing prints. The printer has fairly frequent use. Have tried reloading the driver but nothing works. Is this possibly an electronic fault? Is there a diagnostic routine that would give this information? Is the fault curable or do I need a new machine?

Any answers would be welcome

 

[turbguy]

Possibly an electronic failure, but more than likely the head lost "prime" a d won't pull ink from the replaced cart. PGBK is used only for text printing, not color photos.

WHAT INK AND CARTS ARE YOU USING???

Suggested investigation/resolution procedure:

0. PRINT ONLY NOZZLE CHECKS UNTIL FIXED!!! THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!

1. Buy an OEM cart and try that FIRST.

2. If #1 doesn't work, then dribble a few drops of Original Windex onto the pickup screen for the PGBK cart in the printhead, wait several minutes, install the OEM cart and try again.

3. If #2 doesn't work, pull the printhead and and soak it overnight in a shallow pool of Original Windex, chaning the windex every couple hours. Then shake it dry, let it air dry several hours (onboard electronics MUST be dry), re-install the printhead, do a heavy head clean cycle, and try again.

4. If #3 doesn't work, then it's possible the purge unit is inoperable/clogged. Test the purge system for operation (can do even before #1). Instructions are elsewhere on this Forum. If you can't find them, post another question. If the purge system is inoperable, it "could" be a real "dig" to clean it.

 

[The Hat]

I reckon its No. 4 on tubguys list; the purge unit may have gotten clogged up with pigment ink.

To test the purge unit out just lift the top lid and allow the print head to centre then pull the power plug out of the wall.

Next move the print head by hand to the left side of the carriageway
to give you more room to see and work on the right side of the printer.

Use a spoon or syringe to flood the top of the purge pads (Both of Them) with Windex
if you are unsure what they look like, here is a picture of the purge pads from another printer (Very similar).

If you can give the larger one a clean with a small brush (Tooth Brush) then pour more Windex on top to flood
the pads and wipe away the waste ink, (Paper Towel) then flood the pads once more and leave them.

Now move the print head back to the middle of the carriageway, close the lid and power back on your printer,
when it stops purring do a deep head clean but only on the black side and then follow that up with a nozzle check print.

At this stage you should be getting better print results on the black, if its still not printing properly
then do a normal head clean and run another nozzle check,
if its still not quite right then leave the printer to sit for an hour or two before trying another nozzle check.

Hopefully this will cure you problem and you wont have to do anymore to the purge unit..

I just noticed the picture was around the wrong way, its correct now..

 

[turbguy]

To follow up on Hat's suggestions, be careful not to dislodge and loose the porous pad (a thin ceramic chip) just below the rubber frame "surround". Be aware these pads are spring-backed. Also, it is important the rubber surround is perfectly re-positioned above the ceramic chip with all the little rubber tabs correct, or the seal to the bottom of the printhead will leak air during the vacuum purge process and will not function.

With care, the chip can be removed, cleaned, and re-installed, but the main danger is loosing the chip into the printer's innards.

Wayne

 

[Norman]

Thanks Guys for your responses. Have a basic problem, unlike my old S900 I don't seem to be able to remove the printhead so I cannot examine it. Also I find it difficult to understand how the printer could be printing normally one day and produce nothing the next day. Even if the ink was running out - as the low ink message indicates - it would still print something. Cleaning the PGBK cartridge makes no difference.
Have not had the opportunity to follow the suggestions made - could you please tell me what is the UK equivalent of 'Windex'

 

[PeterBJ]

The print head can be removed from the Pixma 3600. It is the same procedure as for the older Canon printers, but the locking lever is different.

The procedure is:

1. With the printer powered on, open the lid as if you would change a cartridge.

2. When the print head is in the change cartridge position, pull the power cord without first turning the printer off.

3. Remove the ink cartridges.

4. Lift the print head locking lever and remove the print head.

Here is the instruction from Canon for installing the print head on a Pixma 3600 printer and other printers that use the same print head. The removal of the print head is the same procedure as for installing, just reverse the steps. I hope this instruction helps:

I am also having problems with a Pixma 3600 print head, and have removed it for cleaning several times so I can confirm that the procedure for removing the print head is correct. Link here: http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9092

 

[Norman]

Thank you guys. Since we don't have Windex I found a cleaning kit with fluid that contains isopropanol. After three attempts the PGBK cleared after a deep clean. (For UK readers see www.printheadhospital.co.uk for more useful information)
So thanks once again to turbguy, The Hat and PeterBJ for the input and allowing me to get my sanity back!

 

[PeterBJ]

You are welcome, and thank you for the feed-back and for a link to a print head cleaner that worked.

It seems that there is no Windex or equivalent or other household cleaner containing ammonia available in the UK, maybe these products are prohibited. See this thread and note posts #7 and #9: http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3559&p=1

You could also try this product if you should need to clean a print head later: http://www.octoink.co.uk/products/Printhead-Cleaning-Solution-%2d-Canon{47}HP.html

 

[The Hat]

Thank you guys. Since we don't have Windex I found a cleaning kit with fluid that contains isopropanol. After three attempts the PGBK cleared after a deep clean. (For UK readers see www.printheadhospital.co.uk for more useful information)
So thanks once again to turbguy, The Hat and PeterBJ for the input and allowing me to get my sanity back!

Windex is an American window cleaner brand but if you have a Lidl store near by then use their brand of window cleaner its called W5.