Visually Checking a PrintHead

[William Seaward]

I have a friend that put a new printhead into a Pro-100 and now the printer doesn't print at all. Can someone enlighten me on the procedure on how to visually check out a printhead? I'm curious if the problem is truely in the printhead (brand new sealed from Canon) or is it the printer itself.

 

[PeterBJ]

In the Canon inkjet printers for home use a print head that has failed electronically might damage the logic board in the printer. The damaged logic board might damage a new print head. So replacing the print head is a gamble and I cannot tell the odds for success. Maybe this also applies to the Pro-100?

So how did your friend's Pro-100 fail?

I guess "brand new sealed from Canon" means the print head was bought from Canon USA and not from Ebay? Some print heads offered on Ebay as new or refurbished are used and maybe defective print heads that have been cleaned externally to look like new and is repackaged in replica foil bags and card board boxes that look very much like Canon OEM. But I wonder if some Pro-100 print heads have ended up in the far East?

I think it is highly unlikely that a genuine new and unused Canon print head should be defective out of the packaging, I think the printer's logic board is defective making the printer a total loss.

I think visual inspection of a Canon print head will only reveal very rare mechanical damage or electrical damage for instance caused by a short circuit.

Here is a print head that seems to have suffered an explosion due to a short circuit, click to enlarge:

 

[The Hat]

In the Canon inkjet printers for home use a print head that has failed electronically might damage the logic board in the printer. The damaged logic board might damage a new print head. So replacing the print head is a gamble and I cannot tell the odds for success. Maybe this also applies to the Pro-100?

You forgot to mention not to use these two print heads in other printers ever, because this problem will likely migrate to all future printers..

 

[PeterBJ]

The Hat is absolutely right. A print head that has failed electronically is a potential printer killer, and should never be installed in a printer for test purposes. You can keep the rubber gaskets as they are impossible to buy if you loose one, but throw the defective print head(s) away.

Here is an early horror story, maybe the first report on the forum about the risk of installing defective print heads.

 

[William Seaward]

The new print head came from Canon USA, so no chance of any tom foolery here. As to why a new printhead was installed, I wasn't told. Thanks for all the information about printheads... very informative!

 

[William Seaward]

Are there any signs to look for when you go to replace a printhead? For example, if you get a "Great deal" on a printer, how would you know when to purchase a brand new printhead? Possibly check to see if the original printhead was clogged?

 

[The Hat]

You’d only change the print head if it were buggered, otherwise leave it alone. The best test for any print head is still the good Auld nozzle check, if it passes that then it’s a good working print head.

Don’t be tempted to install an unknown print head, it doesn’t matter where it’s from, but print heads that have damaged nozzles are perfectly safe and are a good go between.

As to why a new printhead was installed, I wasn't told.

I wonder if your friend will heed your good advice and dump the print heads..

 

[William Seaward]

I wonder if your friend will heed your good advice and dump the print heads..

I will recommend that he dump the print head...

 

[turbguy]

Visually inspecting a Canon Print Head is akin to visually examining a large Integrated Circuit Chip to see if it's "good". Only obvious signs of local overheating would be visible (as shown above), and perhaps only with a very good microscope for some failures...

 

[James Mike]

but print heads that have damaged nozzles are perfectly safe and are a good go between.

i would like to ask if this applies to a print head that developed an symptoms of an electrical fault on its own (a rectangular patch missing on an extended nozzle check even with multiple soakings). Is there any way to gauge whether a new replacement print head will be likely to be ruined by the recipient's logic board ?