The ink absorber is almost full - iP4500

Hi

I recently got the following message pop up when I tried to print using my iP4500:

"The ink absorber is almost full. Press the printer's RESUME button to continue printing.
Contact the service center."

Is there a way to reset this or do I have to dismantle the printer, clean the sponge and reassemble?

Thanks.

The correct procedure for resetting the ink absorber counter is contained in the PDF attached, but that only gets your printer back working again, it doesn’t solve the problem of the waste ink ?

If you’re not prepared to pull the printer apart to clean the pads, then place a device under the printer like a tray of some sort and this should prevent the sludge from spilling out onto your desk.

It’s not coming out now but be prepared it will...

Many service manuals for Canon Printers of the PGI-5/CLI-8 cartridge generation are in error, an important step is missing in the instruction for service mode operations. The simplified service manual for iP4500 is also in error. See this post. Also see this post that has the proper procedure for entering service mode.

The simplified service manual for the iP4500 is found here.

The iP4500 and iP4300 printers are very similar so this instruction for absorber change also applies to your printer, and here is a Google translation to English.

Thanks for the info guys. I will give the reset a try first and will attempt the dismantle procedure at some point.

With regards to the sponges, what's the recommended way to wash them or do you know if there are suppliers who still sell them?

Thanks.

great info from both Hat and PeterBJ.

i've done the pads on a MP830, similar vintage as the IP4500 but an all-in one, so more disassembly to get to the pads, see thread below w pics.
https://www.printerknowledge.com/th...-pad-replacement-at-37-000-pages-w-pics.7646/

i'd recommended new pads but if they may be hard to find. others have cleaned and reused the old pads so that is also an option.

when you do the disassembly, take notes/pics each step, i used a numbered old egg carton to keep track the screws/parts, that might help.

give it a shot, then post your findings/pics so to help others out. if you get stuck post the Q here, members of this forum can help.

now my dilemma.... i do have a new IP4500 sitting in storage that i may not use, not sure what to do with it.

J

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• Active Printers: MP870, MP980, PRO-100
• Stored Printers: IP4500, MX700, MX860, MX870
• Past Printers: MP830
• Method: German Durchstich Method
• Ink: Hobbicolors and OCP
• Misc: Squeeze bottles - so much easier than syringes

The simplified service manual for iP4500 also contains a parts catalog. From this parts catalog the parts number for the absorbers is QY5-0190-000. This parts number might be better in a Google search than "Ink absorbers for Canon iP4500". You might be lucky and find an absorber kit, but I think it is unlikely.

I have cleaned ink absorbers for iP4000 and iP5200 printers. I rinsed the absorbers in a bucket using lots of warm not hot water. The use of a good quality of rubber or PVC gloves is recommended. The absorbers cannot become white, but when they have turned a medium grey and have been dried they are fine to reinstall.

Hi

I have managed to dismantle the printer mainly using this YouTube link: https://bit.ly/2FQcQNI

I followed the video carefully and when it was time to move the purge tray out of the way by turning the cog wheel (2:03 in the video), so that the cartridge holder can be moved, I noticed the cog wheel cannot turn in the opposite direction to raise the tray back to its original position.

I didn't think much of this during the disassembly and I thought the printer would reset itself. However once everything was put back and powered on the purge tray is not moving and I am getting alternate green and orange blinking lights. What does this mean? Is the printer bricked?

Thanks.

To lift and raise the purge plate and to lock and unlock the print head carriage the cogwheel should be turned in the same direction as used to unlock it. The cogwheel turns in one direction only IIRC.

Leaving the print head carriage in the middle after having reassembled the printer should be OK IIRC. I also think the printer should reset itself, so there is probably some other error. The number of flashes of the green and orange lights is a code giving the error message, so what is the blink/flash pattern? See the service manual page 8.

Hi

I managed to get things back working again although I heard some screeching noises when the print head carriage got stuck. I think it was the thin carriage belt slipping. I turned off and gently nudged the print head carriage in the middle and powered on again. This time things sounded better and it seems to be back to normal again.

Things to note. The 2 small plastic hook arms that keep the CDROM tray open/closed had to be properly seated and hooked onto the CDROM tray door.

Thanks.

Congratulations with getting the printer back to working order. The 2 small hooks for the CD door have also been difficult for me to reinstall.

This page of the Druckerchannel.de instruction for absorber change on the iP4000 family of printers shows the CD tray lift hooks, and where to put them.