Help... iP3000 won't print in black any more !!

steve1221

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Hi Everyone,

Been reading the site for while now and really impressed with info here.

Maybe someone can give me a pointer with this.

iP3000, was working fine. about 3 weeks ago stopped printing in black.

Changed the ink, still no black. So I've gone through a cleaning cycle or 3. And again with deep cleaning cycles. Nothing.

When printing a windows test page I get the windows logo in the top left perfectly but no text. I've read here about cleaning the head so I've tried that, no change. When I take the black tank off there's ink on the sponge but it's not going anywhere ?

If I change the text color in word etc it'll print, but it refuses to do anything in black.
A nozzle check prints 6C and everything below but nothing above.

I've uninstalled and reinstalled the driver.

I've taken the head off (again) and reseated it.

What ever I do there's not a trace of black on the page !!

Have I missed something or has it had it's day ?
 

Osage

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sounds like you have a clogged head with the black nozzles--read up on head cleaning and try the mild cures first.

Do not try deep cleaning again--its simply beating a dead horse--and making the problem worse.
 

steve1221

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I've done that (I think ).

Stand head in a little warm water and trickle a little through the sponge.

Got lots of ink out and lifting the head out and adding a little water got it flowing out but (after drying etc.) it still won't print black ?
 

hpnetserver

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If the printer suddenly stops printing black completely, not a single dot or line can be seen, it may very well be an electronic defect that suddenly strikes it. This can be difficult to find the defect and fix it. If it started out with banding and eventually stopped printing then it may be a clog in the head. But based on your description it looks like an electronic issue. Well, you can still use the printer. Just never set it to print on plain paper. If it is set to print on any photo paper you will get black text printed with composite of CMY ink. It will look very good still.
 

Pistos

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...of course there's the obvious question of whether you've tried a different black ink tank. I've been frustrated in the past by defective cartridges that mimicked this behaviour.
 

steve1221

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Yes, I've tried other tanks, just the same.

I've also tried the printer connect to another pc just to make sure it's not some strange settings issue on mine, still won't print black.

I'm going to try cleaning the head one more time and if it still won't work I guess thats that.

Just goes to show that nothing made like it used to be. The first printer I has (Epson dot matrix !!) lasted almost forever, this has just past the 14 month mark...
 

Osage

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Since you have a non-chipped Canon, its well worth saving in MHO. But you are still in trouble shooting mode---lots of steps must occur--and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And anything is possible. The ink must flow out of the cartridge ink outlet hole---into and through the matching port into the printhead---and get through the printhead-where the electronics vaporise the ink--and this is supposed to shoot ink onto the paper.---finding where the chain is broken is the purpose of troubleshooting.

1. You say you changed the ink--be more specific--its a very low probability that two OEM cartridges would be defective--but you can also test the cartridge by uncapping the ink outlet
and giving the cartridge a gentle sidewards squeeze over some waste newspaper--ink should flow out and then stop dripping.
2. The matching port over the black tank on the printhead can clog---if so all the ink in a deep clean should tend to puddle there.--remidy is unclogging small sponge there.
3. You state you did squirt some water and did a brief soak of the printhead--that may have just removed some of the ink you tossed in during the deep clean without disolving
the clog inside the printhead---try soaking longer--like overnight---make sure water goes through the black noozles.--rather than around them.--also see if dried ink has not caused a short circuit preventing the printhead from firing--remidy--make sure the contacts are clean.
4. It could be the ink goes through and then the black noozle electronics are defective---in which case black ink should show on the printhead black noozle outlets after a cleaning and a subsequent nozzle test.--but if the electronics are shot--its still worth replacing the printhead in MHO.--if possible borrow a printhead from a friend before ordering--if you then get black ink printing--you know its your printhead somewhere--with the good news being--the ip3000 printhead is one of Canon's most inexpensive printhead---and is the same as the printheads on many other models--including my MP730.
5. Having ink on a noozle when its firing also cools those noozles--and prevents the electronic from burning up inside the printhead---so limit your printing until you can rule out that your printhead already has defective electronics--because you don't want to ruin a posibly still good printhead
 

herky1127

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I have an ip3000 and had a similar problem with cyan. For over a year I had been refilling and had problems with consistency with cyan. Lots of banding and failed print tests. Finally quit printing cyan all together. I tried a G&G cart and then an OEM cart. Still did not print. I was ready to buy another printer and quit refilling. Then I found this forum.

My problem was a clogged printhead. At first, I tried running the printhead under warm water. Tons of cyan ink came out. It would now print cyan but still had lots of banding. I tried squirting some isopropyl alcohol on the sponge side of the printhead and then running under more warm water. Even more cyan came out. Did that for over 20 min. I was constantly amazed at how much cyan ink kept pouring out of this thing. However, still had banding problems. I tried blowing compressed air into the sponge side of the printhead. This did not help.

Finally, I soaked the printhead overnight in windex with ammonia and that did the trick. Haven't had any problems for a couple of months now.
 
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