ink level indicator (reset?) canon i965

[Steph]

My issue is how to reset the ink level indicator. It so has a mind of its own, completely out of whack. Doesn't stop good printing, just plain annoying really! Showing the tanks as full or empty when it's usually the opposite.

My printer is a canon i965.

Any suggestions???



Background History:
I have recently had to purchase a brand new canon printhead for my i965. Along with the rest of you poor souls, mine died (I blame dodgy inks!). I tried ALL the treatments from this site and I mean ALL, so much windex it was ridiculous. But only 5 out 6 nozzles cleared, really pointless unless they all clear. However, with my new printhead and genuine canon inks (never use others again!!!), everything is great again. Normal prints as soon as I put the new printhead in. And to think I wasted months trying to fix the old one.

Oh and if there's any Aussies out there needing a new printhead with code QY6-0043 which are compatible with i965, i950, i960 . . . don't pay $310! I got my genuine canon printhead for only $195. If you need one, check out Capital Business Machines in Box Hill (thats Melbourne people!)

 

[digitalartist71]

was it the pigment black that went out? seems to be a problem.

 

[digitalartist71]

welll..wehn using third party inks that aren't any good.

 

[fotofreek]

The ink level indicator is very crude in these printers. shows empty when the reservoir side of the cart is empty and the little prism that is then exposed at the bottom of the reservoir. Only shows full when a cart runs to the empty warning and is replaced. When refilling most of us only let the reservoir get up to 80% empty so the monitor never gets the empty signal which then triggers the reset to full when the cart is replaced. In between, the printer kind of guesses and shows half full or so until you hit the empty signal. It doesn't measure the remaining ink like a car's gas guage. Nearly every new canon user asks this same question!!!

 

[Osage]

Ran acrosss this question in another forum. In the generation before the chipped canon's the ink monitoring is basically as fotofreek says. So the printer cartridge should show empty when the non-transparent ink empties from the reserve tank.--but in reality there is some delay.

But in the case of the question on another forum I cited, the poster was removing the cartridge occassionally before, during, and after the point the ink reserve tank actually hit the point where the light shined back.----and this was also confirmed by Canon tech support---when the ink no longer blocks the light, there is still a delay built into printer software and the low ink warning does not trigger instantly. So some ink is used only from the sponge before low ink is triggered. And frequent cartridge removal can increase inaccuracy with this type of non-chipped canon ink monitoring. And screw up assumtions the printer is making.

Its also my understanding that once the low ink warning shows as a software message, placing in any cartridge where the ink is high enough to block the light should tell the printer to assume that cartridge is totally full.---even if its not.-----like fotofreak says--its not like the gas gage on a car.

But if the light is fuctioning correctly, it should warn of low ink before the sponge runs out of usable ink.

 

[Steph]

So there is no way of resetting the ink level indicator?

What about reinstalling the printer driver?

It was usually unreliable anyway, now it's just useless. I guess the human eye beats the ink level indicator anyday right?!

Thanks for replying to my issue people, but I didn't really get an answer.

 

[Osage]

To Steph,

Who notes the question is not answered. To a certain extent, at least in my mind, the other question is-----has the ink monitoring degraded on your i965 or is it working as badly as it always has since the printer was new? And if the former is true, can it be fixed economically?----or be user fixable?

To a certain extent we on these forums can make certain gueses, but the real answer lies at Canon. While asking the question over the phone is certain to involve a fee after the warranty has expired, Canon does have free E-mail support--and that might be worth a try.---it may be chancy at best---sometimes you get a boob answering the question and sometimes you get lucky and find someone knowledgable and forthcoming.---or you might find some sort of work around suggestion that is helpful.

 

[panos]

Steph you need to provide more information about your problem with the ink indicator.

 

[hpnetserver]

Steph, buy a virgin cartridge. Use it (as an empty cart) to reset the printer's ink level status. If this doesn't work still your printer needs service. If it is still under warranty get a replacement from Canon. Because it's a new and empty cart the prism at the bottom has no reason to not work. Just plug it in to one of the slots and let the printer see that empty cart. It will be obvious if the printer is faulty or not in seeing it. If the printer sees it the ink level should be reset when you next swap it out with one that has ink in it. Repeat for every color slots then all of the levels for each color should be reset. If you can't buy one easily then get an OEM one and cut off the top of the cartridge, remove the sponge and thoroughly wash it. Then you have a virgin cart with no top of course. It will be a perfect tool for reseting ink levels. Believe me I have one like that.

 

[Steph]

ok people,

the ink levels are incorrect. there doesn't seem to be any visual link between the ink cartridges and the computer to show how much ink is left.

i took all cartridges out, cleaned printhead and stuff, printed stuff (obviously very little ink came out as no cartridges were in the printhead), turned printer off, then on again, and the ink level information dialogue box still seems to think there is ink in the printer, when clearly there wasn't.

i put all cartridges back in, same situation.

is this because the dialogue window to indicate ink levels is purely based on how many times you click print or a time thing??? because nothing seems to make any difference.

i'm trying to describe my issue as clearly as possible, sorry to confuse you all.