Ip8500 ink tank full error message

[Trevors]

Hi,

After many years of excellent use I've got this "tank full" message and the printer is locked out.

I understand this is merely an internal page counter not an actual tank "Full". Is it possible to re-set the counter without taking the printer apart to empty the sponges? If so, has anyone done that and how?

If that's not possible will the counter be re-set during the de-construction porocess?

Any suggestionss appreciated.

Thanks

Trevor

 

[PeterBJ]

The ink tank that has become full, is actually not a tank, but some layers of a felt like absorber material at the bottom of the printer casing. These absorbers can be changed if you can find a set of new absorbers or they can be washed by hand (and gloves!) using a lot of warm water.

You can reset the absorber counter and continue printing, but you risk a nasty ink overflow if you do so. Resetting a counter doesn't remove the accumulated ink.

For resetting the ink absorber counter you will need the service manual for the printer, which is found here: http://elektrotanya.com/canon_pixma_ip_8500.zip/download.html

The download contains user manual, service manual, parts catalog and more.

Your printer is mechanically similar to the iP4000, so this excellent instruction also applies to your printer: http://www.druckerchannel.de/artikel.php?ID=1831&t=workshop_change_waste_ink_tank_canon_pixma_ip4000

I recommend to study the service manual and this instruction carefully before starting the job. There is no undo function in the service mode operations needed for the reset. Even if this service manual is not in error, please read this post which has a warning and an explanation of the service mode operations for older Canon printers: http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/warning-error-in-some-canon-service-manuals.6388/

If not used properly, service mode operations can damage your printer, and there is no undo function, so feel free to ask, before making any mistakes in service mode.

 

[jimbo123]

as usual great links provided by PeterBJ !

i replaced the waste pads on my MP830 about a year ago, see link for pics, links, etc

http://www.printerknowledge.com/thr...-pad-replacement-at-37-000-pages-w-pics.7646/

best to take lots of pics as you go along, so to be able to put back together. i used a numbered empty egg container to mark/store screws, etc as i removed them.

good luck and keep us posted

J

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• Printers: Canon MP830, IP4500, MX700, MX860, MX870, MP980
• Method: German Durchstich Method, Lazy Method(refill single set of ink carts)
• Ink: Hobbicolors and OCP
• Misc: Squeeze bottles - so much easier than syringes

 

[The Hat]

i used a numbered empty egg container to mark/store screws, etc as i removed them.

That’s a great idea Jim; maybe I might be able to use that on my next deconstruction project..

 

[Trevors]

Thanks. All good tips.
I've tried to follow the re-set method for the counter but it will not work. When I switch on I get 7 orange blinks and then 1 green. If I take it all apart will it then allow me to re-set the counter (or will it do that as part of the job)? As there's no screen where will I see the re-count message and how can I re-set it?

Thanks.

Trevor

 

[PeterBJ]

This looks to me like you didn't enter service mode, but instead switched the printer on in normal user mode using the on/off button.

The reset of the ink absorber counter is done from service mode before starting to disassemble the printer. There are no internal switches in the printer that will do a reset.

The instruction in the service manual might be a bit confusing, the instruction in the Druckerchannel instruction step 6 "Reset the Counter" is better.

I have edited the instruction from the service manual slightly to make it more clear.

1. With the printer powered off, press and hold the stop/resume button.
2. While holding the stop/resume button also press and hold the power button. The green power light should now come on. Now release the stop/resume button, but still hold the power button.
3. With the green power light on and still holding the power button, press and release the stop/resume button, The power light should now turn yellow. While still holding the power button press and release the stop/resume button again. The power light should now turn green.
4. Release the power button. The green power light should now start blinking for some seconds and finally change to a steady green light. The printer has now entered service mode.

In service mode the the stop/resume button now serves as a selector button, the number of times it is pressed and released determines which service mode operation is selected. Each time the stop/resume button is pressed it toggles the power light between green and yellow, to help in keeping track of the number the stop/resume button is pressed. Don't make any mistakes here as you could select a wrong service mode operation.

Pressing the stop resume button once when the printer is in service mode selects the service test print with an extended nozzle check plus more.

Pressing the the stop/resume button twice selects the EEPROM info print that holds a detailed record of the printers history, and also the ink absorber usage expressed as a "D-value" D=xxx.x , The D-value is a percentage of ink absorber usage, D=000.0 means the absorbers are new and contain no ink, and D=100.0 means the absorbers are completely full, and the printer has been stopped.

Pressing the stop/resume button four times resets the ink absorber to 0.

After having selected a service mode operation, execute the command by pressing the power button. After the operation has finished, you can select another operation and execute it by pressing the power button again.

When you have finished the wanted service mode operations, switch the printer off by pressing the power button without first selecting an operation.

I recommend that you first reset the counter by selecting the reset absorbers command, and when the reset is done, verify it by selecting and executing the EEPROM info print. The D-value should now read zero, if the reset is successful. The printer now works again, and you can print a few urgent print jobs if you need to, but don't continue using the printer without changing or cleaning the absorbers. I recommend printing a small print job to verify that the printer works again before dismantling it.

You can read more about service mode operations in the service manual in pages 1-11 to 1-15 incl.

You are now ready to start disassembling the printer. note that you can enlarge the pictures in the Druckerchannel instruction by clicking them.

Some say you can get away with resetting the counter without changing/cleaning the absorbers just once. This is not recommended and if you do so do it at your own risk. Some sort of safety tray under the printer to contain leaked ink would then be a good idea.

 

[The Hat]

You also have other issues to attend to first if you’re getting 7 orange lights flashing, that usually means that you have a problem with one or more of your cartridges, lift the top lid and check which cartridge has the red LED light on or constantly flashing and correct that problem first.

<Service mode operation procedures>
​

1) With the printer power turned off, while pressing the Resume button, press and hold the
Power button. (DO NOT release the buttons). The Power LED lights in green to indicate that a
function is selectable.

2) While holding the Power button, release the Resume button. (DO NOT release the Power
button.)

3) While holding the Power button, press the Resume button 2 times, and then release both
the Power and Resume buttons.

4) When the Power LED lights in green, press the Resume button the specified number of
time(s) according to the function required.

Press the Resume Button 4 time to reset the waste ink counter then exit Service Mode by pressing the power button, finished !

** WARNING**​

Please be careful because pressing the resume button more than 4 times can have other consequences that may leave your printer unusable and not fit for purpose anymore !

 

[PeterBJ]

The 7 orange blinks followed by one green is a service call error meaning the ink absorber is full. The 7 orange blinks without a green blink is an operator call error meaning no CD/DVD detected in the tray. The iP8500 is of the unchipped BCI-3e/6 generation, and it uses the same 8 colour print head as the i9900 and i9950 and also Pixma pro 9000 MK I and II but is A4 instead of A3. It is a de luxe A4 photo printer of the Pixma 4000 generation, certainly worth getting going again.

 

[The Hat]

My iP4500 says 7 ambers lights is a cartridge problem and you say ink absorber full so I reckon you are probably right again PeterBJ, because it’s bound to make more sense to be ink absorbers..

 

[PeterBJ]

The difference is in the blink pattern. Is it a service call error or an operator call error? A green blink makes the difference. Some error codes are common, but not for all printers. The service manual is a great help in this situation. Also with unchipped cartridges there are fewer possibilities of a cartridge error, but maybe the prism can cause problems, if it is still unreflective, when the the calculated number of nozzle firings indicates that the cartridge should be low on ink. I checked the list of operator call errors in the iP8500 service manual and found no error message regarding cartridges.