Is my Canon Pixma IP3000 dead?

[sergiu]

Hello (for the first time) from Europe,
and glad to find this forum.

I received 2 years ago a Pixma IP3000, and since then I refilled it with compatible ink many times at home. I think I printed more than 3000 copies. Problems none, until few days ago when I realized that if I choose to color print at the High quality (I can choose between High, Standard, Draft quality) some colors wouldnt be printed (blue and red); but on the Standard or Draft quality everything worked fine.

Last night while I was printing at a Standard quality, I thought I hear some noise, and I approached my nose to the front of the printer and smelled a little smoke... I unplugged it imediatly but the printer wont start at all... What happened to it?

I feel like I lost a friend, because this gorgeous printer was like a friend to me.
I am a teacher and I print hundreds of copies of tests for my pupils, and this printer never let me down.
I think its printing head is broken, and if it is that, one costs about 150 euro in my country, that means half of my salary, so I can not afford to buy it and risk this happening again.

Thank you for your further information.

If there is no hope to fix it cheap, can anyone recommend a printer similar to this? All I am asking is to print b/w and color, the cartridges must be refillable. I don't ask color quality or fast printing.

 

[ghwellsjr]

I'm sure that the printing problem you had a few days ago is unrelated to whatever burned out last night and I doubt that it was your print head that burned out. Unfortunately, the print head is probably locked in its park position so you will not be able to remove it in case you wanted to try it out in another printer. If it stopped while printing, then you can probably remove the print head to see if that makes a difference, but I doubt it.

The best thing you can do is take it to an authorized Canon repair shop but that will probably end up costing you more than the original price on this printer. Maybe you can tell them if it costs more than a certain amount then you don't want it back. It sounds like it has more than one problem and may not be worth repairing.

This is a good printer for printing on plain paper which is probably what you are doing as a teacher. You might keep your eyes open for a used one at a good price, maybe on eBay, but you want to get one that is working or you'll end up in the same situation. Right now, in the USA, there are seven iP3000 printers for sale but they are not cheap.

If you do find a different used printer, make sure it uses the same cartridges that your iP3000 printer used if you want to have the easiest experience refilling. The later Canon models have chips in the cartridges which complicates matters, although it is not insurmountable.

 

[sergiu]

I'm sure that the printing problem you had a few days ago is unrelated to whatever burned out last night and I doubt that it was your print head that burned out. Unfortunately, the print head is probably locked in its park position so you will not be able to remove it in case you wanted to try it out in another printer. If it stopped while printing, then you can probably remove the print head to see if that makes a difference, but I doubt it.

The best thing you can do is take it to an authorized Canon repair shop but that will probably end up costing you more than the original price on this printer. Maybe you can tell them if it costs more than a certain amount then you don't want it back. It sounds like it has more than one problem and may not be worth repairing.

This is a good printer for printing on plain paper which is probably what you are doing as a teacher. You might keep your eyes open for a used one at a good price, maybe on eBay, but you want to get one that is working or you'll end up in the same situation. Right now, in the USA, there are seven iP3000 printers for sale but they are not cheap.

If you do find a different used printer, make sure it uses the same cartridges that your iP3000 printer used if you want to have the easiest experience refilling. The later Canon models have chips in the cartridges which complicates matters, although it is not insurmountable.

Today, after reading your reply - and thank you very much for being so kind to reply me - I took the cartridges out, and the head or how can I name it... It is about that plastic thing where cartridges are being put. And I turned on the printer: surprise, but it is on, and working, I mean the other head/skeleton was moving from side to side (normal way/course).

What do you think now?
In my country the Canon support is almost zero... I will try to take it to a service department but I guess I should be lucky to be helped/printer repaired.

I asked someone who has an IP3600 and he told me that he is refilling his cartridges with the syringe, and he suggest that I should buy one for me.

 

[ghwellsjr]

You should wipe down your print head with paper towels, make sure there is no ink dripping around. Then take a wet paper towel and carefully wipe off any excess dried ink. Be careful how you hold it because you don't want ink to dribble on any part of the electronics. After you get it clean and dry, look at it under a magnifying glass and look for burn spots. Most of the surface of the print head and the electronic traces will be shining and smooth. A burn spot will look like a tiny crater or crack in the surface or discoloration. If you find anything like that, then the print head probably did burn out and you should not put it back in your printer or in any other printer. It could damage your printer.

If you don't find anything, you could take a risk and put the cartridge back in the printer and see if it will power up and work correctly.

Now the question is: is your printer also damaged? The only way to know is to put a new cartridge in it or take it to a repair shop.

The cartridges for the later models of the iP3000 are also easy to refill but since they have chips in them, you have to put up with extra hassle which I have no experience with. Maybe some other will give you advice about them.

 

[sergiu]

You should wipe down your print head with paper towels, make sure there is no ink dripping around. Then take a wet paper towel and carefully wipe off any excess dried ink. Be careful how you hold it because you don't want ink to dribble on any part of the electronics. After you get it clean and dry, look at it under a magnifying glass and look for burn spots. Most of the surface of the print head and the electronic traces will be shining and smooth. A burn spot will look like a tiny crater or crack in the surface or discoloration. If you find anything like that, then the print head probably did burn out and you should not put it back in your printer or in any other printer. It could damage your printer.

If you don't find anything, you could take a risk and put the cartridge back in the printer and see if it will power up and work correctly.

Now the question is: is your printer also damaged? The only way to know is to put a new cartridge in it or take it to a repair shop.

The cartridges for the later models of the iP3000 are also easy to refill but since they have chips in them, you have to put up with extra hassle which I have no experience with. Maybe some other will give you advice about them.

Thank you for your reply.
I did exactly what you suggested. If I take out the cartridges and that piece where the cartridges are being hold, the printer is on and functioning. But after cleaning it wisely, and put it back to its place, then from that piece come a small smoke, so I immediately disconnected.

 

[ghwellsjr]

Well, we'll call the print head dead. Now you have to decide whether to:

1) Risk buying another print head (from Canon) hoping that it will work in your printer, because we don't know if your printer is also damaged.

2) Take it to a repair shop and let them figure out if the printer is damaged.

3) Junk the printer and buy a new one.

 

[sergiu]

Well, we'll call the print head dead. Now you have to decide whether to:

1) Risk buying another print head (from Canon) hoping that it will work in your printer, because we don't know if your printer is also damaged.

2) Take it to a repair shop and let them figure out if the printer is damaged.

3) Junk the printer and buy a new one.

I think I will choose both option nr 2 and nr 3:
- I will take it to a repair shop but if the printer can not be fixed, then I have to
- buy another one (option nr 3).

So I ask again for a printer who isnt so problematic with home refilling. I dont mind if I cant see how much ink is in the tanks. I need that the printer to be refillable and the ink/tanks/compatible tanks to be at a modic/normal prince, not expensive.

Someone told me that a Canon IP3600 is what I need, but it is just one sugestion. I think I need more details.
On other forums I saw that the HP deskjet printers with a specified ink number (HP 21, 22, 336, 337, 338, 339, 342, 343, 344) are very good at the refilling chapter.

Please, help me if you know these details.
Thank you.

 

[embguy]

Any Canon iPxxxx series printer that uses BCI-6, BCI-3e, CLI-8 and PGI-5 cartridges are good printers. These ink cartridges are clear plastic which makes it easy for refill. It is hard to find these models in the store. Look for them from Kijiji or Craigslist.

 

[sergiu]

Any Canon iPxxxx series printer that uses BCI-6, BCI-3e, CLI-8 and PGI-5 cartridges are good printers. These ink cartridges are clear plastic which makes it easy for refill. It is hard to find these models in the store. Look for them from Kijiji or Craigslist.

Thank you embguy, but no luck so far...

 

[ontophehe]

Try :
unplug it go to another outlet, try it..because I guess it's not the print head problem but the electrical problem
I believe the problem is either with the power switch or the internal power supply.