What's happening to my PG-40 cart? (Warning, un-resized pictures)

[alexandereci]

I have a MP-198 printer with PG-40/CL-41 carts. I like to do printhead alignment after every-other refill, and I noticed that things are getting out-of-whack again. I'm concerned, could this be another "electrical problem" that plagued my iP3300?

Here are the pics:
1. Page 1 - notice on the B column, even at 0, there is a slight white horizontal line. On column C, even at -3, the vertical black bars now alternate between completely dark and not-so-dark. On column D, there is a horizontal line again, but now there are spaces at the bottom part of the bands.

2. Page 2

3. Print from a nozzle check - notice that the upper 1/3 of the black is hanging a bit to the left

4. Here's a printout from a text document - notice that the "====" line now looks rather wavy

 

[Manuchau]

What happens when you use a different PG-40 cartridge?? Same problem...or problem solved???

 

[Tin Ho]

Your PG-40 print head is either slightly clogged or it is on the way out. The nozzle check print does show a few missing segments. The print head on the PG-40 is never intended to be as durable as those on higher end printers such as MP830 or ip4500. etc. If you have refilled it many times it may be wearing out and needs to be replaced. It is at Canon's best interest that such integrated print head on PG-40 and CL-41 are only good for no more than one full tank of ink.

 

[alexandereci]

Unfortunately, I don't have spare carts on hand to try out.

This tanks has been refilled, oh, about 6 times so far, so it should be far from going out. And the clog isn't my problem, it's the alignment.

Oh how I miss my 3300.

 

[yupkime]

I am surprised that you got more than 4 refills!

 

[alexandereci]

Aside from the two missing bars on the top of the nozzle check, what other nozzles are clogged?

 

[dougsewell]

I had a similar problem with my iP3500 with the nozzle check producing "offset bars" No amount of redoing the print head alignment sorted this . I then removed the print head and carefully cleaned the terminals on the head and the contacts on the printer. I also flused the head under a farly forcefull flow of water from the hot tap (too hot for my delicate hands).
I then redid the alignment by inputting the highest number of the worst pattern. eg if 1 was the correct one I would input (say) -3 I did this for all the printed blocks then did the nozzle check again and at that stage picked the best printed boxes. I ended up havint to do this 3 or 4 times before I got a perfectly aligned head and it has stayed like this ever since. Persevere with realignment to get things straight. Hope this helps
Doug

 

[Manuchau]

I'd like to know the logic behind this approach, if anyone can explain it to me. I decided to try Dougsewell's method on a particularly stubborn printhead. It did not make a difference after several efforts.

I've got an ip3300 printer from a customer, and can not make this printhead function..no # of cleanings and alignments will help at all. Can someone confirm for me whether this is indeed a stubborn printhead OR this is an electrical problem? What exactly are the symptoms of each?

Thanks

 

[dougsewell]

No logic as such but as there was a misalignment on the nozzle test and normal alignment procedures failed to correct the problem I decided to start from scratch and put the print head way out of alignment. Before I did this however I thought it wise to remove , clean by flushing out with hot water and reinstall the print head. This ensured as much as possible that the head was reseated in its holder correctly as it may have become slightly unseated in use or some gunk may be affecting the actual seating. Just a guess but worth exploring. After reinstalling the head. I next performed an alignment test which showed no improvement so I deliberately picked printed boxes from the test that looked the worst. Next I performed the alignment test again, again and again and used the best printed boxes for correction purposes. Bingo - after the third alignment attempt everything printed perfectly. How and why I simply do not know, but it worked and I have been getting perfect prints since then. It may have been caused by some slight clog which subsequent alignment and printing managed to clear but I simply do not know for sure.
Worth a try and I would be interested if anyone else can confirm if this works on their printer.
Happy days

Doug

 

[ghwellsjr]

I've got an ip3300 printer from a customer, and can not make this printhead function..no # of cleanings and alignments will help at all. Can someone confirm for me whether this is indeed a stubborn printhead OR this is an electrical problem? What exactly are the symptoms of each?

Thanks

If you mean that there is absolutely nothing printed when you do a nozzle check, this could either be an electrical problem in the print head or in the printer, or it could be a faulty purge unit. The way to determine which is to put some Windex or just plain water on the two pads off to the right where the print head parks, then close the lid until the noise stops and reopen it. If the liquid is still pooled on the pads, then you have a faulty purge unit, otherwise, I would say you have an electrical problem.