Canon i850 won't print black text

My Canon i850 won't print black text (but will print other colors) despite
having cleaned (soaked) the print head with ammonia and performed serveral
deep cleanings.

I performed a nozzle check, and the black grid (at the top) as well as solid
black bars A and F did not print. However, black bars G, L and M did print.
Unless patterns G, L and M are generated by different nozzles, it doesn't
appear to a clogged nozzle.

So I'm at a loss as to what to try next. Any suggestions? I'm rather
dismayed that I'm having this problem as the printer is not that old (~ 6
months) and has not been used much.

Thanks for any help. I appreciate it.

Pat

On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 20:00:24 GMT, "Pat"
wrote:

My Canon i850 won't print black text (but will print other colors) despite
having cleaned (soaked) the print head with ammonia and performed serveral
deep cleanings.

I performed a nozzle check, and the black grid (at the top) as well as solid
black bars A and F did not print. However, black bars G, L and M did print.
Unless patterns G, L and M are generated by different nozzles, it doesn't
appear to a clogged nozzle.

So I'm at a loss as to what to try next. Any suggestions? I'm rather
dismayed that I'm having this problem as the printer is not that old (~ 6
months) and has not been used much.

Thanks for any help. I appreciate it.

Pat




You definately have a clog. A friend has the same trouble. They
happened to let the ink run completely dry is what caused the problem.

Did you use generic inks or let the printer sit idle for a long long
time? I'm just wondering how this came about.

You may want to consider a cleaning method found on this page.

http://216.219.159.185/clean.html

"beezer" wrote in message
...
You definately have a clog. A friend has the same trouble. They
happened to let the ink run completely dry is what caused the problem.

What would "completely dry" mean? I use my printer until it says low ink,
then until it says that it's empty and I have to replace the cartridge. So
far, trouble free printing. The i560 is a great printer.

"beezer" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 20:00:24 GMT, "Pat"
You definately have a clog. A friend has the same trouble. They
happened to let the ink run completely dry is what caused the problem.

Did you use generic inks or let the printer sit idle for a long long
time? I'm just wondering how this came about.

You may want to consider a cleaning method found on this page.

http://216.219.159.185/clean.html



Thanks for the reply and link.

I originally thought it was a clog and spent some time cleaning the heads
(using an ammonia solution). What confuses me about this is why, with the
nozzle check, some of the black patterns print and others don't. If the
black nozzles were clogged, wouldn't it effect all of the patterns?

Thanks again. -Pat

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 00:24:47 GMT, "xNokia3390x"
wrote:

What would "completely dry" mean? I use my printer until it says low ink,
then until it says that it's empty and I have to replace the cartridge. So
far, trouble free printing. The i560 is a great printer.


What I meant by "completely dry" was the sponge itsself was totally
dried out. All warnings were ignored by various users not responsible
for the printer.

It was used until it wouldnt print black anymore and then left dry
without refilling for weeks.

Patterns G, L and M are generated by combining the three primary colours of
Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. Thus the fact that those patterns print only means
that your colours are working. The G, L and M patterns show the 'photo'
black that the i850 uses for papers such as glossy photo etc. instead of the
pigmented black ink found in the black cartridge.

You either have a bad clog or a bad print head.

Blitzko

--
============================
A persons life is not measured by its
length, but by its depth.
============================

"Pat" wrote in message
news:sJhHc.43950$MB3.2140@attbi_s04...
My Canon i850 won't print black text (but will print other colors) despite
having cleaned (soaked) the print head with ammonia and performed serveral
deep cleanings.

I performed a nozzle check, and the black grid (at the top) as well as
solid
black bars A and F did not print. However, black bars G, L and M did
print.
Unless patterns G, L and M are generated by different nozzles, it doesn't
appear to a clogged nozzle.

So I'm at a loss as to what to try next. Any suggestions? I'm rather
dismayed that I'm having this problem as the printer is not that old (~ 6
months) and has not been used much.

Thanks for any help. I appreciate it.

Pat

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 03:00:23 GMT, "Pat"
wrote:


Thanks for the reply and link.

I originally thought it was a clog and spent some time cleaning the heads
(using an ammonia solution). What confuses me about this is why, with the
nozzle check, some of the black patterns print and others don't. If the
black nozzles were clogged, wouldn't it effect all of the patterns?

Thanks again. -Pat



There are sooo many nozzels... so I doubt all of them are clogged.
Thats why you see some patterns. Also you may be seeing mixed black at
the bottom which uses ink from all the colors but black.

let me know how things turned out.

Thanks Blitzko and beezer.

This is making sense now now. I did another, more thorough cleaning of the
print head last night (where I tried to force cleaner through the black
nozzles in particular). Still no go. The fact that nothing at all prints
from the black nozzles makes me think it's a bad print head. So I'll try
replacing that.

Thanks again for the help. -Pat




"Blitzko" wrote in message
...
Patterns G, L and M are generated by combining the three primary colours
of
Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. Thus the fact that those patterns print only
means
that your colours are working. The G, L and M patterns show the 'photo'
black that the i850 uses for papers such as glossy photo etc. instead of
the
pigmented black ink found in the black cartridge.

You either have a bad clog or a bad print head.

Blitzko

--
============================
A persons life is not measured by its
length, but by its depth.
============================

"Pat" wrote in message
news:sJhHc.43950$MB3.2140@attbi_s04...
My Canon i850 won't print black text (but will print other colors)
despite
having cleaned (soaked) the print head with ammonia and performed
serveral
deep cleanings.

I performed a nozzle check, and the black grid (at the top) as well as
solid
black bars A and F did not print. However, black bars G, L and M did
print.
Unless patterns G, L and M are generated by different nozzles, it
doesn't
appear to a clogged nozzle.

So I'm at a loss as to what to try next. Any suggestions? I'm rather
dismayed that I'm having this problem as the printer is not that old (~
6
months) and has not been used much.

Thanks for any help. I appreciate it.

Pat

The nozzle checks produce 2 sets of black/grey scale print patterns'
1 set of the patterns is made using the Black tank, the other
set is created by compositing CMY.

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"beezer" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 03:00:23 GMT, "Pat"
wrote:


Thanks for the reply and link.

I originally thought it was a clog and spent some time cleaning the heads
(using an ammonia solution). What confuses me about this is why, with
the
nozzle check, some of the black patterns print and others don't. If the
black nozzles were clogged, wouldn't it effect all of the patterns?

Thanks again. -Pat