print head carriage doesnt move to center on pixma ip3000

[vexingv]

my pixma is about a month old and i dont print color very often so after the last time i used it, i took the ink tanks out to store them in a zip-lock bag to increase the inklife.

that was about 3 weeks ago. well today i wanted to print a photo and so i powered on the unit and opened the covers to load the ink. the carriage doesnt move to center as it's supposed to. it just sits there and the power led alternates b/t green and amber. contacted canon and tech support said that its a print head error (according to the # of times led alternated b/t orange/green) so i chose to have new one sent to me.

however, i'm still afraid that this might go wrong in again and w/o my being in warranty. anyone encounter this problem and know how to resolve it?

thanks.

 

[gsaldivar]

In the future, I'd suggest only attempting to remove ink cartridges when they are empty.

 

[vexingv]

Originally posted by: gsaldivar
In the future, I'd suggest only attempting to remove ink cartridges when they are empty.

noted....any other suggestions/ideas?

 

[jules301h]

Perhaps when you removed the tank, you let air get into the printhead and dry out some residual ink in the printhead thereby clogging it. At any rate, obviously just leave the ink in, and turn the printer on every couple weeks just to let it run a cleaning cycle. Don't unplug it without turning it off first so it can cap the head. With these separate printheads, you run the risk of damage and costly replacement, but the ink cartridge ends up being cheaper as a result, because you only have to buy a new ink tank and not a new ink tank and integral printhead (this is what HP forces you to do). I know seiko's heads are about $70. Also, I don't think you are really extending the life by storing the ink, best to leave it installed and sealed in the printer. Without knowing what the printer is detecting and how its doing it, its hard to tell what actually caused the error.

 

[gsaldivar]

Originally posted by: jules301h
Perhaps when you removed the tank, you let air get into the printhead and dry out some residual ink in the printhead thereby clogging it. At any rate, obviously just leave the ink in, and turn the printer on every couple weeks just to let it run a cleaning cycle. Don't unplug it without turning it off first so it can cap the head. With these separate printheads, you run the risk of damage and costly replacement, but the ink cartridge ends up being cheaper as a result, because you only have to buy a new ink tank and not a new ink tank and integral printhead (this is what HP forces you to do). I know seiko's heads are about $70. Also, I don't think you are really extending the life by storing the ink, best to leave it installed and sealed in the printer. Without knowing what the printer is detecting and how its doing it, its hard to tell what actually caused the error.

Good advice.

Jules knows of what he speaks. :thumbsup:

 

[vexingv]

thanks for the advice jules.
i got the replacement in today. they just sent the main unit and a new print head. looks like possibly a reconditioned unit, but i guess it'll have to do.
i managed to pull the carriage from the old printer in order to remove the print head. it looks ok, but i won't take any chances with the new unit so i'll leave the inks in there and clean the head/nozzles every month or something.