Canon Pixma IP 3600 errors

[weelzSA]

Hi all,

My girlfriend has a Canon Pixma IP 3600 printer which she uses daily for her cake business. The printer has been working perfectly up until today. When she turned it on the power and error light started flashing ( green power, orange error).

The lights flash in a pattern alternatively green, orange, green, orange ect 10 times then stops and then starts over again. After doing some research I think it might be a problem with the print head or something on that line. I tried taking the print head out (I presume it was the print head) and cleaning it and then putting it back. Tried doing a troubleshoot and also unplugging completely for 5 minutes then plugging back in.

Anyone able to help me out at all? Not too clued up when it comes to printers:wtf: This is quite urgent as I mentioned it is used daily.

 

[Totempole]

Usually it means the Ink waste absorber is full. It happens sooner or later if generic cartridges are used. Replacing it would most likely be too expensive, but you can usually bypass the error, to get a bit more use out of the printer.

Try this, it worked with my IP1000 back in the day, but it didn't print that well fairly soon after due to the full ink waste.

How to Reset waste ink counter (Error E16)
Unplug power and USB cable.
Open door and hold power button.
Connect power.
Close door, then release power button.

Over time prints will become streaky and misaligned, at which point you'll have to replace the printer.

 

[weelzSA]

Usually it means the Ink waste absorber is full. It happens sooner or later if generic cartridges are used. Replacing it would most likely be too expensive, but you can usually bypass the error, to get a bit more use out of the printer.

Try this, it worked with my IP1000 back in the day, but it didn't print that well fairly soon after due to the full ink waste.

How to Reset waste ink counter (Error E16)
Unplug power and USB cable.
Open door and hold power button.
Connect power.
Close door, then release power button.

Over time prints will become streaky and misaligned, at which point you'll have to replace the printer.

Thanks for the tip, but unfortunately it didn't help. When you refer to "open the door" you mean the top part where you can access the print cartridges?

I am pretty sure that it will cost more to try and fix but the problem is we can only buy certain versions of the Canon printer so need to start looking...

 

[Venomous]

What did you do to clean the printhead?
(very important question)






.........

I assume she uses edible ink....


.....
edit:
unless it involved distilled water(amongst other things), and lots of time, it is likely that you have not cleaned the head properly as yet...

 

[Oreomitch]

I suspect the print head has expired. My 5yo Canon Photo printer also behaved the same after much Googling, the consensus was the expired print head. Eventually upgraded to an iP7420 (R985 @ kalahari)

 

[weelzSA]

What did you do to clean the printhead?
(very important question)






.........

I assume she uses edible ink....


.....
edit:
unless it involved distilled water(amongst other things), and lots of time, it is likely that you have not cleaned the head properly as yet...

If it was the print head I took out then I just used a paper towel to clean the connections ect - nothing to hectic.

You are correct, she uses edible ink with the edible paper (the paper is thicker than normal paper). The easiest would be to buy a new printer but because she uses the edible ink, we can only use specific printers and at the time of buying, the ip3600 was the best one to use but has since been discontinued.

I had a look at the cartridges and they seem to be the normal ones that you would normally use but instead filled with edible ink. My question is, if I where to buy a printer that uses the same cartridges, should it still be fine? After doing a google search on the ink cartridge (520 B) it gives me a list of compatible printers - would that then mean an of those printers will work with the cartridges (there are 5 cartridges all together).

The five cartridges are:

521 B
521 M
521 Y
520 B
521 C

 

[Venomous]

are you prepared to give it 24hours? or so?

I can walk you through a thurough printhead clean, if you wish. During this process look at the printers(back up), so you know what you can look at should the clean not help.


(please excuse typo's, typing on my phone)

 

[Venomous]

If buying a new printer....

I would suggest looking at the epson ink advantage range...

check if it can handle the paper and edible ink...
It comes with preinstalled ink tanks, meaning you can buy the ink by the bottle.

 

[Venomous]

what is the thickness of the paper?

is it like think cardboard(think poster board thickness)?

Coz then it should work with most printers.

 

[weelzSA]

are you prepared to give it 24hours? or so?

I can walk you through a thurough printhead clean, if you wish. During this process look at the printers(back up), so you know what you can look at should the clean not help.


(please excuse typo's, typing on my phone)

At this moment willing to try anything before buying a new printer as we know the cartridges work with this printer so yeah if you don't mind would greatly appreciate your help with cleaning the printhead.

 

[weelzSA]

If buying a new printer....

I would suggest looking at the epson ink advantage range...

check if it can handle the paper and edible ink...
It comes with preinstalled ink tanks, meaning you can buy the ink by the bottle.

Yeah I have looked at epson but just need to find out if we can get the edible ink in refill bottles. But the other problem is, won't the printer come with ink in the cartridges, if so we won't be able to use them as how will I be able to clean them out completely and add the edible ink?

 

[weelzSA]

what is the thickness of the paper?

is it like think cardboard(think poster board thickness)?

Coz then it should work with most printers.

It a little less thicker than the cardboard paper.

I also feel it will work with most printers (I select envelope in the printer settings to be sure). The paper isnt the concern, the concern is getting the edible ink cartridges for the printer as this printer is solely used for printing out edible sheets which my girlfriend then uses for cake and cupcake orders.

 

[Venomous]

Yeah I have looked at epson but just need to find out if we can get the edible ink in refill bottles. But the other problem is, won't the printer come with ink in the cartridges, if so we won't be able to use them as how will I be able to clean them out completely and add the edible ink?

your original 3600 would have had normal ink in the head when you first got it...

will try figure this out..

 

[weelzSA]

your original 3600 would have had normal ink in the head when you first got it...

will try figure this out..

The company we bought it from replaces the ink cartridges with the edible ones before we even set it up (the ink cartridges are normally packaged separately in the box when you buy it new).

Thanks I really appreciate it.

 

[Venomous]

At this moment willing to try anything before buying a new printer as we know the cartridges work with this printer so yeah if you don't mind would greatly appreciate your help with cleaning the printhead.

you need
ammonia (pnp, checkers etc)
1-2 litre distilled water (spares shops)
a bowl that is wide enough to have the head standing in it. Not to wide cos else wasting the cleaning stuff.
depth of the bowl at least half the height of the head.
NOT any form of metal. plastic, glass, porcelain or similar
paper towels
20ml syringe (no needle)
spare cartridges if you don't have much ink in the current ones.

once you are armed and ready I can explain the process.

 

[Venomous]

The company we bought it from replaces the ink cartridges with the edible ones before we even set it up (the ink cartridges are normally packaged separately in the box when you buy it new).

Thanks I really appreciate it.

the heads have ink in them brand new, else you would need to do a few bad prints to get the ink going.

 

[weelzSA]

you need
ammonia (pnp, checkers etc)
1-2 litre distilled water (spares shops)
a bowl that is wide enough to have the head standing in it. Not to wide cos else wasting the cleaning stuff.
depth of the bowl at least half the height of the head.
NOT any form of metal. plastic, glass, porcelain or similar
paper towels
20ml syringe (no needle)
spare cartridges if you don't have much ink in the current ones.

once you are armed and ready I can explain the process.

Will go out shortly and get all the things listed.

With regards to Distilled Water - is this the same as normal bottled still water you get from shops (Valpre, Bonaqua ect)?

Should have a spare cartridge somewhere.

 

[Venomous]

Will go out shortly and get all the things listed.

With regards to Distilled Water - is this the same as normal bottled still water you get from shops (Valpre, Bonaqua ect)?

Should have a spare cartridge somewhere.

no, no, no

distilled water has been treated to remove impurities, like metal deposits.

It is normally used to top up your car's battery water, if it is not a sealed unit

 

[weelzSA]

no, no, no

distilled water has been treated to remove impurities, like metal deposits.

It is normally used to top up your car's battery water, if it is not a sealed unit

Ahhh OK!

 

[Muki]

Yeah I have looked at epson but just need to find out if we can get the edible ink in refill bottles. But the other problem is, won't the printer come with ink in the cartridges, if so we won't be able to use them as how will I be able to clean them out completely and add the edible ink?

You can find the edible ink online, I brought in a litre of each colour a few years back for my mother (Will try to find the name of company). Then just bought generic empty cartridges and fill them up. You can use almost any printer I think, provided it doesnt bend the page when feeding and hasnt been used with normal ink before.