Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Canon ipf8300 - Ink Level Issues  (Read 2281 times)

Kanvas Keepsakes

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 341
Canon ipf8300 - Ink Level Issues
« on: May 07, 2013, 10:30:57 pm »

Man what a pain!  This ipf8300 shows ink levels about a quarter to the bottom.  No warnings or anything.  Then when I tried removing paper roll I started to get hardware errors.  It said for me to turn off and on again.  Did that, then I get a message saying low ink.  Then tried cleaning print head (like it told me to) and got another error.  Turned off printer and on again and then a second ink low please replace.  Error messages stopped but had 3 inks all low and needing to be replaced at once.  Did a firmware upgrade just right now and when it restarted with new firmware yet ANOTHER ink low!  AGH!  Is there anyway to get a better ink estimate as to when it will go out instead of it going out on me from one day to the next? 
Logged

bill t.

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3011
    • http://www.unit16.net
Re: Canon ipf8300 - Ink Level Issues
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2013, 11:09:31 pm »

Yes, in the Accounting tab of the printing dialogue you can dig down to a menu item that will tell you exactly how many total milliliters have been used for each color as a running total since day 1.  Write that down when you change cartridges, and keep track.  If you want.  You can use all the ink in a 330 or 700ml cartridge.  Gives you an idea what carts get used the most...#1 is Yellow.

But usually, when you get the first ink warning you can still get at least 50 and 100 square feet on the old cartridge.  I usually don't change carts until the printer refuses to print unless I do, or very rarely when I still have a teensy bit of ink but with a huge print lined up.

If you're on your first set of cartridges, the bar graphs are not too reliable until you swap out the original cartridges used for charging the lines.
Logged

Kanvas Keepsakes

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 341
Re: Canon ipf8300 - Ink Level Issues
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2013, 11:15:20 pm »

Bill your knowledge is very much appreciated.  Thank you. Have a couple prints to do and worried about printing when I see these messages.  I don't wanna mess anything on my printer up.  When I pull out the cartridges to replace them they usually feel like empty plastic.  As if I'm holding an entirely empty container.  I don't want the printer to substitute colors or something and mess up my prints if I'm running low.  Will my printer do this? 
Logged

bill t.

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3011
    • http://www.unit16.net
Re: Canon ipf8300 - Ink Level Issues
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2013, 11:52:30 pm »

The 8300 will refuse to print if it thinks it doesn't have enough ink to complete the print that's being sent to it.  In almost every case I have waited for that refusal before changing a cart.  Bottom line, in a few 10,000 square feet of canvas, I have never run out of ink or messed up a print for ink level issues.  But unlike Epsons which prompt you to change cartridges in the middle of a print, the 8300 just refuses to start the print if it's low.  However, on a few occasions before starting really big prints, I have replaced a low cartridge just for peace of mind.  But I doubt if that was ever really necessary.  I don't think the 8300 ever does anything like substituting colors, on purpose.

edit...and once in a while it will ask for a cartridge change just after finishing a print.  I have usually looked close at the print on those occasions, have never seen a sudden color change that indicate an out-of-ink situation.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2013, 11:55:09 pm by bill t. »
Logged

Kanvas Keepsakes

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 341
Re: Canon ipf8300 - Ink Level Issues
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2013, 12:17:54 am »

Thanks Bill. 
Logged

Jeff Magidson

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 191
    • Artslides Digital Imaging
Re: Canon ipf8300 - Ink Level Issues
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2013, 12:49:16 pm »

Yes, in the Accounting tab of the printing dialogue you can dig down to a menu item that will tell you exactly how many total milliliters have been used for each color as a running total since day 1.

I have never seen the "Accounting Tab". Is this Windows only?

~ Jeff

http://artslidesboston.com
Logged
~ Jeff Magidson
Custom Archival Printing
http://artslidesboston.com

bill t.

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3011
    • http://www.unit16.net
Re: Canon ipf8300 - Ink Level Issues
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2013, 04:01:21 pm »

Win7.

I print through the traditional File->Print dialogue, which brings up the "imageProGraf Status Monitor" program that presents a dialogue that is always visible while the image is printing.  It also displays the ink level graphic, and time left to print.  It has an Accounting tab, that brings up the accounting dialogue, where you can select File->Show Ink and Paper Used.  If you print through the Canon plugin, perhaps this isn't visible, dunno.

Or, somewhere in your program files you should have the same "imageProGraf Status Monitor" that can be brought up any time the printer is turned on.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up