Canon Pro-1000 - "Maintenance Printing" and waste

[IMsoSchur]

My trusty R2000 died so I have my sights set on the Canon as a replacement. My one concern is around the supposed "waste" of the maintenance cycles. I am just a hobbyist, so I don't really print every day. I know it is not really optimal to run a printer like this used that way, but I do enjoy being able to print and frame the pictures I like, and I find it rewarding to tweak the choice of papers and the image that I really don't see happening form any service. 

That said, I do want to limit the waste component as much as possible. Is it viable to turn off the auto maintenance stuff and just run a printer alignment type page once every couple of weeks?  If I do this, is it best to leave it turned on or off inbetween?

Any other tips for the more intermittent user?

[Conner999]

We replaced our frustrating 3800 with a Pro-1000 and love the thing.  We don't do volume on it, but have not noticed any undue ink wastage due to maintenance.  The initial filling of transfer lines will see the 'ink remaining' levels IN THE CARTS plunge, but after heart skips a beat, you remember the rather hefty transfer tubes are full of ink.

I've not researched it, but I doubt you can fuss much with the maintenance firmware routines. People would turn them off than raise hell with Canon when consequences appeared..

All said, we'd trade minute amounts of 'maintenance ink' on frequent occasions than the repeated BS we went thru with physical cleanings, clogged nozzles and endless test chart runs and ruined client prints that wasted ink & $$$ paper with the comparable Epson.   

Lesser of two evils as it were.

[Alan Goldhammer]

I also replaced an Epson printer, the 3880, with the Canon Pro-1000.  I looked carefully at Mark Segal's reviews on this site both the Canon and Epson P800 printers before deciding on the Canon.  I have had the Canon for four months now and am still on the original ink cartridges.  When I first noticed the warning, I ordered a full set of ink cartridges just to be on the safe side.  The printer keeps printing just fine since getting the low ink warning several weeks ago.  I did have to replace the maintenance tank about a month ago; it does fill up rather quickly but I don't know what the capacity of it is. 

I like the vacuum hold system and the fact that paper feed is much easier than on the Epson.  Print quality is outstanding and the new firmware update enables printing beyond 25 inches in length in case you do need to print a pano.  This is one excellent printer.

[ConnorRay]

Alan, what new firmware? I can not find any information about a new firmware for the Pro-1000 that would allow me to print panoramas?

[Alan Goldhammer]

Alan, what new firmware? I can not find any information about a new firmware for the Pro-1000 that would allow me to print panoramas?

https://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=132347.0   I think this lets you print up to 47 inches in length.

[ConnorRay]

Thank You Alan! I shoot 99% 2to1 panos so this makes me very happy . Weird that it’s so quiet about this new feature…

[Panagiotis]

I did have to replace the maintenance tank about a month ago; it does fill up rather quickly but I don't know what the capacity of it is. 

The MC-20 maintenance tank fills up with 220ml of ink approximately. This is the average of the 8 maintenance tanks I have replaced until now.

[MarkFarber]

In the 2 years I've had the Pro-1000, I've used 55 ink cartridges (at 80ml) and 7 maintenance cartridges (at 220ml--thank you Panagiotis).  That means 35% of the ink has gone to the maintenance cartridges.

I print almost every week, usually more than once, I never print borderless, the nozzle checks have been flawless so I've done cleanings maybe once, I always leave the power on...

My Epson 3880 (second location) has used 2 maintenance tanks (unknown capacity) for 48 ink cartridges, even with not infrequent ink swaps.  For last 2 years, often sits weeks unused, and I've done cleanings only about 3 times in 6 years.

I've just replaced the Pro-1000 with a P5000.  Powerful roll capability and hopefully lower ink cost (40% lower $ per ml, and hopefully lower self-consumption).