Canon ImagePROGRAF PRO Startup Ink Consumption

[Brad P]

I just received a the new 4600 which was set up by a local dealer.  I hadn't expected they would set it up before delivery, but they were bringing it in from 100+ miles away so I guess that makes sense.  It appears that the ink line and head priming process consumed about 180 grams of ink from each of 12 containers.  Is that normal?

Details:  The startup inks are supposed to be 330 ML.  On arrival, I noticed the ink containers said "SETUP" on the top where "330ML" should be.  Shaking the containers (I couldn't see inside), they felt about 1/4 to 1/3 full.  I weighed a number of the partially spent cartridges, and they weighed an average of ~275 grams.  Assuming the plastic containers themselves weigh 100-125 grams, then about 150-175 grams of ink remain in each cartridge.  Applying an assumed 100:90 water/ink gram to mililiter conversion ratio (a crude estimate based on internet jibber jabber) suggests that about 135 to 160 MLs of the ink remain for use in each.  If that's all true, then 170-195 MLs of ink were consumed from each cartridge setting up the printer, or about 9 bakers cups of ink.  As an aside, I've noticed that the ink maintenance (waste) cartridge is about 25% full after the set up process. 

I suppose this is all correct and normal, and I should just go on to the next thing.  But it doesn't match my now quite old memory of how much ink my old Z3200 consumed at setup.  Anyways, is this consistent with others observations for this printer line?

Regardless, I've profiled and tested the printer out a bit this weekend, and it won't be going back.  It otherwise seems terrific.  I do want to understand this though since a new set of inks will be $2 grand.

[Ryan Mack]

This series (and earlier) of printers sucks ink out of the tanks into a "subtank" or internal ink store. So a bunch of that ink may have left the tanks but hasn't been wasted. This is how you can keep printing while you replace an ink tank. And it probably has something to do with the way ink is agitated to prevent pigment settling out.

[NAwlins_Contrarian]

Disclaimer: I tend toward the cynical.

I'd be wondering whether the printer was truly 100% new, or possibly had been used to demo the new model for the vendor and/or another prospective purchaser, and/or maybe had even been previously sold but returned or something. The main reason for my suspicion is that these big Canons are known for dumping a lot of ink / having to dump a lot of ink if they've got ink in them and are tilted to more than a fairly modest angle. Given that issue, initializing a new printer anywhere other than at its intended regular working location seems like a rather bad idea. Suppose the printer needs to be turned on its end to get it through a tight twist in a passageway? If a new printer I'd ordered showed up in anything short of its full manufacturer's packaging, totally uninitialized, then I'd tell them to take it back. IMO at a minimum the seller should have gotten your okay to initialize it beforehand.

Maybe you know the seller well and trust them totally. Like I said, I'm somewhat cynical.

[MN]

Disclaimer: I tend toward the cynical.

I'd be wondering whether the printer was truly 100% new, or possibly had been used to demo the new model for the vendor and/or another prospective purchaser, and/or maybe had even been previously sold but returned or something. ...

Yes, there is something not kosher here. Perhaps a few test prints were printed to check out the new Canon printers.

Is there a way to check how many prints were printed out?

[Brad P]

I'd be wondering whether the printer was truly 100% new, or possibly had been used to demo the new model for the vendor and/or another prospective purchaser, and/or maybe had even been previously sold but returned or something.

Indeed, the thought it wasn't straight out of a box occurred to me as well.  So I had checked the information menu and only about 12 square feet had been printed out pre-arrival, which is consistent with it having been setup and a few test prints run at the dealer's location.  It is an established regional dealer that I have dealt with before as well.  On the cynical side of things I guess I still wonder if the inks marked "SETUP" were really 330 ML full.  Why wouldn't the inks say "330 ML" on the top like normal Cannon 330 ML inks do?   From a 12 year old memory, my Z3200 took only about about 1/3 the ink to startup, though its small print heads were prefilled.

All considered, I'm leaning toward the theory that this is normal for this make/model and as Ryan points out that the subtank consumes a bit of this -- but I'd hope to get more confirmation of that from disinterested owners who have noticed this ink usage on setup.  These are expensive inks, and my brain has gone from "Whoopie, I can print with wanton abandon next year" to "Oh no, I've got to watch my ink use!"

[sunnyherman]

I somewhat envy you for your purchase - somewhat because I could never fit a 44" printer in my space. I also find it surprising that the seller would have "set it up" before delivery - that really makes no sense and I'm pretty sure it would be frowned on by Canon.

I REALLY do wish Canon would get off their duffs and come out with the replacement for the PRO 1000 - it's asinine that they still haven't replaced this almost decade old printer. I owned the original iPF 5000, then the 6300 and now the PRO 1000. Comparing prints from the iPF 6300 to the PRO 1000, the bronzing on the 6300 prints is REALLY obvious compared to the PRO 1000.

Canon also NEEDS to add roll feed to any PRO 1000 replacement. I have 17" and 24" rolls from my iPF 5000 (yes, it actually had a roll adapter) and 6300. I donated the 5000 to a friends school after I got my 6300, but still have the roll feed adapter for it and should see if there's a way to jimmy rig it for my PRO 1000.

Good luck with your 4600.

[Ryan Mack]

I was reading the Pro4000 manual. It looks like "prepare for transport" mode fills 3 maintenance cartridges in order to suck out the ink from the subtanks and lines. So if your maintenance cartridge is 25% full, then around 90% of the ink that came out of the tanks is still in the printer. I wouldn't stress about it.