Pro-100 not showing ink levels

Alexey

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I just got my Pro-100 back from storage and connected it to the same computer it was previously connected to. However, before I put the printer away, most of the cartridges were showing half-full or nearly empty. When I connected it now, they are all showing as full. I am afraid of using up the cartridges and burning the printhead. Other than removing the cartridges (which will cause massive ink flush), is there any way to gauge the ink levels? Why and how could such a reset happen?
 
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The ink levels shown in the app are approximate values based on a calculation of pages printed. The data was most likely lost over time.

The actual ink alerts come from the printer. There is a prism at bottom of cartridge that does that.

Too ease your mind give Canon a call at 1-800-OK-CANON and discuss with them.
 
What alerts are you referring to? Out of ink alerts? Thanks.
First there is an warning that ink is running low and a new cartridge should be prepared.

Keep printing and then an ink has run out warning appears and printing stops.

John Hoffman
Conway, NH
 
So, that warning will still appear even if printer software mistakenly shows that the tank is full? Do I understand it correctly that this warning will still appear, as it is sent by the hardware, not software?
 
The first thing that you should do when bringing a printer back out from storage is to PHYSICALLY check the ink levels. (Any notion of saving ink from a purge cycle is strictly a bad idea. You stored it , and this is what needs to be done in restarting. This is a reasonable requirement.) Remove the cartridges and check the ink level with your eyes. If it was stored in a place of low humidity and temperature and/or atmospheric fluctuations you will experience accelerated ink drying from the sponge.

This will result in a REAL physical ink level or volume that is much lower than what the ink monitors indicate. Perhaps totally empty.

BTW, ink monitors do not really monitor ink at all. So you cannot depend on that on a reliable basis. Second thing is the ink low prism circuitry and related warning will NOT work when the ink levels/ countdown readings are higher than a certain level. So complete trust in that system after unusual events should not be taken as failsafe. The circuitry is turned OFF when the chip reads high. The chips on cartridges are simply digital countdown circuitry. There are no sensors of any type. You should NOT expect a sensor circuit accurate to within a mil or so to be included in an item that retails for less than $20.

Final thing, NEVER store printers that use cartridges open to the atmosphere ( like the Canon sponge ones) with cartridges near empty or very low. If stored too long and the sponge dries to a certain level, the sponge will start exhibiting a strong negative pressure and will pull the ink back from the printhead and towards the cartridge. In unfortunate circumstances, ink left or separated in the nozzle in this state could eventually dry and cause a real clog because it would have been cut off from the hydration of the ink left in the cartridge,
 
What alerts are you referring to? Out of ink alerts? Thanks.
The Pro-100 gives two stages of ink alerts. The first one has the yellow circle with the exclamation mark:

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You get this one well before the ink is actually out. Basically it means, 'You probably ought to buy more ink, to have ready.' Then you get a second one, with a red circle with an X in it:

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This is the one where I generally let finish whatever print is pending / in progress, but then immediately after that I change the ink.

Will your printer give these warnings, considering the problems you've had? I don't know.
 

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