Canon Pro 10 cost of ink cleaning cycles -results of testing

[Philip Eihuyar]

How expensive is it to users of the Pro 10 in cleaning cycles -if you minimize those cycles by switching out all carts at once (rather than one at a time) and do a printout before the 60 hour clock cycle forces a more extensive cleaning?

Sorry for the long sentence- So, to find out, I printed almost nothing (four 8X10 prints) from the time I put in a freshly filled set of carts till 4.25 months later when I switched out all carts and refilled them (with OEM ink).

I weighed each cart before and after filling. Total ink used for just cleaning cycles in that 4 and a quarter month period of time was 88 ml. Over this period, the cost for ink just for cleaning cycles (every 58 hour- Q-Image scheduled) is $21.50 per month.

Time spent on one switching and refilling was one and a half hours.

It would be interesting to compare ink/cost use for users who just print without trying to minimize cleaning/purge cycles by these practices as decribed above. Also, in the new Canon models in which refilling and resetting carts are not an option, how much ink is used by changing out one cart at a time.

Sort of an obscure topic but of interest to re-fillers.

 

[palombian]

How expensive is it to users of the Pro 10 in cleaning cycles -if you minimize those cycles by switching out all carts at once (rather than one at a time) and do a printout before the 60 hour clock cycle forces a more extensive cleaning?

Sorry for the long sentence- So, to find out, I printed almost nothing (four 8X10 prints) from the time I put in a freshly filled set of carts till 4.25 months later when I switched out all carts and refilled them (with OEM ink).

I weighed each cart before and after filling. Total ink used for just cleaning cycles in that 4 and a quarter month period of time was 88 ml. Over this period, the cost for ink just for cleaning cycles (every 58 hour- Q-Image scheduled) is $21.50 per month.

Time spent on one switching and refilling was one and a half hours.

It would be interesting to compare ink/cost use for users who just print without trying to minimize cleaning/purge cycles by these practices as decribed above. Also, in the new Canon models in which refilling and resetting carts are not an option, how much ink is used by changing out one cart at a time.

Sort of an obscure topic but of interest to re-fillers.

Figures sound realistic.

I did something similar a few years ago and my inks went down faster than when I switched off the printer when not used (what I always do since). This confirms the 60 hr cycle is a myth.

I guess when you had switched on the printer once a month to print one 8x10 you had used less ink.

You also could have printed 20 sheets a month with the 88ml .

As you mentioned, topping up all carts when one is empty is the largest gain. This can be done with OEM ink too (sucking out partially empty PGI-72 carts or from PGI-29 PRO-1 carts).

If I was forced to buy a PRO-300 I would do the same, but with ink monitoring disabled it should have to be done at regular intervals. One purge cycle every month is still much less than after every individual cartridge change.

 

[Adam2]

How expensive is it to users of the Pro 10 in cleaning cycles -if you minimize those cycles by switching out all carts at once (rather than one at a time) and do a printout before the 60 hour clock cycle forces a more extensive cleaning?

Sorry for the long sentence- So, to find out, I printed almost nothing (four 8X10 prints) from the time I put in a freshly filled set of carts till 4.25 months later when I switched out all carts and refilled them (with OEM ink).

I weighed each cart before and after filling. Total ink used for just cleaning cycles in that 4 and a quarter month period of time was 88 ml. Over this period, the cost for ink just for cleaning cycles (every 58 hour- Q-Image scheduled) is $21.50 per month.

Time spent on one switching and refilling was one and a half hours.

It would be interesting to compare ink/cost use for users who just print without trying to minimize cleaning/purge cycles by these practices as decribed above. Also, in the new Canon models in which refilling and resetting carts are not an option, how much ink is used by changing out one cart at a time.

Sort of an obscure topic but of interest to re-fillers.

Figures sound realistic.

I did something similar a few years ago and my inks went down faster than when I switched off the printer when not used (what I always do since). This confirms the 60 hr cycle is a myth.

What? Are you saying that it is more economical to switch the printer off and subject to a deep cleaning cycle rather than leave it on and do a qimage 58hr print?

I guess when you had switched on the printer once a month to print one 8x10 you had used less ink.

I don't think he said that.

You also could have printed 20 sheets a month with the 88ml .

Yup.

 

[Philip Eihuyar]

How expensive is it to users of the Pro 10 in cleaning cycles -if you minimize those cycles by switching out all carts at once (rather than one at a time) and do a printout before the 60 hour clock cycle forces a more extensive cleaning?

Sorry for the long sentence- So, to find out, I printed almost nothing (four 8X10 prints) from the time I put in a freshly filled set of carts till 4.25 months later when I switched out all carts and refilled them (with OEM ink).

I weighed each cart before and after filling. Total ink used for just cleaning cycles in that 4 and a quarter month period of time was 88 ml. Over this period, the cost for ink just for cleaning cycles (every 58 hour- Q-Image scheduled) is $21.50 per month.

Time spent on one switching and refilling was one and a half hours.

It would be interesting to compare ink/cost use for users who just print without trying to minimize cleaning/purge cycles by these practices as decribed above. Also, in the new Canon models in which refilling and resetting carts are not an option, how much ink is used by changing out one cart at a time.

Sort of an obscure topic but of interest to re-fillers.

Figures sound realistic.

I did something similar a few years ago and my inks went down faster than when I switched off the printer when not used (what I always do since). This confirms the 60 hr cycle is a myth.

Years ago, it was thought no cleaning cycles occured if you printed below 60 hrs. That was found to not be so but if you you keep it below the 60 hrs it minimizes the ink cycle to the smallest amount. With Epsons, no cleaning cycles occur but with much greater likelihood of a clogged printhead with far more expensive purge/cleaning to get it printing again. I would not risk leaving the printer off for a month to save ink. I used to own a Epson R800 and it had clogs all the time when I didn't print for a couple of weeks. Clogging happens if you leave printer idle too long.

[With the Epsons, it may not be dried ink but an air pocket at tip of nozzle which can be difficult to clear even by cleaning cycles. A full purge is the only way to clean it out]

I guess when you had switched on the printer once a month to print one 8x10 you had used less ink. You also could have printed 20 sheets a month with the 88ml .

That 88ml of ink would be spread over 4 and a quarter months and I print far more often than once a month. For me, $21 a month is not too expensive to guarantee a trouble free printer.

As you mentioned, topping up all carts when one is empty is the largest gain. This can be done with OEM ink too (sucking out partially empty PGI-72 carts or from PGI-29 PRO-1 carts).

I have been purchasing PGI 29/Pro 1 carts to get ink in larger quantities for refilling. BTW, Jose Rodridges has started saying the Pro 1000 carts can be used for the ink in the Pro 10 as well. Much larger amount of ink in the Pro 1000. I haven't tried that except for the Chroma Optimiser which for sure is the same across all models. Also used more than any other of the inks.

If I was forced to buy a PRO-300 I would do the same, but with ink monitoring disabled it should have to be done at regular intervals. One purge cycle every month is still much less than after every individual cartridge change.

I have not heard details on refilling the Pro 300 with OEM ink yet. What source would you you use for OEM ink? It is an expensive printer up front and using it with third party inks sounds like not such a good use of the pro Epson printer. But, if you can remember to check the ink levels and refill on time, that is a good way to use an Epson printer with 3rd party inks. Perhaps the 3rd party inks can be improved to match in the longevity of the OEM inks.

 

[palombian]

How expensive is it to users of the Pro 10 in cleaning cycles -if you minimize those cycles by switching out all carts at once (rather than one at a time) and do a printout before the 60 hour clock cycle forces a more extensive cleaning?

Sorry for the long sentence- So, to find out, I printed almost nothing (four 8X10 prints) from the time I put in a freshly filled set of carts till 4.25 months later when I switched out all carts and refilled them (with OEM ink).

I weighed each cart before and after filling. Total ink used for just cleaning cycles in that 4 and a quarter month period of time was 88 ml. Over this period, the cost for ink just for cleaning cycles (every 58 hour- Q-Image scheduled) is $21.50 per month.

Time spent on one switching and refilling was one and a half hours.

It would be interesting to compare ink/cost use for users who just print without trying to minimize cleaning/purge cycles by these practices as decribed above. Also, in the new Canon models in which refilling and resetting carts are not an option, how much ink is used by changing out one cart at a time.

Sort of an obscure topic but of interest to re-fillers.

Figures sound realistic.

I did something similar a few years ago and my inks went down faster than when I switched off the printer when not used (what I always do since). This confirms the 60 hr cycle is a myth.

Years ago, it was thought no cleaning cycles occured if you printed below 60 hrs. That was found to not be so but if you you keep it below the 60 hrs it minimizes the ink cycle to the smallest amount. With Epsons, no cleaning cycles occur but with much greater likelihood of a clogged printhead with far more expensive purge/cleaning to get it printing again. I would not risk leaving the printer off for a month to save ink. I used to own a Epson R800 and it had clogs all the time when I didn't print for a couple of weeks. Clogging happens if you leave printer idle too long.

[With the Epsons, it may not be dried ink but an air pocket at tip of nozzle which can be difficult to clear even by cleaning cycles. A full purge is the only way to clean it out]

I guess when you had switched on the printer once a month to print one 8x10 you had used less ink. You also could have printed 20 sheets a month with the 88ml .

That 88ml of ink would be spread over 4 and a quarter months and I print far more often than once a month. For me, $21 a month is not too expensive to guarantee a trouble free printer.

As you mentioned, topping up all carts when one is empty is the largest gain. This can be done with OEM ink too (sucking out partially empty PGI-72 carts or from PGI-29 PRO-1 carts).

I have been purchasing PGI 29/Pro 1 carts to get ink in larger quantities for refilling. BTW, Jose Rodridges has started saying the Pro 1000 carts can be used for the ink in the Pro 10 as well. Much larger amount of ink in the Pro 1000. I haven't tried that except for the Chroma Optimiser which for sure is the same across all models. Also used more than any other of the inks.

If I was forced to buy a PRO-300 I would do the same, but with ink monitoring disabled it should have to be done at regular intervals. One purge cycle every month is still much less than after every individual cartridge change.

I have not heard details on refilling the Pro 300 with OEM ink yet. What source would you you use for OEM ink? It is an expensive printer up front and using it with third party inks sounds like not such a good use of the pro Epson printer. But, if you can remember to check the ink levels and refill on time, that is a good way to use an Epson printer with 3rd party inks. Perhaps the 3rd party inks can be improved to match in the longevity of the OEM inks.

I left my PRO-9500II and PRO-10 switched off for a month several times. It took a bit more time before it was ready to print again but I had not the impression it used too much ink. No worries, my ink is not so expensive.

As said, it is the so called "domino effect" by replacing one cart at the time that drains the ink. Most of the time GY and CO are empty first, and when you top up the other colors some need only a few ml, you go a long time with a PRO-1 cart of 38ml or a 80ml PRO-1000.

I try to use the printer regularly. I often make a print on 10x15cm or A4 first, where would I hang all those A3+ ?

IMO the printer never launches deep cleaning by itself.

According to Canon the PRO-300 uses the Lucia PRO inks from the 1000/2000/4000 series (with an enhanced MBK).

 

[Adam2]

Coming from Epson medium and wide format printers, I never left them on unless I was planning on printing pretty much every day. There were periods when I left for several months traveling and then would turn on the printers when I came home. Nozzle checks occasionally would indicate clogs, though they all cleared easily. At least with the Epson printers, there was no apparent penalty for turning them off and with the heads parked, significant clogging was never a problem. I still have a 14+ yo 3800 and old 3880 going strong. My wide formats were all too big to transport when I moved and they were sold without problems.

Fast forward to today where I bought a wide format Canon. The thing drinks ink like a race car chews through fuel. What is the best strategy for this printer? If I turn it off, and restart, it goes through an ink charge cycle and drains cartridges faster than I can run to change them. Sure, this is a bit of hyperbole but it is largely accurate. Is one best served by leaving this printer on and then printing a nozzle check every 3 days or so?

 

[farmersteve]

My Pro-10 I never turn it off but have not printed anything for up to 2 months and always fine. No clogs. Canon printers are a different beast than Epsons. Never had a clog on any Canon printers including my Pro-100 I left off for six months after I got my Pro-10.

I am getting tired of the high costs of inks. I went to Precision on my Pro-10 for a while hoping to save some money but the colors never came out good and the BW was especially awful. Went back to OEM. I might try some PFI-1000 carts in the pro-10 to keep costs down. I think the days of refilling with quality 3rd party inks on any printer is coming to end

 

[ChicagoRob]

My Pro-10 I never turn it off but have not printed anything for up to 2 months and always fine. No clogs. Canon printers are a different beast than Epsons. Never had a clog on any Canon printers including my Pro-100 I left off for six months after I got my Pro-10.

I am getting tired of the high costs of inks. I went to Precision on my Pro-10 for a while hoping to save some money but the colors never came out good and the BW was especially awful. Went back to OEM. I might try some PFI-1000 carts in the pro-10 to keep costs down. I think the days of refilling with quality 3rd party inks on any printer is coming to end

My experience with the Pro-10 is that it doesn’t matter whether you leave it turned off, or on. It will run its scheduled cleanings, regardless. One thing I can also say is that the printer has been uber reliable: not one bad nozzle-check or required cleaning in over 5 years.



The Pro-10 is an expensive printer to operate, no doubt about it. It’s a shame there is no archival pigment inkset comparable to OEM, for refilling. PGI-72 carts are super easy to refill.

 

[Gesture]

And most of the newest consumer printers are locked out. All I see is remanufactured OEM carts.

 

[palombian]

My Pro-10 I never turn it off but have not printed anything for up to 2 months and always fine. No clogs. Canon printers are a different beast than Epsons. Never had a clog on any Canon printers including my Pro-100 I left off for six months after I got my Pro-10.

I am getting tired of the high costs of inks. I went to Precision on my Pro-10 for a while hoping to save some money but the colors never came out good and the BW was especially awful. Went back to OEM. I might try some PFI-1000 carts in the pro-10 to keep costs down. I think the days of refilling with quality 3rd party inks on any printer is coming to end

I tested 3th party and alternative OEM inks in the PRO-10 last year - with custom profiles - and was extremely pleased with the Precision Colors inks. Color and gamut very close to OEM. You nowhere will find better. Sadly enough not easy to get it to Europe.

PRO-10 is very reliable, I found a second one cheap as a spare. Printhead is the same as the PRO-300 and the waste ink counter can be reset. This printer will outlast me.

 

[Philip Eihuyar]

PRO-10 is very reliable, I found a second one cheap as a spare. Printhead is the same as the PRO-300 and the waste ink counter can be reset. This printer will outlast me.

That is a good setup. With two Pro 10s, you can use one with OEM and the other with Precision or another 3rd party ink. Are you able to change out and reset the Pro 10 waste ink pad? I suppose if you can reset the counter, you could drill a hole and drain the waste ink container. How do you reset the counter?

 

[farmersteve]

My Pro-10 I never turn it off but have not printed anything for up to 2 months and always fine. No clogs. Canon printers are a different beast than Epsons. Never had a clog on any Canon printers including my Pro-100 I left off for six months after I got my Pro-10.

I am getting tired of the high costs of inks. I went to Precision on my Pro-10 for a while hoping to save some money but the colors never came out good and the BW was especially awful. Went back to OEM. I might try some PFI-1000 carts in the pro-10 to keep costs down. I think the days of refilling with quality 3rd party inks on any printer is coming to end

I tested 3th party and alternative OEM inks in the PRO-10 last year - with custom profiles - and was extremely pleased with the Precision Colors inks. Color and gamut very close to OEM. You nowhere will find better. Sadly enough not easy to get it to Europe.

PRO-10 is very reliable, I found a second one cheap as a spare. Printhead is the same as the PRO-300 and the waste ink counter can be reset. This printer will outlast me.

That's probably my problem. I need a custom profile. I just went with the OEM one. I could never get a neutral BW print. Went back to OEM inks and perfect every time. I guess I have to spend a lot more money to save some money....

 

[mikling]

From late September 2017, the Precision Pro-10 inkset was dramatically changed to the "SE" and you should know this because dispensing information based on retired products no longer available is like rating a KIA automobile from15 years ago with the current ones. Make sure opinions are linked to current information .... would you rate a KIA automobile to be junk today as you might have 20 years ago?

 

[farmersteve]

From late September 2017, the Precision Pro-10 inkset was dramatically changed to the "SE" and you should know this because dispensing information based on retired products no longer available is like rating a KIA automobile from15 years ago with the current ones. Make sure opinions are linked to current information .... would you rate a KIA automobile to be junk today as you might have 20 years ago?

Yup bought the inks in 2018. Still sucked so I moved back to OEM.

 

[palombian]

PRO-10 is very reliable, I found a second one cheap as a spare. Printhead is the same as the PRO-300 and the waste ink counter can be reset. This printer will outlast me.

That is a good setup. With two Pro 10s, you can use one with OEM and the other with Precision or another 3rd party ink. Are you able to change out and reset the Pro 10 waste ink pad? I suppose if you can reset the counter, you could drill a hole and drain the waste ink container. How do you reset the counter?

You can buy a hacked Service Tool 5204 on eBay for a few box. I tested it with success on PRO-10 and Maxify. Your antivirus probably will go off but you have to register it as false positive.

The waste ink doesn't go in a container but in absorbing felt in the printer bottom. You have to pull out the 2 tubes that come out the purge pump and guide them outside.

PS: Until now I never had a Canon photo printer with full waste pads. I think it doesn't occur before 5000 prints (depending on size of coarse). But I know I can solve it just in case.

 

[Philip Eihuyar]

PRO-10 is very reliable, I found a second one cheap as a spare. Printhead is the same as the PRO-300 and the waste ink counter can be reset. This printer will outlast me.

That is a good setup. With two Pro 10s, you can use one with OEM and the other with Precision or another 3rd party ink. Are you able to change out and reset the Pro 10 waste ink pad? I suppose if you can reset the counter, you could drill a hole and drain the waste ink container. How do you reset the counter?

You can buy a hacked Service Tool 5204 on eBay for a few box. I tested it with success on PRO-10 and Maxify. Your antivirus probably will go off but you have to register it as false positive.

The waste ink doesn't go in a container but in absorbing felt in the printer bottom. You have to pull out the 2 tubes that come out the purge pump and guide them outside.

PS: Until now I never had a Canon photo printer with full waste pads. I think it doesn't occur before 5000 prints (depending on size of coarse). But I know I can solve it just in case.

Thanks. That is valuable advice and info. What was your procedure for getting at the tubes to drain waste ink to an external container?

 

[palombian]

PRO-10 is very reliable, I found a second one cheap as a spare. Printhead is the same as the PRO-300 and the waste ink counter can be reset. This printer will outlast me.

That is a good setup. With two Pro 10s, you can use one with OEM and the other with Precision or another 3rd party ink. Are you able to change out and reset the Pro 10 waste ink pad? I suppose if you can reset the counter, you could drill a hole and drain the waste ink container. How do you reset the counter?

You can buy a hacked Service Tool 5204 on eBay for a few box. I tested it with success on PRO-10 and Maxify. Your antivirus probably will go off but you have to register it as false positive.

The waste ink doesn't go in a container but in absorbing felt in the printer bottom. You have to pull out the 2 tubes that come out the purge pump and guide them outside.

PS: Until now I never had a Canon photo printer with full waste pads. I think it doesn't occur before 5000 prints (depending on size of coarse). But I know I can solve it just in case.

Thanks. That is valuable advice and info. What was your procedure for getting at the tubes to drain waste ink to an external container?

I installed an external container once in a PRO-9500 using the instructions available on a forum with a lot of printer knowledge .

You need to remove the printer housing (never did it with a PRO-10), pince the 2 black rubber tubes (leaving the purge pump at the right side where the printhead parks), pull them out the printer innards and drill a hole in the bottom or side.

PS: IMO the ink absorber in the bottom has some reserve, there is no immediate need for this operation after you reset the waste ink counter (just watch the carpet...).