Canon printer PIXMA iP8500 User Manual

							Printing Maintenance47
(1) Insert the ink tank into the Print Head.
(2) Press on the   mark on the ink tank until the ink tank snaps firmly into place.
6Close the Inner Cover and the Top Cover.
The Print Head Holder moves to the right. The ink tank installation process is now 
complete.
zEnsure that the Inner Cover is closed. Printing will not occur if the Inner 
Cover is open.
z To maintain optimal print quality, us e an ink tank within six months of 
its first use.
z Once an ink tank has been used, do not remove it from the printer and 
leave it out in the open. This will cause the ink tank to dry out and the 
printer may not operate properly if it is reinstalled.
z Color ink consumption may occur even when black-and-white or 
grayscale printing is specified.
Color ink is consumed in the head cleaning and deep cleaning, which 
are necessary to maintain the printer’s capabilities.
z When you start printing after replacing the ink tank, the printer 
executes  Print Head Cleaning  automatically. Do not perform any other 
operations until the  Print Head Cleaning finishes. The POWER lamp 
flashes during cleaning. 
						

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48
When Printing Becomes Faint or Colors are Incorrect
When printing becomes faint or colors are incorrect, even if ink remains in the ink tanks, the 
Print Head nozzles are probably clogged. Foll ow the procedures below to clean the nozzles.
If the ruled lines are shifted after running the print head maintenance, align the Print Head.
Before printing the nozzle check pattern or cleaning the Print Head, check the 
following;
z Open the Top Cover, and make sure that the ink tank contains ink. If it is out 
of ink, replace it.
z Ensure that all the orange tape of the ink tank has been peeled off.
z Press on the   mark on the ink tank and ensure that the ink tank is 
installed securely.
z Ensure that each ink tank is installed at the correct location.
z Increase the  Print Quality setting in the printer driver settings.
See  “Print Quality is Poor or Contains Errors ” on page 68.
If  Print Head Deep Cleaning  does not resolve the problem, contact the Customer 
Care Center.
Step 1
If white stripes appear
See  “Print Head Cleaning ” on page 53
Step 2
If the problem remains after performing print head cleaning twice
See  “Print Head Deep Cleaning ” on page 57
Step 3
After print head 
cleaning, print the 
nozzle check pattern.
 See  “Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern ” on page 49
z  If the ruled lines are shifted
See  “Aligning the Print Head ” on page 61
Step 1 
						

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Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern
Print the nozzle check pattern to determine whether the ink ejects properly from the Print 
Head nozzles. Use this function when printed results are blurred or the color is incorrect.
zEnsure that the Inner Cover is closed.
Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern Without a Computer.
z Nozzle check pattern printing can also be executed from the printer itself. 
1. With the printer on, load a sheet of Letter-sized plain paper in the Sheet 
Feeder or Cassette. 
2. Press the Paper Feed Switch to select the paper source in which you loaded  the paper.
3. Hold down the  RESUME/CANCEL button until the POWER lamp flashes 
twice.
„ Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern
1With the printer on, load a sheet of  Letter-sized plain paper in the Sheet 
Feeder or Cassette.
2Press the Paper Feed Switch to select the paper source in which you loaded 
the paper.
3Open the printer properties dialog box.
See  “Opening the Printer Properties Dialog  Box Directly from the Start Menu” on 
page 28. 
						

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4Print the Nozzle Check Pattern.
(3) Read the message and click Print Check Pattern.
The nozzle check pattern will be printed.
Clicking  Initial Check Items  displays the items to be checked before 
cleaning.
(4) When the confirmation message is displayed, click  OK.
(5) Ensure that the pattern is printed properly. See  “Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern ” on page 52.
(6) If you want to start  Print Head Cleaning, click Cleaning  on the Pattern Check  
dialog box. Otherwise, click  Exit to finish.
1With the printer on, load a sheet of  Letter-sized plain paper in the Sheet 
Feeder or Cassette.
2Press the Paper Feed Switch to select the paper source in which you loaded 
the paper.
(1) Click the  Maintenance  tab.
(2) Click Nozzle Check . 
						

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3Open the BJ Printer Utility  dialog box.
(1) Double-click the hard disk icon where the printer driver was installed, the 
Applications  folder, and then the  Utilities folder.
(2) Double-click the  Print Setup Utility icon.
When using Mac OS X v.10.2, double-click the  Print Center icon.
(3) Select the name of your printer from the  Name list and click  Utility.
When using Mac OS X v.10.2, select the name of your printer from the  Name list 
and click  Configure .
(4) Select the name of your printer from the  Product list and click  Maintenance.
4Print the Nozzle Check Pattern.
(3) Read the message and click  Print Check Pattern.
The nozzle check pattern will be printed.
Clicking  Initial Check Items  displays the items to be checked before 
cleaning.
(4) Ensure that the pattern is printed properly. See  “Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern ” on page 52.
(5) If you want to start  Print Head Cleaning, click Cleaning  on the Pattern Check  
dialog box. Otherwise, click  Quit to finish.
(1) Select  Te s t  P r i n t from the 
pop-up menu. 
(2) Click  Nozzle Check . 
						

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„Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern
The nozzle check pattern should appear as follows when ink is discharged properly.
Examine the nozzle check pattern output by the printer.
The nozzle check pattern will not be printed correctly if there is not 
enough ink. Replace the ink tank  if the remaining amount of ink is 
insufficient.
See  “Replacing an Ink Tank ” on page 42.
(1) If these patterns have white stripes, Group 1 print head nozzles need cleaning. When white stripes appear
(2) If these patterns have white stripes, Group 2 print head nozzles need cleaning. When white stripes appear
Click  Cleaning  in the Pattern Check  dialog box to start  Print Head Cleaning .
See  “Print Head Cleaning ” on page 53.
(1)
(2) 
						

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Print Head Cleaning
Clean the Print Head if missing lines or white stripes appear in the nozzle check pattern. 
Note that cleaning the Print Head causes waste ink to be absorbed in the waste ink 
absorber. Cleaning the Print Head consumes ink, so perform  Print Head Cleaning only when 
necessary.
z Ensure that the Inner Cover is closed.
Cleaning the Print Head Without a Computer
z The Print Head can also be cleaned from the printer itself. With the printer on, 
hold down the  RESUME/CANCEL  button until the POWER lamp flashes once.
The Print Head Cleaning  dialog box of step 3-(3) is directly displayed when you 
click  Cleaning  on the Pattern Check  dialog box. 
See  “Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern ” on page 52.
1Ensure that the printer is on.
2Open the printer properties dialog box.
See  “Opening the Printer Properties Dialog  Box Directly from the Start Menu” on 
page 28.
3Start Print Head Cleaning.
(1) Click the  Maintenance  tab.
(2) Click  Cleaning . 
						

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Print Head Cleaning starts when the POWER lamp starts blinking.
Do not perform any other operations until the  Print Head Cleaning 
finishes. This takes about 70 seconds.
Clicking  Initial Check Items  displays the items to be checked before 
cleaning.
(5) When the confirmation message is displayed, click  OK.
(6) Read the message and click  Print Check Pattern to print the nozzle check pattern.
The nozzle check pattern is printed.
4Check the Print Head condition with the printed nozzle check pattern.
See  “Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern ” on page 49.
z The nozzle check pattern will not be printed correctly if there is not 
enough ink. Replace the ink tank if the remaining amount of ink is 
insufficient.
See  “Replacing an Ink Tank ” on page 42.
z If the problem remains after performing step 1 to 4 twice, try  Print Head 
Deep Cleaning .
See  “Print Head Deep Cleaning ” on page 57.
The  Print Head Cleaning  dialog box of step 3-(3) is directly displayed when you 
click  Cleaning  on the Pattern Check  dialog box.
See  “Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern ” on page 52.
1Ensure that the printer is on.
(3) Select  Ink Group to clean.
All colors:
Selecting both ink groups.
Group 1:
Green (BCI-6G), Red (BCI-6R), Photo 
Magenta (BCI-6PM), Black (BCI-6BK), 
and Photo Cyan (BCI-6PC).
Group 2:
Cyan (BCI-6C), Magenta (BCI-6M), an
d
Ye l l o w  ( B C I - 6 Y ) .
(4) Click  Execute. 
						

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2Open the BJ Printer Utility  dialog box.
(1) Double-click the hard disk icon where the printer driver was installed, the 
Applications  folder, and then the  Utilities folder.
(2) Double-click the  Printer Setup Utility icon. 
When using Mac OS X v.10.2, double-click the  Print Center icon.
(3) Select the name of your printer from the  Name list and click  Utility. 
When using Mac OS X v.10.2, select the name of your printer from the  Name list 
and click  Configure .
(4) Select the name of your printer from the  Product list and click  Maintenance.
3 Start Print Head Cleaning.
Print Head Cleaning  starts when the POWER lamp starts blinking.
(1) Ensure that  Cleaning is selected 
from the pop-up menu.
(2) Click  Cleaning .
(3) Select  Ink Group to clean.
All colors:
Selecting both ink groups.
Group 1:
Green (BCI-6G), Red (BCI-6R), Photo 
Magenta (BCI-6PM), Black (BCI-6BK), 
and Photo Cyan (BCI-6PC).
Group 2:
Cyan (BCI-6C), Magenta (BCI-6M), and 
Ye ll o w  ( B C I - 6 Y ) .
(4) Click  OK. 
						

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Do not perform any other operations until the Print Head Cleaning 
finishes. This takes about 70 seconds.
Clicking  Initial Check Items  displays the items to be checked before 
cleaning.
(5) Read the message and click  Print Check Pattern to print the nozzle check pattern.
The nozzle check pattern is printed.
4Check the Print Head condition with the printed nozzle check pattern.
See  “Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern ” on page 49.
z The nozzle check pattern will not be printed correctly if there is not 
enough ink. Replace the ink tank if the remaining amount of ink is 
insufficient.
See  “Replacing an Ink Tank ” on page 42.
z If the problem remains after performing step 1 to 4 twice, try  Print Head 
Deep Cleaning .
See  “Print Head Deep Cleaning ” on page 57.