Canon MP830 Hackage

canton_kid · Post by **canton_kid** » Wed May 13, 2009 12:33 pm

Ya, I like the idea of CISS and then ink monitoring would not be necessary, just look at the CISS anytime to see how much ink it has.

I been buying ink in bulk for refilling so when we refilled I saw how much I have on hand LOL
I think near 400 ML of pigment black, 325ML Y, 200ML C, 150ML M

Just guessing by the levels of the 250ML bottles plus my full ones not yet opened of B and Y

About the printer, Kid said the tanks just gave out of ink warning or something when she was printing last night. The tanks are full! I'll have to look at it, but it may be the carts are going by how many times the heads firing? So maybe refilling before they run out is not going to work like I thought?
It seemed as thought the carts would read the last level before refilled as a steady level unless they went lower, now I don't think so maybe?

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Wed May 13, 2009 12:48 pm

In theory, they monitor the light shining through to the chip. However, I've had ones go out that were never low too. So I guess there may be some sort of counter in them as well.

canton_kid · Post by **canton_kid** » Wed May 13, 2009 1:32 pm

The CISS probably has other types of chips. I saw for Epsons CISS long ago they had like 3 types of chips. Some you could just remove and replace and they reset, CISS that always read full, etc..

I never paid much attention to the Canon chips yet. My I860 printers did not have chips on the tanks. Chips are really useless as the I860 proves, just there to sell ink and tanks is all. The I860 would monitor ink as well as these chipped tanks! Maybe better being there was no chips!
I just got into chips with the IP4200's and that's about when I also stopped printing as much as I used to so I just set the printer to ignore the tanks.
The big difference in I860 and IP4200 for me was the IP4200 did duplex printing (both sides) and had the CD/DVD mod also. The I860 did neither.
I had several manuals I wanted printed from 300 pages to about 800 pages, so the duplex printer was worth gold to me almost.

I hope to use this MP830 later to print shirt designs and at $1 or more per page for paper I don't want to be getting errors LOL

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Wed May 13, 2009 2:13 pm

Yeah, that's why I'm just ignoring the chips.

I'd love to have some duplex printing. But in the end, I rarely use it.

So far I'm impressed by the print quality on the MP830. Many printers I've used balk at the idea of using non OEM ink, but this thing just keeps on going.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Wed May 13, 2009 8:20 pm

I've got an almost new (~3 months) Canon Pixma MP 620 that's also one of those "all in one" printers and I like it but I recently needed to replace 3 ink cartridges (out of 5) and yeah, the Canon cartridges at Office Depot were about $14 each (ouch!).
They had aftermarket cartridges for less but I wasn't sure if I wanted to try those yet as the thing makes great photos as-is.
I won't even try filling my own again with syringe as I once had an ink disaster in our kitchen a few years ago.
The idea of that CIS looks interesting but I'm not sure it's worth the hassle being that I don't really use the printer all that often. I'll look into it though.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Wed May 13, 2009 8:41 pm

It really isn't a hassle at all. Pretty much just like installing cartridges, but with umbilicals. A prime was necessary for me, but was easy & there are kits with the chips preinstalled (I chose to save the $10, because it seemed easy & was to install my own). So long as there isn't anything crimping the tubes, it's a 10-20 minute install.

canton_kid · Post by **canton_kid** » Thu May 14, 2009 1:38 pm

EvilHorace wrote:I've got an almost new (~3 months) Canon Pixma MP 620 that's also one of those "all in one" printers and I like it but I recently needed to replace 3 ink cartridges (out of 5) and yeah, the Canon cartridges at Office Depot were about $14 each (ouch!).
They had aftermarket cartridges for less but I wasn't sure if I wanted to try those yet as the thing makes great photos as-is.
I won't even try filling my own again with syringe as I once had an ink disaster in our kitchen a few years ago.
The idea of that CIS looks interesting but I'm not sure it's worth the hassle being that I don't really use the printer all that often. I'll look into it though.

I have never made a mess refilling yet, now that I said that I may dump a bottle tonight LOL
http://www.ink-refills-ink.com/ is where I been buying inks, I have been happy with their ink in my Canon printers for years.
They actually cost more for Canon carts though, I think the real ones are like $20. They have after market for $5 without chips, have to mount your own chips but not that hard.

I just refill all the time for years now. One thing I normally do is keep a couple small lids or yogurt cups in with my ink stuff. I pour a little ink into those and I don't have to worry about dumping a whole bottle of ink, then I dump the ink back in the bottle when done and rinse the cups so they are ready next time.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 6:37 pm

I finally bought a CISS for my printer (Canon Pixma MP 620) but I'm really having doubts it'll work. The websites info listed it for my printer but my printer is not listed on the box or (bad) instructions I received. I looked at the links above which are usefull for swapping the chips but the biggest foreseeable problem would be routing the ink tubing inside. The cover lifts up on mine and there's hardly any space to fit that plumbing w/o pinching off the flow. I just can't imagine how it'd work w/o taking a grinder to my printer and I think that's a bit extreme.
I googled for u-tube videos of installing one of those on my printer but havent seen it so far.

Got it from here, yeah cheap too but......? I'm seriously thinking of just returning it.
http://www.cisinks.com/continuous-ink-s ... p-668.html

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:12 am

Mine was a really close fit, but it did fit. I did end up trimming a bit of plastic lip that was around the opening (you can kind of see it in the second pic above on the left right next to the tape), but otherwise, it was plug n play. The instructions on mine were sketchy as well & not applicable for my model. I just kinda winged it where the instructions left me hanging. I'm sure on some printers, the fit is more questionable. I'd ask the seller if they have more info myself.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:46 pm

I emailed the seller and he sent me an online pdf instruction sheet for a variety of printers BUT not mine, which is not like the printers shown either. He also suggested checking for You-Tube videos yet there are none showing my printer.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:20 pm

Well, if you can't figure it out, then I'd ask for a refund. He doesn't deserve your business if he can't do some research. He probably posted that every model that took those cartridges is compatible. That said, I suspect that most printers will have some sort of modification to get it working properly.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:34 pm

I looked it over in detail and see no way to run the tubes I've got now through the top. The top's a scanner and goes inside the top. I can't just cut away anything for clearance either w/o probably ruining a good machine.
I did find some cheap, un-chipped cartridges online ($4 each plus S&H) compared to $14 locally. Walgreens can't refill them either.

So....I emailed the place I bought my kit from asking for a return address.

I then googled the topic again and found that there are retailers in the UK who sell CISS kits specifically for my printer so I emailed them to see if they'll even ship to the US.
There's one on Ebay (UK), none sold in the US Ebay (strange).
I'll be he's even got good instructions on where to run those tubes too.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 8:01 pm

That kit looks exactly like mine. My scanner has a bottom part that lifts up as well to expose the cartridges. I ran mine under that part. Of course, everone's is different. I couldn't find much on your printer, but it looks like you have a similar setup. Now, there isn't much room under there, but it did fit & it does feed.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:28 am

I pulled it out again and looked under, still not seeing a place where I can route those tubes.
The guy on Ebay in the UK says he'll email me instructions and his kit specifically lists my printer too so we'll see.

Here's another kit specifically for my printer. I emailed them and they don't ship to the US. They suggested a place in the US but that place doesn't list my printer.
http://www.continuous-ink-systems.co.uk ... _info.html

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 5:05 pm

Another alternative from a place who says that the CISS systems don't work well with my printer. Refillable ink cartridges:
http://www.echostore.com/ip4600-refilla ... idges.html