MAXIFY MB2720 Won't Print BW with Empty Color Cartridge

[coffeebreak]

I don't have this connect to anything, just usei t as a printer. It has color cartridges and black. I don't ever copy anything in color, just always black ink only. Now...it says that one of the 3 color carts is empty and won't work until I replace it. Won't even copy/print in black (i usually only print out text/words, never pictures)

I was told when I bought it that I could use just the black. The Canon printer I have on my PC is color, but I just leave the empty color carts in there and replace the black and that has been working fine for years. This new machine... used soley as a copy or fax machine...I can't find how to do that... I have removed the color ones, and tried to remove the black, but since it is not empty it won't allow me to remove the black.

Anyone know how to set this to print only in black ? I just bought it about 6 months ago.

[Patrick]

Hi coffeebreak,

Your MAXIFY MB2720 will not print if one of the ink tanks is empty.  This precaution is in place to prevent damage to the printhead.  Replacing the empty ink tank will allow you to print again.

The MAXIFY MB2720 will use color ink tanks to print colored text.  Even if the grayscale option is checked in the printer driver, if the original text is in a color other than black, the MAXIFY MB2720 will combine the cyan, magenta and yellow ink tanks together to make a composite black.  This is why your color ink cartridges are still being used.

To use only the black ink tank, the original text must be black and the paper setting must be set to Plain Paper.

[matthewjavant]

This is a dreadfully poor answer to a corrupt and dishonest business practice. I print manuscripts using black ink. To disable my ability to print black text because the CYAN has run out again (for some inexplicable reason) is aggressively corrupt. You're forcing your customers to waste money, and we all know it. The excuse of "precautions to prevent damage" is nonsense. A "composite black???" There is a black ink cartridge in the printer. What the hell are you talking about?? Why would it do that? This is NONSENSE.

[flicked]

Couldn't agree more. I ran into the same problem. "Ran out" of color ink after a year... even though I've never used the color ink. It's scam just like Apple intentionally deteriorating iPhone battery life as they launch the new models. I bought more color ink just to get it working, but hated giving more money to these scammers. I can't wait for the next time it "runs out" of ink so I can take a dump on it and light it on fire and never buy another cheap POS Canon product again.