Why does my ink run out so quickly?

[AndymAndym]

I have a Pixma MP620.  I bought all new cartriges for it a couple of months ago, have printed only B&W word documents, and far fewer than 100 documents, yet my black is empty, and the magenta and cyan are dangerously low.  The yellow is at half.  I figure I've paid almost $1.00 per B&W page.

WTF?

[gjthecow]

I also run out of the colors far too frequently for the amount of color printing that I do.  I have changed the paper setting to plan and the defaults to gray scale and draft.  I also chose text in the print processor section instead of RAW.  Will that make a difference?

The printer makes a lot of back and forth noise every time I print, as if it is cleaning or resetting the heads every time.  Is there a setting to control this?  What is it doing when it makes that noise?

[James_C]

Hi,  First, please make sure that the ink tanks are installed in the printer correctly and are in the correct order.  The order from left to right is as follows:

CLI-221BK
CLI-221M
CLI-221Y
PGI-220PGBK
CLI-221C

Next, a test of the printer should be performed.  This will tell us if the printer is working correctly.  To do this, please load letter-sized paper in the PIXMA MP620 and follow these steps:

1.  Press <HOME>.

2.  Rotate the menu to Settings and press <OK>.

3.  Press <OK> on Maintenance.

4.  Press <OK> on Nozzle Check Pattern.

5.  Press <OK> on Yes.

The Nozzle Check will print.  If the Nozzle check isn't correct, please perform a few printhead cleanings.

To perform cleanings, please follow these steps:

1.  Press <HOME>.

2.  Rotate the menu to Settings and press <OK>.

3.  Press <OK> on Maintenance.

4.  Press <OK> on Cleaning.

5.  Press <OK> on Yes.

After a few cleanings, please print another Nozzle Check. 

If the issue continues, It is recommended that you contact one of Canon's Technical Support Representatives. To contact a Technical Support Representative, please use the link below:

http://Canon.us/ContactLI

[jschnell0531]

I am having the same issue with my Maxify MB2320. I literally just changed all my color ink not ten minutes ago. I printed ONE single sided gray scale page and now my magenta and cyan are showing as almost completely gone already.  My last set of ink only lasted 2-3 months. We use the printer maybe twice a week for only a page or two and only black and white.

I'm at a loss and think I'll get a new printer/scanner. This is insane. I'm not spending over $70 for a full set of ink for it to only last a very short time. Certainly won't go with Canon again. 

[James_C]

Hi jschnell0531,

The bigger black ink tank contains pigment based black ink.  This ink
provides dark and sharp black text on plain paper.  The bigger black ink
tank is used when the paper type is set to plain paper.

The smaller black ink tank is a dye based ink.  This ink provides
greater contrast when printing photographs. There is no way to switch between the tanks because they are used for
different functions.

Reasons for color ink usage
Solution
Why color ink may be used when printing in black and white
Even when printing in black and white, color ink is used for the following reasons:

Automatic cleaning of the print head.

To prevent the print head nozzles from clogging, the print head is automatically cleaned periodically. At that time, a small amount of each color ink is consumed.

Therefore, although printing in black and white is performed, color ink is also consumed.

Color inks may be used to create black.

When printing in grayscale or on photo paper or when duplex printing, although printing appears in black and white, the color black may be created using the three (cyan, magenta, and yellow) color inks. Printers without a pigment black tank / cartridge will print black / grayscale will create a composite black using color ink even on plain paper.

If you continue to have difficulties, please contact our support group using the following link:

http://Canon.us/ContactLI

[aeaston5959]

Canon the answer to these questions is that your auto cleaning process drinks the ink! Its totally unacceptable. You need to come up with a revised approach where the customer can request a clean not have it forced on them automatically. I've spent the price on the printer 3 times over on inks and have only printed about 50 documents. I'd rather the printer got blocked and have to buy a new one than spend as much i I have to on ink!

[Paulo1]

I have the same problem voiced by the others in this thread. The ink useage is really excessive, the printer settings and cartridge placements are correct and compared to other printers I have the Canon ink useage is abnormal. Thus far the responses here from Canon are all of  the flavor that it is a user problem. My considered opinion is that it is a Canon problem and it is not being addressed.

Lacking some effort by Canon at a fix and acknowledging the problem I will be leaving the Canon family of users.

[Layla97]

Well said!

[Boozer]

I litteraly use my Canon printer to print eBay shipping labels, maybe a dozen or so per month. I do them gray scale and on draft mode. That's what I print and I'm almost out of all the colored inks. Everything is running low. 

Printer ink is probably the most overpriced item in the world. Companies sell printers cheap because the ink is where the profits are. Now Im hearing the machines waste my ink every time I turn it on? They also try to make it impossible for non OEM inks to work in their printers. 

This is all adds up to a conflict of interest at best and other things at worst. 

All I really know for sure is I'm out of ink and. I shouldn't be. 

[dontknowname]

I have the same problem on my MP980 and it always run out of ink quickly even i only print few papers. only the big black ink is still full

[grizzlyowl]

Did you get any resolution?