Making an ink-level sensor for an inkjet printer

Sounds like a lot of work and expense for so little gain.

Tom

I made some of these years ago for the fabric inkjet printers. I used a thermistor and a PIC. I doubt if it would be economic for a desktop printer. You may well find that you can reset the chip in the cartridge.

The new Canon chips haven't been cracked yet. To my knowledge nobody has managed to produce a Canon chip resetter.

Al D

I do long print runs (4000 sheets). The last thing I want is to have to sit and monitor ink levels manually. Even one color running out of ink without my being aware of it could cost me a lot of re-printing and possibly destroy the print head.

Al D

What would be the electrolysis effect on the ink? this is out of the realm of my expertise, just queries.

Mr. Bill

Consider a bulk kit - external tanks of ink with light hoses. I see them on eBay for certain printers.

Your chip kit is no good if it doesn't properly reset the cartridge.

Canon IP4200 Continuous Ink System

Use AC

Yes, they are certainly an oprion - although I haven't seen one advertised for the ip4200.

I am suggesting something that works independedntly of the chip, and the computer. So resetting the cartridge is irrelevant. You can't reset the chips on Canon cartridges anyway.

Al D

We'll have to wait for the Russians to figure it out.

wonder what a nice strong magnet or degausser would do ?

Homer like explosions!

The cartridge has an EEPROM that stores the data. What effect do you think it would have?

None.

wonder what a nice strong magnet or degausser would do ?

put the sensor "4000 pages" from the bottom of the tank.

Another of your usual useless replies? You don't use the same amount of ink with different layouts, and if he was only ever to print one thing, it would be cheaper to have it done in a larger run on a color printing press.

Now, tell us, in full detail EXACTLY how to "put the sensor "4000 pages" from the bottom of the tank".

It's easy. Just get a page ruler and measure up 4000 pages.

Characterise the ink usage for 4000 pages take the 99th percentile figure put that much ink in the tank and position the sensor there.

if 1% isn't an acceptable risk go higher.

I think most people who print large volumes print mostly the same sort of stuff so the 99th percentile may be only a litte more than the mean.

Bye. Jasen

Some people print a lot of graphics, while others print only partial pages of text. Some people use their printer all day long, causing very few cleaning cycles, while others rarely turn it on and use more ink in cleaning cycles than in printing. Its a lead balloon, it just won't fly.