Canon ImagePROGRAF 8100 PHeads Wrong Position

[C47Sys]

I'm ready to push this thing off the top floor of the highest building I can find in town. No clue why in their infinite wisdom, other than its a money maker (good luck because I'm buying 3rd party ink and not paying Canons exorbitant fees). But after wasting a few cartridges of ink on it's stupid head cleaning methodology where it just constantly dumps ink without ever stopping until the maintenance tank is over flowing.

Any who, so we were able to successfully flush one head with cleaner the other one didn't fair so well. So we got a replacement head that's new.

However now the printer refuses to accept the new head / old cleaned head no matter what position they're in, it just keeps complaining the PHead is in the wrong position no matter what position they're installed.

Is there a way to reset this as the old printhead is flushed anyways so I don't "care" what ink was in what head. When I boot up in the service mode it still complains the PHead is in the wrong position. Already haven sunk money into 4 new cartridges at between $100-$150 a pop and a new printhead I'm not looking to buy yet another print head in hopes of getting it running.

So is there a way to get by this damn error?

[Phil B.]

I'm ready to push this thing off the top floor of the highest building I can find in town. No clue why in their infinite wisdom, other than its a money maker (good luck because I'm buying 3rd party ink and not paying Canons exorbitant fees). But after wasting a few cartridges of ink on it's stupid head cleaning methodology where it just constantly dumps ink without ever stopping until the maintenance tank is over flowing.

Any who, so we were able to successfully flush one head with cleaner the other one didn't fair so well. So we got a replacement head that's new.

However now the printer refuses to accept the new head / old cleaned head no matter what position they're in, it just keeps complaining the PHead is in the wrong position no matter what position they're installed.

Is there a way to reset this as the old printhead is flushed anyways so I don't "care" what ink was in what head. When I boot up in the service mode it still complains the PHead is in the wrong position. Already haven sunk money into 4 new cartridges at between $100-$150 a pop and a new printhead I'm not looking to buy yet another print head in hopes of getting it running.

So is there a way to get by this damn error?

they don't like anything but canon ink... and 3rd party ink can screw up a PH.

are you getting any error codes in service mode?

[C47Sys]

they don't like anything but canon ink... and 3rd party ink can screw up a PH.

are you getting any error codes in service mode?

Well unfortunately I'm not about to waste literally twice as much on Genuine canon ink when they design it to literally just dump ink over and over to attempt to clean the head. In any event the problem with the printheads being clogged / dumping the ink was with Genuine ink, it was after that we said screw it and got after market ink. Which came highly recommended anyways through the local supplier. So I'm not too concerned with the ink at this point as we haven't even printed anything with the 3rd party ink. If we get it up and running I'll most likely use genuine canon ink but for right now I'm just getting the low yield cartridges.

There is no error code in service mode I just get the PHead Wrong Position both in normal and service mode now and if canons only solution to this is welp you've got to buy yet another new printhead for the other one then I'll have some choice words for their product haha....

At this point we have a new print head and a cleaned one that is passing liquid through it. The old print heads were severely clogged and we were able to get one of the old ones flowing again. But now after going out and buying more ink and installed the heads again I'm stuck at this new error of the print heads being in the wrong position no matter what spot they're in.

[blackcat4866]

You tell him, Phil. =^..^=

[Canuck]

I've been working on these things for years. If your firmware is old, and you run 3rd party crap ink through it, the head will short and fry the main controller, some times also carriage relay board. Complain as you wish about Canons price, but the reason your machine is doing so many head cleanings is because it is detecting too many plugged nozzles on the printhead...probably from the non-Canon ink. I've had this same call many times. Sorry...you get what you pay for. I did an iPF 750 last week for exactly this scenario. Cost him main con, carriage relay board, cap absorbers, 2nd new printhead(they installed new one with fried main con...it fried new printhead), new inks, labor. Over $2k. People think ink is ink. WRONG. You might not like what I'm saying but the reality is if you run 3rd party ink, this is what happens. Honestly, I think you are in the same situation...Minimum of a main con and a head. I would need to download INF and status files for error histories to verify. Good luck

[C47Sys]

I've been working on these things for years. If your firmware is old, and you run 3rd party crap ink through it, the head will short and fry the main controller, some times also carriage relay board. Complain as you wish about Canons price, but the reason your machine is doing so many head cleanings is because it is detecting too many plugged nozzles on the printhead...probably from the non-Canon ink. I've had this same call many times. Sorry...you get what you pay for. I did an iPF 750 last week for exactly this scenario. Cost him main con, carriage relay board, cap absorbers, 2nd new printhead(they installed new one with fried main con...it fried new printhead), new inks, labor. Over $2k. People think ink is ink. WRONG. You might not like what I'm saying but the reality is if you run 3rd party ink, this is what happens. Honestly, I think you are in the same situation...Minimum of a main con and a head. I would need to download INF and status files for error histories to verify. Good luck

Ok great I appreciate the feedback on the non-genuine ink.

However as I've already mentioned, the printer HAD genuine ink all of if it was genuine. Then the printer attempted it's wonderful self cleaning when the heads clogged and it dumped through the ink. So instead of wasting on genuine ink to try to even get this running we're not keen on wasting genuine ink to even see if we can get the unit running again.

As I said the heads clogged with the genuine ink and that's what it dumped it with. We have not been able to run any "non" genuine ink through the machine. We had to flush the heads we were successful with flushing one of them and we purchased a new replacement for the other.

So the point of this thread is how to resolve the issue where it keeps saying the PHead is in the wrong position. It refuses to accept them in either position and this is a new problem only upon installing the new head. So I need to know if there's a methodology or way to fix this such as the service menu or otherwise. My issue currently has nothing to do with the type of ink.

The only purpose of the non-genuine ink is to test the machine, hence getting the low yield cartridges. Once I can even verify with a nozzle check that it runs we will get actual inks.

[Phil B.]

Ok great I appreciate the feedback on the non-genuine ink.

However as I've already mentioned, the printer HAD genuine ink all of if it was genuine. Then the printer attempted it's wonderful self cleaning when the heads clogged and it dumped through the ink. So instead of wasting on genuine ink to try to even get this running we're not keen on wasting genuine ink to even see if we can get the unit running again.

As I said the heads clogged with the genuine ink and that's what it dumped it with. We have not been able to run any "non" genuine ink through the machine. We had to flush the heads we were successful with flushing one of them and we purchased a new replacement for the other.

So the point of this thread is how to resolve the issue where it keeps saying the PHead is in the wrong position. It refuses to accept them in either position and this is a new problem only upon installing the new head. So I need to know if there's a methodology or way to fix this such as the service menu or otherwise. My issue currently has nothing to do with the type of ink.

The only purpose of the non-genuine ink is to test the machine, hence getting the low yield cartridges. Once I can even verify with a nozzle check that it runs we will get actual inks.

" So I'm not too concerned with the ink at this point as we haven't even printed anything with the 3rd party ink. If we get it up and running I'll most likely use genuine canon ink but for right now I'm just getting the low yield cartridges. "

ok .. last time for me because you aren't a Certified Tech..you don't take advise ... and I'm pretty sure you don't have the service manual.When you install ink some immediately goes into the IDS to prime the tubes. EVEN THO you didn't PRINT the crap ink is in the system. three of us have told you of your errors, if you care NOT to follow our suggestions then it is on you and solely you.

[C47Sys]

" So I'm not too concerned with the ink at this point as we haven't even printed anything with the 3rd party ink. If we get it up and running I'll most likely use genuine canon ink but for right now I'm just getting the low yield cartridges. "

ok .. last time for me because you aren't a Certified Tech..you don't take advise ... and I'm pretty sure you don't have the service manual.When you install ink some immediately goes into the IDS to prime the tubes. EVEN THO you didn't PRINT the crap ink is in the system. three of us have told you of your errors, if you care NOT to follow our suggestions then it is on you and solely you.

Fabulous Phil so basically because we're not wasting money on genuine cartridges to see if we can even get the unit running you provide no help? I understand how the damn priming system works fun fact I do in fact work on large format printers with solvent inks and replace headboards and controllers all the time our machines are 10' large format not small "office" ones like this. I completely understand the difference between inks probably more than you do as we purchase extremely large quantities of ink from many different suppliers for large format machines where we can actually fill the ink reserves and not rely on some insanely over priced cartridge for these smaller format printers.

So you hate non-genuine ink that's fabulous. The error ONLY started once installing the new print head, we had in fact been able to get the system to start to flow and get a nozzle check however one of the heads was still gummed up. We flushed both the heads however that other head was just past its lifetime so we replaced it. That's when the error started it has nothing to do with the type of ink we're using there are zero other error codes other than the PHead being in the wrong position and saying to swap them.

But I value your wisdom and your dislike for non-canon ink. Funny how thousands of these machines run just fine on third party ink with no issue.

Fun fact if I had posted and said nothing about the ink being genuine or not you would have actually provided some helpful feedback.

This is what makes message forums like these great since you're "certified" in canon that I must somehow have no clue how the printing system works.

[copier tech]

I'm ready to push this thing off the top floor of the highest building I can find in town. No clue why in their infinite wisdom, other than its a money maker (good luck because I'm buying 3rd party ink and not paying Canons exorbitant fees). But after wasting a few cartridges of ink on it's stupid head cleaning methodology where it just constantly dumps ink without ever stopping until the maintenance tank is over flowing.

Any who, so we were able to successfully flush one head with cleaner the other one didn't fair so well. So we got a replacement head that's new.

However now the printer refuses to accept the new head / old cleaned head no matter what position they're in, it just keeps complaining the PHead is in the wrong position no matter what position they're installed.

Is there a way to reset this as the old printhead is flushed anyways so I don't "care" what ink was in what head. When I boot up in the service mode it still complains the PHead is in the wrong position. Already haven sunk money into 4 new cartridges at between $100-$150 a pop and a new printhead I'm not looking to buy yet another print head in hopes of getting it running.

So is there a way to get by this damn error?

I totally agree Canon wide format are diabolical for wasting expensive ink. Other manufacturers supply a cleaning ink tank this is a lot cheaper.

Did your new head come with a firmware CD? if not fit the old head back so machine comes to ready state, update the firmware to the latest version & try the new head again.

[C47Sys]

I totally agree Canon wide format are diabolical for wasting expensive ink. Other manufacturers supply a cleaning ink tank this is a lot cheaper.

Did your new head come with a firmware CD? if not fit the old head back so machine comes to ready state, update the firmware to the latest version & try the new head again.

Hi unfortunately no it did not come with any firmware disk, the old head which I do still have is unfortunately leaking from around the baffles seal. Basically the head assembly has a little plastic plate that's screwed in that seals the little rubber baffles in the head and that has gone bad and started to leak. I can kind of seal up around it to at least put the head back in possibly temporarily but I want to avoid if possible in the event that ink does leak out around the old head.