Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

[digge]

Bought this canon printer a while ago and its been working great apart from maybe a bit slow, anyways on to the problem. Yesterday it started to complain about the black toner being empty. So i did what usually works for other printers, take it out, shake it a bit and put it back in. Only takes a few seconds then it says the same thing.

Thing is i looked at what have been printed since it was bought, about 400 papers in b/w and 200 in color. The black toner is rated at 2300 @ 5% coverage. Its mainly text beeing printed on this printer, a few emails and stuff. Is there anyone that know of a way to reset the counter or fool the counter in any way, maybe have a service manual or something? Id like to use up whatever toner is there. Think its a total ripoff these new printers have this function, especially when it cant count even close to correctly.

If you do the open/shake routine you can sometimes get it to print one paper before it says its empty again, and those prints looks just fine so i know its not empty. Already ordered a new toner for whenever its really empty.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

I think you are actually just out of toner.

AFAIK with Laser [vice inkjet] the counter doesn't have anything to do with determining the level of toner.
There is actually a level sensor.

'Starter' cartridges aren't always full capacity cartridges.
.

.

[ratdude747]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

'Starter' cartridges aren't always full capacity cartridges.
.

.

they are almost never full. the goal is to make the ink cost more than the printer (see razor and blades marketing). why fill them? that would bust their marketing ploy.

[digge]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

Are you sure its empty? Cause on ebay they sell new counter chips for the toner so it will say full again. Also when i do the shake routine the print looks fine but i can only get one paper at a time that way and would wear down the plastic opening the door that many times :P

On a side note canon at least a year or two back had full toners when new on most of the color laser printers, not sure if that have changed lately, havnt looked into it but was assuming it was a full one since they used to have it.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

I've seen these things that reset the chip on inkjet cartridges when you refill them.
Is there something like that for your particular cartridge? [Link please.]
If there is some chip it may have been static'ed and read wrong.

I've just seen complaints about wimpy starter cartridges in general.
Nothing specific to your machine.

You toner may have gotten hard packed inside.
Tap both ends on a table a couple times then do the tilt and roll.
.

[japlytic]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

I've seen printers where full-size replacement cartridges were worth more than the printer.

On a toner cartridge with gold contacts on it were "SDA" and "SCL" markings, which means it has an I2C memory chip inside (and possibly Vcc and GND markings), and should therefore be easy to program, once you know what the memory device (and its voltage) is.

Should there be an inquiry into printer and consumable pricing?

Also, I've heard about printers not printing when they detect cartridges which are past their expiry date, and even a printer which printed a message that a certain component needs replacing instead of what you wanted printed.

[digge]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

Tried some hard shaking now, didnt work, took a pic of the chip thingy. Sorry for bad pic quality, just took it with my phone since that what i had availible at the time. Come to think of it the chip looks similar to whats on the canon inkjet printers. And i actually remember canon replacing a cartridge for them once when a brand new cartridge said empty (used to work in a computer store). Anyways here is the link for buying the chips, the particular auction is with toner but they sell them without toner as well.

http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/Canon-MF8050-...-/160426260298



The I2C writing sounds interesting, maybe ill just put in the new toner when it arrives and start playing around with the old one then, should get the new one tomorrow.

[dood]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

It could have a built-in expiration date like the HP cartridges do. Even if they're not empty, they will "expire" and show as needing to be replaced.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

The chip just tells the built in counter that the toner has been replaced, maybe the beancounters have made it so it really stops printing, but that just sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen (The chip is used so the printer can start nagging you that you need to buy new toner)

Though after your description I guess that might be it, perhaps fire off a mail to them and ask?
When I bought my HP a year or so back it was only the more expensive models (which I bought) that came with a full toner from the factory

[stj]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

some new stuff only has 2 contacts - i think they must use the I-button 2-wire prototcol with parasitic power.
there's loads of free data & utility's for this but you need to build a programmer that pulses the data line with a high current.

[digge]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

Didnt get the new toner today

Wonder why they would have expiry date on toners anyways, ink i can understand, it dries with time if opened at least, but why toner? As far as i know there is nothing in a toner that ages really, just gets worn by use?

Once i get the new toner i will start to mess around with the old cartridge and see what i can come up with. I know you can buy some small device that reset the inkjet version of these. But i think it only works 1-2 times before the chip fries or something (been told so by a person using one).

http://cgi.ebay.com/Chip-resetter-Re...item439fd8b6df

Looking at the pics, it looks like those have more pins thought so maybe not quite the same technology behind them.

[seanc]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

My HP colour laserjet 2480 has this problem too. It decides the toners are run out at will, not when prints start getting bad. I think it racks up a page count with every turn of the carousel, which is does A LOT - calibrates at random intervals during the day and night.

There is some sort of reset function on that printer, or you can swap the chips around the consumables. The printer won't know what the consumable is, show a ? and print anyway.

Check out fixyourownprinter.com in case they know anything.

[digge]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

Thanks for the link seanc, unfortunately there was no info on my printer there. I'm guessing if i could find a service manual there would be a reset thing in there. However the model seems to be so new that i haven't been able to find any service manual or much info at all apart from drivers and the normal user manual.

[MXM]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

this is odd... i want to help but i dont know whats your issue here....???

and wel toner may lose some properties with time but, is rare... my best shot is that they put date limits to get you get a new one. remember its made of magnetics components.

and the starter catrdidge is not at full capacity with canon, ever.

i dont know if the manual is out there but if you need some specifics i could try to give you a hint, i worked for a oficial canon service agency few years ago...

this machine came out after i worked there but i know if you do a main reset or clear all, -the chip u might want to reset is in the cartidrdge- it wont reset by that.

peace.

[digge]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

Well, today i got the new toner so the printer is up and running again without having to open and close the door for the toner to get a print done. Had a closer look on the chip thingy and its just two contacts on a double sided pcb. On the backside they hide some chip under a black blob of some kind, anyone know how you can easily remove the blob without damaging anything to find out what chip it might be?

[stj]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

you dont, the chip is bare silicon - no resin package.

[digge]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

Ok, mean one have to take a guess of whats in there and hope you don't fry it then It'll be a while before i get to it, a friends computer came in between and needs fixing.

[stj]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

meter the resistance between the metal framework and the 2 contacts in the printer.
if your lucky you will find a ground.

then you just need to built an atmel 2-wire interface.

[drifter259]

Re: Problem with Canon MF8050cn Laser Printer

The toner cartridge has a capacitive level-sensors. Placing a very small capacitor parallel is enough to simulate a full cartridge.