User:The puddephatt/Canon printer PIXEMA iP4300

Canon Inkjet Printer - model PIXEMA iP4300

Product Descritption
A modern inkjet printer, with the following features: (ref 1)
 * Rapid print speed: a 10x15cm borderless photo in approx. 36 seconds
 * Superior print quality: max. 9600x2400dpi
 * Two paper trays
 * integrated duplex unit
 * DVD/CD printing
 * PictBridge-ready
 * Single Ink system
 * ChromaLife100 system for long-lasting photos

A list of other Canon products: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canon_products#Printers

Common Fault Codes (flashing lights)
This printer has a number of unspecific user queries online (ref 2), however these avoided the topic of specific instruction help, of which a limited selection of additional information is listed here.

NB: :The initial revision of this article is all my own investigation (initial author) including pictures, during fault-finding and fix of an error code which stopped the printer function completely.

There are green and orange lights on the front which can be used to communicate fault codes, as well as the printer driver software sometimes giving on-screen error codes. At time of writing a list of explanations related to the different fault codes in the supplied information was not found elsewhere on the public internet. Many references and technical advice websites describe most of these as paper or debris obstructing some internal sensor, but are very general, and give the same suggestion to almost any fault code for this particular printer, as well as many other models.

List of Fault Codes (limited to those found so far) - please add others if you have reliable information.
 * 5x flashes orange light


 * 7x flashes orange light


 * 12x flashes orange light - green light alternating

This was accompanied by error codes 6A00 on-screen from the printer driver, but with no other explanation.


 * 19x flashes orange light - green light alternating

Maintenance: (D.I.Y.)
Originally I was surprised to find no information in the user guide or available on the public internet, to show how to interpret the fault codes into instructions for go here, do this, and it will start working again. So I've documented the steps I took with my device, especially how to open it without breaking the cover. Here's a limited, incomplete list of a few steps that may help other printer owners clean (fix) their printers and make them functional again. Please feel free to add more to this, if you have different experiences, extra information, or servicing tips.

How to open the printer top cover
NB: please be aware that this procedure will probably invalidate any original warranty you have on the printer. However, if the decvice is outside its standard warranty period, this has helped me get the printer working again by simply cleaning debris out of one sensor.
 * 1) Ensure that the printer is unplugged before you do this, for your safety, both the power and the USB cables.
 * 2) There are 6 spring clips holding the top cover in place, which can be carefully unclipped using a small blade-type screwdriver
 * 2 clips at the rear of the device; 1 clip on the left side; 1 clip on the right side; 2 clips on underside - you have to remove the lower paper tray.



Identifying the Sensors
Devices like the iP4300 Printer have lots of sensors to enable timing of different operations. Examples of these are: Other less visible (significantly difficult or impossible to check) sensors are:
 * 1) sensing the top cover is open: user wants to change the ink cartridges
 * 2) a stock of paper is in the top paper feed
 * 3) lower paper tray is empty: need to refill
 * 4) print drying (paper output) tray is closed: printer cannot start printing
 * 5) CD print tray is open: change print settings to suit printing on a CD
 * 6) paper is stuck somewhere in the unit (e.g. in the duplex unit): user needs to clean this out
 * 7) aligning different ink tanks
 * 8) print head alignment to the edge of the paper
 * 1) ink level in each cartridge
 * 2) print head fucntion (there's a red LED light occurs when print head alignment function is working).

Checking / Cleaning the Sensors
''This is a list of the limited numb ero f places I checked / cleaned before my printer eliminated the fault code and started working again. This is an incomplete list, but hopefully others will be able to contribute towards a more complete list.''


 * 1) sensing the top cover is open: user wants to change the ink cartridges
 * 2) CD print tray is open: change print settings to suit printing on a CD
 * 3) Print Head cleaning tray