PGBK not printing.

Canon Pixma MP530
Dear Trigger,

Experienced technical support provide their insights in answering this question :

Same here! My MP520 stopped printing black. After doing a deep clean or 2, it would print black docs when I would use highest quality print setting. Now nothing helps, even after cleaning the print head with windex and running water. SO, just signed up to see if Trigger1937 is still around and can give suggestions ………

How to Identify and Fix Common printer Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced technical support :

BK ink is intended for photographs, it`s richer. The printer defaults to PGBK for text, lines etc – unless it thinks they are part of a photo. So, you can force a Canon printer to use BK ink instead of PGBK by telling it that you are printing a photo onto plain paper.

Why does the machine have two black ink tanks? There are two kinds of black ink in the machine: dye ink (BK) and pigment ink (PGBK). The dye ink is used mainly for printing photos, illustration, etc., and the pigment ink is used for text-based documents.

If the nozzle check pattern does not print out properly, check if any of the missing colors are due to those color ink tanks being empty. If there is plenty of ink and the printer does not print, clean the Print Head then print the nozzle check pattern to ensure ink is ejected properly.

Definition: PGBK

(PaGe BlacK or PiGmented BlacK) The black ink in Canon inkjet printers used for regular printed documents. The PGBK pigmented ink does not adhere well to coated stock. In contrast, the BK cartridge is used for photos.

You can only install two black ink cartridges if your printer uses two different types of black ink. If you are trying to install a black ink cartridge in a color cartridge slot, your printer will not function and you could potentially cause damage to the machine.

The answer is yes, your printer uses a bit of all colors (black, cyan, magenta, yellow) every time it prints. According to HP Support, “[our] printers are designed in such a way that it also uses color inks while printing in black to form a perfect black. This is called as K-fortification in printer terms.

Many customers wonder if they need to have all the cartridges installed to print. The answer is YES. If one of the cartridges is missing from your printer it will not operate.

It`s usually because the printhead inside your printer is clogged or dried out. Like with most printers, Canon printheads can clog due to ink or dust drying up and collecting in the nozzle.

One of the most common reasons behind color printing issues in the Canon printer is an empty cartridge. You should first check whether your cartridge still has ink. First, open the printer`s front door and remove the cartridge slowly and carefully. Look out for its ink levels.

(PaGe BlacK or PiGmented BlacK) The black ink in Canon inkjet printers used for regular printed documents.

Canon printer error: “Error e02”

Error code e02 occurs due to overheating of the printhead or when the paper is not correctly placed into the input tray and therefore the paper feed rollers are unable to pick up the paper from the paper tray.

A series of Canon printers allows users to continue printing on a single button press. User can hold down Stop/Reset/Resume for five seconds and then release it. By doing so, you can continue printing regardless of the low or empty cartridge estimate.

Printing on 10% = 240 pages. Printing on 20% = 120 pages. Printing on 40% = 60 pages. Printing on 80% = 30 pages.

Black Print Mode allows you to print only with black ink as a temporary emergency measure to minimise the down time in the event any colour inks are expended, even if there is no replacement cartridges available.

If you want to print using only the black ink or the color ink cartridge, follow the steps below. Open the printer driver setup window. Click Print Options… on the Page Setup tab. Select the ink cartridge(s) to be used for printing and click OK.

Even when you are printing black text only, a small amount of color ink is used to keep the print head charged. The print head needs to be kept charged to prevent air bubbles from entering. Air bubbles can damage the print head.

Putting a cartridge into the wrong color slot could cause damage to your printer and void your warranty.

Check you have the latest drivers installed for your printer, try uninstalling and reinstalling your printer drivers or try changing the driver settings (adjusting the paper settings has been known to solve the problem). Fully Reconfigure the Printer – If all else fails, you can try entirely reconfiguring your printer.

When color ink is expended and black ink still remains, you can continue printing for a short time using only black ink. However, you should replace the expended ink cartridge(s) as soon as possible. See the following section to continue printing temporarily with black ink.

When a color ink cartridge is expended, you can temporarily continue printing from your computer using black ink. Replace the expended color cartridge as soon as possible for future printing.

If using the color cartridge, colors print normally but black prints lighter than usual. You can continue to print until print quality becomes unacceptable.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

PGBK will not print

ANSWER : Deep cleaning uses wet ink to clear dry ink. Yeah, that works real good. Take all the ink tanks out. On the right side of the carrier, you will see a plastic lever. Lift it up and then reach in and lift out the head assy. Take it to the sink and flush the screens with hot tap water. Flip over and run the water over the heads on the bottom. Repeat a few times and reinstall. That’s real deep cleaning.

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Canon Pixma MP530

Canon MP560 PGBK not printing top grid

ANSWER : Hello, I have the same problem a number of people on this forum have raised in my Canon IP4500 – the PGBK ink is not printing at all, despite several deep cleansing cycles, soaking the print head overnight a few times. If you could advise any potential fix, that would be great. My email is [email protected]

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Canon Pixma MP530

when printing front and back, the front will print well but the back will fade

ANSWER : It happens because second side voltage is much higher and the board breaks. Are you getting this issue in auto duplex only, or same error you are getting when you print second side manually?

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Canon Pixma MP530

No PGBK printing

ANSWER : Trigger hasn’t been on the forum in years. Don’t know if he is still alive as he’s pushing 80.

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Canon Pixma MP530

PGBK Ink not printing well

ANSWER : hey, check this post fixyourownprinter .com/posts/68247

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Canon Pixma MP530

PGBK shows no band on test print;

ANSWER : Take out all the inks. On the right side of the cartridge assy. you will see a plastic lever. Lift it up and reach inside and remove the printhead assy. Take it over to the sink and run hot water into the black screen on top to flush out the dried ink. Then flip it over and run hot water on the print heads. Do it for about a minute for each side and then repeat. Blot it dry with a paper towel. Reinstall and try it again.

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Canon Pixma MP530

PGBK not printing.

ANSWER : Same here! My MP520 stopped printing black. After doing a deep clean or 2, it would print black docs when I would use highest quality print setting. Now nothing helps, even after cleaning the print head with windex and running water. SO, just signed up to see if Trigger1937 is still around and can give suggestions ………

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Canon Pixma MP530

won't print pgbk patter

ANSWER : You can try cleaning the head first. Canon heads come out easy. Take the inks out and there is a plastic release lever on the right of the assy. Lift it and reach in and pull the head assy. out. Take it over to the sink and run hot tap water through the screens on top and then flip it over and run the water over the print heads on the bottom. Repeat a few times until the water runs clear and reinstall. It might take a few tries to get the ink to replenish in the head.

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Canon Pixma MP530