5 Handle the ink system
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Ink system components
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Ink system tips
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Work with ink system components
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Order ink supplies
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Ink system components
Ink cartridges
The printer's eight ink cartridges provide matte black, chromatic red, magenta, yellow, light magenta, light cyan, photo black and light gray ink to the printheads.
Ink cartridges require no maintenance or cleaning. When each ink cartridge is shaken vigorously before installation, and inserted correctly into its slot, the ink will flow to the printheads. Because the printheads control the amount of ink that is transferred to the page, high-quality printing results continue even when the ink levels are getting low.
CAUTION:
Avoid touching pins, leads, and circuitry when handling ink cartridges because these elements are sensitive to electrostatic discharge. Such devices are called ESD-sensitive devices. See
Glossary on page 207 . Electrostatic discharges are one of the main hazards to electronics products.
This type of damage can reduce the life expectancy of the device.
Replace ink cartridges
To check the ink levels in the ink cartridges, select the icon, then View ink levels.
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The front panel warns you when cartridge ink level is low. When a cartridge is empty, the printer stops printing and the front panel provides an explanation.
HP recommends that you replace the empty cartridge with a new HP cartridge. See
Order ink supplies on page 78 ,
Remove an ink cartridge on page 60
, and Insert an ink cartridge on page 62 .
The use of refilled or non-HP ink cartridges has several serious disadvantages:
●
There is some risk of damaging the printer. In this case the printer warranty will not be valid for any printer repairs that are related to the cartridge, nor for any problems due to ink contamination.
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You will invalidate the warranty of all printheads of the same color used in the printer subsequently, unless and until the whole ink system (including ink tubes) is replaced.
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Print quality may be impaired.
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The printer will be unable to estimate the ink level in the cartridge, and will report it as empty.
To force the printer to accept cartridges that it believes to be empty, follow these instructions:
1.
Install the cartridge in the printer (see Insert an ink cartridge on page 62 ).
2.
The front panel will complain that the cartridge is empty, and the cartridge removal process will start. Press the Cancel key to stop this automatic process.
3.
At the front panel, select the icon.
4.
Highlight Replace ink cartridges, but do not select it.
5.
Press the Cancel key and the Up key at the same time, and hold them down for at least two seconds.
6.
The front panel will display a series of warning messages. In response to each message, press the
Cancel key to cancel the process, or the OK key to confirm that you wish to continue.
When you have pressed OK in response to all warning messages, the front panel will give the usual ink cartridge status display, but the cartridge will be shown as empty with a warning sign.
Printheads
The printheads are connected to the ink cartridges. They use jet action to put ink on the paper. Each printhead has two ink-cartridge connection points and two sets of nozzles, which means that each printhead prints in two different colors. For example, the printhead below prints in magenta and yellow.
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The printheads are extremely durable and do not need to be replaced every time an ink cartridge is replaced. They provide excellent results even when the ink cartridges contain a low level of ink.
To maintain optimum print quality, the printheads are automatically tested at regular intervals, and automatically serviced when necessary. This takes a little time and can occasionally delay printing.
When a printhead eventually needs to be replaced, the front panel will display a message.
To check the status of the printheads, select the icon, then View printhead status.
CAUTION:
Avoid touching pins, leads, and circuitry when handling ink cartridges because these elements are sensitive to electrostatic discharge. Such devices are called ESD-sensitive devices. See
Glossary on page 207 . Electrostatic discharges are one of the main hazards to electronics products.
This type of damage can reduce the life expectancy of the device.
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Maintenance cartridge
Use the maintenance cartridge to clean and maintain the printheads, ensure the best possible print quality, and seal the printheads when they are not in use to prevent them from drying out.
NOTE:
The maintenance cartridge contains liquid. Therefore, store any maintenance cartridges upright and on a flat surface.
Ink system tips
For best results, always follow these guidelines:
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Install the ink cartridges, printheads, and maintenance cartridge before the install-by date, which is printed on the packaging. The expiration for the ink cartridges is the manufacturing date marked on the cartridge plus 30 months.
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Follow the instructions on the front panel during installation.
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Allow the printer and the maintenance cartridge to clean the printheads automatically.
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Avoid unnecessary removal of the ink cartridges and printheads.
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The ink cartridges should never be removed while the printer is printing. They should be removed only when the printer is ready for you to replace them. The front panel guides you through the removal and installation procedures (or see
Remove an ink cartridge on page 60
and Insert an ink cartridge on page 62 .
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Make sure that you comply with all applicable laws and regulations when disposing of ink system consumables.
NOTE:
Shake the ink cartridges vigorously before installing them. See
Insert an ink cartridge on page 62 .
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Remove an ink cartridge
Ink cartridges should be removed for the following two reasons:
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The ink cartridge is very low and you want to replace it with a full cartridge for unattended printing. You can use the remaining ink in the first cartridge at a more convenient time.
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The ink cartridge is empty or faulty, and you must replace it to continue printing.
CAUTION:
The procedure to remove an ink cartridge must be initiated from the front panel. Do not remove an ink cartridge until the front panel prompts you.
CAUTION:
Remove an ink cartridge only if you are ready to insert another one.
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WARNING!
Make sure that the printer wheels are locked (the brake lever is pressed down) to prevent the printer from moving.
1.
At the front panel, select the icon, then select Replace ink cartridges.
2.
Grip the blue tab in front of the cartridge that you want to remove.
3.
Pull the blue tab down and then pull it outwards, towards you.
4.
The cartridge comes out, in its drawer.
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5.
Lift the cartridge out of its drawer.
NOTE:
Avoid touching the end of the cartridge that is inserted into the printer, because the connection might be coated with ink.
NOTE:
If necessary, store a partially-used ink cartridge in the same position as if it were inserted in the printer. Avoid using a partially-used cartridge that has been stored on its end.
6.
The front-panel display identifies the missing ink cartridge.
Insert an ink cartridge
1.
Pick up the new ink cartridge and find the label that identifies the ink color. Hold the ink cartridge so that you can see the label at the top of the side that is facing you.
2.
Check that the colored label above the empty slot in the printer matches the color of the label on the cartridge.
3.
Shake the cartridge vigorously for about 15 seconds.
4.
Insert the ink cartridge into the cartridge drawer.
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5.
Slide the drawer and cartridge into the slot until they lock into position.
If you have difficulty, see
Cannot insert an ink cartridge on page 165
.
6.
The front-panel display confirms that all cartridges have been correctly inserted.
Remove a printhead
WARNING!
Make sure that the printer wheels are locked (the brake lever is pressed down) to prevent the printer from moving.
Printhead replacement must be performed after the printer has been turned on with the hard power switch at the back of the printer.
1.
At the front panel, select the icon, then select Replace printheads.
2.
The printer moves the carriage into the correct position.
CAUTION:
If the carriage remains in the removal position for more than 3 minutes without inserting or removing any printheads, it will attempt to return back to its home position to the right.
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3.
When the carriage has stopped moving, the front panel prompts you to open the printer window.
4.
Locate the carriage on the right side of the printer.
5.
Pull up and release the latch on top of the carriage.
6.
Lift up the cover. This provides access to the printheads.
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7.
To remove a printhead, lift up the blue handle.
8.
Using the blue handle, gently disengage the printhead.
9.
Gently pull the blue handle upward until the printhead is released from the carriage.
CAUTION:
Do not pull abruptly. That action can damage the printhead.
10.
The front-panel display identifies the missing printhead.
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Insert a printhead
1.
Remove the orange protective caps by pulling them down.
2.
The printhead is designed to prevent you from accidentally inserting it into the wrong slot. Check that the colored label on the printhead matches the colored label of the carriage slot into which the printhead is to be inserted.
3.
Insert the new printhead into its correct slot in the carriage.
CAUTION:
Insert the printhead slowly and vertically, straight down. It can be damaged if you insert it too quickly, or at an angle, or if you rotate it as you insert it.
4.
Push down as indicated by the arrow.
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CAUTION:
You might feel some resistance when installing the new printhead, so you need to press it down firmly but smoothly. You should hear a beep and see confirmation on the front-panel
display that the printhead has been inserted. If you have difficulty, see Cannot insert a printhead on page 165 .
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5.
Insert all of the other printheads that need to be installed, and close the carriage cover.
6.
Make sure that the end of the blue handle catches the wire loop on the near side of the carriage.
7.
Lower the handle to rest on the carriage cover.
When all of the printheads have been inserted correctly and the printer has accepted them, the printer beeps.
NOTE:
If the printer does not beep when you insert the printhead and the Replace message appears on the front-panel display, you might need to reinsert the printhead.
8.
Close the printer window.
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9.
The front-panel display confirms that all of the printheads are correctly inserted. The printer starts checking and preparing the printheads. The default routine process, when all printheads are
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changed, takes about 18 minutes. If the printer identifies a problem when preparing the printheads, the process takes longer, up to 30 minutes. For a single printhead insertion, the time varies between 10 and 20 minutes. After all printheads are checked and prepared, the printhead
realignment procedure runs automatically if paper is loaded. See Align the printheads on page 71 .
Clean (recover) the printheads
To clean the printheads (which often enables them to recover from problems), go to the printer's front panel and select the icon, then select Clean printheads. Specify which printheads you would like to clean. You can clean all of the printheads or only some of them.
Cleaning all printheads takes about 5 minutes. Cleaning any two printheads takes about 3 minutes.
NOTE:
Cleaning all printheads uses more ink than cleaning a single pair.
NOTE:
HP recommends that you purge the ink from the printheads before printing a job if the printer has been turned off for more than six weeks or if you are experiencing inconsistent colors from print to print after long storage periods. Purging the ink from the printheads helps to ensure maximum color consistency; it is not a remedy for poor printhead health.
Clean the electrical connections on a printhead
It is possible that the printer will not recognize a printhead after it has been installed. This can happen when ink builds up on the electrical connections between the printhead and the printhead carriage.
Under these circumstances, HP recommends that you clean the electrical connections on the printhead.
However, routine cleaning of the connections when no problems are apparent is not recommended.
Use an absorbent lint-free cloth, slightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol, to clean the electrical interconnects on both the printhead carriage and the printhead if the Reseat or Replace message persists next to the printhead on the front-panel display.
1.
Open the printhead carriage latch and extract the printhead that is causing the problem, as
indicated on the front panel. See Remove a printhead on page 63 .
2.
Cover your finger with the cloth and insert it into the printhead slot at the back.
CAUTION:
If the carriage remains in the central part of the printer for more than 7 minutes, it attempts to return to its home position to the right.
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3.
Rub the cloth against the electrical contacts with a light force along the entire depth of the flex connector. Try to avoid picking up any ink deposit that may have accumulated on the bottom surface of the slot.
4.
Take special care to clean all contacts thoroughly, including the ones at the lowest point of the connector.
5.
Using the same cloth, clean the strip of electrical contacts on the printhead (unless the printhead is new). Avoid touching the printhead nozzles.
CAUTION:
Do not touch the surface of the printhead that contains the nozzles, because the nozzles are easily damaged.
6.
After waiting a few moments to allow both connectors to dry, replace the printhead into the printhead carriage. See
Insert a printhead on page 66 .
7.
Wash or dispose of the cloth. Take care to prevent the transfer of ink onto hands and clothing.
If the front panel continues to show the Reseat or Replace message, replace the printhead or contact your HP customer service representative.
Clean the printhead drop detector
The printhead drop detector is a sensor that detects which nozzles on the printheads are not printing, so that other nozzles can substitute for them. If particles block the sensor (such as fibers, hair or small pieces of paper), print quality is affected.
When the front panel displays a warning message that the drop detector needs cleaning, you are recommended to clean it. If you do not clean it immediately, the printer continues working normally, but the front panel display continues to show the warning.
CAUTION:
Wear gloves to avoid getting ink on your hands.
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1.
On the printer's front panel, select the icon, then select Replace printheads.
2.
Turn off the printer at the front panel.
3.
To avoid an electric shock, switch the printer off and unplug it.
4.
Open the printer window.
5.
Find the printhead drop detector to the right of the printhead carriage.
6.
Remove any debris blocking the printhead drop detector.
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7.
With a dry, lint-free cloth, wipe the surface of the drop detector to remove any non-visible debris.
8.
Close the printer window.
9.
Plug in and switch on the printer.
10.
Power the printer on at the front panel.
Align the printheads
Precise alignment between printheads is essential for accurate colors, smooth color transitions and sharp edges in graphical elements. Your printer has an automatic printhead alignment process which runs whenever a printhead has been accessed or replaced.
If the paper has jammed or you are experiencing problems with color accuracy, you may need to align the printheads.
NOTE:
If the paper has jammed, it is recommended that you reinsert the printheads and initiate the realignment procedure from the Image Quality Maintenance menu .
CAUTION:
Do not use transparent or semi-transparent paper to align the printheads.
Reinsert printheads procedure
1.
If the realignment process is running and the wrong paper is loaded, press the Cancel key on the front panel.
CAUTION:
Do not print if the realignment process has been canceled. You can restart the alignment with the Image Quality Maintenance menu procedure.
2.
Load the paper you wish to use, see
Handle the paper on page 29 . You can use a roll or cut
sheet, however, it must be A3 landscape or larger.
CAUTION:
Do not use transparent or semi-transparent paper to align the printheads.
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3.
Remove and re-insert all the printheads, see
Remove a printhead on page 63 and
Insert a printhead on page 66 . This starts the printhead alignment procedure.
4.
Ensure the window is closed, as a strong light source near the printer during printhead realignment can affect alignment.
5.
The process takes about six minutes. Wait until the front-panel display shows the process complete before using the printer.
NOTE:
The printer prints a calibration image. Do not worry about the image. The front-panel display shows any errors in the process.
Image Quality Maintenance menu procedure
1.
Load the paper you wish to use, see
Handle the paper on page 29 . You can use a roll or cut
sheet, which must be A3 landscape or larger: 420 × 297 mm (16.54 × 11.69 in).
CAUTION:
Do not use transparent or semi-transparent paper to align the printheads.
2.
From the front panel, select the Image Quality Maintenance menu icon , then Align
printheads. The printer checks to see if it has enough paper to run the realignment.
3.
If the loaded paper is satisfactory, the printer runs the realignment and prints a realignment pattern. Ensure the window is closed, as a strong light source near the printer during printhead realignment can affect alignment.
4.
The process takes about five minutes. Wait until the front-panel display shows the process complete before using the printer.
Scanning errors during alignment
If the alignment process fails, a Scanning problems message appears on the front panel. This means that the alignment has not completed successfully. Therefore the printer is not aligned and the alignment should be repeated before printing with good image quality. The problem may be due to:
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The paper used was not valid, repeat the alignment with valid paper
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Printhead health problems, clean printheads, see Clean the printheads on page 165
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The alignment was done with the window open, repeat the alignment with the window closed
If the problem persists after using valid paper, cleaning the printheads and keeping the window closed, there may be a failure in the scanning system needing reparation or the printheads, although clean, may not work and need to be replaced.
The Image Diagnostics Print
The Image Diagnostics Print consists of patterns designed to highlight printhead reliability problems. It helps you to check the performance of the printheads that are currently installed in your printer, and whether any printhead suffers from clogging or other problems.
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To print the Image Diagnostics Print:
1.
Use the same paper type that you were using when you detected a problem.
2.
Use the key on the front panel to check that the selected paper type is the same as the paper type loaded into the printer.
3.
At the printer's front panel, select the Image Quality Maintenance menu icon
diagnostic image.
, then Print
It takes about two minutes to print the Image Diagnostics Print.
The print is divided into two parts, both of which test printhead performance.
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Part 1 (top) consists of rectangles of pure colors, one for each printhead. This part represents the print quality that you will get from each color.
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Part 2 (bottom) consists of small dashes, one for each nozzle on each printhead. This part complements the first, and aims more specifically to detect how many faulty nozzles each printhead has.
Please look carefully at the print. The names of the colors are shown above the rectangles and in the center of the patterns of dashes.
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First look at the upper part of the print (part 1). Each colored rectangle should be a uniform color without any horizontal lines across it.
Then look at the bottom part of the print (part 2). For each individual colored pattern, check that most of the dashes are present.
If you see horizontal lines in part 1 and also missing dashes in part 2 for the same color, the printhead responsible needs cleaning. However, if the rectangles look solid, do not worry about just a few missing dashes in part 2; these are acceptable because the printer can compensate for a few clogged nozzles.
Here is an example of a gray printhead in a good state:
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And here is an example of the same printhead in a bad state:
Corrective action
1.
Clean any faulty printheads (see Clean the printheads on page 165 ). Then reprint the Image
Diagnostics Print to see whether the problem has been solved.
2.
If the problem remains, clean the printheads again, and reprint the Image Diagnostics Print to see whether the problem has been solved.
3.
If the problem remains, consider cleaning your printheads manually (see
Clean the printheads on page 165 ). You could also try reprinting your current print job, in case it now prints
satisfactorily.
4.
If the problem remains, try cleaning the printhead drop detector. The printer normally notifies you when this is necessary, but it may be worth trying even if the printer has not suggested it. See
Clean the printhead drop detector on page 69 .
5.
If the problem still remains, replace any persistently faulty printheads (see
Handle the ink system on page 57 ), or contact HP Support (see
HP Customer Care on page 176
).
Remove the maintenance cartridge
A message appears on the front panel when you must change the maintenance cartridge. Follow these precautions when removing a maintenance cartridge:
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Be careful not to get ink on your hands. Ink might be on, around, and inside the replaced maintenance cartridge.
●
Always handle and store the replaced maintenance cartridge upright to avoid spilling any ink.
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CAUTION:
A message appears on the front panel when the maintenance cartridge is almost full and again when it is completely full and must be changed. You can ignore the alert and continue printing by pressing the OK key on the front panel. However, HP strongly recommends that you change the maintenance cartridge when prompted. Ignoring the alert can result in serious damage to the printer.
WARNING!
Make sure that the printer wheels are locked (the brake lever is pressed down) to prevent the printer from moving.
1.
At the front panel, select the icon, then select Replace maintenance ctg.
2.
The maintenance cartridge is located in a slot underneath the front panel, at the front of the printer. Open the door.
3.
The maintenance cartridge has a handle on the front. To remove the cartridge, press inward and upward as indicated by the arrow, until the cartridge is released.
4.
Lift up the maintenance cartridge to remove it from the slot, and slide it out.
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See also
Insert the maintenance cartridge on page 76 .
Insert the maintenance cartridge
The plastic bag in which the new maintenance cartridge comes can be used to dispose of the old maintenance cartridge.
1.
Insert the maintenance cartridge into the slot, in the direction indicated by the arrow.
2.
When the maintenance cartridge has been pushed all the way in, press inwards and downwards as indicated, until it clicks into place.
If you have difficulty, see
Cannot insert the maintenance cartridge on page 165 .
NOTE:
The front panel will not show the new maintenance cartridge until the door is closed.
3.
When you have inserted the maintenance cartridge into the printer, close the door.
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NOTE:
The printer needs all the ink cartridges, printheads and maintenance cartridge to be installed before it can continue.
4.
If no paper is loaded, the front panel will instruct you to load some.
NOTE:
Make sure that the printer window and the door to the right are closed after you replace the supplies. The printer will not print while these are open.
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Check the status of the ink system
1.
Access the Embedded Web Server. See
Access the Embedded Web Server on page 23 .
2.
Go to the Supplies page on the Main tab.
The Supplies page shows you the status of the ink cartridges (including the ink levels), the printheads, the maintenance cartridge, and the loaded paper.
View ink cartridge information
You can view information about your ink cartridges using the front panel or the HP Utility.
Front panel procedure
1.
At the front panel, select the icon, then Ink cartridge information.
2.
Select the cartridge about which you want information.
3.
The front panel shows the following information:
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Color
●
Product name
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Product number
●
Serial number
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Status
●
Ink level, if known
●
Total ink capacity in milliliters
●
Expiration date
●
Warranty status
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Manufacturer
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HP Utility procedures
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In the HP Utility for Windows, go to the Overview tab. The status of each cartridge appears when you select Supply Status > Cartridges.
●
In the HP Utility for Mac OS, select Information > Printer Status.
View printhead information
The printer automatically checks and services the printheads after each print. Follow these steps to get more information on your printheads.
1.
At the front panel, select the icon, then Printhead information.
2.
Select the printhead for which you want to see information.
3.
The front panel shows the following information:
●
Colors
●
Product name
●
Product number
●
Serial number
●
Status (see
Front-panel error messages on page 199 )
●
Volume of ink it has used
●
Warranty status
You can also get most of this information without leaving your computer by using the HP Utility.
NOTE:
If the status is See warranty note, this indicates that non-HP ink is being used. Printer service or repairs required as a result of using non-HP ink are not covered under warranty. See the
Legal Information document for detailed warranty implications.
Order ink supplies
You can order the following ink supplies for your printer.
Table 5-1 Ink cartridges
Cartridge
HP 771 775 ml Matte Black Designjet Ink Cartridge
HP 771 775 ml Chromatic Red Designjet Ink Cartridge
HP 771 775 ml Magenta Designjet Ink Cartridge
HP 771 775 ml Yellow Designjet Ink Cartridge
HP 771 775 ml Light Magenta Designjet Ink Cartridge
HP 771 775 ml Light Cyan Designjet Ink Cartridge
HP 771 775 ml Photo Black Designjet Ink Cartridge
HP 771 775 ml Light Gray Designjet Ink Cartridge
Part number
CE037A
CE038A
CE039A
CE040A
CE041A
CE042A
CE043A
CE044A
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Table 5-2 Printheads
Printhead
HP 771 Matte Black & Chromatic Red Designjet Printhead
HP 771 Magenta & Yellow Designjet Printhead
HP 771 Light Magenta & Light Cyan Designjet Printhead
HP 771 Photo Black & Light Gray Designjet Printhead
Part number
CE017A
CE018A
CE019A
CE020A
Table 5-3 Maintenance cartridge
Maintenance cartridge
HP 771 Designjet Maintenance Cartridge
Part number
CH644A
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