# Canon Pixma "paper jam"



## Jerry Potter

What to do -- replace it? My printer keeps telling me there is a paper jam - but thiere is NO JAM! Can this be resolved? Should I drop kick it? OH -- forgot to mention I have done all of the opvious attemts to clean the rollers etc. Keep getting the jammed paper message!


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## jflan

Welcome to TSF !

What model pixma is this ?
How much use has it seen ?


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## Jerry Potter

The Canon is a Pixma ip1500. It has light to moderate use. I don't think it is much older than maybe a year? I am on like my fourth or fifth ink cartridge - maybe sixth. I really like the size etc.... Is there a current version that has a small footprint? 
I have two systems networked. One has a 1.8 processor with 512 ram and the older one has a 450 processor with 256 ram. This unit has been working fine until this week. Both processors are AMD. The older unit is running XP Pro and the newer unit is running XP home. We have tried printing from either/both computer and get the same message. I don't mind getting a new printer but would rather just get this one working if possible. I mean -- it didn't cost diddly so it ain't no big deal but.... wah-hai wah-hai I need my printer.....


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## jflan

Jerry Potter said:


> The Canon is a Pixma ip1500. It has light to moderate use. I don't think it is much older than maybe a year? I am on like my fourth or fifth ink cartridge - maybe sixth. I really like the size etc.... Is there a current version that has a small footprint?


There is no current version of iP1500. It represents the end of an era, a good era, when there were no chips installed on ink tanks.
As you know, it uses the inexpensive BCI-24 tanks, so it is worth trying to recover it.



> I have two systems networked. One has a 1.8 processor with 512 ram and the older one has a 450 processor with 256 ram. This unit has been working fine until this week. Both processors are AMD. The older unit is running XP Pro and the newer unit is running XP home. We have tried printing from either/both computer and get the same message. I don't mind getting a new printer but would rather just get this one working if possible. I mean -- it didn't cost diddly so it ain't no big deal but.... wah-hai wah-hai I need my printer.....


Here's a few things to try :

1. Blow it out with canned air. make sure there are no bits of paper or dust in the paper feed area and in the front access area that could be causing the jam.

2. Verify that the cartridge carriage moves to the service area when the front door is opened (as if to change tanks)

3. Verify that the timing belt, drive belt, gearing and rollers all look normal.

4. Take the network out of play when doing the initial troubleshooting

5. With the computer off, unplug the printer's power cord and USB cord for about 3-5 min

6. Completely uninstall the printer's driver and software. Then reinstall the printer's drivers only. 

Retry after each step.


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## sailor2

If your Canon printer has fax capabilities, and you are getting a false paper jam error, the problem is easy to fix.
Open the scanner lid.
You will see a white strip on the left, under the lid.
There are also two small, white tabs near this strip.
Gently pull on each tab. You should feel a small "click" on the tab that is jammed.
This fixes the problem.
I suspect that when previously scanning something like a book page, one of these tabs got pushed the wrong way.


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## chauffeur2

Hello Jerry Potter, Welcome to TSF :wave:

Your Canon® Pixma iP1500 might have reached the end of its service life.
All Pixma Printers start to give 'false errors'; when in fact, it is the absorption pad that is saturated, thus requiring replacement. :sad:
The replacement can be more uneconomical than an actual replacement printer. 
I speak from experience, having had a Pixma iP4200 and a Pixma iP4300, that both died after 3 years service. (they got a thrashing in that time too).
I found out about the absorption pad from the friendly people at Canon®.
Getting to the pad is major surgery, you practically have to disassemble the entire machine.

Absorption pads for the iP4200 and iP4300 were $95ea (AUD), whereas a brand new iP4950 was only $110 (in Australia in June 2012).
Without making this an advert for Canon®, the iP4950 has disc printing capabilities as well as printing top notch photos.

All printer manufacturers today make these things to be 'throw-a-way', bad for the environment, but good for their business. 

You can try accessing the absorption pad and clean it in white spirits, leaving it to dry for 24 hours, but this "fix" only lasts for about 3 months; so if money is scarse, give it a go.

Furthermore, if you are on about the sixth set of cartridges; then, its had a fair amount of service life.
Canon® says that a set of cartridges (Black and Colour) will about 470 - 590 pages (on average), so yours has had a good run.

I stress that these are my candid thoughts, and BTW I do not work for Canon® and nor have I sold their products.

Post back with your thoughts/ideas.

Kind Regards,


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