Canon MP830 why do my colour cartridges run out when I only print Black & white?

you should be able to go to print preferences and choose fast economical ,greyscale- black ink only
Should be something like that most printers

Inthe printer tray it should be the option, for black or color.

post back!

Click Start
Click Control Panel
Click Printers
Right-mouse click on your printer
Click Properties

You should be able to select "black-only", instead of "colour".

you need to have both cartridges somewhat full to run, there is a initialization routine that the printer goes thru and if you don't have good cartridges with ink it won't let you print.

your printer cartridge or head unit ink channel (some of color or black ink channel) constipated, you may try:
1) if your ink cartridge is not new, take out the cartridge put the bottom surface touch cleaner liquid(special for ink printer) or water for 1 hr (you can see ink spread water), then set back and test. refill enough ink maybe necessary.
2) still trouble, you need clean print head ink channel to do same thing above, if your print head is separated from the cartridge.

No there is no way you can adjust it just to use the small black. When copying greyscale or printing greyscale it will use the big black, When printing colour it will always use the small black so there is no way around it!

sorry, hope this helps

try this.
OK, Canon will hate me for posting this.

1. Remove ink cartridges
2. Remove print head
3. go to sink or tub (stainless steel, not plastic type), pick up a roll of paper towel on the way.
4. Fold several layers of paper towel and place on flat surface.
5. Run hot water until HOT!
6. Turn hot water back to a dribble.
7. Run the dribbling hot water through print head, be careful not to wet the gold contacts.
8.When water running through print head is clear, place print head on paper towel.
9. Repeat number 7 and 8 until no colour shows on paper towel.
10. Gently DAB print head (DO NOT WIPE) inside and out with dry paper towel until dry.
11. I normally replace print head after drying, but you may wish to let it air dry overnight.
12. Replace print head in printer and install cartridges
13. Start printing.

I do this to all 4 of my Canon printers every 6 months or so.

If any colour fails to print after this process it means your print head probably needs replacing.

On some printers, probably including yours, the black ink will be taken from the reserves in your colour cartridge unless you specifically tell it to do a black and white print on each document, regardless of whether it's printing black exclusively. I wouldn't worry, the black ink in it's own cartridge can also be used for colour photos etc with no detrimental effects.

Some machines are very expensive to run.

If you are copying in colour mode, even if the page you are copying is just black & white, it will use all four colours to produce the black copy.

Change the mode to black and white and it should save you some money!

The paper you print on is not relevant. What happens is the green tint is the actual printer delivering all the colours to give a 'composite' black. On shiny photo paper this is emphasized where as on plain paper the colour is absorbed and shows as intended. So what can you do? Move away from black and go for a tint such as sepia.