Photosmart 8250 constant maintenance cycles while printing & excessive ink usage

I'm having a problem with my trusty 4-year-old HP Photosmart 8250: Whenever I print a document, whether in color or black ink only mode, it constantly enters maintenance cycles and excessively uses ink.
Two examples: When I printed a color document (color, HP Bright White Inkjet Paper, 17 pages), the printer behaved erratically, with constant maintenance cycles. It also said I had to change yellow ink, but when I re-turned on the printer to install a fresh yellow ink cartridge (I only use original HP ink), it still showed remaining yellow ink. Then yesterday, when I printed a 32 page graphics document (black ink only, plain paper, normal), the ink meter for black dropped from full to 25% full (I had changed the black cartridge only one week earlier), and the printer went through four maintenance cycles. Neither had happened before in my four years of owning this printer, and the black ink consumption for similar documents in the past was barely a quarter of what it was for this document.
Are these issues most likely related to the printhead? I know that the Photosmart 8250, like all printers with HP 02 cartridges, uses a fixed non-replaceable printhead, so does the printhead need cleaning or alignment? Or should I just get a new HP printer, as I have used this printer extremely frequently over the past 4 years?
Thanks for all your help!

Hi johnpd,
There have been some significant upgrades to photo printing and the inks since the MP610 was introduced. With the MG7120, and the XL ink tanks (which are comparably priced to the standard ink tanks used in the MP610), you should receive similar or greater page yields. One major reason for this boost is the addition of the gray CLI-251 ink. When gray appears in your printout, instead of using a mixture of all the other colors, the gray ink is used, reducing your overall ink consumption.
At the risk of sounding like a typical salesman, "I want to get you in the model that is right for you"! If you are looking for a photo printer, the MG7120 is one of my top suggestions for a quality Photo All-in-One. If however, you do not plan to make heavy use of the printer and only occasionally print photos, you might get more value from an Office All-in-One.
Please feel free to Contact Us if you have any additional questions.
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Hey Spider! First off welcome to the forum.
I would recommend removing all the ink cartridges, unplugging the USB cable from the computer that connects to the printer, and then shutting the printer off completely by removing the power cord. Then restart your computer. Turn the printer back on but leave it disconnected from the computer. After it has finished its power on cycle go ahead and insert the ink cartridges back into the printer and be sure to seat them properly.
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Hi oceanbob,
I appreciate your frustration, I really do. However, this particular printer uses some color inks even when printing in black only. The reason for this is for servicing tasks and to make sure your printhead does not dry out and cause problems in the future. If you did run out of color and kept printing black only, you will cause problems with the printhead.
For more information here is your User Guide to your printer, see page 74.
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HevnLgh
I work on behalf of HP
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Hey there PrincessCupcake!
Thanks for the detailed post back to me.
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Happy Monday to you
R a i n b o w 7000I work on behalf of HP
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Bob Headrick, HP Expert
I am not an employee of HP, I am a volunteer posting here on my own time.
If your problem is solved please click the "Accept as Solution" button ------------V
If my answer was helpful please click the "Thumbs Up" to say "Thank You"--V

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Hi,
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Hi rine051662hart,
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Photosmart 8250 constant maintenance cycles while printing & excessive ink usage

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