Black Low ink but still prints black for a long time - Am I consuming my colors to make black?

[RJGarber]

 I am trying to figure out if running a low black ink out to empty will start consuming my black ink. ie, does the 8715 Officejet Pro machine make black by mixing colors when needed thereby exhausting my colors. Does it hurt to run down the black to empty or until a critical message come up. I am trying to figure out if running a low black ink out to empty will start consuming my black ink. ie, does the machine make black by mixing colors when needed. Does it hurt to run down the black to empty or until a critical message come up. I t seems that I can print many, many pages after the black says it is low. I have a replacement available.

[Betty0610]

@RJGarber

Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Yes it does.

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[RJGarber]

Am I correct in understanding from your answer that it is using my colored ink to print in black, even when I tell the printer to print in "Black only".   

Whats weird is I have continued printing a subtantial amount over the last  two or three weeks in "black only" and the ink assessment pictures on the printer and the HP Smart App have not changed the amount of either black nor colored ink that remains in the cartridges.  ( see below)

 

[Bob_Headrick · Accepted solution]

The Officejet Pro 8710 will *not* switch to use the color ink if black is low.  The low ink warning will be given ahead of time so you will have time to get a replacement cartridge to have on hand.  You can safely run the printer in "black ink only" mode until the black is actually depleted.  When a cartridge is depleted the printer will block further printing until the depleted cartridge is replaced.

[RJGarber]

Thank you 

that was very helpful

I clicked the solved button.