Thermal ink jet printhead having a switched stand-by mode

A thermal ink jet printhead having a printing mode and a switched stand-by mode, said thermal ink jet printhead associated with a primary power supply, comprises:

• a plurality of control signal terminals inputting logic control signals;
• at least one power input terminal receiving a first voltage from said primary power supply;
• a plurality of heater circuits, each comprising a heater element connected in series with a transducer and connected between one of the at least one power input terminal and ground;
• logic circuitry connected to the plurality of control signal terminals;
• a plurality of predriver circuits, an output of each predriver circuit connected to the transistor of a corresponding one of the plurality of heater circuits and inputs of each predriver circuit connected to outputs of the logic circuitry;
• and
• a predriver power supply connected between the power input terminal and each of the plurality of predriver circuits and outputting a second voltage different than the first voltage, the predriver power supply being connected to at least one of the plurality of control signal terminals and comprising a switch, wherein a control signal input through the at least one control signal terminal switches the predriver power supply to an off state when the printhead is in the stand-by mode and switches the predriver power supply to an on state when the printhead is in the printing mode.