Printer ink is one of the most expensive expenses you incur when you have your own home office. You start by taking dozens of images with your new digital camera, downloading them to your computer, printing a few and suddenly the print cartridge runs out of ink! If you follow this guide on how to refill your print cartridge instead of buying a new one, you can save hundreds of euros on printer ink.
Steps
Step 1. Buy an ink refill kit at an office supply store:
they often offer inexpensive ones. It usually costs around half the price of an average printer cartridge. You can also find these kits at online retailers.
Step 2. Gather the kit, a paper towel roll, and some clear scotch tape on a large flat surface, table or work desk
Step 3. From the printer, remove the empty cartridge
Remember to close the printer cover while you work.
Step 4. Cover your hands with a pair of disposable plastic gloves while messing with the ink
Step 5. Take a paper towel and fold it in half twice
Work on the paper towel to retain the amount of ink that may leak.
Step 6. Place the empty cartridge on top of it
Step 7. Read the instruction manual supplied with the refill kit to learn how to fill your particular type of cartridge
The instructions below are a general guide only.
Step 8. Locate the fill holes in the top of the cartridge, ie the depressions that you feel when you rub your fingers across the label
Some cartridges have more than one hole, but only one leads to the ink supply to be refilled. This hole will have a sponge.
Step 9. Use a sharp pencil to punch the refill holes in the top of the ink cartridge or you can remove the top label with a knife or screwdriver (correct locations can also be found in the kit instructions)
Step 10. In addition to black, there are three ink colors:
magenta, cyan and yellow. Follow the kit's instructions on which hole to choose to insert each color or insert a toothpick into the holes to identify the colors. Be careful because, sometimes, the colored stickers on the cartridge are not true, just to trick you into putting the wrong colors in the respective ink tanks.
Step 11. Insert the needle of the syringe with the ink deep and into the correct hole, releasing the color at the bottom of the cartridge
It is important not to push air into the cartridge when filling. An air pocket would keep the ink from reaching the print head, causing the print cartridge to malfunction.
Step 12. Slowly add the ink
Watch carefully to make sure you don't overfill.
Step 13. Quickly stop as soon as you see some ink coming out of the hole
Without letting go of the syringe, slowly release the air by sucking some ink from the cartridge, before removing the needle completely.
Step 14. Carefully wiping the cartridge contacts on the absorbent paper, you should see an ink stain come out on the paper towel
Step 15. Cover the hole with a small piece of clear tape
This works better than the closing dots included in the kit. Make sure no ink comes out of the top holes - that's why clear tape is useful. Be careful not to mix colors with each other, contaminating them.
Step 16. Repeat steps 11 to 15 for each ink color
Step 17. After filling all three colors, carefully dab (be careful not to rub) the print head onto a folded sheet of blotting paper
You may need to do this several times. Repeat this until the leak stops and you will also see a three-color stripe on the absorbent sheet.
Step 18. If the pad shows faded colors or no trails, tap it on a damp piece of absorbent paper and wipe it again over the dry one until the ink runs
Step 19. Replace the ink cartridge in the printer
Never, ever install a leaking print cartridge!
Step 20. Immediately print something, anything, just to get fluid ink
Print several test pages, preferably photos with lots of different colors.
Step 21. Continue with cleaning or starting the print optimization cycles specific to your device
Advice
- If a color is having difficulty printing after inserting the cartridge, remove it from the printer and double check the tape covering the fill holes. Lift it and reposition it, cleaning it of any dust that may prevent the ink from flowing properly.
- After you refill an ink cartridge, it should weigh the same as a new one. Overfilling a cartridge will cause the cartridge to come out on you prematurely. Cartridges use a sponge to hold the ink, overfilling will wet the top portion of the sponge causing the ink to want to flow up, away from the print nozzles.
- Finally, you can use this method if all else fails: find a printer for sale that costs less than a new cartridge. It will include a new cartridge (and sometimes two, black and color), so now you'll have a new printer with more cartridges for less than a new cartridge. Many manufacturers keep the price of cheaper printers low to trick you into buying new cartridges and making money on them. Refill those cartridges until they no longer work and then do it all over again.
- Avoid leaving a dry ink cartridge running. Check and top up periodically to keep it full. Try not to leave it unused for a long period of time. Try to print something at least once a week - it will help make it last longer.
- If the color still refuses to come out of the cartridge when you print, use the syringe to inject just one or two small drops of a 50% solution of ammonia and distilled water as deep as you can. Get close, but not too close, to the print head because it usually has a screen on top that you could accidentally puncture. It can help you dissolve any lumps, almost microscopic, in the nozzles.
- Don't worry about trying and trying again. It is worth it. If the cartridge gets damaged… you can always go and buy a new one: you should have done it anyway!
- Donate your used printer for charity, church or school. You just have to let them know that they need a new cartridge so they can decide whether to accept it or not.
- After refilling the same cartridge 5 or 6 times, the print head runs out: it cannot last forever. Then you will have to buy a new cartridge and replace it.
- The new ink cartridges come with a shipping envelope for recycling, in order to ship the used ones.
- Be sure to inject the ink slowly to avoid any air bubbles that can cause poor printing results.
Warnings
- The ink is permanent and can only be removed by special ink solvent. Be careful that it doesn't fall on your clothing. It will also leave stains on your hands if you are not wearing gloves.
- Never insert a leaking ink cartridge into the printer.
- Be careful not to touch the metal parts (tiny electrical wires and contacts) on the bottom and front edge of the cartridge. The oiliness of the skin of the fingers can disturb contact with the printer. You can use a cotton swab moistened with isopropyl alcohol, i.e. denatured, to gently clean these contacts if necessary.
- You may need to print several test pages to get the ink to flow correctly.
